Talk:Magic Staves: Difference between revisions

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* all staves can be used as a normal melee weapon (a quarterstaff), OR they can be used to make melee touch attacks.   
* all staves can be used as a normal melee weapon (a quarterstaff), OR they can be used to make melee touch attacks.   
:* If you use touch attacks, you don't get to add your STR modifier to the damage.
:* If you use touch attacks, you don't get to add your STR modifier to the damage.
* all staves get ONE really cool property
* all staves can be enhanced and be given magic properties, up to +4 pre-epic, and +7 post-epic
* you can add an enhancement bonus to a staff, up to +9, at the normal cost for a weapon.  You cannot add properties, other than the one it starts with.
* most staves give the wielder access to one to three spells you can cast from the staff
* most staves give the wielder access to one to three spells you can cast from the staff
* all staves have 10 charges that automatically come back after a full night's rest.
* all staves have 10 charges that automatically come back after a full night's rest.
:* most of the staff's cool stuff is powered by these charges, including the spells.
:* most of the staff's cool stuff is powered by these charges, including the spells.


===spells===
* staves can have pretty much any spell in the game in them. Mass Heal, Disintegrate.  The potency of the spell dictates how many charges it uses to cast, especially in comparison with any other spells it can cast.
* ideally, each staff will have a weak spell it can cast up to 10 times per day (1 charge per cast), and one or more stronger spells that use multiple charges to cast.
* I wouldn't go over 3 spells on a single staff.  I'm also cool with very high level spells costing all 10 charges to cast.
* If there is a high material component cost for a spell, it probably shouldn't be allowed into a staff.  This would rule out Wish... though honestly, does a daily wish really break the game?  If so, wizards can do it a lot more than daily...
===properties===
* we can pull some ideas from the magic weapon, shield, and armor properties, as well as from rods in Pathfinder.  HOWEVER, anything that goes into a staff should scale with level, since it's the one and only property it will ever get.
* Some properties can be limited in their use by having them use charges to activate.  However, anything that you'd logically want to use for every attack every round (such as flaming) shouldn't require a charge.
:* ideally, charges would be used to tack on some 'sure thing' to a melee attack, like a prone, or confused condition.
In terms of power level, the best staff should be about 2/3rds as good as an equally priced weapon, except that it also lets you cast some spells. 
In terms of cost, staves should probably cost a little more than weapons.
alternatively, we could just say "here's some pre-made staves; if you want to add enhancement bonuses or weapon properties to them, you can only go up to +7 with each", and just call it a day.  Easier, but kinda dull, in my opinion.




Revision as of 18:19, 10 August 2019

Staves always have the following traits:

  • all staves can be used as a normal melee weapon (a quarterstaff), OR they can be used to make melee touch attacks.
  • If you use touch attacks, you don't get to add your STR modifier to the damage.
  • all staves can be enhanced and be given magic properties, up to +4 pre-epic, and +7 post-epic
  • most staves give the wielder access to one to three spells you can cast from the staff
  • all staves have 10 charges that automatically come back after a full night's rest.
  • most of the staff's cool stuff is powered by these charges, including the spells.


  • Staff of Power
  • Staff of One Hundred Hands
  • Staff of Summoning
  • Fortification Staff (wall spells)
  • Upheaval Staff (pillar spells)
  • Staff of the Burning Man
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