Staff

Staff of the Elements: This powerful item appears to be a staff +2. If it is grasped by an elementalist, however, its true powers become evident.

A staff of the elements is charged by the life force of an elemental trapped within it. The staff has charges equal to the number of Hit Dice of the elemental multiplied by 2. Thus, a staff holding a 12 HD elemental has 24 charges. Every time two charges are expended, the elemental loses one Hit Die. When all charges are used, the elemental dies and the staff becomes dormant.

If a dormant staff is used to successfully strike an elemental, the creature must immediately attempt a saving throw vs. rods, staves, and wands. If the save is failed, the elemental is absorbed into the staff, thereby recharging the device. If the roll is successful, the creature avoids the effect, but suffers normal damage from the strike of the magical staff (1d6+2).

It is possible to absorb an elemental only if the staff is dormant. Only one elemental may be held in the staff at one time.

The staff holds the following powers that do not drain charges; each may be used once per day even if the staff does not hold an elemental:

• affect normal fires

• detect elementals within a 100' radius

• fool's gold

• metamorphose liquids*

• wall of fog

An occupied staff has the following powers depending upon the type of elemental trapped within. For example, if a fire elemental is held in the staff, only those powers related to fire are available. Each requires the expenditure of one charge per use:

Air:

• stinking cloud

• wind wall

Earth:

• dig

• Maximilian's stony grasp*

Fire:

• fireball

• pyrotechnics

Water:

• water breathing

• watery double*

The following powers drain two charges per use:

Air:

• cloudkill

• solid fog

Earth:

• passwall

• transmute rock to mud

Fire:

• fire shield

• wall of fire

Water:

• airy water

• wall of ice

The most powerful abilities of the staff drain four charges per use:

Air:

• airboat*

• suffocate*

Earth:

• crystalbrittle

• stone to flesh (reversible)

Fire:

• Forest's fiery constrictor*

• Malec-Keth's flame fist*

Water:

• Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting*

• transmute water to dust

The powers of a staff of the elements may be used only by an elementalist. Note that elementalists are restricted against the use of spells and magical items of the element that directly opposes their element of specialty. Thus, an elementalist specializing in water cannot use the staff's powers if it contains a fire elemental.

Using a staff of the elements can be dangerous. Each time a power is used that requires the expenditure of one or more charges, there is a 5% chance that the trapped elemental bursts forth, destroying the staff in the process. A successful dispel magic spell cast on the staff automatically releases the creature. An escaped elemental will certainly seek revenge against its tormenter.

Powers marked with an asterisk (*) are new spells found in this book.

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