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Old 12-10-2018, 11:15 AM   #1
hcobb
 
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Default Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

Every wizard PC in TFT really ought to start with the Staff I spell(p. 18) at the very least.

First it gives you something in hand to choose the Defend option(p. 117) while still enabling the use of full IQ spells(p. 142). Second it enables your choice of a zero-fatigue physical strike(1d or more for a two handed maul, see page 122) or a one fatigue occult strike(1d for Staff I), both at full DX without any skill points in talents. And if anybody wants your staff they'd best wait to pry it out of your cold dead fingers.

When should you use the occult strike? At level one you'd best reserve this for enemies who dare use the defend option against you, or for zapping just the right target in an adjacent HTH combat. Also useful for killing critters that are immune to all weapons.

Since the staff is surely the starting party's only magical weapon you can just maul Wights(p. 84), fire and water elementals (half damage as per page 87, or full damage from the occult strike), etc. As a last ditch effort you can even throw a maul staff several hexes. (Thrown Weapons talent won't help here as nobody has a Club talent.)
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Old 12-10-2018, 11:24 AM   #2
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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First it gives you something in hand to choose the Defend option(p. 117) while still enabling the use of full IQ spells(p. 142). Second it enables your choice of a zero-fatigue physical strike(1d or more for a two handed maul, see page 122)...
Wouldn't you require the Quarterstaff talent to use this effectively in melee?
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Old 12-10-2018, 11:31 AM   #3
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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Wouldn't you require the Quarterstaff talent to use this effectively in melee?
If and only if the wizard wants to disarm instead of casting Drop Weapon. (Or if they want to spend the big skill points for Weapon Expertise talent which talentless Club doesn't get.)

Page 110 Quarterstaff 1d+2 at ST 11
Page 122 Two handed Maul 1d+2 at ST 11
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Old 12-10-2018, 11:36 AM   #4
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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If and only if the wizard wants to disarm instead of casting Drop Weapon. (Or if they want to spend the big skill points for Weapon Expertise talent which talentless Club doesn't get.)

Page 110 Quarterstaff 1d+2 at ST 11
Page 122 Two handed Maul 1d+2 at ST 11
A wizard's staff doing damage as a two-handed maul seems a bit of a stretch. Its just a long club, and probably not a very balanced one.
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Old 12-10-2018, 12:00 PM   #5
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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A wizard's staff doing damage as a two-handed maul seems a bit of a stretch. Its just a long club, and probably not a very balanced one.
c.f. Page 128 after "Turn 4".
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Old 12-10-2018, 01:03 PM   #6
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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c.f. Page 128 after "Turn 4".
Hmmm... seems pretty vague and there's no detail on what talents the example characters may or may not have.
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Old 12-10-2018, 01:07 PM   #7
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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Hmmm... seems pretty vague and there's no detail on what talents the example characters may or may not have.
Note ST 11 wizard does 1d staff damage.
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Old 12-10-2018, 01:09 PM   #8
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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Note ST 11 wizard does 1d staff damage.
Right, so where did you get two-handed maul from?
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Old 12-10-2018, 01:21 PM   #9
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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Right, so where did you get two-handed maul from?
"This spell is used to make any piece of wood into a staff."

My kayak is immune to breaking and dropping me out of it!

Nice, is this carved from one piece of wood?

No, don't touch it!

Boom!
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Old 12-10-2018, 01:29 PM   #10
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Default Re: Care and feeding of the wizard's staff

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Wouldn't you require the Quarterstaff talent to use this effectively in melee?
No, the damage is "occult damage", not strength-damage. You don't have to touch your target with the "staff" (note the quotation marks. it could be a wand). You only have to point it at the target. However, by the same logic, using your "staff" with two hands would not impart a +1 damage bonus.
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