[RPG] Can a Cleric use a magic item that casts Wizard spells

dnd-5emagic-itemsspells

Can a 5e cleric use a rod or a staff with wizard spells in it?

I have a Drow Cleric of Lolth, and she carries a scepter/rod that can petrify enemies (top end), and then use a melee-targeted disintegrate effect to shatter them (weighted, bottom end), before they revert to flesh. When I looked in the book, though, both flesh to stone and disintegrate are for wizards; clerics cannot learn them.

Could she still use this item, in some way, or is it wizards/sorcerers only? (I'm not sure how Use Magic Device works, in 5e, or if it is just for Rogues.)

Best Answer

If the device does not specifically restrict its use to a class (or race, or level), then anyone can use it.

See "spells" on p.141 of the DMG: there's no blanket restriction on who can cast a spell from a magical device. There is even guidance on what to do when the spell cast implicates a spellcasting modifier and the character isn't a caster; this makes it clear that non-casters, even, can generally use magical items.

The rogue's "Use Magic Device" class feature circumvents class restrictions when they exist. Consider, for instance the Tome of the Stilled Tongue which requires attunement by a wizard or the Dwarven Thrower which requires attunement by a dwarf. (DMG pp.208, 167, respectively)