Wands

Wands are 1.25 feet long and slender. They are made of ivory, bone, or wood and are usually tipped with something - metal, crystal, or stone. They are fragile and tend to break easily. Because of this, they are often kept in cases.

Wands perform at 6th level of experience with respect to the damage they cause, range, duration, area of effect, and so on, unless otherwise stated. At the DM's option, 1% of all wands can be trapped to backfire.

Wands are powered by charges, each uses costing one or more charges (depending on the item). When created, a wand typically contains d20+80 charges. Captured wands taken from a defeated foe often have far fewer charges. Wands never have a greater number of charges than those listed. Most wands can be recharged according to the rules for making magical items.

When a wand runs out of charges, it can no longer be recharged. Alternatively, the DM can rule that the wand immediately crumbles into dust (settling the issue) or it has become a useless stick.

Command Words (Optional Rule): Like rods and staves, wands can require the utterance of a command word or phrase to operate and, like those other items, the key is seldom found in the lock. The DM can rule that the command word is etched in magical writing on the wand (requiring read magic to translate) or require the characters to use such methods as commune spells or expensive sages. If the DM chooses not to use this option, ignore references to command words in the item descriptions below - all items simply work.