[RPG] Explain how the Thief Rogue’s Use Magic Device isn’t overpowered

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I've been looking at the Rogue class lately, and although the Arcane Trickster archetype is really interesting, the Thief archetype, which is the only class to get Use Magic Device, seems also very good, just for this feature. However, scouring around for guides, I see that usually Use Magic Device is never identified as one of the Thief's best features, and features like Fast Hands and taking two turns at the start of combat are deemed more useful.

Why is that? I would expect that with Use Magic Device, the Thief essentially becomes a sneak attacking Clericzard just spamming all kinds of scrolls/wands every other turn, but most don't really consider this feature as the core of the class.

Best Answer

Because obtaining magic items isn’t up to the thief.

The power and flexibility of the Use Magic Device feature is entirely up to the DM. If the DM doesn’t give many (or any) useful items that the thief can take advantage of, then Use Magic Device is not going to be a particularly interesting feature. Use Magic Device is not overpowered because the player can’t even decide if they will be able to use it.

This is outlined in the first chapter of the Dungeon Master's Guide, "Magic in Your World":

Some D&D settings have more magic in them than others. On Athas, the harsh world of the Dark Sun setting, arcane magic is a hated practice that can drain life from the world. Much of Athas’s magic lies in the hands of evildoers. Conversely, in the world of Eberron, magic is as commonplace as any other commodity. Mercantile houses sell magic items and services to anyone who can afford them. People purchase tickets to ride airships and trains propelled by elemental magic.

Consider these questions when fitting magic into your world:

[...]

  • How rare are magic items, magical locations, and creatures that have supernatural powers? At what power level do these things go from everyday to exotic?

Then, in Chapter 7: Treasure, in the section "Buying and Selling", we have more guidance that puts magic item commerce well within the DM's purview:

Unless you decide your campaign works otherwise, most magic items are so rare that they aren’t available for purchase. Common items, such as a potion of healing, can be procured from an alchemist, herbalist, or spellcaster. Doing so is rarely as simple as walking into a shop and selecting an item from a shelf. The seller might ask for a service, rather than coin.

[...]

In your campaign, magic items might be prevalent enough that adventurers can buy and sell them with some effort. Magic items might be for sale in bazaars or auction houses in fantastical locations, such as the City of Brass, the planar metropolis of Sigil, or even in more ordinary cities. Sale of magic items might be highly regulated, accompanied by a thriving black market. Artificers might craft items for use by military forces or adventurers, as they do in the world of Eberron. You might also allow characters to craft their own magic items, as discussed in chapter 6.

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