Casting Couch

[evikour]

I have two questions regarding the Casting Couch:
1. It says in the card that I can choose whether to use it at the beginning of the battle. That means that even if I have the Casting Couch in play I can choose not to use it? (Shouldn't it be turned sideways before the battle begins?)
2. If I decide to use the Casting Couch into a battle, am I fully treated as a Wizard?Meaning, I can use items that wizards use (and can't use items forbidden to wizards) and the monsters treat me as a wizard?

[MunchkinMan]

You can choose not to have its abilities. You don't keep have to keep it turned sideways because then you could not take full advantage of its abilities during combat. I'll explain that in a moment.

Being treated as a Wizard for all purposes means that you can use Wizard-only Items, can't use Items that are not usable by a Wizard, and all Monsters react to you as a Wizard.

If you turn the Casting Couch sideways, that means you aren't using it, and can't be using Wizard-only Items before going into combat. By deciding you aren't using it once a Monster has appeared and initiates combat, any Wizard-only Items you are using don't give you a bonus, but the Monster won't react to you as if you're a Wizard and you won't have the -1 penalty to Run Away. Deciding to use it means you get the Run Away penalty, but can get a bonus from Wizard-only Items you were already using.

[evikour]

So when I have the Casting Couch in play, all items that can be used by wizards should be in play too and carried (and not turned sideways although I am not a wizard) to get a bonus from them in case I decide to use the Couch in my next battle, right?
Does it make any sense to have the Casting Couch in play when I already am a wizard?For example to use twice the wizard abilities (i.e. use the charm spell to charm two monsters in a battle)?

Thank you!