A staff is a long shaft of wood that stores several spells, usually grouped by theme, and unlike wands, these spells can of any level.
A typical staff is 4 feet to 7 feet long and 2 inches to 3 inches thick, weighing about 5 pounds. Most staffs are wood, but a rare few are bone, metal, or even glass. (These are extremely exotic.) Staffs often have a gem or some device at their tip or are shod in metal at one or both ends. Staffs are often decorated with carvings or runes. A typical staff is like a walking stick, quarterstaff, or cudgel. It has AC 7, hardness 8, and a break DC of 24.
Staves act as a reservoir of auto-prepared spells that you can cast like any other spell. These spells do not use charges but are cast using your spell slots instead. You must use the appropriate spell slot for each spell used. If you do not have a spell slot available to cast a certain spell, that spell is not available to you.
All staves require attunement and cannot be used by non-spellcasters. Furthermore, spellcasters cannot attune themselves to more than one staff at a time. Often staves have multiple spells stored in them. As with any magical item that has multiple effects, each spell stored in a staff has its own DC, and you unlock every spell you are able to hit with your magic items check during attunement. The DC to unlock a particular spell equals 20 + twice the spell level (20 + twice the spell level is not on your spell list).
Unlike wands, spells cast using staves always use your save DC and spell attack. They also do not need material components, since these were expended when the staff was created. Spells with expensive material components (ones that have a GP value), a focus, or an XP cost cannot be stored in staves.
The craft staff proficiency and all requisite spells are required when constructing staves. Not all spells have to be added at once, but the highest level spell must be added first. Afterwards, only lower level spells can be added. Except for the staff of power, no more than six spells can be added to a single staff.
Staff prices depend on the level of spells being added to them. The cost of a single spell added to a staff is equal to 1500 * (spell level)2. The creation cost is half of this, of course. The highest level spell costs full price. The second highest spell costs 75% of the normal cost for a spell of that level. All other spells cost 50%.
Roll d%. A 01-30 result indicates that something (a design, inscription, or the like) provides some clue to the staff ’s function, and 31-100 indicates no special qualities.
| Medium | Major | Staff | Market Price |
| 01-15 | 01-03 | Charming | 16,500 gp |
| 16-30 | 04-09 | Fire | 17,750 gp |
| 31-40 | 10-11 | Swarming insects | 24,750 gp |
| 41-60 | 12-17 | Healing | 27,750 gp |
| 61-75 | 18-19 | Size alteration | 29,000 gp |
| 76-90 | 20-24 | Illumination | 48,250 gp |
| 91-95 | 25-31 | Frost | 56,250 gp |
| 96-100 | 32-38 | Defense | 58,250 gp |
| -- | 39-43 | Abjuration | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 44-48 | Conjuration | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 49-53 | Enchantment | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 54-58 | Evocation | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 59-63 | Illusion | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 64-68 | Necromancy | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 69-73 | Transmutation | 65,000 gp |
| -- | 74-77 | Divination | 73,500 gp |
| -- | 78-82 | Earth and stone | 80,500 gp |
| -- | 83-87 | Woodlands | 101,250 gp |
| -- | 88-92 | Life | 155,750 gp |
| -- | 93-97 | Passage | 170,500 gp |
| -- | 98-100 | Power | 211,000 gp |
| Spell Level | Price |
| 0 | 750 gp |
| 1 | 1,500 gp |
| 2 | 6,000 gp |
| 3 | 13,500 gp |
| 4 | 24,000 gp |
| 5 | 37,500 gp |
| 6 | 54,000 gp |
| 7 | 73,500 gp |
| 8 | 96,000 gp |
| 9 | 121,500 gp |
Usually carved from the heartwood of an ancient oak or other large tree, this staff allows use of the following spells.
Made of twisting wood ornately shaped and carved, this staff allows use of the following spells:
This staff is usually made of ash or walnut and bears ornate carvings of many different kinds of creatures. It allows use of the following spells:
The staff of defense is a simple-looking staff that throbs with power when held defensively. It allows use of the following spells.
Made from a supple length of willow, often with a forked tip, this staff allows use of the following spells.
This staff is topped with a fist-sized emerald that gleams with smoldering power. It allows the use of the following spells.
Often made from applewood and topped with a clear crystal, this staff allows use of the following spells.
Usually very smooth and carved from hickory, willow, or yew, this staff allows use of the following spells.
Crafted from bronzewood with brass bindings, this staff allows use of the following spells.
Tipped on either end with a glistening diamond, this rune-covered staff allows use of the following spells.
This white ash staff, with inlaid silver runes, allows use of the following spells.
This staff is made from ebony or other dark wood and carved into an intricately twisted, fluted, or spiral shape. It allows use of the following spells.
This staff is usually sheathed in silver and decorated with sunbursts. It allows use of the following spells.
Made of thick oak shod in gold, this staff allows use of the following spells.
This staff is made from ebony or other dark wood and carved with the images of bones and skulls. It allows use of the following spells.
This potent item allows use of the following spells.
The staff of power is a very potent magic item, with offensive and defensive abilities. It is usually topped with a glistening gem, its shaft straight and smooth. The staff is also a +2 quarterstaff, and its wielder may use it to smite opponents. On a successful hit the staff does 2d6+2 damage (half force, half bludgeoning).
It has the following powers.
Protection (Use-Activated, DC 24)
The wielder of a staff of power gains a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws.
Retributive Strike (Use-Activated, DC 30)
A staff of power can be used for a retributive strike, requiring it to be broken by its wielder. If this breaking of the staff is purposeful and declared by the wielder, it can be performed as a standard action that does not require the wielder to make a Strength check. All power currently in the staff is instantly released in a 30-foot radius. Those in the same square as you take 100 points of damage. Those within 10 feet take 50 points of force damage, those within 20 feet take 36 damage, and those within the last 30 feet take 25 damage. A DC 17 Dex save reduces damage by half. When breaking the staff, you have a 50% chance of traveling to another plane of existence. If you do not, you suffer the full 100 points of damage (no save).
Stout and sturdy, this staff of dark wood allows use of the following spells.
Made of twisted dark wood with dark spots resembling crawling insects (which occasionally seem to move), this staff allows use of the following spells.
This staff is generally carved from or decorated with petrified wood and allows use of the following spells.
Appearing to have grown naturally into its shape, this oak, ash, or yew staff allows use of the following spells. The staff may be used as a weapon, functioning as a +2 quarterstaff.
Pass without Trace (Use-Activated [held], DC 22)
The staff of the woodlands also allows its wielder to pass without trace as long as it is held.