Staves
A staff is a long shaft that stores several spells. Unlike wands (which can hold any spell), each staff is of a specific kind and holds a fixed set of spells. A staff has 10 charges when created and can be recharged.
Physical Description
A staff is 4 to 7 feet long and 2 to 3 inches thick, weighing about 5 pounds. Most are wood; some are bone, metal, or glass, often decorated with carvings, runes, or a gem at the tip. A staff functions as a quarterstaff and has AC 7, 10 hit points, hardness 5, and a break DC of 24.
Activation
Staves use the spell trigger activation method — casting from a staff is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity (unless the spell itself has a longer casting time). The wielder must hold the staff in at least one hand to activate it.
Using Staves
Staves scale with the wielder in ways other magic items do not:
A staff uses the wielder's ability score and relevant feats to set spell save DCs. If the wielder's caster level is higher than the staff's caster level, the wielder's CL applies — making spells harder to dispel and better at overcoming SR.
Unlike wands (capped at 4th level), staves can hold spells of any level. The minimum caster level for a staff is 8th.
Charges & Recharging
Each spell cast from a staff consumes one or more charges. When a staff runs out of charges it cannot be used until recharged. Staves can be recharged — unlike wands.
Recharging Rules
- Each morning when preparing spells or regaining slots, a spellcaster may restore 1 charge to one staff.
- The caster must have at least one of the staff's spells on their class list and be capable of casting at least one of them.
- The caster forfeits one prepared spell or spell slot equal to the highest-level spell the staff can cast.
- Maximum 1 charge per staff per day; a caster can only recharge 1 staff per day.
Special Qualities
Roll d% when generating a random staff:
| d% | Result |
|---|---|
| 01–30 | A design, inscription, or similar feature provides a clue to the staff's function |
| 31–100 | No special qualities |
Random Generation
| Medium | Major | Staff | Market Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01–15 | 01–03 | Charming | 17,600 gp |
| 16–30 | 04–09 | Fire | 18,950 gp |
| 31–40 | 10–11 | Swarming insects | 22,800 gp |
| 41–55 | 12–13 | Size alteration | 26,150 gp |
| 56–75 | 14–19 | Healing | 29,600 gp |
| 76–90 | 20–24 | Frost | 41,400 gp |
| 91–95 | 25–31 | Illumination | 51,500 gp |
| 96–100 | 32–38 | Defense | 62,000 gp |
| — | 39–45 | Abjuration | 82,000 gp |
| — | 46–50 | Conjuration | 82,000 gp |
| — | 51–55 | Divination | 82,000 gp |
| — | 56–60 | Enchantment | 82,000 gp |
| — | 61–65 | Evocation | 82,000 gp |
| — | 66–70 | Illusion | 82,000 gp |
| — | 71–75 | Necromancy | 82,000 gp |
| — | 76–80 | Transmutation | 82,000 gp |
| — | 81–85 | Earth and stone | 85,800 gp |
| — | 86–90 | Woodlands | 100,400 gp |
| — | 91–95 | Life | 109,400 gp |
| — | 96–98 | Passage | 206,900 gp |
| — | 99–100 | Power | 235,000 gp |