Staffs and spell trigger activation queries.

[Lord Pendragon]

Okay, so from the SRD:

Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it’s even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is
needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be
spoken. Anyone with a spell on his or her spell list knows how to use a spell trigger item that stores that spell. (This is the
case even for a character who can’t actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin.) The user must still determine what spell
is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks
of opportunity.

Staffs are spell trigger items. Say a paladin gets hold of a Staff of Defense. From the SRD:

Defense: The staff of defense is a simple-looking staff that throbs with power when held defensively. It allows use of the
following spells:
• Shield (1 charge)
• Shield of faith (1 charge)
• Shield other (1 charge)
• Shield of law (3 charges)
Strong abjuration; CL 15th; Craft Staff, shield, shield of faith, shield of law, shield other, creator must be lawful; Price 58,250
gp.

Shield Other is the only one of the four spells stored in the Staff of Defense that a paladin has on his spell list. Can the paladin use the staff? If so, can he use all of the powers of the staff, or only the powers on his spell list? If so, then who in the world would create a Staff of Defense? There isn't a single class that can use all of its abilities.

 

[Hypersmurf]

If so, can he use all of the powers of the staff, or only the powers on his spell list?

Just those on his list.

Otherwise you get someone to make a Staff of Cure Light Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Heal, and Disrupt Undead, and say "Look, now my sorcerer can use all of them!"

If so, then who in the world would create a Staff of Defense? There isn't a single class that can use all of its abilities.

Obviously, someone with two classes, or two people with one class cooperating...

-Hyp.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Obviously, someone with two classes, or two people with one class cooperating...

*shakes head* I don't get why such a specialized magic item would take up space in the DMG. Still, good to know. Buying a staff straight out of the book requires very careful scrutiny, it seems.

 

[Starglim]

I agree, it makes little sense as written. Better to craft the staff as a staff with shield of faith, shield of law and shield other, combined with a wondrous item (is this even legal?) that has shield as a command word activated effect.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Well, I'm not personally interested in the Staff of Defense. I was just looking through the SRD for cool magic items, and noticed the fact that it happened to have a very odd assortment of spells on it. I was hoping that there was a clarification or additional rule that would make it more useful, but, alas.

As it stands, several of the staffs found in the SRD are not so great when found as treasure. I suppose with spells that can be cast outside of combat "pass the staff" could solve the problem, but in combat that becomes difficult.

 

[Hypersmurf]

*shakes head* I don't get why such a specialized magic item would take up space in the DMG.

Check out the requirements for the Robe of the Archmagi in the 3E DMG.

Though they changed them for 3.5.

-Hyp.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Check out the requirements for the Robe of the Archmagi in the 3E DMG.

Though they changed them for 3.5.

Well, at least the Robe of the Archmagi's powers can all be used for the same guy, even if it used to take a cleric and a wizard together to make one.

I suppose this shouldn't annoy me as much as it does. It's no worse, really, than the party getting a Druid's Vestments when there's no druid in the party. Sell it off and move on.