Wizard Staff

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by pzmcgwire

So how heavy does a chunk of wood have to be to count as a club? I'd assume that large chunks of metal, rock, diamond, etc. also qualify as clubs if suitably shaped. :)

• Club ITL 109: 3+ pounds
• Staff ITL 110: 5 pounds (which I consider the min for a Maul)

[Steve Plambeck]

Originally Posted by pzmcgwire

The original Wizard and subsequent classic TFT said this about a staff.

Regardless of what the staff looks like (rod, wand, quarterstaff, etc.), it is a physical weapon which does one die of damage when the wizard hits with it.

To my thinking that one die damage has always been the minimum damage any Staff can do (even when it's a diminutive wand). If the wizard were strong enough to do more than 1d6 with a club, and had put the Staff spell on that club, I would say it does the greater of the two possible damages.

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

To my thinking that one die damage has always been the minimum damage any Staff can do (even when it's a diminutive wand). If the wizard were strong enough to do more than 1d6 with a club, and had put the Staff spell on that club, I would say it does the greater of the two possible damages.

That's classic, but Legacy says:
ITL 148: "Disadvantage: does no damage of its own if you strike with it."
You can still defend with a wand if you like however.

[David Bofinger]

Analogously, I've always thought Hammertouch damage should be a bonus to unarmed combat damage, rather than a replacement of it.

Silly spell use: cast a 1 point Hammertouch on an enemy who normally does more than 1d of unarmed damage.

[Steve Plambeck]

Originally Posted by hcobb

That's classic, but Legacy says:
ITL 148: "Disadvantage: does no damage of its own if you strike with it."

Which really makes no sense whatsoever -- first time I read that I closed my eyes, counted to three, and reopened them hoping I'd imagined what I'd just read. Alas, the offending sentence was still there.

[hcobb]

This also means that your average ST 6 wizard needs a two handed full wizard staff of 5 pounds in order to do a full 1d6 damage with a physical blow. The 3 pound one handed club or 3 oz silver dagger only doing 1d6-1.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by hcobb

ITL 148: "Disadvantage: does no damage of its own if you strike with it."

You'd think you could hold it in your hand like a roll of coins and punch with it, at least.

You can still defend with a wand if you like however.

Which doesn't make any sense.

[pzmcgwire]

Thanks for finding those weights from the weapons table, but I think a club's extra damage from being used two-handed is not based on weight, but based on using two hands.

Spears weigh the same but do more damage when wielded with two hands.

[Sigulf]

Originally Posted by pzmcgwire

but I think a club's extra damage from being used two-handed is not based on weight, but based on using two hands.

I agree, in my games, Wizard's staffs are long 4-5' thick walking stick types. They have arcane runes inscribed on them and sometimes a Powerstone embedded in them. They do melee striking damage equal to the Wizard's strength +4 (per the Combat with Bare Hands, Cestus, Clubs table).

A Wizard can have a Wizard's Rod, this is a 2-3' stick/club, again with arcane runes inscribed on them and sometimes a Powerstone embedded in it. These do melee striking damage equal to the Wizard's strength +3.

No Talent required to strike with them. Wizards usually also carry a silver dagger (but don't take the Knife talent). No wands have ever been used.

We also start our PCs at 35 points (sometimes 36) - the backstory covers the things that they have done to get there. (I have always hated 32 point PC characters or 1st Level PC characters in my games.)

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by Sigulf

I agree, in my games, Wizard's staffs are long 4-5' thick walking stick types. They have arcane runes inscribed on them and sometimes a Powerstone embedded in them. They do melee striking damage equal to the Wizard's strength +4 (per the Combat with Bare Hands, Cestus, Clubs table).

A Wizard can have a Wizard's Rod, this is a 2-3' stick/club, again with arcane runes inscribed on them and sometimes a Powerstone embedded in it. These do melee striking damage equal to the Wizard's strength +3.

No Talent required to strike with them. Wizards usually also carry a silver dagger (but don't take the Knife talent). No wands have ever been used.

We also start our PCs at 35 points (sometimes 36) - the backstory covers the things that they have done to get there. (I have always hated 32 point PC characters or 1st Level PC characters in my games.)

I like starting PCs the old school way with a few arena battles. Especially with new players. So, starting as 32 point characters isn't a huge issue. they get to 34 Attributes before they take off on Death tests or other adventures.