Staff of Power

[TYPO5478]

The description for a Staff of Power specifically states that, "After all charges are used up from the staff, it remains a +2 quarterstaff." It doesn't say what happens to the +2 Luck bonus to AC and saves. On one hand, the description doesn't explicitly state that they continue to exist after all the charges are gone, but on the other hand, there's no reason that using charges should diminish that aspect of the staff's power (the same way it doesn't diminish the enhancement bonus to attack and damage). What do you think? Should a "used up" Staff of Power keep the AC and save bonus or not?

 

[Question]

Sure, why not?

 

[Vorput]

Sure, why not?

Agreed- it's a freakin staff of power!

 

[TYPO5478]

Sure, why not?

Agreed- it's a freakin staff of power!

My thoughts as well. Anyone at all in favor of the spent staff only being a +2 quarterstaff?

 

[Quartz]

In the case of the Luckblade, it's explicitly stated that the Luck bonus remains. You can treat that for or against. My view is that you're the GM, so you decide.

 

[TYPO5478]

My view is that you're the GM, so you decide.

Actually, I'm not in this case, which is part of the reason I wanted others' input. But thanks for the vote of confidence!

 

[IcyCool]

My thoughts as well. Anyone at all in favor of the spent staff only being a +2 quarterstaff?

In favor? No. But via the description, I can easily see someone ruling it that way. After all, a used up staff is pretty worthless. One that "remains a +2 quarterstaff" is, well, a +2 quarterstaff. Your normal +2 quarterstaff doesn't come with any other bonuses.

 

[shilsen]

My thoughts as well. Anyone at all in favor of the spent staff only being a +2 quarterstaff?

Yup. Since it doesn't say that the bonus remains, I would say it doesn't.

 

[TYPO5478]

In favor? No. But via the description, I can easily see someone ruling it that way. After all, a used up staff is pretty worthless. One that "remains a +2 quarterstaff" is, well, a +2 quarterstaff. Your normal +2 quarterstaff doesn't come with any other bonuses.

Your normal +2 quarterstaff also doesn't cost over 200,000 gp. If the Luck bonus disappears after the charges are used up, that gives each charge a cost of just over 4,000 gp each (and more than 13,500 per CL); that just seems a little exorbitant even considering the awesome power the staff grants before the charges are gone. It's certainly out of line with most of the other staves listed in the DMG. The only ones that even come close are Staff of Life and Staff of Passage. Allowing a Staff of Power to retain its Luck bonus after the charges are used up brings the price much more in line with those of other staves.

 

[werk]

I would keep the luck bonus, simply because it was a feature of the staff unrelated to charged effects. It doesn't cost charges to get the luck effect, so lack of available charges doesn't affect that ability, unlike the smite ability of a charged staff of power.

But I'm pretty generous...

For the other side of the argument, it says the wielder of a staff of power gets the luck bonus. Once it's out of charges it is a +2 quarterstaff, and a staff of power no longer. The bit of help there is that it says "it remains a +2 quarterstaff," rather than becomes a +2 quarterstaff.

Good luck with that.