Getting Nit-Picky About Staves...

[Tellerian Hawke]

Ok, so here's the deal: let's pretend I'm playing a Wizard, who neglected to take the feat CRAFT STAFF.

However, I do have the CRAFT WONDROUS ITEM feat, along with the skill CRAFT, WEAPONSMITHING.

Could I use my skill to make a masterwork Quarterstaff, which has a special mount for some sort of headpiece (my first inclination would be an enchanted crystal globe, or some sort of large gemstone) and then use the Craft Wondrous Item feat to enchant the headpiece itself?

For instance, let's say I go with an enchanted crystal globe; and let's pretend I make it have the Spell Storing function, similar to a ring with the same name.

Once I put the globe onto the staff, isn't the result basically a magical staff? (With the exception that there is no "expend charge" function)?

I would probably also enchant the globe itself (Hardening, or similar effect) so that it doesn't get damaged easily in combat if I have to use the Quarterstaff to defend myself.

If the globe is command word activation, I don't really need to hold the globe itself, correct? As long as it's in my possession, even affixed to the top of my quarterstaff, I can speak the command word, and release a stored spell, correct?

Thanks in advance for all of your input and suggestions on this.

 

[Greenfield]

So you're trying to craft a magic weapon (Staff of Spell Storing), using Craft Wondrous as the feat, and the Craft Weaponsmith skill.

Spell Storing appears as a weapon enchantment, or as a magic ring.

So many kinds of "No" in there it's hard to know where to begin.

So I won't. Your DM might allow it. I wouldn't.

I'll just say that it might be easier, and cheaper in the end, to pay for a Staff of Spell Storing.

Alternately try crafting a set of gloves with the spell or spells you want, say Lightning Bolt and whatever, limited uses per day, and the additional limit that they only work when channeled through a staff. That may knock another 5% off the price. (That's up to the DM, of course.)

By making it specifically a Wondrous item, slotted, you're firmly back within the rules. If you make the spell effects related, such as Lightning Bolt, Shocking Grasp, and maybe Shatter or Sound Burst (as thunderclap effects), your DM may give you a price deal on the packaged set.

If the combined spells are too expensive, then put one spell in the right hand glove and another in the left hand one.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Spell Storing appears as a weapon enchantment, or as a magic ring.

Ok, the Spell Storing thing was just an example. Are there any powers that you WOULD allow?

For instance, what if you were just carrying around a Crystal Ball on a stick? etc.? I am merely trying to explore ways to create a hand-held "staff-like" magic item that could serve two purposes, i.e., that of a masterwork weapon, and that of some sort of magical item. Just a way to let a Wizard be a Wizard, ya know? Does that make sense?

I'm doing this as a DM, trying to give my player some sort of option that doesn't involve them re-training their feat selections, or something like that.

 

[Greenfield]

You can, in theory, make a Wondrous item in any shape that you like, staff included.

With that thought in mind, look at almost any other wondrous item and see what it takes to shape it like a staff.

First, the Staff is "Slotless", in that it isn't something worn in any of the standard slots. That generally doubles the cost.

Second, since it isn't really a "magic weapon", the staff is more easily breakable than the magic staff version of it would be.

Third, while you can, in theory, put any spell effect into anything using Wondrous, I'd draw the line at duplicating weapon properties.

For several campaigns we've played in my group we did some redefinition of the feats, and the item categories, because Craft Wondrous was really "Craft anything".

All oils, salves, dusts, candles etc. in Craft Wondrous got moved to Brew Potion.
All pins, broaches, periapts, headbands and circlets etc. got moved to Forge Ring, which we retitled as "Craft Magical Jewelry".

With that thought in mind, have you looked at the scabbard of Keen Edge? Standard Wondrous item that effectively casts the Keen Edge spell on any weapon drawn from it, three times per day.

That's a specific example of a Wondrous item that walks around the rules that separate Wondrous from Magic Weapon.

So let's think about what power would make sense to add to a master worked staff. A Strength enhancement, ala the Girdle or Gloves of giant giant/ogre strength would make sense.

Adding a crystal that could cast Light or Daylight would be very Gandalf-ish.

Adding a spell that turns it into a rope, as part of a Rope Trick ability could be neat.

Your idea of a Crystal Ball on there is interesting, though it makes that thing really expensive (and vulnerable) item. Have you looked at the price on the Crystal Ball? They start at 40+K and go up to something like 80k. Also, since they work like the Scrying spell, I think they take an hour of concentration to use. (I could be wrong on that).

Following a model I saw in a fantasy/fiction book, I once had one that was rough crystal. To use it you burned incense and let the smoke flow over it. The image would appear in the air above it, as a smoke form. No color in the image, but other than that it was just game color, but kinda neat. But I digress...

I could see a staff as a balance/vaulting pole, basically duplicating the effects of Boots of Striding and Springing. (We used to call those "Boots of Standard Equipment", since they were so cheap in 3.0 that there was no reason why everyone wouldn't get a pair.)

Consider a staff with the Weapons Expertise feat: It allows the user to turn their BAB into AC by parrying incoming attacks. Coupled with Fighting Defensively that could keep an otherwise squishy Wiz type alive until backup arrives.

So be creative. Like I said, any Wondrous Item ability could, in theory, be put in there, as well as several others. Consider how well they might fit the Staff motif, and remember to increase the price if the original item used a body slot. And try to avoid duplicating effects that normally appear in other types of magic items, like weapons, actual magical staves, rods, etc.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

[MENTION=6669384]Greenfield[/MENTION] YES, this is the type of response I was looking for, thank you, you have given me several good ideas!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Adding a crystal that could cast Light or Daylight would be very Gandalf-ish.

I always did that as a Continual Light spell on a coin or other piece of metal, mounted in a threaded cap. And then added a screw cap onto that. Want light? Unscrew the top. Not flashy, but effective.

 

[Greenfield]

In 3.5 we actually did the opposite: Deeper Darkness inside a Hooded Lantern, or on top of a staff that had a shallow bowl of metal, not unlike some candle holders.

In the desert, the group had shade. Just hold the staff up above head level.

In a dark cavern or ruin, Darkness spells actually give off a "Shadowy illumination", allowing you to see a short distance when you wouldn't otherwise. Unlike a Light or Daylight spell however, they don't broadcast your location to the enemy.

Since they took out Continual Light and Continual Darkness with the 3.* series, and changed the way Darkness spells work, a lot of old tropes and standards are gone.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Could I use my skill to make a masterwork Quarterstaff, which has a special mount for some sort of headpiece (my first inclination would be an enchanted crystal globe, or some sort of large gemstone) and then use the Craft Wondrous Item feat to enchant the headpiece itself?

Yes. And then you would have a magical headpiece widget, but NOT A MAGICAL STAFF. Craft Staff has different costs, prerequisites, etc and is made a separate feat for good reason.

Once I put the globe onto the staff, isn't the result basically a magical staff?

No. It's a normal staff with a miscellaneous magical widget attached to it.

If the globe is command word activation, I don't really need to hold the globe itself, correct? As long as it's in my possession, even affixed to the top of my quarterstaff, I can speak the command word, and release a stored spell, correct?

Would possibly depend on the effect the globe is supposed to have, but for the most part, obviously yes, you WOULD need to hold the globe itself to use its powers because the staff is not a magical item, only the globe you've attached to it is. You can't use a magic ring that's in your back pocket, not on your finger. You can't use a crystal ball if you're not at least gazing into it if not holding it. You can't do double damage to giants with a giant-slaying sword if you're not holding it in your hand and trying to hit them with it.

It's a clever idea as far as it goes, but were I the DM I'd be seriously disinclined to effectively rule that Craft Staff, with all it's MUCH higher requirements and costs, may as well not even exist anymore. But that's me.