Staff of the Archmagi: New item in the works

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Hey there everyone. The fellow I was working with in making the Minsc romance and some thief only items has emailed me this. Please, give me your feedback as it will be used to further edit the staff.

Staff of the Arch Magi <Charname>

This type of staff is thoroughly linked of the image of the spellcasting profession, rare though it is and a Staff of the Arch Magi is rare among the rare. It is among the most powerful tools that a wizard can possess, the culmination of complex enchantment and endless study. This particular example is good in melee, grants Invisibility, and offers protection from Charms and Evil. It can also cast a Spell Trap, launch a Fireball-Lighting Bolt combination, and Dispel Magic. The quintessential mage item.

This particular item is a piece of masterpiece craftsmenship by Cromwell, a widely known smith working out of Athkatla. It was constructed from a Bhaalspawn named Charname, the hero of Baldur's Gate and a noted mage, at tremedous expense. It combined several magical items and weapons into one very powerful weapon to free its wielder of clutter and weapons too good to sell, but useless to most mages. To make everything work together, it nearly killed Charname as he sacrificed a part of himself to empower the weapon as well as the preserved heart of a demon. Cromwell was kind enough to provide an instruction manual to use the staff, with all the relevant command words.

Now it glows with power and is covered with radiant runes, vibrating in the user's hands and hot to the touch. It is the ultimate mage's staff and while awe inspiring, it is also extremely ugly with pieces and protrusions everywhere and looks like five staffs combined into ones because that is exactly what was done. Not that anyone is going to call it ugly to the owner's face.

The Staff of the Arch Magi grants the mage improved combat abilities, with better protections and immunities crucial for surviving a high level mage duel. When word of this item's existence was learned, the Cowled Wizards revoked Charnames magic license and sought to confiscate the powerful staff for their own purposes. They weren't the only ones to take an interest, as members of the Twisted Rune whom Charname took the original staff from wanted it back. Needless to say, Charname was not amused by this attention...

STATISTICS
Armor Class: +3 bonus
Saving Throws: +3 bonus

Equipped Abilities:
Invisibility
Immunity to Charm, Hold, Fear, Maze
Protection From Evil
Regeneration (1 HP per Thirty Seconds)
Grants + 4 Strength
Level Drain Immunity
Decrease Casting Time by 1
Vocalize
Magic Resistance 5%
10% resistance to physical /elemental damage

Abilities: Spell Trap
Duration: 8 hours or until 30 spell levels have been trapped
Use: Once a day

Fireball-Lightning Bolt of Paralyzation
Damage: combined lightning paralyzation and fireball damage
Range: 150 feet
Use: Three times a day

Chain Lightning
Damage: Electrical (cast as level 10 spell)
Duration: Instant
Range: Visual Range of Caster
Use: Three times a day

Combat Ability (each hit): Dispel Magic
THAC0: +5 bonus
Damage: 1D6 +5 +2 electrical damage, + 2 fire damage (5% of 5 magic damage to user)

Damage type: crushing
Weight: 30 lbs
Speed Factor: 8 (one extra attack per round)
Proficiency Type: Quarterstaff
Type: 2-handed
Requires: 15 Strength, 12 Constitution, 18 intelligence, 14 wisdom
Usable By
Mages

Requirements: Valid Magic License in Athkatla, Reputation 15 or better, Completed Planar Sphere Quest and Mage Stronghold.

Material Reagents: Amulet of Power, Ring of Protection +2, 1 Girdle of Frost Giant Strength, Hill Giant Strength, Stone Giant Strength AND Gauntlets of Ogre Power, 3 scrolls of chain lightning, 1 Ring of Regeneration, One Ioun Stone (the one from the spider lady), 1 wand of lightning, 1 wand of fire.

Scroll Reagents: 1 scroll of protection from normal weapons, 1 scroll of protection from magic weapons, 1 spell sequencer scroll, 1 chain contigency scroll, 1 protection from magic energy, 1 scroll of protection from the elements, 1 scroll of protection from abjuration, 4 scrolls of invisibility, 2 scrolls of shocking grasp, 2 scrolls of burning touch.

Potion Reagents: 4 potions of Cloud Giant Strength, 4 Potions of Genius, 4 Potions of Insulation, 20 potions of invisibility, 10 potions of speed, 4 Potions of Invulnerability, 4 Potions of Mind Focusing, 4 Potions of Regeneration, 4 potions of power, 4 potions of defense, 2 potions of magic blocking, 2 potions of magic protection, 2 potions of magic shielding, 4 potions of clarity, 2 potions of absorption.

Gems: 2 Diamonds, 1 Rogue Stone, 1 Berijul, 2 aquamarine gems, 1 kings tear, 1 pearl, 1 turquoise gem, 1 water opal.

Cost: 150,000 GP

Penalties: Cromwell Retires, Magic License revoked and you can only get it back by handing over staff, random encounters with Cowled Wizards and Twisted Rune (not low level flunkies but one mid to high level lich per party member, minimum of two lichs), in wilderness at least one encounter with a ToB level Dragon.

Gabriel

[ January 02, 2003, 11:40: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

 

Ok, I got a few questions. If you were to add this item and the like, you wouldn't be able to make the Crom Fayer, which would suck monkey butt big time. Already I don't think it's worth it to be robbed of such a spiffy hammer.

Nextly, dear God in heaven, man, could you cram any more stuff into the making of this thing? I mean, come on! Look over the item list again and tell me if you would even bother to go out and get all the requirements to make this stuff? I sure wouldn't, I tell you the truth. What you're making really isn't a staff, it's more like a little mage that's taken the manifestation of a staff, and an ugly one at that, by your own admission.

Another thing is the reputation thing. I mean, evil people won't have a rep that high, usually. It would mean that their evil party would go bye bye as soon as it hit like 18 and up, so you might want to modify that.

Let's see, what else here? Ok, the staff's a bit heavy as well. I understand that it's like 5 staffs in one, but most magically enchanted weapons weigh like 10 pounds or less, you know, with the exception of some armor, so you might want to think about that too. It's also slow for a staff, but that's in direct reference to the weight as well. And only 5% magic resistance? If this is gonna be the staff to end all staffs, then make it more, at least 10% magic resistance. Yes, yes, I like that.

I also think that it has too many abilities. I never thought you could have too many, but you got too many here. Think about it for a minute. Let's say you're going up against that dragon, right? So, you pull out the abilities little screen thingy trying to find a nice spell to blast that dragon with. Well, with all the abilities to look through, it's highly likely that that dragon will be using that staff to pick the remains of the poor mage from its teeth. I understand you want to make the uber-staff, but tone it down just a tad. I mean, with all those spells in the staff, what's the point of having your mage remember spells? Why even have a mage? You've got the staff, you're ready to take on the world!

I don't mean to be so mean, because you have a great idea, you really do. I just feel that you're trying to cram every little thing into a simple staff, you know. I understand that you want the staff to be like the must weapon for a mage, but what mage in their right mind would be up there in the fray attacking like a fighter? Hey, they can have all the weapons in the world, but a mage is still a mage.

Like I said earlier, you have a great idea, don't think of this as a blunder, think of it as a rough draft, or brainstorming, you know. Then, I'm more then sure that you'll iron out your ideas and make the staff more believable.

And that's my two cents on this. Good luck.

 

After reading DarkGoddess opinion, I can't think of anything else to say except that it feels like your friend could not finish BGII with 6 members that he must come up with such an item. And that the very idea of collecting all those regeants alone would have taken most of the fun away.

 

Check the description text for some grammar and spelling errors.

Also, I'd wish the description was similar to the rest of the item descriptions in BG2. Meaning, it should be made in a "past" form, and NOT assume that the reader was as familiar with the bhaalspawn or the Charname as it now does. A short description containing a short reference to the bhaalspawn in general in the beginning, then going over to this particular Charname bhaalspawn and something that tells him/her apart from the crowd (as in, some special feat or piece of information, the ONE thing that should be said to someone who yet knows nothing of Charname). After that it would be proper to say how this staff came to be and how it connects with it all, and perhaps a short description of what the staff can actually do.

I'd also hope the requirements were made lower. For example my mages are often made physically weak yet mentally extremely powerful. To require constitution and strength is in my opinion to cross the line between what a mage and what a warrior is. If this is a staff to a fighter/mage, then it should not be called a Staff of an Archmage. Check Raistlin from Dragonlance for example. His constitution must've be somewhere around 3-5, and strength 5-7 (remember, 9 is STILL the average, even though players generally treat 9 as nothing). Yet he was the most powerful mage on all of Ansalon, so powerful that he was able to work his way to godhood.
Instead of the humongous and IMO quite unfitting requirements, just have it ask for a high intelligence maybe somewhat high wisdom (though many powerful mages only have a bit above average wisdom, as spellcasting doesn't need it). But above all, make it useable only by the Charname. Afterall, if it required a sacrifice of his/her blood or soul or something, it would be only fitting that only the Charname would be able to wield it to its full power. This would not hinder the cowled wizards' (or others) hunt for the staff however. Since there are always magical ways to circle around such inconveniences with decades of research by powerful wizards. And an object of such immense power, even if unusable, is always of great interest.

I would have said something about the overpowerful abilities it gives, were it not for the even more overtaken requirements for its creation. The requirement of so many such powerful items is indeed a great obstacle to attaining the staff. But I can live with that. Afterall, should it be an item for those who crave for great personal magical power above the needs of the entire party (as the lack of strength belts etc invariably lessen the effectiveness of other party members), this is only fitting.

And for the last part. Ascension was annoying enough with its "oh my, that's the 10:th common bandit group that could take on 2 dragons at once that I encountered this week, my i guess my Elminster -rivaling group and demigod powers are going through quite an inflation these days". So I hope you take into account that Liches don't come across you 100 times a lifetime. It's good enough that a 100 even exist on all of Faerún, let alone are running after the PC and his staff. So keep the random encounters, sure. But please, don't take that Ascension lameness into whole new dimentions and make us battle 6-lich parties twice a week, or month for that matter. Besides, there's a reason why liches don't show together in BG (or any fantasy novels I've read for that matter), that's because the powerhungerness that drove those mages to lichness would overrule any benefits they might get from allying with each other.. and like said they are far too rare to just bump into each other and form families.

The idea is good, very good in fact. For in BG we really see no mage staffs at all. Only some lame sticks that give a bonus to melee fighting, which a mage will never resort to anyways. And the ones that have some abilities are generally useless in the hands of an already powerful mage (who probably will be much better off with his much stronger spells anyway). A staff that would truly benefit a high-level mage is indeed welcome.

Edit: Also, I second Darkgoddes's opinion on just about everything that was said there. But I do want to point out that even though the requirements and abilities are enormously high, I don't wish for them to be lowered to a useless level either. Don't be afraid to make an item that is truly powerful, not just a pretty trinket. But overdoing it makes the game feel like cheating. And there are more sophisticated means to do that should you wish to.

[ January 02, 2003, 08:32: Message edited by: Forashi ]

 

With an item this powerful, it may be a good idea to require the character wielding to solo. As soon as the staff is created by Cromwell, he retires and the rest of your party refuses to continue adventuring with you because they are intimidated by its power and don't want to be hunted by Liches for the rest of thier lives. Doing this would alleviate the need for so many high level encounters and would restore some game balance. This item in a 6 member party of high level characters would be laughable indeed.

 

That is a great idea, Jim Babwe.

As others have said, I'd tone down all aspects of the staff - its required items, penalties and powers.

Good idea, but needs a little work.

 

I actually saw you post on Weimer's board and can only quote one of its members: "CTRL+Y WORKS FASTER"

Well, truth to be said, I wouldn't have the interest in collecting this ridiculous collection of trinkets AND pay 150.000! Half the required trinkets and lower cost to 100.000 - my recommendation so far.

 

Actually, it's not my post over at the Weimer forum. MStaley goes there, I stick to SP. I've already passed on your comments to Mike.

Thanks for everything

Gabriel

 

Cool idea, but I definitley would like it cheaper, weaker and less item-needing.

 

If you want my opinion, remove the easily obtainables from the list of items. Plus, it'd be pretty cool if Edwin tried to kill you for the staff, if possible.

 

No, nothing like that. The issue of "Edwin tries to kill you" falls to the same cathegory with "only evil/good chars-" or "only elven/human characters who are males/females may use it". It could be fitting, I admit. But it excludes certain people from ever being able to possess the item. No point in making a mod with such a rare and undoubtetly wanted item when you can only get it by playing in a very certain type of way.

I agree that perhaps Edwin's attempt for the staff could be implemented, but his death in doing so should be avoided. It should be allowed a possibility without reverting to cheating to somehow keep things going so that Edwin remains in your party without killing himself or Charname.

 

That edwin idea is great! I'll pass it along. It would make sense too. He is a wizard from Thay. Power-hungry mongrels that they are, it would stand to reason he would want to staff. I Can see it now..out of the blue he starts to suck up and the like.

Gabriel