Magical Staffs

[candidus_cogitens]

In the DMG, it says that when staffs are made, they have 50 charges. How is it then that in the descriptions of particular staffs, they often only have five or six charges, total?

Obviously I'm reading something wrong, because the price of the items is commensurate with a 50 charge item. Can someone explain to me how I should be reading the item descriptions?

 

[Silveras]

In the DMG, it says that when staffs are made, they have 50 charges. How is it then that in the descriptions of particular staffs, they often only have five or six charges, total?

Obviously I'm reading something wrong, because the price of the items is commensurate with a 50 charge item. Can someone explain to me how I should be reading the item descriptions?

It might help if you posted a specific staff or two that have "five or six charges, total".

 

[CombatWombat51]

It might help if you posted a specific staff or two that have "five or six charges, total".

I'm not sure, but I think candidus_cogitens is talking about how in adventure the characters will find a staff or wand or whatever with only a few charges left. If that's what candidus_cogitens is talking about, then that's because the item isn't fresh out of the wizard's lab. It's been used a few times. OOC, having less than a full compliment of charges reduces the market price of an item considerably, and makes a more powerful item possible as treasure for a group of lower level PC's (like a wand of fireball for some 3rd level characters, for example).

 

[LGodamus]

maybe he misread. You know, how some of the staffs say fireball (3charges)....maybe he misread that as howmany it had , not how many it cost to fire off a fireball?

 

[candidus_cogitens]

maybe he misread. You know, how some of the staffs say fireball (3charges)....maybe he misread that as howmany it had , not how many it cost to fire off a fireball?

AAAH! It all becomes clear! How did I miss that?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Silveras]

maybe he misread. You know, how some of the staffs say fireball (3charges)....maybe he misread that as howmany it had , not how many it cost to fire off a fireball?

That's why I wanted examples.