New Feat: Device Genius

[Calebro]

I don't understand why UMD uses the CHA modifier instead of INT or WIS in the first place.

Understanding how it works, whether through instinct (Wis) or study (Int), will not suddenly make the item operate.

Charisma is used because the idea behind it is that the user is *tricking* the item into "thinking" that the user meets the requirements to use it. Consider it a modified version of the Bluff skill that only applies to magical devices.

Using Int, you could figure out that a certain ring required a command word to activate, but that revelation doesn't impart the knowledge of what that command word is. You have to *trick* the item into "thinking" that you know the word.

Any spellcaster can use a wand if they are of appropriate level and have that spell on their spell list. But you can trick the wand into assuming that you meet these requirements.

Does that make sense to you now?

[dormetheus]

Seems reasonable. Arcane Knowledge is an Int skill, I believe. Having the intelligence to know how something works (the power word, the trigger, whatever) makes perfect sense, particularly if it's a relic.

But, I think Cha is used for UMD because it's a force-of-will kind of thing. Although, that sounds more like a Wis modifier, now that I think of it.

Maybe you just have to "act" your way into using it, much as a Sorc or a Wild Mage just channels the arcane forces naturally.

[toughguyjoe]

You people could use a bit of understanding on some theories on real magic.

Oh great Wizard! Please give us but a glimpse into the mighty power you command in the real world!

[Meetch1972]

Oh yeah! Not overpowering so why not? And while we're at it.. lets add LITERACY to the list of available feats... it seems much of the player base is lacking in this department.

/signed. Oh wait, I'll /sign the OP too.

[Alternative]

/signed

who knows...

[Angelus_dead]

The likelihood of Turbine changing the name of a skill more or less directly implemented from D&D isn't very high.

Ok, but why do you say that in regards to a skill like Intimidate, which has been flipped to almost the reverse of the D&D effect?

[Angelus_dead]

Encourage more non-WF wizards?

It would have some effectiveness for that, but it would also flip the balance between wizard and sorcerer for UMD capability. Splashed Wizards would become better at UMD than Rogues, who'd have trouble affording this feat and gain less from it anyhow.

Instead of encouraging non-WF wizards, it would be better to do something else to encourage playing both Wizard and Sorcerer as a non-WF. Divine scroll access is a pretty unthematic Wizard benefit.

[Bradik_Losdar]

It would have some effectiveness for that, but it would also flip the balance between wizard and sorcerer for UMD capability. Splashed Wizards would become better at UMD than Rogues, who'd have trouble affording this feat and gain less from it anyhow.

Huh?

Flip the balance? 'Splashed' wizards better than rogues?

The feat is based off intellegence, not class.

Wizards would still be 'gimp' compared to sorcs and rogues when it came to UMD even using this new feat. With an equal level sorc and wizard with equal main stats (CHA/INT), the sorc comes out ahead because he doesn't have to drop another feat (perhaps spell penetration or toughness or....) to get the same UMD score.

On the rogue side, they will always out do a wiz when it comes to UMD if they choose to invest in it. They get the skill at a 1 for 1 skill point basis where the wiz is handicapped at a 2 for 1 basis. A smart rogue using this feat might get a little more out of his UMD score (depending on how high his INT is) if, as above, he chose to take it in lieu of some other feat.

It would just be a nice option to have, for folks who would like to build their characters that way.