Eldritch Knight sword + staff mechanics

[FauxBeau]

My Eldritch Knight-8/Wizard-1 has the option to select a Staff of Power as a reward. He is a dex-based fighter, so up to this point he was equipped a +1 rapier and +1 shield.

If his strength (12) were as high as his dex (20), I'd just go staff + shield. Maybe later I'd dip into monk to do this, so for now I'm thinking rapier + staff. I'm ok taking the 1 AC hit to gain all the other benefits of the staff. But my other question is does the staff invalidate the dueling fighting style?

Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other Weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to Damage Rolls with that weapon.

Or put another way, as long as you're not two-weapon fighting or two-hand fighting, you should be able to gain the benefit. The staff can be wielded as a magic Quaterstaff, but above else it is an arcane implement yes?

Staff of Power
This staff can be wielded as a magic Quarterstaff that grants a +2 bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls made with it. While holding it, you gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class, saving throws, and spell Attack rolls.

Of course, if you were to pick up Dual Wielder and try to fight with both the staff and sword I acknowledge the benefit does not apply. The presumption is you'd wield the staff very differently as an arcane implement vs. quarterstaff.

Does sword+staff work well here? This seems the best staff to off-hand because of the AC boost. And what better image of of an Eldritch Knight (think Gandalf) Or do I need to lose out on the damage benefit until I find a way to boost my strength or gain the monk level to make the staff my primary weapon?

[jaappleton]

I think this is up to interpretation.

As a staff, it’s certainly an Arcane Focus, right?

Now it also says here that it CAN be wielded as a magic quarterstaff. Not that it has to.

As a Focus, it’s not a weapon. So it doesn’t violate Duelist.

If you choose to wield it as a magic quarterstaff, it does violate Duelist.

To gain the benefits of the staff, you have to hold it. Not wield it.

Wielding isn’t the same as holding. Wielding means I’m capable of fighting with it, while holding simply means it’s being carried.

[Willie the Duck]

Well, it is a 3 AC hit.

Other than that, if you are not using the staff in your second hand as a weapon (using the two weapon fighting option for combat), then you are not "wielding" the staff (as the game uses the term), and so you should still get the dueling fighting style benefit. Holding the staff is no different from holding a hand loaded hand crossbow (for use whenever the combat turns to ranged) in your off hand while fighting with your rapier.

[DarkKnightJin]

I'd rule that as long as you're not using the staff as a weapon but only as an Arcane Focus.. You still get the Dueling bonus.
But that's because I wouldn't want to invalidate a character choice you've made.

Alternately, I'd allow you to find a way to infuse the Staff of Power's effects into your Rapier and Shield where appropriate.
Maybe have a small quest to figure out that this particular Staff of Power was made by/for an Eldritch Knight such as your character, who had the Staff form as a traveling mode, and a sword and shield mode for actual combat.

Just a little something you could float to your DM as an adventure hook. Or at least a way to spend some downtime. Discuss with the DM on how to split tje effects from the weapon, of needed.

[FauxBeau]

Well, it is a 3 AC hit.

Other than that, if you are not using the staff in your second hand as a weapon (using the two weapon fighting option for combat), then you are not "wielding" the staff (as the game uses the term), and so you should still get the dueling fighting style benefit. Holding the staff is no different from holding a hand loaded hand crossbow (for use whenever the combat turns to ranged) in your off hand while fighting with your rapier.

Actually, it's a 1 AC hit because you gain +2 AC from the staff. That's why I said it's probably the only staff I'd consider taking over a shield.

[strangebloke]

You will look like gandalf.

all counterarguments are invalid.

[Willie the Duck]

Actually, it's a 1 AC hit because you gain +2 AC from the staff. That's why I said it's probably the only staff I'd consider taking over a shield.

Ah, should have looked up the staff before I posted.

[iTreeby]

You will look like gandalf.

all counterarguments are invalid.

Yes but if Gandalf attacks a goblin with his sword and while using the staff as an arcane implement does he get the dueling fighting style bonus as well as the ac bonus granted by the staff?

[strangebloke]

Yes but if Gandalf attacks a goblin with his sword and while using the staff as an arcane implement does he get the dueling fighting style bonus as well as the ac bonus granted by the staff?

Gandalf, being a demigod, is not modeled well by 5e.

However... yes, probably.

[Rogerdodger557]

Personally, I would rule that you would lose the damage bonus. This is do the wording of the staff of power, as it requires it be held, and its a staff as opposed to a wand. Wands can't be used as a weapon, so it want proc dual wielding. Since the staff is a +2 quarterstaff, it does. Personally, I would drop the rapier for the Staff, and find a magic item that will bump your strength(gauntlets of ogre strength, belts of x giant strength). Depending on your WIS, maybe, maybe go for 1 level of monk. If you just go with STR, you have a +7 to hit(which isn't bad), dealing 1d6+5 bludgeoning damage on a hit, and you can expend a charge for an extra 1d6 force damage per hit.

[GlenSmash!]

As long as the Staff is not used as a weapon I would rule Dueling Style applies fine.

[MeeposFire]

If staves were not able to be wielded with one hand then I would say RAW would certainly be that the staff would not count but it can so to me it would be held to the same standard as holding two daggers and trying to get the dueling bonus because you are claiming you are not going to use the other dagger.

Now whether you should hold to that or not I think I would leave that to individual DMs.

[Tanarii]

It's a weapon. You're holding it in your other hand. It's pretty clear cut that you do not get the benefits of Dueling style any more than you would if you held a dagger in your other hand.

That said, given that Dueling already works with a Shield or Focus in the other hand*, and you're not every planning to attack with it for any reason, it doesn't seem like a big deal house-rule.

*which I think is stupid, but that's neither here nor there