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View Full Version : Speculation Staff of the Adder - Spell



DracoKnight
2016-11-12, 01:52 PM
If there was a spell that could permanently transmute a quarterstaff or staff (arcane focus) into a staff of the adder what level should it be?

Staff of the Adder
Staff, uncommon (requires attunement by a cleric, druid, or warlock)

You can use a bonus action to speak this staff's command word and make the head of the staff become that of an animate venomous snake for 1 minute. By using another bonus action to speak the command word again, you return the staff to its normal animate form.

You can make a melee attack using the snake head, which has a reach of 5 feet. Your proficiency bonus applies to the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 poison damage.

The snake head can be attacked while it is animate. It has an armor class of 15 and 20 hit points. If the head drops to 0 hit points the staff is destroyed. As long as it's not destroyed, the staff regains all lost hit points when it reverts to its inanimate form.

GandalfTheWhite
2016-11-12, 01:54 PM
Permanently? Oh, well...hmmmm... That's one of the magic items that isn't that great...so... 2nd-level?

EDIT: It's a very cool and flavorful magic item, but the fact that an enemy can destroy it in one hit sucks. Ask my 10th level cleric how I know that.

Requiemforlust
2016-11-12, 02:04 PM
Permanently? Oh, well...hmmmm... That's one of the magic items that isn't that great...so... 2nd-level?

EDIT: It's a very cool and flavorful magic item, but the fact that an enemy can destroy it in one hit sucks. Ask my 10th level cleric how I know that.

Pretty much everything Gandalf said. It's a cool item, not that powerful, and adds a bunch of flavor to a character, particularly with the new Yuan-Ti player race.

And it always sucks when your sweet magic item gets destroyed by the enemy who attacked it.

thepsyker
2016-11-12, 05:15 PM
Not a direct parallel obviously, but AD&D had a "Sticks to Snakes" spell that would allow a Cleric to turn a number of sticks equal to their level into snakes with the snakes having a certain percentage chance of being venomous. That spell was 4th level. Might be something to look at for inspiration.

pwykersotz
2016-11-12, 07:02 PM
I'm of the opinion you're going about it in reverse. Sure, a temporary snake could be a spell, but if you want a permanent one, you should get a snake of your choice and use magic to turn it into a staff. :smalltongue:

DracoKnight
2016-11-12, 09:18 PM
I'm of the opinion you're going about it in reverse. Sure, a temporary snake could be a spell, but if you want a permanent one, you should get a snake of your choice and use magic to turn it into a staff. :smalltongue:

Okay, so I still ask the question: what level spell would it be to turn a snake into a staff? :smalltongue:

pwykersotz
2016-11-12, 09:21 PM
Okay, so I still ask the question: what level spell would it be to turn a snake into a staff? :smalltongue:

Haha, touche. I'd say 3rd level. More powerful than an Everburning Torch made by Continual Flame, but less powerful than Polymorph.

Edit: But I'd also create a gold component for creation, one that is commensurate with the type of campaign. Off the cuff, I'd say 250-500gp, consumed with the casting of the spell.

DracoKnight
2016-11-12, 10:23 PM
Haha, touche. I'd say 3rd level. More powerful than an Everburning Torch made by Continual Flame, but less powerful than Polymorph.

Edit: But I'd also create a gold component for creation, one that is commensurate with the type of campaign. Off the cuff, I'd say 250-500gp, consumed with the casting of the spell.

This all makes sense, thanks :smallbiggrin: