Blackstaff
The Blackstaff is a sentient, rune-carved staff set with thin silver veins.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
The wielder of a staff of power gains a +2 luck bonus to AC and on saving throws.
The staff is also a +4 quarterstaff, and its wielder may use it to smite opponents. If 1 charge is expended (a free action), the staff deals double damage (x3 on a critical hit) for 1 round.
Animate Walking Statues
You can expend 1 or more of the staff's charges as an action to animate or deactivate one or more of the walking statues of Waterdeep. You must be in the city to use this property, and you can animate or deactivate one statue for each charge expended. An animated statue obeys the telepathic commands of Khelben Arunsun's spirit, which is trapped inside the staff (see "Personality" below). A walking statue becomes inanimate if deactivated or if the staff is broken. Dispel Magic
Any creature or object struck by a successful melee attack or melee touch attack with the blackstaff is subject to a dispel magic effect.
This effect works exactly like a targeted dispel magic cast by the creator of the blackstaff.
Drain Magic
Any spellcaster struck by a successful melee or melee touch attack with the blackstaff loses one prepared spell (or one unused spell slot, for spellcasters who do not prepare spells) of the highest spell level available.
A successful Will save negates the spell loss, but not any damage or dispel effects caused by a strike of the blackstaff.
Master of Enchantment
When you cast an enchantment spell of 1st level or higher while holding the staff, you can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC of 10 + the level of the spell. If the check succeeds, you cast the spell without expending a spell slot.
Sentience
The Blackstaff is a sentient staff of neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 22, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet, and it can communicate telepathically with any creature that is holding it.
Spells
The staff allows the use of the following spells:
The staff has the spirits of all previous Blackstaffs trapped within it. Its creator, Khelben Arunsun, is the dominant personality among them. Like Khelben, the staff is extremely devious and manipulative. It prefers to counsel its owner without exerting outright control. The staff's primary goal is to protect Waterdeep and its Open Lord, currently Laeral Silverhand. Its secondary goal is to help its wielder become more powerful.
In the event that the holder of the office of the Blackstaff no longer serves the staff's wishes, the staff ceases to function until it finds a worthy inheritor- someone whose loyalty to Waterdeep is beyond reproach.
The staff is also a +4 quarterstaff, and its wielder may use it to smite opponents. If 1 charge is expended (a free action), the staff deals double damage (x3 on a critical hit) for 1 round.
Animate Walking Statues
You can expend 1 or more of the staff's charges as an action to animate or deactivate one or more of the walking statues of Waterdeep. You must be in the city to use this property, and you can animate or deactivate one statue for each charge expended. An animated statue obeys the telepathic commands of Khelben Arunsun's spirit, which is trapped inside the staff (see "Personality" below). A walking statue becomes inanimate if deactivated or if the staff is broken. Dispel Magic
Any creature or object struck by a successful melee attack or melee touch attack with the blackstaff is subject to a dispel magic effect.
This effect works exactly like a targeted dispel magic cast by the creator of the blackstaff.
Drain Magic
Any spellcaster struck by a successful melee or melee touch attack with the blackstaff loses one prepared spell (or one unused spell slot, for spellcasters who do not prepare spells) of the highest spell level available.
A successful Will save negates the spell loss, but not any damage or dispel effects caused by a strike of the blackstaff.
Master of Enchantment
When you cast an enchantment spell of 1st level or higher while holding the staff, you can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC of 10 + the level of the spell. If the check succeeds, you cast the spell without expending a spell slot.
Sentience
The Blackstaff is a sentient staff of neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 22, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet, and it can communicate telepathically with any creature that is holding it.
Spells
The staff allows the use of the following spells:
- Continual flame (1 charge)
- Fireball (heightened to 5th level, 1 charge)
- Levitate (1 charge)
- Lightning bolt (heightened to 5th level, 1 charge)
- Magic missile (1 charge)
- Ray of enfeeblement (heightened to 5th level, 1 charge)
- Cone of cold (2 charges)
- Globe of invulnerability (2 charges)
- Hold monster (2 charges)
- Wall of force (in a 10-ft.-diameter hemisphere around the caster only, 2 charges)
The staff has the spirits of all previous Blackstaffs trapped within it. Its creator, Khelben Arunsun, is the dominant personality among them. Like Khelben, the staff is extremely devious and manipulative. It prefers to counsel its owner without exerting outright control. The staff's primary goal is to protect Waterdeep and its Open Lord, currently Laeral Silverhand. Its secondary goal is to help its wielder become more powerful.
In the event that the holder of the office of the Blackstaff no longer serves the staff's wishes, the staff ceases to function until it finds a worthy inheritor- someone whose loyalty to Waterdeep is beyond reproach.
Item type
Unique Artifact
Rarity
Legendary
Weight
5lbs
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