UMD Warforged Components

[Captnq]

I am a human. I get a wand sheath Warforged component. I make my UMD and stick it in my arm. I merge a wand with it. 1 hour later my UMD check to emulate a race fails.

So, by RAW, can I do it? What happens when it fails? Does the wand remain merged? How about just the wand sheath popping out by the wand stays behind? Does the wand stay merged with the wand sheath?

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(embedded component): This narrow sheath is embedded in the forearm and hand of a warforged character, occupying space on the body as if it were a bracer. Once it is in place, the warforged can insert a normal magic wand into the sheath, whereupon it merges with the character's body. The sheath can hold a single wand. Once a wand is inserted, it cannot be removed until all its charges are used up, at which point the wand drops out of the sheath and a new one can be inserted. A character can activate a sheathed wand (assuming the character could activate the wand normally) without having to retrieve it, simply by pointing a finger and thinking about activating it. Thus, the character can activate it in an area of silence or while grappling without difficulty. Faint transmutation; CL 4th; Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Wand, polymorph; Price 4,000 gp.

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:  Any character capable of creating a magic item can make the same magic item as a warforged component, and any warforged character capable of using a magic item can use the same item as a warforged component. Warforged components use the special rules given below, and otherwise conform to the normal rules for creating and using magic items. A warforged component usually occupies the same space on the body that a magic item of the same kind normally would. Components that do not occupy any space on the body cost twice what they would cost as ordinary magic items. These components only work when bonded to the body of a warforged; they are not usable by members of any other race. There is no chance of damaging an embedded warforged component when the warforged rolls a 1 on a saving throw, and an embedded component cannot be targeted by an attack independently of the warforged who bears it. Attached components, however, can be damaged and targeted. If a warforged component requires activation, the character with the component can activate it with a thought. Doing this requires the same kind of action as for an ordinary magic item (usually a standard action), but the warforged can do it silently and without moving, and never provokes an attack of opportunity to activate a component. Attaching or detaching a warforged component is a standard action that never provokes an attack of opportunity. If a warforged character has at least 1 hit point, embedded or attached components cannot be removed unless the warforged wants them to be. A disabled warforged (-1 to -9 hp) has no choice in the matter; embedded or attached components can be removed from a disabled warforged. If a warforged is destroyed (-10 hit points), each component gets an appropriate saving throw to remain intact; intact components can be salvaged. Basic components are ordinary magic items modified to serve as warforged components, or specially designed components with no unusual characteristics.

[phaedrusxy]

WTF exactly is the advantage of this thing? It's like Silent Spell for a single wand? For 3900 bucks? Seems kind of steep...

[Jackinthegreen]

I'm quite sure there's no RAW on this because it's outside the scope of normal rules.  I'd go so far as to bet there are no official rules of any sort about this because it's so far out there.  Personally I wouldn't allow the wand sheath to be used without modification on anyone but a warforged simply because, as a warforged component, even with a UMD check it's not possible for another race to actually embed and use the item since they don't have the anatomy to do so.  UMD's ability to treat the user as one of another race was most likely written on the assumption that magic items would only have a requirement of wearing or wielding, not actually embedding it in the character's body.  Again, it's outside the scope of the rules, so use your best judgment on it.

[Captnq]

I'm quite sure there's no RAW on this because it's outside the scope of normal rules.  I'd go so far as to bet there are no official rules of any sort about this because it's so far out there.  Personally I wouldn't allow the wand sheath to be used without modification on anyone but a warforged simply because, as a warforged component, even with a UMD check it's not possible for another race to actually embed and use the item since they don't have the anatomy to do so.  UMD's ability to treat the user as one of another race was most likely written on the assumption that magic items would only have a requirement of wearing or wielding, not actually embedding it in the character's body.  Again, it's outside the scope of the rules, so use your best judgment on it.

Ah, but we do not know what "embedding" is. Is it, I take a knife and slit open my arm and stick the device in? If so, then no amount of UMD is going to work. But the way it reads is, It's just like any other body slot item and I can embed it into my arm as a standard action. That sounds like magic to me. So if it magically embeds itself, why can't I pretend to be a warforged and iembed it in my arm?

Note, there are also warforged attachments, but the embedding componate is much more interesting to entertail as an idea to UMD on a fleshy. Plus I need it for the body modification handbook.

[Iainuki]

There's a 3.0 PrC in S&S, fang of Lolth, that requires that you trick a magic item intended only for spiders with UMD, causing it to fuse itself to you.  I think this situation is totally undefined in the rules, so it's really going to be up to the DM's interpretation what happens.

[NunoM]

"Wand bracer" meets "Wand Chamber", and D&D meets "SAW"... I kind of like it!

FWIW, i would agree, since it occupies a slot and it mimics the combined effect of existing items with some advantages, but at greater cost. However, i'm not your DM so you better take it up to him.

[RedWarlock]

Hate to be the spoilsport, but I think the specific line of:

These components only work when bonded to the body of a warforged; they are not usable by members of any other race.

beats the general application of UMD to bypass race requirements.

[linklord231]

Depends on which you consider to be the "general" rule, and which the "specific". 
You could say "In general, UMD lets you mimic a racial requirement, except for Warforged Components." 
You could say "In general, you can't use Warforged Components unless you're a Warforged, but if you can mimic being one with UMD, you can." 

I'd be inclined to go with the second interpretation, seeing as how that is exactly the situation UMD describes itself as being useful in. 

Some magic items work only for members of certain races, or work better for members of those races. You can use such an item as if you were a race of your choice.

[SolEiji]

It isn't too terribly helpful, but the closest comparison I have found was the Gemstone of Fortification (Draconomicon, p83).  It can ony be embedded in scales, but calls out that someone without scales can embed it with Limited Wish.  From what I can tell it seems to suggest you do need the gross physical attributes, or some way to bend reality magically to permit it.

A loose interpretation would probably permit it if you have any kind of artificial graft to hold it, but perhaps not organic flesh.

[Captnq]

Thanks for the insight. I think I know how to write it up now.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

I vaguely recall a "Fuse Item" -type power in previous edition psionics.
I thought there was a lower level one in 3e but I only found Graft Weapon.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/graftWeapon.htm

That could count as an "embedded" maybe.