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Old 12-12-2018, 08:10 AM   #1
TippetsTX
 
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Default FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

I couldn't find any text that explicitly prohibits this, but if you can add further enchantments how does the 'rule of five' apply? Will the staff's existing abilities count against the total number of enchantments on the item?
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Old 12-12-2018, 09:34 AM   #2
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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I couldn't find any text that explicitly prohibits this, but if you can add further enchantments how does the 'rule of five' apply? Will the staff's existing abilities count against the total number of enchantments on the item?
Page 155: "The “Create Staff’ spell is also one spell; a wizard’s staff can be given up to four other properties."

If you notice a hero wielding a magic quarterstaff you know exactly which 5 point spell to cast from across the room.
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Old 12-12-2018, 10:28 AM   #3
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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Page 155: "The “Create Staff’ spell is also one spell; a wizard’s staff can be given up to four other properties."
Awesome, must've missed that. So then, irrespective of the 'level' of staff spell in effect, it still only counts as one enchantment.
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Old 12-12-2018, 10:37 AM   #4
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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Originally Posted by TippetsTX View Post
Awesome, must've missed that. So then, irrespective of the 'level' of staff spell in effect, it still only counts as one enchantment.
W/A E would also count as one enchantment (+1 to +5), but that does bring up a point.

Is the cost to cast each additional level of Staff twice as much as the level before?

In which case five successful castings would cost only 155 fatigue.
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Old 12-12-2018, 04:48 PM   #5
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

While clearly permissible, I sure wouldn't want to risk enchanting something that could explode and be destroyed merely by a thief getting his hands on it. Since it doesn't give an exception to the rule of 5, why not just enchant a ring or something?
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Old 12-12-2018, 05:11 PM   #6
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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Is the cost to cast each additional level of Staff twice as much as the level before?
No. Because you can only have one "level". You are casting either Staff, Staff of Striking, or Staff of Mastery, etc. not one on top of the other. See ITL pg 148. "The XP was spent, not to enhance a stick of wood, but to improve the wizard's understanding of the spell."

This indicates that it is really only one spell with 5 levels of understanding and the same base cost - 5 ST. You do have to recast it to get the higher level.

Somewhat similar to Fire, 3 hex Fire and 7 hex Fire. You have to buy the higher levels (I disagree with those who say that the higher level automatically comes with the higher IQ) but it is one spell not three different ones.
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Old 12-12-2018, 05:22 PM   #7
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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This indicates that it is really only one spell with 5 levels of understanding and the same base cost - 5 ST. You do have to recast it to get the higher level.
That makes sense, but the actual rules show no indication of there being any ST cost for the subsequent levels of the Staff spell. That's one of the reasons I am creating an alternative acquisition path for a wizard's staff. The current version breaks the 'spell paradigm' IMO.
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Old 12-12-2018, 06:18 PM   #8
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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That makes sense, but the actual rules show no indication of there being any ST cost for the subsequent levels of the Staff spell. That's one of the reasons I am creating an alternative acquisition path for a wizard's staff. The current version breaks the 'spell paradigm' IMO.
I think that's what he was saying.
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Old 12-14-2018, 09:31 PM   #9
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

Why does it break the paradigm? Staff is its own paradigm since there is no other enchantment spell comparable. If each version of the Staff spell is merely a greater UNDERSTANDING with greater functionality then the base cost applies across all versions.
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Old 12-15-2018, 07:46 AM   #10
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Default Re: FAQ - Can you add enchantments to a Wizard's Staff?

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Why does it break the paradigm? Staff is its own paradigm since there is no other enchantment spell comparable. If each version of the Staff spell is merely a greater UNDERSTANDING with greater functionality then the base cost applies across all versions.
I think you answered your own question... the Staff spells break the paradigm because they establish their own paradigm. They don't follow the rules for other spells and they certainly don't follow the rules for the creation of magic items.
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