MIC - Tell me about runestaffs

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Has anyone been using these much? Anyone BUILT one? Do they make Create Staff a worthwhile feat? What spells have you been putting into them?

 

[Twowolves]

As a matter of fact, I have introduced one, and it's custom built at that! Observe:

Runestaff of Lightning

Price (Item Level): 10,000gp (12th)
Body Slot: --(Held)
Caster Level: 12th
Aura: Strong (DC 21) evocation
Activation: As spell used
Weight: 5lbs

This 4-foot-long staff is made of some black metal and covered in copper, silver and gold-etched runes. A pair soft, pliable, black grips are evenly spaced along the length of the staff.

A runestaff of lightning allows you to cast any of the following spells a limited number of times per day by expending a prepared arcane spell or arcane spell slot of the same level or higher.
• Chain Lightning (1/day)
• Lightning Bolt (3/day)
• Shocking Ray (Electricity-substituted Scorching Ray; 3/day)
• Sparking Hands (Electricity-substituted Burning Hands; 3/day)

Prerequisites: Craft Staff, Energy Substitution (Electricity), Chain Lightning, Lightning Bolt, Scorching Ray, Burning Hands.
Cost to Create: 5000gp, 400xp, 10 days.



I run a Scarred Lands game, and one of the PCs is a dwarven runewizard who's character goal is seeking out lost dwarven runic lore for the defense of his homeland/city state. He recently got this runestaff (just before drawing from a Deck of Many Things and getting himself locked in the "Donjon"), and intends to give it to the other runemasters to "deconstruct" it to unlock the secrets of their manufacture.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I have, indeed, used them.

I find runestaffs to be far more interesting, both mechanically and flavor-wise, than normal staves. I intend to make them the norm in most, if not all, of my future campaigns, and I'd love to see them as the default for future editions.

 

[Harmon]

Used one yesterday, my wizard was nearly out of spells, and facing three rider dragons with riders. Our Cleric Greater Commanded two of the dragons away (bad rolls by the GM). The wizard ordered his group to run, then used the Staff of Evocation to Force Wall in front of the 3rd dragon- "hay, the fights over here!"

During a previous battle the staff changed a Lightning Bolt into a Fireball (the area was right for the fireball, and not so much for the lightning bolt). Got two with that blast.

The staff was quite handy.

 

[MerricB]

I have, indeed, used them.

I find runestaffs to be far more interesting, both mechanically and flavor-wise, than normal staves. I intend to make them the norm in most, if not all, of my future campaigns, and I'd love to see them as the default for future editions.

I like Runestaves, but they have a basic problem: they allow both high and low-level spells, thus are very expensive (relatively, of course). However, it's far more interesting to give one out at low levels when the low-level spells are actually useful...

They'd make a good conversion to an Weapon of Legacy-like item.

The Domain staves (complete champion) really suffer from this.

Cheers!

 

[Mouseferatu]

I like Runestaves, but they have a basic problem: they allow both high and low-level spells, thus are very expensive (relatively, of course).

They're a lot cheaper than "normal" staves containing the exact same array of spells, though. And honestly, I like the idea of an item the PCs can get at low levels, but that stays useful as they advance.

 

[MerricB]

They're a lot cheaper than "normal" staves containing the exact same array of spells, though. And honestly, I like the idea of an item the PCs can get at low levels, but that stays useful as they advance.

I do too - it's just that, if you pay attention to PC wealth, they distort it dramatically.

I should throw some into my Ulek campaign and see what the PCs do with them. They're all about 13th level now...

Cheers!

 

[satori01]

I have been toying with the idea of allowing the spells in a Runestaff to be usable by any caster, not just ones with the spell on their lists....I'm curious to receive people's opinions on the balance effects.

I know some people do not like Peanut Butter in their chocolate, but I find it an interesting way to get some very useful abilities into the hands of the players w/o forcing classes/ UMD down their throats.

as an aside re: the wealth issue, if the higher level spells are not accesible, than realistically the should not be calculated into the "price" of the item.

 

[MerricB]

as an aside re: the wealth issue, if the higher level spells are not accesible, than realistically the should not be calculated into the "price" of the item.

Which means that a high-level caster can get them for nothing.

Alternatively, if you give them to a PC early, they end up with a far more powerful item later on than was figured into their wealth calculation, and they have better gear than the rest of the party!

It well might be worth calculating how much they're worth at each new spell-level, and requiring a sacrifice to activate for higher levels.

Cheers!

 

[satori01]

It well might be worth calculating how much they're worth at each new spell-level, and requiring a sacrifice to activate for higher levels.

Cheers!

Which is what I was suggesting, minus the sacrifice part, if as a DM you want strict adherence to the wealth by level guides, it is not that hard to figure out the price increase schedule for a Runestaff and to adjust the treasure you give out accordingly. The wizard on those levels will find fewer items he or she can use.