D&D 5E Comet Staff

[Paul Farquhar]

Yes the reason I'm curious about rarity is for relative understanding of power.

Rarity isn't power. Boots of the Winterlands (uncommon) are flat better than a ring of cold resistance (rare).

 

[cbwjm]

If you want to give it a rarity, I'd say it would be rare which is in line with the flametongue and mace of disruption weapons. You might bump it up to very rare or even legendary if the only method for getting one is to take it from a star spawn (depending on how rare they are in your setting).

 

[LordEntrails]

Rarity isn't power. Boots of the Winterlands (uncommon) are flat better than a ring of cold resistance (rare).

I feel you are being argumentative for the sake of it.

Rarity is a useful tool to me. It's not an absolute tool. If you find it useless, then please don't bother to derail this thread. Perhaps useful insight you could provide would be if you find the staff as I describe it useful? Interesting? Would you detail it differently? Do you see it being exploited in some unusual way?

 

[Quickleaf]

So my players are currently in a fight with a bunch of Star Spawn, including a Seer. One of my players has asked if they might be able to take the staff, assuming they kill the seer. Normally I don't make create weapons otherwise magical, but I'm considering it.

Here's the attack/weapon for the NPC;

I'm considering making it a magic quarterstaff. No attack bonus, but an additional 1d8 psychic damage. Then also giving it an attuned ability of 3 charges (1 recharge at dawn) that does the incapacitated effect for 1 round on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw.

Thoughts? What rarity would you make this?

My players acquired one in my homebrewed ToA game. I used it as written, but placed a curse on it: each time a creature succeeded its CON save, the wielder had to make a CON save themself or worms poured from their eyes/nose/mouth, incapacitating them and causing 1 death save failure that lasted until taking a long rest. It never happened, but if they were reduced to 3 death save failures in this manner, they'd transform into a star spawn larva mage.

 

[Quartz]

I'm considering making it a magic quarterstaff. No attack bonus, but an additional 1d8 psychic damage.

Sounds reasonable.

. Then also giving it an attuned ability of 3 charges (1 recharge at dawn) that does the incapacitated effect for 1 round on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw.

Aren't you impinging on the Monk's Stunning Fist ability or similar here? And if you do go for it, perhaps it should recharge when a particular star is in the sky? Perhaps only when that star is at its zenith. Star Spawn, remember?

 

[SkidAce]

If you don't have crafting or magic shops rarity is irrelevant. It does nothing.

Except when I use it to determine how often something is found.

 

[LordEntrails]

My players acquired one in my homebrewed ToA game. I used it as written, but placed a curse on it: each time a creature succeeded its CON save, the wielder had to make a CON save themself or worms poured from their eyes/nose/mouth, incapacitating them and causing 1 death save failure that lasted until taking a long rest. It never happened, but if they were reduced to 3 death save failures in this manner, they'd transform into a star spawn larva mage.

Interesting. I like the idea of it being cursed. Probably won't go that way since this player got rid of a cursed item just a few sessions ago. But very good idea.

Aren't you impinging on the Monk's Stunning Fist ability or similar here?

So no other ability or item can stun? Though I hadn't though of thought, nor would I worry about it, no monks among my players. Don't think they are interested in such. But, I can certainly see if I had a monk in the party it could be an issue.

And if you do go for it, perhaps it should recharge when a particular star is in the sky? Perhaps only when that star is at its zenith. Star Spawn, remember?

I like that, but I wouldn't care to track that level of detail

 

[Eltab]

perhaps -the staff- should recharge when a particular star is in the sky? Perhaps only when that star is at its zenith.

For simplicity, half the year the key star is out at night and the staff can full-recharge nightly -or- do extra damage with a charge (DM's choice). The other half the year is the 'base power level' described above. One night a year the key star reaches its zenith and the staff attains its fullest power - so the PC (rather than the DM) has motive to watch the calendar and pick fights with BBEGs at sunset of that particular night.