Seamus's Staff
 

Uncle Seamus, a delver-to-go, features a staff that has a $475 crystal ball built into it.

I'm assuming this improves its value for a power item, but I was unable to find a specific rule on adding items to weapons.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

Adventurers page 115, Power Items: "You can then add value by declaring the article to be bejeweled, antique,
etc.; just pay extra when you buy it."

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

I'm assuming it is mounted on top of the staff. So can said staff be used to extend the wizards reach? Touch? Say if Seamus touches someone with the tip (which is a crystal, not previously living like the rest of the staff) does that touch still apply for casting a magic spell on person/creature/object touched?

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

I would count it as a normal staff in all mechanical ways. Similar to the As You Like It rule for armor (Adventurers, p. 109), I think the intent here isn't for the particular description of the bejeweling to change the nature of the item beyond making it more valuable. One could, of course, always come up with a more detailed description if this seems to break willing suspension of disbelief: maybe there are wooden prongs that hold the ball in place and extend beyond it.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

Exactly, as long as it's stats are teh same as a Staff, it's a Staff. Everything else is just fluff test.

Which means no mounting a speartip and then trying to have a "Wizard's Staff" spear. (I'd allow it with a completely Dragonbone spear, see Dungeon Fantasy 8 Treasure Tables*, but then that's super expensive and comes with the added "and now Dragons really hate you" caveat.)


* For anyone not wanting to buy a whole (but great) book for one rule: Treat Dragonbone as Orichalcum for organic non-flexible weapons. So, mostly staves and wands. Though I've also had a PC ask about Dragonbone arrows once.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

I'd be open to spear tips on wizard staffs. Even if you want to have the 'previously living' requirement maintained you can just have a Druid spell make the wooden point more durable (treat it as steel) or incredibly durable (treat it as orichalcum) for a cost.
I really don't see allowing a wizard to use thrust imp attacks if they want to as radically unbalanced. Hopefully they can think of better things to do anyway.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

Yeah, especially because quarterstaff d6+2 (5.5) swing damage is generally better in DF than spear d6 (3.5) imp damage, given the high incidence of Unliving/Homogeneous/etc. and high-ish DR. And quarterstaffs give you +2 to parries, and have a more flexible reach (1,2 vs. 1,2*).

There might be game setting reasons to say no, but from a balance perspective it's fine.

Long staves are not available on Adventurers pg 118, and maybe there's a reason for that, but as GM if you like the idea of reach 3 magic staves it's not a stretch to add them e.g. by letting long staves (reach 2,3) be enchanted. But letting it work with a non-living crystal doesn't make sense.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

Grip it below the crystal and touch with the other end.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

I'm inclined to dispense with the "previously living" requirement anyway; preferring to replace it with "mystically significant".

• A wizard with an insanely expensive solid orichalcum staff should be able to conduct magic through it.
• A druid (perhaps with a perk?) should be able, if he desires, to cast regular spells on anyone standing on the same patch of unpaved ground he is with half the distance penalty but twice the casting time (or something).
• The Goddess of Truth and Healing should be able to weave moonbeams into the wick of a lamp that allows the holder to cast Healing and Knowledge spells on any subject illuminated by its light as though he were touching that subject directly.
• Anyone on a lay line should use long distance modifiers to cast regular spells on subjects touching the lay line (or perhaps be at -1 per branch in the lay line network instead of -1 per hex?)

There are lots of mundane factors that make hex combat interesting for the knight and the swashbuckler. I am at a loss to think of any mystical tactical factors... and I think there ought to be in at least some settings.

Re: Seamus's Staff
 

But then it's not extending your reach beyond what a regular staff allows. In fact it's probably even shorter ranged than a regular staff.

That's pretty awesome. I would play in that campaign.