Staff (Tome of Magic)

Staff (Tome of Magic)

Staff (Tome of Magic)





Staff




Staff of the Elements: This powerful item appears to be a staff +2. If it is grasped by an
elementalist, however, its true powers become evident.


A staff of the elements is charged by the life force of an elemental trapped within it. The staff has
charges equal to the number of Hit Dice of the elemental multiplied by 2.
Thus, a staff holding a 12 HD elemental has 24 charges. Every time two charges are
expended, the elemental loses one Hit Die. When all charges are used, the
elemental dies and the staff becomes dormant.


If a dormant staff is used to successfully strike an elemental, the creature
must immediately attempt a saving throw vs. rods, staves, and wands. If the save
is failed, the elemental is absorbed into the staff, thereby recharging the
device. If the roll is successful, the creature avoids the effect, but suffers
normal damage from the strike of the magical staff (1d6+2).


It is possible to absorb an elemental only if the staff is dormant. Only one
elemental may be held in the staff at one time.


The staff holds the following powers that do not drain charges; each may be
used once per day even if the staff does not hold an elemental:


• affect normal fires


• detect elementals within a 100′ radius


• fool’s gold


• metamorphose liquids*


• wall of fog




An occupied staff has the following powers depending upon the type of
elemental trapped within. For example, if a fire elemental is held in the staff, only
those powers related to fire are available. Each requires the expenditure of one
charge per use:




Air:


• stinking cloud


• wind wall


Earth:


• dig


• Maximilian’s stony grasp*


Fire:


• fireball


• pyrotechnics


Water:


• water breathing


• watery double*




The following powers drain two charges per use:




Air:


• cloudkill


• solid fog


Earth:


• passwall


• transmute rock to mud


Fire:


• fire shield


• wall of fire


Water:


• airy water


• wall of ice




The most powerful abilities of the staff drain four charges per use:




Air:


• airboat*


• suffocate*


Earth:


• crystalbrittle


• stone to flesh (reversible)


Fire:


• Forest’s fiery constrictor*


• Malec-Keth’s flame fist*


Water:


• Abi-Dalzim’s horrid wilting*


• transmute water to dust




The powers of a staff of the elements may be used only by an elementalist. Note that elementalists are restricted
against the use of spells and magical items of the element that directly opposes
their element of specialty. Thus, an elementalist specializing in water cannot
use the staff’s powers if it contains a fire elemental.


Using a staff of the elements can be dangerous. Each time a power is used that requires the expenditure of
one or more charges, there is a 5% chance that the trapped elemental bursts
forth, destroying the staff in the process. A successful dispel magic spell cast on the staff automatically releases the creature. An escaped
elemental will certainly seek revenge against its tormenter.


Powers marked with an asterisk (*) are new spells found in this book.




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