Are there benefits for maxing UMD (30) on the Amia server? or is there a certain cap like "get to 20 then stop because anything more is wasted"

I know crafted items like wands and scrolls have caps, and for the life of me I haven't been able to figure out if it's worth going the full 30.

http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Use_magic_device

Mainly at 30 you'll get to use more expensive items. Not so important for consumables like scrolls and such, but nice for some classes that want to take high level equipment normally not available to them.

Bear in mind you only need to have the required skill level of UMD at the moment you equip the item in question. You can buff it up with skill bonus items(a few trips to the random generator merchants will suffice) and it won't jump off your back when you swap them for your actual fightin' gear...until you relog or swap servers, that is. Then it will.

I find that sufficiently annoying that I usually pony up the base ranks, but it's an option.

10 will let you use any scroll.

15 or 20 (I forget) will handle any wand.

I'm not entirely sure I've ever seen something that required a 30, but I may be wrong. I think the Darksbane longsword might. It's important to note that in general, the higher you go, the less and less you seem to ever see any restrictions on gear to the point that once you get to endgame epic boss drops none of them have restrictions.

Almost every character I've taken to lvl 30 ends up wearing more or less the same things, which have no restrictions. Of course, things could change in the future, but as it is now, unless there's something weirdly build-specific a 15 or 20 will do most anyone fine.

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Rashad the Azure, Zakharan Merchant-lord Most Fair and Master of the Desert Wind
Loremaster Tukson Devers, Oghmanyte Wrestler of Knowledge and Child of the Passive Voice

(No tells for Rashad while I'm playing other characters please.)

There's a couple items that require 30+ UMD, I know one of my characters has a wizard ring that's uber powerful, but the racial/Alignment restrictions make the DC for it equally uber high. And there's also a few weapons in the gauntlet that require 30+ UMD to use too. There's not a lot though. Usually how much UMD someone takes is down to personal preference. I see most people stop at 15 UMD (With Stat Modifiers) for scrolls and wands. Which is fair, just not my cup of tea. I usually like 25, because that allows you to use basically everything you might need or want in the module with only a few exceptions.

So, is it worth going to 30? Well, that's really up to you. What do you want from it? Do you only want to be able to use scrolls and wands? Do you want to be able to use special gear? Do you want to RP being able to do a lot? Really, it's up to what you want.

If you only want to use scrolls and wands, then yeah. 15 is the number to stop at.

If you want to be able to use other neat stuff, then 25-30 is the number for you!

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Occasionally seen as [DM] Raua, or playerside as...

I was pretty sure some of the 4th level, higher charged wands will require a 20, but after testing the most expensive wand possible (Hammer of the Gods, lvl 20), it's indeed, just 15.

In general, unless there's something build-specific you know you need you'll end up wearing stuff with no restrictions at all. Ring of Power, Arcane Defiance whatever, Cloak of Fortification +5, etc, etc have no restrictions.

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Rashad the Azure, Zakharan Merchant-lord Most Fair and Master of the Desert Wind
Loremaster Tukson Devers, Oghmanyte Wrestler of Knowledge and Child of the Passive Voice

(No tells for Rashad while I'm playing other characters please.)

thanks everyone! I'm gonna go the full 30.