Why is umd charisma based

[Hijikata]

UMD is about deceiving and fooling magical items, emulating other classes and alignments.

So you need

a) knowledge abot device to use it. (int)
b) insight to use it. (wis)

Charisma is manipulating others, adjusting their opinion and actions. Whether with convincing lies, honeyed words, or effective threats, you make other people act like you want them to act.

But it only works on living creatures. Mechines and undeads are immune to its effects. Considering magical devices are not alive. There is not any reason to argue over this.

Higher charisma can might increase self confidence but they only blow them up while trying to use it. Even if u have a god like charisma it is useless.

To conclude umd is charisma based because of making game balance ; making bard , rogue more desireable.

[rest]

UMD is about deceiving and fooling magical items, emulating other classes and alignments.

So you need

a) knowledge abot device to use it. (int)
b) insight to use it. (wis)

Charisma is manipulating others, adjusting their opinion and actions. Whether with convincing lies, honeyed words, or effective threats, you make other people act like you want them to act.

But it only works on living creatures. Mechines and undeads are immune to its effects. Considering magical devices are not alive. There is not any reason to argue over this.

Higher charisma can might increase self confidence but they only blow them up while trying to use it. Even if u have a god like charisma it is useless.

To conclude umd is charisma based because of making game balance ; making bard , rogue more desireable.

Oooooooooooooooor because that's how it works in the PnP game on which this particular MMO is based.

[cryptic]

UMD is about deceiving and fooling magical items, emulating other classes and alignments.


Charisma is manipulating others, adjusting their opinion and actions. Whether with convincing lies, honeyed words, or effective threats, you make other people act like you want them to act.

It is the ability to bluff and act like another class or race so well that you even believe it yourself. it is the confidence that triggers the item.

[incineration]

UMD is about deceiving and fooling magical items, emulating other classes and alignments.

So you need

a) knowledge abot device to use it. (int)
b) insight to use it. (wis)

Charisma is manipulating others, adjusting their opinion and actions. Whether with convincing lies, honeyed words, or effective threats, you make other people act like you want them to act.

But it only works on living creatures. Mechines and undeads are immune to its effects. Considering magical devices are not alive. There is not any reason to argue over this.

Higher charisma can might increase self confidence but they only blow them up while trying to use it. Even if u have a god like charisma it is useless.

To conclude umd is charisma based because of making game balance ; making bard , rogue more desireable.

or because maybe you are trying to immitate the class/race that it requires, and I'm pretty sure that any immitataion would fall into the Charisma Catagory (especially since many items would be considered intelligent by PnP standard)

[Ryiah]

Charisma is manipulating others, adjusting their opinion and actions. Whether with convincing lies, honeyed words, or effective threats, you make other people act like you want them to act.

I think the concept is you are attempting to emulate the requirements to use the item - link below gives the example of just waving an item around blindly hoping it activates. The best thing that comes to mind is the mimic in Acute Delirium that pulls out the scepter and just waves it around wildly in an attempt to use it.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm

[GotSomeQuestions]

From the D&D rules:

Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting.

It's not about tricking the item, or about knowing how it works. Use Magic Device is your character telling the item "you work for me now," and making it do what you want.

You can also make an analogy to the physical stats. Intelligence is your mental Dexterity, representing your ability to learn, think quickly, and adapt. Wisdom is your mental Constitution, representing your mental fortitude and resistance to mental attacks. Charisma is your mental Strength, just as it says in the quote. And just as you use Strength to force stuck or unresponsive levers, you use Charisma to force stuck or unresponsive items.

Edit: you can read more here http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#abilityScores

[Arnhelm]

Yep, that's how it works in PnP.

[Freeman]

Because it is just funnier to watch the bard trying to use an unknown magic item

Bard: "I roll a 15, does it do anything?"
DM: *Rolling lots of dice* "Yep. How many hit points did you have?"
Bard: *Sigh* "Time to roll up a new character."

[Therigar]

To be all intellectual about it we need to understand that CHA is more than just a pretty face. In fact, the face itself could be pretty ugly and CHA could still be high. CHA is about making others view you as if you had a pretty face -- whether you do or don't. And, it is about making others view you in a favorable, positive way in just about every other aspect of life as well.

And, we could get all speculative about why this is used for UMD. We need to fool ourselves into believing we can actually use the item. Or, we need to fool the somewhat intelligent item into belief.

But, really, it comes down to one simple explanation.

UMD is CHA based because that is how it is. No intellectual, rational or speculative reasons. It just is that way.

You can stay awake at nights raging against the D&D gods for their capriciousness or you can accept it and just go to sleep. Either way, it is still going to stay CHA based because that is the way it is.

[Therigar]

I just realized that my Mom used to tell me the reason why things were how they were was "Because." And, that's the answer I just wrote.

I'm turning into my mother.

Only my breasts are larger and my beard is heavier....

(And, yes, that is gender humor. Think about it and you'll get it. )

[Arnhelm]

I just realized that my Mom used to tell me the reason why things were how they were was "Because." And, that's the answer I just wrote.

I'm turning into my mother.

Only my breasts are larger and my beard is heavier....

(And, yes, that is gender humor. Think about it and you'll get it. )

This post is made on a Saturday morning, and I refuse to think!

[Ystradmynach]

Aside from what was said already, there are game balance reasons to have UMD be charisma based. Namely that charisma sucks as an attribute compared to other five stats, giving it UMD at least gives some advantage to charisma over other stats which all have non-class dependent advantages.

[Alabore]

Charisma is your mental Strength, just as it says in the quote.

^^^
Loved how you put it.
Green Cookies because I love it when people play along the game background.

...

Charisma is exactly that: your capability to bind a magical item's will and force it to do your bidding, following your orders against its original conditioning.

In a world of magic, with sentient yet non-living beings, it makes sense.
Your personal aura is strong enough you can influence both people and... well... appliance.



...

Think about it, folks, whenever your computer hangs up; did you guys perchance dump Cha to get a higher Str/Con...?

[Arctik]

You must be able to persuade the scroll to use itself?

[Therigar]

Think about it, folks, whenever your computer hangs up; did you guys perchance dump Cha to get a higher Str/Con...?

My computer never hangs up. If it ever did I'd beat on it until it gave up and started working again!

You don't think Chuck Norris has problems with computers hanging up on him do you?

Proof that STR & CON beat CHA!

Then again, he's Chuck Norris....

[ainmosni]

UMD is about deceiving and fooling magical items, emulating other classes and alignments.

you have to diplo the scroll to use it.

[Alabore]

You don't think Chuck Norris has problems with computers hanging up on him do you?

Chuck Norris is overpowered.

[SirShen]

UMD is about deceiving and fooling magical items, emulating other classes and alignments.

So you need

a) knowledge abot device to use it. (int)
b) insight to use it. (wis)

Charisma is manipulating others, adjusting their opinion and actions. Whether with convincing lies, honeyed words, or effective threats, you make other people act like you want them to act.

But it only works on living creatures. Mechines and undeads are immune to its effects. Considering magical devices are not alive. There is not any reason to argue over this.

Higher charisma can might increase self confidence but they only blow them up while trying to use it. Even if u have a god like charisma it is useless.

To conclude umd is charisma based because of making game balance ; making bard , rogue more desireable.

When i use to play pen and paper alot of high level magic items were like living things. They would talk and someone with umd could trick it into thinking that you were the original owner or sweet talk it into letting you use it.

[Afyndax]

Aside from what was said already, there are game balance reasons to have UMD be charisma based. Namely that charisma sucks as an attribute compared to other five stats, giving it UMD at least gives some advantage to charisma over other stats which all have non-class dependent advantages.

I think this is more the correct answer. In the early days of PnP.. Chr was the dump stat. They probably felt that adding a new ability as powerful as UMD would overpower clerics and wizards if they used wis or int.. so they stuck it as CHR. All you PnP historians, I would love to know which came first, the implementation of the UMD-chr or Sorcs? my bet is UMD

[Aesop]

You are imposing your Will on the item though your Force of Personality.



Wisdom is your understanding and defense where Charisma is your aggressive force of personality

Aesop