Can the unseen servant use 'Use Activated' magic items?


Rules Questions


Quote:
Use Activated: This type of item simply has to be used in order to activate it. A character has to drink a potion, swing a sword, interpose a shield to deflect a blow in combat, look through a lens, sprinkle dust, wear a ring, or don a hat.

An example of an item I'm wanting my unseen servant to use is the bottle of shadows, which states:

Quote:
When turned upside down, the bottle summons a shadow to do the bidding of the user...

Does this mean that my unseen servant can be commanded to turn the bottle upside down and hence activate the item?

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

I suppose, but the shadow would follow the orders of the user, which in this case would be the unseen servant - who can't issue orders. So I guess you get a shadow that just stands there?


ryric wrote:
I suppose, but the shadow would follow the orders of the user, which in this case would be the unseen servant - who can't issue orders. So I guess you get a shadow that just stands there?

So I wouldn't control it, even though it's my unseen servant? I will ask my GM and see what he says about it too...

What I was planning to do was to get out the item or other 'use activated' items from the handy haversack and hand it to the unseen servant and then still have my standard and have the unseen servant activate the item.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

I'm fairly certain that's intentionally difficult to get around action economy using unseen servant in this way. Remember that the spell basically creates a nebulous blob of force with a 2 Str - that's it. It's already an extremely useful and versatile spell, it doesn't need a power-up.


ryric wrote:
I suppose, but the shadow would follow the orders of the user, which in this case would be the unseen servant - who can't issue orders. So I guess you get a shadow that just stands there?

I would also rule that you can have unseen servant activate use-activated items as long as they can be activated by purely physical activity and don't require any control or decisions at the time of use. For example, you could use one to pour out an oil of darkness on a given square.

In the case of the bottle of shadows, I would rule that the released shadow is uncontrolled, and will do whatever it wants for four rounds... which would likely be attack the nearest living creature.


ryric wrote:
I'm fairly certain that's intentionally difficult to get around action economy using unseen servant in this way. Remember that the spell basically creates a nebulous blob of force with a 2 Str - that's it. It's already an extremely useful and versatile spell, it doesn't need a power-up.

For what tasks can you use the unseen servant?

I used it as a trap sense, dragging material in front of us.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

I use it to open doors, pull levers, set off traps(as you note). I've used it to distract animals and vermin by rustling branches and banging things. I've used it to pick poisonous berries.

Basically it's very good for doing minor physical things that you don't want to risk an actual person doing.

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