Swords as staffs: Decoration or what?

[Shadekeep]

Originally Posted by hcobb

ITL page 148 "Most staves are wood, but bone, ivory, silver, and combinations are allowable, and gem decorations are common for wealthy wizards."

So mixed media is fine. Probably allows a halberd staff, then.

Originally Posted by hcobb

How many powerstones can you put on your staff? Does this count as touching them?

If allowed, I would assume any number up to the total effect limit governed by The Rule Of Five. And given the intimate nature of staves to their wizards, I would guess the other answer is "yes".

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by Shadekeep

Might not make a difference then, unless the rule about needing to make gestures to cast spells at certain levels still holds. Those might require at least one hand free. But any two-handed polearm can be held in one hand, it's only the actual wielding that requires two, so potentially still not an issue. In fact, I would venture that the rules allow a two-handed polearm to be a staff, because they allow a quarterstaff, which is a two-handed weapon. Again, just the silver requirement would need to be honoured.

I think the mention that the staff doesn't interfere with casting is actually there with the casting requirements section in mind, to avoid confusion of people who read that and would then wonder if they can cast with a staff in hand.

As for holding a staff shaped like a halberd in two hands ready to attack with it as a halberd, I guess I'd tend to think that if it's explicitly allowed for a sword, then maybe using such a staff as a halberd would also be ok... it's certainly a good question, where the line is, especially for all weapons that can be made out of the listed staff materials.

(I wonder if I can cast Staff I on a sharp boomerang, throw it at the enemy, hoping they'll pick it up and have it explode? A silver-tipped arrow? If a physicker goes to remove an arrow and it explodes because it has a Staff spell on it, do both the physicker and patient take 3d? ;-) )

[hcobb]

I point my boot with the hidden silver dagger at the target while drawing the mana required to power the dagger's occult attack from itself.

Okay, but roll 3/DX to continue holding up your end of the couch with both hands while up on one leg like that.

[Shadekeep]

Originally Posted by Skarg

(I wonder if I can cast Staff I on a sharp boomerang, throw it at the enemy, hoping they'll pick it up and have it explode? A silver-tipped arrow? If a physicker goes to remove an arrow and it explodes because it has a Staff spell on it, do both the physicker and patient take 3d? ;-) )

Ha, devious stuff! I do wonder, since a staff seems to be an extension of the wizard in some ways, if a broken or exploding staff might not actually cause feedback damage to the wizard. Like a wound to their own body, as it were.

[bill_seney]

Originally Posted by Shadekeep

Is that explicit in the rules? It does say "piece of wood", and then later allows a silver sword. Those are technically homogenous, though I suspect gems and other ornamentation would be allowed. If it's not spelled out in the rules, it may be inferred as implicit, depending on one's reading.

This is a contradiction that will hopefully fixed before ITL goes to press.

[JohnPaulB]

Originally Posted by Shadekeep

Is that explicit in the rules? It does say "piece of wood", and then later allows a silver sword. Those are technically homogenous, though I suspect gems and other ornamentation would be allowed. If it's not spelled out in the rules, it may be inferred as implicit, depending on one's reading.

ITL P148
"Most staves are wood, but bone, ivory, silver, and combinations are allowable, and gem decorations are common for wealthy wizards."

It does say you can have combinations. You could probably have a fashion wizard with several colorful hardwoods laminated together.

If you want a tricky wizard, he can get a canesword as a staff with a silver blade.