An eldritch staff is not merely another magic item. While a sorcerer or wizard can go through dozens of wands and simple magic staves in his career, he will never have more than a single eldritch staff. This staff is a powerful item, a creation that reflects the power and spirit of the mage who crafts it. While other magic items remain the same throughout their existence, the eldritch staff grows along with its master, maturing with him so that its utility is not diminished. At the end of its career, the staff if a powerful and crucial part of the mage.
Finding an Eldritch Staff
The eldritch staff like a spellcaster, begins life quite humbly. Whether a sapling, a branch from a larger tree, an unworked ingot, an ivory tusk, a length of bone, or even a piece of driftwood or scrap iron, all eldritch staves begin their life as a simple piece of lumber, ivory, bone, or metal. Each mage knows his staff from the first moment he sees it, even before it is carved, polished, or worked in any way. The spellcaster simply understands, as if he has seen a piece of his soul reflected in the raw materials. Some mages discover their staff before they have even truly begun their training. Others go through years of their career before stumbling across just the right piece to match their skills and temperament.
Crafting an Eldritch Staff
Once the raw materials from which the staff will be created are found, the spellcaster may begin work on the item. This process is relatively simple, but grows more complex the later in his career a spellcaster attempts to craft his staff. A neophyte wizard will find it a much simpler process to create his staff than will an archmage, if only because the neophyte has much less power available for investing in the staff.
The Investiture
The first step in creating the staff is known as the Investiture. The spellcaster must devote a portion of himself to the staff in order to bind it to his spirit and allow him to draw upon its powers. This binding takes the form of a single point of Constitution, a wound that never quite heals and that ties the eldritch staff and the spellcaster together. This Constitution point is gone forever and is not regained even if the staff is destroyed. The exact ceremony involved in the Investiture varies from spellcaster to spellcaster, as befits such an intensely personal experience.
The Crafting
Once a staff has gone through the Investiture, it is ready to be transformed into an item of power. The spellcaster must craft the form of the staff with his hands, using the feel of the magic within it to reveal its true shape. In most cases, the staff resembles its caster in size and shape. All eldritch staves are roughly the same height as their creator, and their bulk and shape are also proportionally close matches for the body of the spellcaster who creates them. If a character with no magical training knew a wizard or sorcerer, he could easily pick that spell caster's staff out from a collection by its appearance alone.
The Arcane Matrix
| Element Configuration DC | |||
| Spellcaster Level1 | DC | Configured Elements2 | DC Modifier |
| 1 | 13 | 0 | - |
| 2 | 14 | 1 | +1 |
| 4 | 15 | 2 | +2 |
| 6 | 17 | 3 | +3 |
| 8 | 18 | 4 | +5 |
| 10 | 19 | 5 | +6 |
| 12 | 21 | 6 | +7 |
| 14 | 23 | 7 | +9 |
| 16 | 25 | 8 | +10 |
| 18 | 27 | 9 | +11 |
| 20 | 30 | - | - |
1 The creator's current caster level.
| |||
2 The number of elements currently configured in the staff. Add the corresponding DC Modifier to the DC determined by the spellcaster's caster level to determine the final DC of the Spellcraft check for configuring an element.
| |||
The Elements
The order in which elements are selected for configuration is irrelevant - the point at which an element is selected determines both its overall utility as well as the restrictions it applies as thr staff matures. Since some of the benefits and penalties for an element scale with the addition of new elements into the matrix, the creator must always be prepared to pay the price for power - nothing comes for free.
Arcane Impact
Benefit: Whenever the wielder of the staff casts a spell, he can choose to charge the staff with its energy rather than releasing the spell immediately. If the wielder then makes a successful melee attack with the staff against any target, the spell is discharged into the target. In addition, all variable numeric elements of the spell (other than range) are Maximized. A staff can hold a charge for a maximum number of rounds equal to twice the spellcaster's level, after which time it dissipates normally.
Drawback: When the element is configured in the staff's matrix, the staff's owner must choose a spell slot of the highest level spells that he wishes to use with this ability. This spell slot must be of a level that the creator can currently cast. That spell slot is irrevocably lost.
Arcane Power
Benefit: When this element is configured, the crafter must choose one school of magic. Any random numerical elements of a spell from that school (such as the number of monsters summoned by a summon monster spell) cast while wielding the staff is increased by a number equal to the current number of elements configured in the staff.
Drawback: All random, numerical elements of a spellc ast from any other scool of magic are reduced by a number equal to the current number of elements configured in the staff.
Arcane Shield
Benefit: When this element is configured, the staff becomes so attuned to the wielder's magic that it sends a spike of antimagic through the wielder when he is exposed to the harmful effects of his own spells. Whiule holding the staff, the wielder only suffers half damage against his own spells on a failed saving throw, and no damage on a successful saving throw. The wielder gains this benefit whether the spall affected them owing to a spell-reflecting effect of because they caught themselves in the spell's area of effect.
Drawback: The range of the wielder's spells is reduced by 5 feet per configured element for Close range spells, 10 feet per configured element for Medium range spells, and 40 feet per configured element for Long range spells.
Blowthrough
Benefit: If a spell cast by the wielder of the staff kills one or more of its targets, it immediately causes an additional 1d4 points of damage to a single target within 20 feet of any target killed by the spell. The caster chooses this target, which must be within range of the original spell and gets a save as if he were the original target. This damage increases by one point for every additional element configured within the staff. Each time an additional element is configured, the spellcaster must select one school of magic. Spells cast from those schools do not receive this bonus.
Drawback: The spellcaster must choose one of the following schools from which he can cast spells: Conjuration, Enchantment, or Illusion. He casts all spells from that school at -1 caster level.
Bound Spirit
Benefit: You bind a minor elemental spirit into the staff. When this element is configured, choose a skill from the following list: Craft: Alchemy, any one Knowledge skill, any one Profession skill, Spellcraft, or Survival. As a full-round action that draws attacks of opportunity, you may contact the spirit and gain a +10 circumstance bonus to the appropriate skill check. You must decide to speak with the elemental before making your roll.
Drawback: The elemental hampers spells of an energy type opposed to it. When this element is configured, you must specify the type of elemental bound into the staff. Any energy spell that uses the energy type opposed to that of the elemental has its save DC lowered by 2.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different elemental attuned to a different skill must be configured into the staff. The elemental may be the same energy type each time this element is configured.
Calling Stick
Benefit: Any summon spell (including summon monster, summon nature's ally, or summon undead) cast while wielding the staff receives the following benefits:
- When a random number of creatures are summoned, one additional monster of the same type answers the call.
- The duration of the summons is increased by one round per configured element.
- All summoned creatures receive a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws for the duration of the spell.
Concentration Stabilizer
Benefit: The character gains a +1 circumstance bonus per configured element to all Concentration checks while she is holding the staff.
Drawback: From the time this element is configured, the character suffers a -2 penalty on all Spellcraft checks.
Channel Arcane Arrow
Benefit: When this element is configured, the staff channels arcane power to improving the wielder's accuracy with ranged touch attacks. Whenever the wielder casts a spell that requires a ranged touch attack roll while holding the staff, the wielder gains the benefits of the Point Blank Shot and the Precise Shot feat. The wielder gains this benefit only with spells they cast, not ones cast from a wand, staff, scroll or other source.
Drawback: The wielder becomes dependent upon the power provided by the staff to guide their ranged attacks. When the wielder makes any kind of ranged attack other than by means of a spell they have cast, they suffer a circumstance penalty equal to the number of configured elements in the staff to their attack roll.
Deflect Spell
Benefit: When wielding the staff, the creator gains a +2 bonus to all saves against spells of any type. This bonus is not provided when the caster is caught in the area of effect of a spell or when the caster is not the primary target of the spell.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the creator of the staff must select a school of magic that he can cast from the following list: Enchantment, Evocation, or Transmutation. The save DC of spells cast from the chosen school is reduced by 2.
Eldritch Defense
Benefit: The eldritch staff protects its creator, deflecting attacks targeting him. While casting defensively and in contact with the eldritch staff, the wielder may add an amount equal to the number of configured elements in the staff to their Armor Class until their next action (to a maximum amount equal to their Intelligence or Charisma modifier, whichever is higher), in addition to their Dexterity modifier.
Drawback: When casting defensively and not wielding the staff, you may not apply your Dexterity modifier to your Armor Class until your next action (this does not make you flat-footed).
Eldritch Loyalty
Benefit: The eldritch staff’s creator always knows where it is and can summon it to himself in a moment. By concentrating for a full round, the creator knows the direction and distance to her eldritch staff, so long as it is on the same plane. The wielder can summon the staff to her hand as a standard action, so long as it is on the same plane. When summoned in this way, the staff simply appears in its creator’s hand. Any effect targeting the staff or the wielder that prevents teleportation also blocks this ability. In addition, any person who handles the staff who does not share the wielder's alignment must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to your caster level plus the number of configured elements in the staff. Anyone who fails this saving throw whose alignment is within one step of the wielder's alignment suffers 1d6 electricity damage. Anyone who fails this saving throw whose alignment is two or more steps away from the wielder's alignment suffers 2d6 electricity damage. The wielder may mentally disable this ability as a free action, in which case the ability will cease to function until the wielder grasps the staff and commands it to reactivate.
Drawback: When not wielding the staff, the creator suffers a -2 penalty to Will saving throws.
Eldritch Reach
Benefit: When this element, and each additional element, is configured, the range of all spells cast while wielding the staff is increased. This does not affect spells with a range of touch, self, or an area defined in feet.
| Close | +5 feet per element | |
| Medium | +20 feet per element | |
| Long | +80 feet per element |
| Close | -5 feet per two elements | |
| Medium | -10 feet per element | |
| Long | -40 feet per element |
Eldritch Recharge
Benefit: The wielder gains the ability to transfer arcane power into their eldritch staff, recharging it. The wielder may, as a standard action, expend any of their prepared spells or unused spell slots to add charges to their eldritch staff. For every five spell levels expended in this way, the wielder may add one charge to their eldritch staff. Cantrips cannot be expended in this way. The eldritch staff must be enchanted with spells that consume charges for this configured element to have any effect. The staff cannot exceed 50 charges through this ability. Drawback: Choose a school of magic from which you can cast spells. You may not use spell trigger items using spells from that school.
Eldritch Touch
Benefit: The wielder may deliver touch spells with the eldritch staff. When using the staff in this way, the wielder may attempt to deal the staff’s damage by hitting the target's standard Armor Class (as opposed to the target's touch Armor Class). A successful critical hit with the staff does not double the spell's effect when delivered in this way. The wielder may, at their option, forgo dealing damage with the staff and deliver the touch spell by hitting the target’s touch Armor Class instead.
Drawback: When attempting to deliver touch spells (but not ranged touch spells) by means other than through the staff, the wielder suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls.
Eldritch Strength
Benefit: The staff’s wielder’s will can overcome the limitations of their physical abilities. When the wielder successfully hits a foe in melee with their eldritch staff, they may apply an amount equal to the number of configured elements in the staff to determine their damage bonus rather than their Strength modifier (to a maximum amount equal to their Intelligence or Charisma modifier, whichever is higher).
Drawback: The wielder suffers a -2 penalty on all Strength-based skill checks and Strength ability checks.
Eldritch Venom
Benefit: when this element is configured, the staff's creator must choose one ability score and one school of magic. Whenever a spell is cast from the selected school and causes damage to one or more targets, each target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level) or suffer 1d4 points of temporary damage to that ability.
Drawback: Whenever a target suffers ability damage from this element, the caster also suffers one point of temporary ability damage to the same ability unless he makes a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + spell level). The caster suffers a -1 penalty to this save for every additional creature beyond the first that suffers damage from this ability.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different ability score and school of magic must be chosen for the benefit.
Eldritch Weapon
Benefit: The eldritch staff acts as a magical weapon in the hands of its creator. The eldritch staff gain an enhancement bonus to attack and damage equal to +1 per two configured elements when wielded by its creator, to a maximum bonus equal to the creator’s Intelligence or Charisma modifier (whichever is their applicable casting attribute). If the eldritch staff is a quarterstaff, this bonus applies to both ends of the staff. In the hands of anyone other than the creator, it is merely an ordinary club or quarterstaff with no magical enhancements.
Drawback: When wielding any magic weapon other than the eldritch staff, the magical enhancement bonus of the weapon is reduced by 2, to a minimum of 0.
Elemental Immunity
Benefit: When this element is configured, the spellcaster selects one type of elemental energy: Acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. The staff becomes immune to all damage of that type. In addition, while holding the staff, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to all saves against effects that deal damage of that type.
Drawback: Any time you are not holding the staff, you suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to all saving throws against the chosen energy type and you suffer 1 point of additional damage any time you are affected by that energy type.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different energy type must be chosen for the benefit.
Embedded Spells
Benefit: When this element is configured, the spellcaster selects one spell that he is currently able to cast. This spell no longer requires preparation, and the caster can replace any prepared spell of the appropriate level with this spell as long as he is wielding a staff. This ability works exactly like a cleric's ability to spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells, or a druid's ability to spontaneously cast summon nature's ally spells.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the spellcaster must select one spell that he can cast of the same level as the spell chosen to gain the benefit. Whenever this spell is cast, the staff's owner suffers a 50% arcane spell failure chance.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different spell must be chosen for the benefit and a different spell must be chosen for the drawback.
Encoded Spells
Benefit: When this element is configured, the spellcaster may select four spell-like abilities from the list below. These abilites are almost all then accessible via the staff provided the wielder powers them by preparing particular spells or expending the appropriate spell slots for that day. The caster must be able to cast the spell emulated by the spell-like ability to be able to use that spell-like ability.
- Burning Hands: On command sheet of flame erupt from the staff. This effect operates as a burning hands spell cast at the wielder's caster level. If the staff is one size category larger than the wielder, they may reach forward with it and discharge the effect. They may choose the area affected by the spell as if they were standing at any point in their threatened area with a non-reach weapon. This ability may be chosen more than once. The wielder may use this ability once per day for each time this effect is encoded in the matrix. Unlike other embedded spells, this ability does not require the expenditure of spell slots to use it. When this spell is encoded, the crafter must have a scroll of burning hands on hand. The scroll is consumed in the crafting process. If this spell is encoded a second time, the crafter must provide two scrolls of burning hands, both of which are consumed in the crafting process. Each time this spell is encoded, the crafter must provide a number of scrolls of burning hands equal to one plus the number of times the spell is already encoded in the staff to be consumed by the crafting process.
- Detect Magic: The staff glows slightly when it touches a magical object of a spot on the ground recently affected by a spell. A faint nimbus of color reflecting the aura of the area or object's enchantment cloaks the staff. This effect works like detect magic cast at the same level as the wielder, but only objects touching the staff are affected. This ability lasts continuously for 24 hours after the expenditure of a 2nd-level spell slot to fuel the ability.
- Detect Poison: By touching an object or creature with the staff, the wielder can determine if it contains poison as the staff will vibrate slightly as it resonates with the poison's nature. This effect is that of a detect poison spell cast at the same level as th wielder, but it can only detect poison in objects the staff touches. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to the number of configured elements in the staff. A 1st-level spell slot must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Darkvision: So long as the wielder touches the staff, they gain the benefit of a darkvision spell cast at their caster level. This ability lasts for 24 hours. A 3rd-level spell slot must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Feather Fall: Once per day per configured element, as a free action, the wielder may activate a feather fall effect cast at their caster level. The wielder must be touching the staff to invoke this ability. Two 0th-level spell slots must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Hold Portal: Once per day per configured element, the wielder may cast hold portal at their caster level. The wielder must touch the affected door, window, or other opening with the staff. Two 0th-level spell slots must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Mage Armor: When the wielder holds their staff, they are protected by a field of tangible energy that operates as a mage armor spell cast at their caster level. This ability lasts for 24 hours. Three 0th-level spell slots must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Mage Hand: One time per day per configured element, the wielder may use the staff to cast mage hand at their caster level. While maintaining concentration, the wielder must hold the staff. A 1st-level spell slot must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Resistance: One time per day per configured element, the staff may grant the wielder the benefits of the resistance spell cast at their caster level. The wielder loses the benefit of this spell if they lose contact with the staff before the spell's duration ends. A 1st-level spell slot must be expended to fuel this ability.
- Shocking Grasp: Once per day, the wielder may use the ability to cast shocking grasp at their arcane caster level. Two 0th-level spell slots must be expended to fuel this ability.
- True Strike: The wielder may activate this ability as a free action to gain the benefit of a true strike spell. This ability may be chosen more than once. The wielder may use this ability once per day for each time this effect is encoded in the matrix. Unlike other embedded spells, this ability does not require the expenditure of spell slots to use it. When this spell is encoded, the crafter must have a scroll of true strike on hand. The scroll is consumed in the crafting process. If this spell is encoded a second time, the crafter must provide two scrolls of true strike, both of which are consumed in the crafting process. Each time this spell is encoded, the crafter must provide a number of scrolls of true strike equal to one plus the number of times the spell is already encoded in the staff to be consumed by the crafting process.
Special: This element may be chosen up to three times. Each time, a different set of spell-like abilities must be chosen from the list.
Energy Conduit
Benefit: After this element is configured, when the spellcaster casts a spell that requires a melee touch attack to deliver its effects, they may instead channel the spell's effects into the staff. The wielder may attack as normal and inflict damage as normal with the weapon and inflict the spell in addition. Alternatively, the wielder may try to touch their target with the staff by making a melee touch attack, although the wielder does not deal the staff's weapon damage if they hit the target in this way. When the wielder is using the staff to deliver a melee touch attack, they may use it as a reach weapon if the staff is a size category larger than themselves.
Drawback: The wielder suffers a penalty to their attack rolls with melee touch attacks made by any means other than the staff equal to the number of configured elements in the staff.
Focused Infusion
Benefit: When this element is configured, the spellcaster must select one spell descriptor (see Special Spell Effects in the Player's Handbook, Chapter 10, Pages 171-174). Any spell with this descriptor cast by the staff's creator is treated as if the caster were one caster level higher than his actual level for purposes of determining level-dependent effects.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the spellcaster must select one spell descriptor. Spells with this descriptor require a spell slot one level higher than normal to cast.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different pair of spell descriptors must be chosen for the benefit and the drawback.
Forceful Casting
Benefit: When this element is selected, the creator must select a single school of magic. Whenever the caster unleashes a spell from this school while wielding the staff, the target or targets of the spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the caster's caster level). If a target fails this save, he is knocked prone in the square in which he is currently standing.
Drawback: When this element is configured into the staff's matrix, the staff's owner received a permanent -1 penalty to all Fortitude saves.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different school of magic must be chosen and the penalty to Fortitude saves increases by an additional -1.
Metamagic Enhancement
Benefit: When this element is configured, the wielder must choose one metamagic feat. Once per day per configured element, the wielder may add that metamagic feat to a spell they have prepared (or know if they are a spontaneous caster). Applying this feat does not modify the spell's level or casting time. This element may be configured multiple times, but must choose a different metamagic feat each time. The wielder may only use this power once per round, and thus cannot apply multiple metamagic effects to a spell using this ability. The wielder may, however, add a metamagic effect provided by this configured element to a spell that is already enhanced by a metamagic feat by another means.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the creator must have on hand a metamagic rod of the feat they wish to incorporate into the staff. This metamagic rod is consumed in the process of adding this element to the staff. If the rod used is a lesser metamagaic rod, this configured element can only affect spells of up to 3
Mighty Eldritch Weapon
Benefit: The eldritch staff gains a special weapon ability. The staff gains the bane, defending, flaming, frost, merciful, screaming, shock, or thundering special weapon ability. This ability applies to both ends of the staff. Once chosen, the bonus cannot be changed and does not function in the hands of anyone other than the staff's master.
Drawback: When using any weapon other than the eldritch staff that has the chosen special weapon ability, that special weapon ability does not function for the wielder.
Special: This element may be configured multiple times. Each time, you must choose a different special weapon ability for the eldritch staff.
Recursive Casting
Benefit: When this element is configured, the creator must select a single spell he can cast. Whenever that spell is cast, the spellcaster may make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level). If the Spellcraft check is successful, the spell may be cast again in the following round without using any of he caster's spell slots. Note that the target of the spell can change between castings, and the spellcaster may not make a Spellcraft check to cast the spell three or more times in a row. This element only affects spells with a casting time of a full-round action or less, and each recursive casting also requires the same type of action that casting the spell the first time did.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the caster loses the ability to scribe or use scrolls of any kind. The spellcaster may still learn a spell from a scroll, but may not use it as a spell-completion item.
Reflexive Casting
Benefit: When this element is configured, the creator must select a single touch spell. He may now cast that spell as an Attack of Opportunity provided he has it prepared (or, if he is a spontaneous spell caster, has available spell slots of the appropriate spell level or higher) when the attack is provoked. The creator must be wielding the staff in order to cast the spell, and is considered to have the normal threat range when doing so. This ability may be combined with Eldritch Touch (see above) to make the Attack of Opportunity using the staff to deliver the touch spell.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the character must choose a spell slot of the same level as the spell chosen for its benefit. The character permanently loses that spell slot.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different touch spell must be chosen for the benefit.
Remote Viewing:
Benefit: The eldritch staff's creator may concentrate and view the staff's surroundings as though looking through the staff itself. This effect is identical to the spell clairvoyance except that it lasts for as long as the owner concentrates and has an infinite range so long as the staff is on the same plane. While in effect, the staff glows faintly, illuminating the area around the staff like a candle.
Drawback: The creator suffers a -2 penalty to Listen, Search, and Spot checks when not wielding the staff.
Replace Energy:
Benefit: When this element is configured, the wielder must select one of the following energy types: Acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Three times per day, when casting a spell, the wielder may modify the damage the spell inflicts by changing its energy type to the selected type. Any secondary effects that are dependent upon the energy type, such as burning hands' ability to ignite combustable materials on fire, are lost.
Drawback: When this element is configrued, the caster must select one spell they know of the same type of energy that they chose for this ability. They cast that spell at -2 to their effective caster level.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different energy type must be chosen for the benefit.
Searing Energy:
Benefit: When this element is configured, the wielder must select one of the following energy types: Acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. When the wielder casts a damage-dealing spell with that descriptor, the spell inflicts an additional 1 point of damage per die.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the creator must select one spell they know of the same type of energy that they chose for this ability. The save DC of that spell is reduced by an amount equal to the number of configured elements in the staff.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different energy type must be chosen for the benefit.
Shredded Resistance
Benefit: When this element is configured, the spellcaster must select a school of magic from which he can cast spells. Spells that are cast from the selected school receive a +1 bonus to any caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. This bonus increases by +1 for additional configured element.
Drawback: A spellcaster wielding an eldritch staff with this element becomes more susceptible to enemy spells. As a result, any time an opponent must make a caster level check to overcome the wielder's spell resistance, that opponent gains a +2 bonus to his check.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different school of magic must be taken for the benefit, and the size of the drawback increases by an additional +2.
Spell Repository:
Benefit: After this element is configured, the wielder may encode a number of spells into the matrix equal to the number of configured elements in the staff. When new elements are configured, more spells can be encoded into the matrix. The wielder can prepare these encoded spells as if they were preparing them from their spellbook. Further, the wielder can swap out prepared spells for spells encoded in the matrix. Once per day per configured lement, the wielder may drop a preapred spell and replace it with a spell stores in the spell repository. Doing so requires 15 minutes of quiet, uninterrupted study.
Drawback: Once a spell is placed in the repository, it may not be removed or replaced. The formula is physically encoded into the matrix, making it impossible to destroy short of shattering the staff.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a new set of spells equal to the number of configured elements in the staff may be encoded into the spell repository.
Susceptible Target
| Creature Type | % Roll |
| Elemental (Water) |
1
|
Vermin
|
2
|
| Animal |
3-4
|
| Elemental (Earth) |
5-6
|
| Elemental (Air) |
7-9
|
| Elemental (Fire) |
10-12
|
| Outsider (Earth) |
13-15
|
| Ooze |
16-19
|
| Outsider |
20-23
|
| Outsider (Water) |
24-27
|
| Shapechanger |
28-31
|
| Construct |
32-35
|
| Giant |
36-39
|
| Outsider (Air) |
40-43
|
| Dragon |
44-46
|
| Fey |
47-49
|
| Outsider (Good) |
50-52
|
| Plant |
53-55
|
| Monstrous Humanoid |
56-59
|
| Outsider (Fire) |
60-63
|
| Outsider (Chaotic) |
64-67
|
| Outsider (Lawful) |
68-71
|
| Beast |
72-75
|
| Humanoid |
76-80
|
| Outsider (Evil) |
81-85
|
| Undead |
86-90
|
| Aberration |
91-95
|
| Magical Beast |
96-100
|
Drawback: When this element is configured, one random monster type (determined using the table to the right) becomes immune to spells cast by the wielder of the staff. If the Humanoid type is rolled, a specific humanoid subtype must be selected by the DM.
Thoughtless Cast
Benefit: When this element is configured, the spellcaster must select a single spell (which may require no more than a standard action to cast). The selected spell can be cast as a free action, but the spellcaster must sacrifice an additional prepared (or uncast, for sorcerers) spell of the same or higher level when the benefit of this element is used.
Drawback: The staff's wielder can never apply the Quicken Spell metamagic to any spell of the same level as the spell chosen for the benefit of this element.
Special: This element may be chosen multiple times. Each time, a different spell must be chosen.
Vital Transfer
Benefit: The eldritch staff’s creator may choose to heal damage to the staff instead of themselves. The eldritch staff's creator may opt to forgo her natural healing for the day and mend her staff through mystical means. Each night's rest thus spent returns a number of hit points to the staff equal to the number of configured elements in the staff, up to the staff's maximum hit points. The Heal skill does not increase the amount of damage repaired in this manner.
Drawback: The wielder suffers a penalty to their natural healing equal to the number of configured elements in the staff.
Wordless Cast
Benefit: When this element, and each additional element, is configured, the spellcaster must select a single spell. The selected spell can be cast without the need for verbal components.
Drawback: When this element is configured, the spellcaster must select a school of magic from which he can cast spells. When spells from the selected school are cast, they are accompanied by a cacophonous burst of sound that is clearly audible for 10 feet per caster level of the spellcaster. Spells selected as a benefit for this element are not affected by this drawback.
Wielding the Staff
In order to receive any of the benefits provided by the elements within the eldritch staff's matrix, the staff must be in the spellcaster's hand. When held, the power of the staff floods through the user and allows him to draw upon its power as he casts spells, The spellcaster may choose not to use the benefit of his staff for any spell he casts. Doing so, however, does not relieve the effects of any drawbacks, which remain with the character whether he wields the staff or not.
Damaging the Staff
These items of power are a favorite target among those who hunt spellcasters and monsters who understand what a staff represents. Though the bond between a spellcaster and his staff is not a intense or as intimate as the bond shared with a familiar, it is still a painful experience to lose a staff.
| Staff Protection | ||||||
| Number of Elements | Hardness Increase | Cost | Hit Point Increase | Cost | Break DC Increase | Cost |
| 1 | 1 | 100 | 5 | 1,500 | 1 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 2 | 400 | 10 | 3,000 | 2 | 2,000 |
| 3 | 4 | 900 | 15 | 4,500 | 3 | 3,000 |
| 4 | 6 | 1,600 | 20 | 6,000 | 4 | 4,000 |
| 5 | 8 | 2,500 | 25 | 7,500 | 5 | 5,000 |
| 6 | 10 | 3,600 | 30 | 9,000 | 6 | 6,000 |
| 7 | 12 | 4,900 | 32 | 9,600 | 7 | 7,000 |
| 8 | 15 | 6,400 | 34 | 11,200 | 8 | 8,000 |
| 9 | 18 | 8,100 | 36 | 11,800 | 9 | 9,000 |
| 10 | 20 | 10,000 | 40 | 12,000 | 10 | 10,000 |
Enhancing an Eldritch Staff
An arcane caster with the Craft Staff feat wishing to add powers to her eldritch staff as if it were a normal staff may do so, however all costs associated with its creation are increased by 20%. This reflects the difficulty in overlaying the newer abilities with the existing powers. A staff crafted in this manner is created with 50 charges. It retains any powers in its eldritch matrix and its magical nature, even after the charges are expended.
The Broken Staff
If a staff breaks, the spellcaster is in for a great deal of pain and suffering. On the plus side, the destruction of the eldritch staff removes all drawbacks formerly imposed by the staff's arcane matrix. The loss of the staff disrupts the spellcaster's own energies: Immediately upon the destruction of the staff, the owner suffers a permanent loss of 1d4 hit points. These hit points may not be restored by any method - when the connection with the staff is destroyed, it takes some of the spellcaster with it. In addition, the spellcaster permanently loses one spell slot of a random level.
Home House Rules
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