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Old 12-29-2020, 04:02 AM   #21
David Bofinger
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sydney, Australia
Default Re: Wizards without Staves

There's also an element of risk in having a staff that doesn't look like a staff, because sooner or later someone will say, "Welcome to the party, Sir, I'll just take your torch--" **BOOM**
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Old 12-29-2020, 05:11 AM   #22
Celjabba
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
Default Re: Wizards without Staves

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Originally Posted by David Bofinger View Post
There's also an element of risk in having a staff that doesn't look like a staff, because sooner or later someone will say, "Welcome to the party, Sir, I'll just take your torch--" **BOOM**
"You would not part a visually impaired man from his torch ?" ...
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Old 12-29-2020, 06:45 AM   #23
hcobb
 
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Default Re: Wizards without Staves

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Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck View Post
And people might look at you funny when you show up at a fine dinner party carrying a torch.
Wizard puts his glowing "torch" in the inner pocket of his robe then helps collect the eyeballs which have leapt from heads around the room.
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Old 02-07-2021, 10:24 AM   #24
timm meyers
 
Join Date: May 2020
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Originally Posted by Kieddicus View Post
Has anyone here every played (or GM'd for) an effective wizard who didn't know the staff spell using the legacy edition? If so what was that wizards play style and spell list like?
To answer the question- yes

Eerkal the reciter

ST-9
DX- 15
IQ- 9

Talent- Literacy Spells- Blur, Detect Magic, Drop Wea., Image, Light, Slow Move, MagicFist, Aid,

Eerkal is a bookish mage with a geas like obsession to memorize every adventuring spell available starting with the basics. He is on a life long quest to methodically commit to memory each spell listed, in order, starting at IQ 8. He dreams of the day when he can have instant access to just the right spell for any situation and becomes a beloved indispensable asset to all the great powerful heroes he worships. He decided the staff spells and other such weapon enchantment type spells only take up valuable memory and do not help in his quest of party inclusion.

I definately lean towards roleplay as opposed to "optimal damage" game builder. Eerkal is the - always picked last for games and trivia spouting oddball type. As you can see not played much but honestly having the breadth of choices he seems to be far more capable than first thought. Allot of toons have image or staff but when was the last time someone made the attacking orc lord drop his battle axe instead of trying to defend with his staff?
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Old 02-09-2021, 03:09 PM   #25
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Wizards without Staves

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Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
ITL 142: "A staff does not impede his gesturing; anything else does."
So the possible reasons to not have a staff are:
  • Your wizard is IQ 22 or higher.
  • Your wizard has sufficient Unarmed Combat talent to defend barehanded.
  • Your wizard doesn't cast spells in combat.
  • Or your wizard is suicidal.
Or, more sanely:
  • Your wizard's career plans don't include wanting to zap things at close range.
  • You want to invest the study and XP you'd otherwise put into staff spells and Staff Mana into other things.
  • If/when in combat, you can think of other perhaps more effective things to do besides use an occult zap.
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Old 02-09-2021, 03:49 PM   #26
Senturian
 
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Default Re: Wizards without Staves

How about
Trying not to draw attention to themselves as a wizard while they're in a city that has laws against using magic.
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Old 02-09-2021, 07:38 PM   #27
hcobb
 
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How about
Trying not to draw attention to themselves as a wizard while they're in a city that has laws against using magic.
That's when you leave the dagger at your belt.

ST 8, DX 10 wizard in HTH averages 0.9 hits/turn with untalented fist and 1.4 hits/turn with untalented dagger. UC II would close the gap, but you can't buy a very fine fist.
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Old 02-11-2021, 12:22 AM   #28
Steve Plambeck
 
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you can't buy a very fine fist.
I see a new magic item on the horizon. An enchanted glove that can give +damage and/or +DX bonuses up to the maximum 5 points combined when used to punch.

Gauntlet of Grief? Mitten of Mayhem? Muff of Misery?
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Old 02-11-2021, 08:54 AM   #29
Axly Suregrip
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Durham, NC
Default Re: Wizards without Staves

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That's when you leave the dagger at your belt.
In a world where dagger staffs are so common (judging by how often you mention them and sincerely they have all upside with no downside), I would expect looking for a staff is not how the common folk identify wizards. They would suspect everyone slight of build. ST 6 goblins (wizards or not) would simply be assumed to be wizards.

Definitely anyone without iron or steel should be assumed to deal in magic.

Last edited by Axly Suregrip; 02-11-2021 at 09:50 AM.
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Old 02-11-2021, 07:10 PM   #30
Senturian
 
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Default Re: Wizards without Staves

City Guards on patrol carry Detect Magic type spells.
susceptible to bribes? - reaction rolls.
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