The changes to the Thief Rogue's subclass features, and the clarifications made regarding Actions, which distinguish between Attack, Utilize, and Magic actions, it appears that a Thief Rogue can now use their bonus action to use a magic item to cast a spell that would normally require an action. Regard the following:
Level 3: Fast Hands
As a Bonus Action, you can do one of the following.
Sleight of Hand. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to pick a lock or disarm a trap with Thieves’ Tools or to pick a pocket.
Use an Object. Take the Utilize action, or take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.
Magic [Action]
When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated.
For the sake of argue, lets say you have a multiclassed Thief so they meets the spellcasting requirements to attune to a Wand of Fireballs (or Lightning). To cast Fireball/Lightning with the wand requires a Magic Action, and because Thief's can, as a bonus action, take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action, they can therefore use the magic wand to cast a spell as a bonus action (not unlike a quickened spell).
I believe this is intentional, done to make the Thief Rogue a more viable class, and this is supported by their Level 13 feature, Use Magic Device, which enables Thief to attune to more magic items, and use spell scroll (even if they aren't spellcasters). This makes Thief rogue a rather viable 'Gadget-man/girl' subclass, focused and utilizing equipment and magic items in combat, with good action economy.
As far as I know, it may also leave them as the class of choice to cast two fireballs in one turn since the wand of fireballs does not use spell slots and thus does not break the rule limiting spells to one spell using a spell slot in a turn.
I wonder if they will errata it since they wrote the sorcerer quicken spell feature in such a way as to prevent casting two level 1+ spells in a turn including those from a magic item.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
Cantrip and Level 1 spell scrolls are listed in the 2024 Player's Handbook under Adventuring Gear. It doesn't specifically say they use the Magic action, but it does say that they use the spell's normal casting time, which for a one-action spell is the Magic action.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
Cantrip and Level 1 spell scrolls are listed in the 2024 Player's Handbook under Adventuring Gear. It doesn't specifically say they use the Magic action, but it does say that they use the spell's normal casting time, which for a one-action spell is the Magic action.
I had no idea, thank you!
Reading the PHB, I think there's wiggle room for any given GM to rule however they want. Does reading the scroll and casting a spell count as "using a magic item"? Probably, but if a GM were to say "that's not using a magic item, that's casting a spell," I don't think there's much text to support a conclusion one way or the other, if that's where the GM decides to plant their flag.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
The text of the Magic Action is:
"Magic [Action]
When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated.
If you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 minute or longer, you must take the Magic action on each turn of that casting, and you must maintain Concentration while you do so. If your Concentration is broken, the spell fails, but you don’t expend a spell slot. See also “Concentration.” "
The text on items involving spells from the 2014 DMG is:
"Spells
Some magic items allow the user to cast a spell from the item, often by expending charges from it."
The definition of a spell scroll from the 2014 DMG states:
"A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing any material components"
Both the magic items and scrolls from the 2014 DMG allow the character to cast a spell. The 2024 PHB defines the Magic Action as casting a spell that requires an action to cast. As a result, both spell scrolls or magic items that cast spells require the use of a Magic Action in the 2024 rules to use them since that is how the Magic Action is defined.
The 2024 DMG may introduce some modified rules (who knows?) but currently, as written, 2014 magic items that cast spells and spell scrolls which cast spells would use a 2024 Magic Action to make use of them.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
The text of the Magic Action is:
"Magic [Action]
When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated.
If you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 minute or longer, you must take the Magic action on each turn of that casting, and you must maintain Concentration while you do so. If your Concentration is broken, the spell fails, but you don’t expend a spell slot. See also “Concentration.” "
The text on items involving spells from the 2014 DMG is:
"Spells
Some magic items allow the user to cast a spell from the item, often by expending charges from it."
The definition of a spell scroll from the 2014 DMG states:
"A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing any material components"
Both the magic items and scrolls from the 2014 DMG allow the character to cast a spell. The 2024 PHB defines the Magic Action as casting a spell that requires an action to cast. As a result, both spell scrolls or magic items that cast spells require the use of a Magic Action in the 2024 rules to use them since that is how the Magic Action is defined.
The 2024 DMG may introduce some modified rules (who knows?) but currently, as written, 2014 magic items that cast spells and spell scrolls which cast spells would use a 2024 Magic Action to make use of them.
Yeah, none of that impacts anything I said. No 2014 magic item that does anything uses a Magic Action. The definition of the Magic action is pretty clear: "or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated." It's gotta say it requires a Magic action, which no 2014 item does. If your argument is that it's a Magic action by virtue of it being casting a spell, then it sounds like you're actually arguing against the small consensus found in this thread, since casting a spell is not something that Fast Hands allows you to do. Again, that's probably not how I'd rule, but if you want to, I think the rules support you as much as they do the rest of us in this thread.
As I said there, I prefer to wait for the new DMG, but the equivalent of a 2014 scroll that required a single action to cast will now probably require a Magic action.
Yeah, none of that impacts anything I said. No 2014 magic item that does anything uses a Magic Action. The definition of the Magic action is pretty clear: "or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated." It's gotta say it requires a Magic action, which no 2014 item does. If your argument is that it's a Magic action by virtue of it being casting a spell, then it sounds like you're actually arguing against the small consensus found in this thread, since casting a spell is not something that Fast Hands allows you to do. Again, that's probably not how I'd rule, but if you want to, I think the rules support you as much as they do the rest of us in this thread.
I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying (or simply disagree with it).
"When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated."
You are correct regarding every magic item that does not cast a spell because none stipulate that they require a Magic action to be activated. However, ANY spell casting IS by definition a Magic action in the 2024 rules whether this is cast using a spell slot, a spell scroll or a magic item that casts a spell. IF the magic item allows casting of a spell that has a casting time of one action THEN it uses the Magic action to cast that spell no matter what the source of that spell casting.
So any 2014 magic items that allow the character to cast a spell require a Magic action to use because that is what the Magic action explicitly states.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
The text of the Magic Action is:
"Magic [Action]
When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated.
If you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 minute or longer, you must take the Magic action on each turn of that casting, and you must maintain Concentration while you do so. If your Concentration is broken, the spell fails, but you don’t expend a spell slot. See also “Concentration.” "
The text on items involving spells from the 2014 DMG is:
"Spells
Some magic items allow the user to cast a spell from the item, often by expending charges from it."
The definition of a spell scroll from the 2014 DMG states:
"A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing any material components"
Both the magic items and scrolls from the 2014 DMG allow the character to cast a spell. The 2024 PHB defines the Magic Action as casting a spell that requires an action to cast. As a result, both spell scrolls or magic items that cast spells require the use of a Magic Action in the 2024 rules to use them since that is how the Magic Action is defined.
The 2024 DMG may introduce some modified rules (who knows?) but currently, as written, 2014 magic items that cast spells and spell scrolls which cast spells would use a 2024 Magic Action to make use of them.
Yeah, none of that impacts anything I said. No 2014 magic item that does anything uses a Magic Action. The definition of the Magic action is pretty clear: "or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated." It's gotta say it requires a Magic action, which no 2014 item does. If your argument is that it's a Magic action by virtue of it being casting a spell, then it sounds like you're actually arguing against the small consensus found in this thread, since casting a spell is not something that Fast Hands allows you to do. Again, that's probably not how I'd rule, but if you want to, I think the rules support you as much as they do the rest of us in this thread.
This is something I am hoping the 2024 DMG will clear up since it'll be reintroducing 400+ magic items with the new wording and ruleset. My money is that, like the equipment items reintroduced in the 2024 PHB (which now clearly state whether the required action is an Attack action or a Utilize action), the new magic items will clearly state the use of the Magic action (similar to the 2024 spells).
Even if the revised magic items are worded such that it prevents a Thief Rogue from bonus action casting a spell from a magic item, that is fine. I just want it to be clearly stated to avoid any contention (like the old 'guidance on initiative' question).
As far as I know, it may also leave them as the class of choice to cast two fireballs in one turn since the wand of fireballs does not use spell slots and thus does not break the rule limiting spells to one spell using a spell slot in a turn.
I wonder if they will errata it since they wrote the sorcerer quicken spell feature in such a way as to prevent casting two level 1+ spells in a turn including those from a magic item.
I am of the option that this oversight is more the result of the writers trying to nerf certain spellcasting abilities (I mean, like at what they did to twin spell: a tragedy really) and buff martial classes (who needs spells when you have weapon mastery), rather than aiming for consistency.
Were it up to me, I'd rather that the errata remove the restriction on Quicken Spell, rather than impose a restriction on Fast Hands. Part of the fun of playing rogues and sorcerers is their unique action economies. If a Thief rogue can cast two fireballs in one turn, any sorcerer should too (but better).
Yeah, none of that impacts anything I said. No 2014 magic item that does anything uses a Magic Action. The definition of the Magic action is pretty clear: "or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated." It's gotta say it requires a Magic action, which no 2014 item does. If your argument is that it's a Magic action by virtue of it being casting a spell, then it sounds like you're actually arguing against the small consensus found in this thread, since casting a spell is not something that Fast Hands allows you to do. Again, that's probably not how I'd rule, but if you want to, I think the rules support you as much as they do the rest of us in this thread.
I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying (or simply disagree with it).
"When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated."
You are correct regarding every magic item that does not cast a spell because none stipulate that they require a Magic action to be activated. However, ANY spell casting IS by definition a Magic action in the 2024 rules whether this is cast using a spell slot, a spell scroll or a magic item that casts a spell. IF the magic item allows casting of a spell that has a casting time of one action THEN it uses the Magic action to cast that spell no matter what the source of that spell casting.
So any 2014 magic items that allow the character to cast a spell require a Magic action to use because that is what the Magic action explicitly states.
Which in turn begs the original question: Can a Thief Rogue use their Fast Hands to use these magic items as a bonus action since this is a Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action?
Even with the limitations of the 2014 wording, the answer appears to be 'yes'.
This is something I am hoping the 2024 DMG will clear up since it'll be reintroducing 400+ magic items with the new wording and ruleset. My money is that, like the equipment items reintroduced in the 2024 PHB (which now clearly state whether the required action is an Attack action or a Utilize action), the new magic items will clearly state the use of the Magic action (similar to the 2024 spells).
Even if the revised magic items are worded such that it prevents a Thief Rogue from bonus action casting a spell from a magic item, that is fine. I just want it to be clearly stated to avoid any contention (like the old 'guidance on initiative' question).
You can keep your money, mate :D
From the 2024 DMG:
Activating a Magic Item
It usually takes a Magic action to activate a magic item.
There's also a Spell Scroll as a Magic Item, but the casting rules are the same as for Spell Scrolls in the PHB.
From what I've read so far, the magic items in the new DMG do all clearly state what type of action (usually Magic or Utilize, both of which a Thief Rogue can do as a bonus action) you need to use to do anything with them. The exception is when the item involves casting a spell, where it doesn't specify what kind of action it is, falling back on the spell definitions themselves and the general rule that casting a spell is a Magic action unless the spell's casting time is different.
It is important to distinguish the ones that use Magic actions from the ones that use Utilize actions, not so much for Thief Rogues but for things like Action Surge and Haste that allow you to take another action in turn but don't allow that action to be a Magic action.
There's also a Spell Scroll as a Magic Item, but the casting rules are the same as for Spell Scrolls in the PHB.
I didn't see any special rules for Thief Rogues.
Nothing explicitly stated, no. Which means it's open to DM interpretation, and thus controversy (which I am really hoping to avoid).
But, since Spell Scrolls are magic items, and so long as the spell contained can be cast with a Magic Action, then it may be inferred that a Thief can cast it as a bonus action (assuming the character meets the requirements to use a spell scroll), as it meets the requirements of Fast Hands (a Magic Action to use a magic item that requires that action).
Nothing explicitly stated, no. Which means it's open to DM interpretation, and thus controversy (which I am really hoping to avoid).
I think it's pretty explicit.
The Rogue (Thief) rule for Fast Hands says "Take the Utilize action, or take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action."
The "Activating a Magic Item" rules in the DMG say "It usually takes a Magic action to activate a magic item." Meaning that's what they use unless they state a different type of action.
Scrolls use spellcasting (which requires the Magic action), and are magic items (explicitly listed under the magic item rules in the DMG and called magic items in the PHB).
Nothing explicitly stated, no. Which means it's open to DM interpretation, and thus controversy (which I am really hoping to avoid).
I think it's pretty explicit.
The Rogue (Thief) rule for Fast Hands says "Take the Utilize action, or take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action."
The "Activating a Magic Item" rules in the DMG say "It usually takes a Magic action to activate a magic item." Meaning that's what they use unless they state a different type of action.
Scrolls use spellcasting (which requires the Magic action), and are magic items (explicitly listed under the magic item rules in the DMG and called magic items in the PHB).
I do not think it works as the spells cast from items section says a spell cast from a item uses its normal casting time. The problem is both the thief fast hands and the spells cast from items section are specific rules overriding a general rule, so its not clear which overrides which.
My instinct though is the spells cast from items section is the end result, it has the cast time of the spell. just because rogues likely should not be tossing out 2 fireballs etc that easily. If the best caster is a rogue with a good staff or 3 it feels off. But time will tell what the intent is here.
I do not think it works as the spells cast from items section says a spell cast from a item uses its normal casting time.
That means the spell itself overrides the action type (normal magic items use the Magic action; ones that cast a Bonus Action spell using a Bonus action instead...). Ironically, it would mean Fast Hands only works with items that cast normal-magic-action spells. The feature very explicitly lets you use the Magic action as a Bonus Action.
So it works fine for a Wand of Fireballs either way.
However, a Thief is just as good as using a magic item's Bonus Action or Reaction as any other user.
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The changes to the Thief Rogue's subclass features, and the clarifications made regarding Actions, which distinguish between Attack, Utilize, and Magic actions, it appears that a Thief Rogue can now use their bonus action to use a magic item to cast a spell that would normally require an action. Regard the following:
Level 3: Fast Hands
As a Bonus Action, you can do one of the following.
Sleight of Hand. Make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to pick a lock or disarm a trap with Thieves’ Tools or to pick a pocket.
Use an Object. Take the Utilize action, or take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.
Magic [Action]
When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated.
For the sake of argue, lets say you have a multiclassed Thief so they meets the spellcasting requirements to attune to a Wand of Fireballs (or Lightning). To cast Fireball/Lightning with the wand requires a Magic Action, and because Thief's can, as a bonus action, take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action, they can therefore use the magic wand to cast a spell as a bonus action (not unlike a quickened spell).
I believe this is intentional, done to make the Thief Rogue a more viable class, and this is supported by their Level 13 feature, Use Magic Device, which enables Thief to attune to more magic items, and use spell scroll (even if they aren't spellcasters). This makes Thief rogue a rather viable 'Gadget-man/girl' subclass, focused and utilizing equipment and magic items in combat, with good action economy.
What to you all think?
As far as I know, it may also leave them as the class of choice to cast two fireballs in one turn since the wand of fireballs does not use spell slots and thus does not break the rule limiting spells to one spell using a spell slot in a turn.
I wonder if they will errata it since they wrote the sorcerer quicken spell feature in such a way as to prevent casting two level 1+ spells in a turn including those from a magic item.
Completely legit.
Currently, no, it doesn’t work. Fast Hands lets you use a bonus action to “take the Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action.” The spell scrolls we have access to do not require the Magic action, since they predate that action by ten years.
Will it work in a week when we see the rules text for spell scrolls in the DMG? Definitely maybe! But don’t count your chickens before they’ve been laid, let alone hatched.
Cantrip and Level 1 spell scrolls are listed in the 2024 Player's Handbook under Adventuring Gear. It doesn't specifically say they use the Magic action, but it does say that they use the spell's normal casting time, which for a one-action spell is the Magic action.
pronouns: he/she/they
I had no idea, thank you!
Reading the PHB, I think there's wiggle room for any given GM to rule however they want. Does reading the scroll and casting a spell count as "using a magic item"? Probably, but if a GM were to say "that's not using a magic item, that's casting a spell," I don't think there's much text to support a conclusion one way or the other, if that's where the GM decides to plant their flag.
The text of the Magic Action is:
"Magic [Action]
When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated.
If you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 minute or longer, you must take the Magic action on each turn of that casting, and you must maintain Concentration while you do so. If your Concentration is broken, the spell fails, but you don’t expend a spell slot. See also “Concentration.” "
The text on items involving spells from the 2014 DMG is:
"Spells
Some magic items allow the user to cast a spell from the item, often by expending charges from it."
The definition of a spell scroll from the 2014 DMG states:
"A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing any material components"
Both the magic items and scrolls from the 2014 DMG allow the character to cast a spell. The 2024 PHB defines the Magic Action as casting a spell that requires an action to cast. As a result, both spell scrolls or magic items that cast spells require the use of a Magic Action in the 2024 rules to use them since that is how the Magic Action is defined.
The 2024 DMG may introduce some modified rules (who knows?) but currently, as written, 2014 magic items that cast spells and spell scrolls which cast spells would use a 2024 Magic Action to make use of them.
Yeah, none of that impacts anything I said. No 2014 magic item that does anything uses a Magic Action. The definition of the Magic action is pretty clear: "or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated." It's gotta say it requires a Magic action, which no 2014 item does. If your argument is that it's a Magic action by virtue of it being casting a spell, then it sounds like you're actually arguing against the small consensus found in this thread, since casting a spell is not something that Fast Hands allows you to do. Again, that's probably not how I'd rule, but if you want to, I think the rules support you as much as they do the rest of us in this thread.
There was a similar debate in Who can use Spell Scrolls - Rules & Game Mechanics about the Magic action and Spell Scrolls.
As I said there, I prefer to wait for the new DMG, but the equivalent of a 2014 scroll that required a single action to cast will now probably require a Magic action.
I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying (or simply disagree with it).
"When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action or use a feature or magic item that requires a Magic action to be activated."
You are correct regarding every magic item that does not cast a spell because none stipulate that they require a Magic action to be activated. However, ANY spell casting IS by definition a Magic action in the 2024 rules whether this is cast using a spell slot, a spell scroll or a magic item that casts a spell. IF the magic item allows casting of a spell that has a casting time of one action THEN it uses the Magic action to cast that spell no matter what the source of that spell casting.
So any 2014 magic items that allow the character to cast a spell require a Magic action to use because that is what the Magic action explicitly states.
This is something I am hoping the 2024 DMG will clear up since it'll be reintroducing 400+ magic items with the new wording and ruleset. My money is that, like the equipment items reintroduced in the 2024 PHB (which now clearly state whether the required action is an Attack action or a Utilize action), the new magic items will clearly state the use of the Magic action (similar to the 2024 spells).
Even if the revised magic items are worded such that it prevents a Thief Rogue from bonus action casting a spell from a magic item, that is fine. I just want it to be clearly stated to avoid any contention (like the old 'guidance on initiative' question).
I am of the option that this oversight is more the result of the writers trying to nerf certain spellcasting abilities (I mean, like at what they did to twin spell: a tragedy really) and buff martial classes (who needs spells when you have weapon mastery), rather than aiming for consistency.
Were it up to me, I'd rather that the errata remove the restriction on Quicken Spell, rather than impose a restriction on Fast Hands. Part of the fun of playing rogues and sorcerers is their unique action economies. If a Thief rogue can cast two fireballs in one turn, any sorcerer should too (but better).
Which in turn begs the original question: Can a Thief Rogue use their Fast Hands to use these magic items as a bonus action since this is a Magic action to use a magic item that requires that action?
Even with the limitations of the 2014 wording, the answer appears to be 'yes'.
You can keep your money, mate :D
From the 2024 DMG:
There's also a Spell Scroll as a Magic Item, but the casting rules are the same as for Spell Scrolls in the PHB.
I didn't see any special rules for Thief Rogues.
From what I've read so far, the magic items in the new DMG do all clearly state what type of action (usually Magic or Utilize, both of which a Thief Rogue can do as a bonus action) you need to use to do anything with them. The exception is when the item involves casting a spell, where it doesn't specify what kind of action it is, falling back on the spell definitions themselves and the general rule that casting a spell is a Magic action unless the spell's casting time is different.
It is important to distinguish the ones that use Magic actions from the ones that use Utilize actions, not so much for Thief Rogues but for things like Action Surge and Haste that allow you to take another action in turn but don't allow that action to be a Magic action.
pronouns: he/she/they
Nothing explicitly stated, no. Which means it's open to DM interpretation, and thus controversy (which I am really hoping to avoid).
But, since Spell Scrolls are magic items, and so long as the spell contained can be cast with a Magic Action, then it may be inferred that a Thief can cast it as a bonus action (assuming the character meets the requirements to use a spell scroll), as it meets the requirements of Fast Hands (a Magic Action to use a magic item that requires that action).
I think it's pretty explicit.
Totally agree.
I do not think it works as the spells cast from items section says a spell cast from a item uses its normal casting time. The problem is both the thief fast hands and the spells cast from items section are specific rules overriding a general rule, so its not clear which overrides which.
My instinct though is the spells cast from items section is the end result, it has the cast time of the spell. just because rogues likely should not be tossing out 2 fireballs etc that easily. If the best caster is a rogue with a good staff or 3 it feels off. But time will tell what the intent is here.
That means the spell itself overrides the action type (normal magic items use the Magic action; ones that cast a Bonus Action spell using a Bonus action instead...). Ironically, it would mean Fast Hands only works with items that cast normal-magic-action spells. The feature very explicitly lets you use the Magic action as a Bonus Action.
So it works fine for a Wand of Fireballs either way.
However, a Thief is just as good as using a magic item's Bonus Action or Reaction as any other user.