Staff of Power

[makofan]

When a magic-user breaks the Staff of Power in a final strike, does the magic-user also suffer the damage? How do you rule?

If the user wishes he may make a "Final Strike" with the Staff, breaking it and releasing all power within (8 x number of charges remaining). This power is distributed as hit points to all creatures within a 3" radius.

[coffee]

I would rule he does; he's one of "all creatures" in the radius.

(I think AD&D changed this to a possibility of him being kicked off his plane of existence and ending up in another. Although that may just be how one DM I knew handled it.)

[Porphyre]

Seeing how specific are the descriptions of the Fireball and Lightening Bolt spells when they mention how a careless spell-caster could hurt himself, I would be inclined to say "yes"

[Red Baron]

What if the magic user casts globe of invulnerability first using the staff of power. Globe of invulnerability: see globe of minor invulnerability


" The area of effect of any such spells does not include the area of the minor globe of invulnerability. However, any sort of spells can be cast out of the magical sphere, and they pass from the caster of the globe, through its area of effect, and to their target without effect upon the minor globe of invulnerability"


So if a magic user casts the spell using the staff of power, and then breaks the staff, there is a 30' radius sphere of effect with a 10' radius center around the magic user which is not effected.

Problem solved.

[scottyg]

I don't think that's the intent. I spell cast at the caster from outside the globe would not make it in. A caster withing the globe stupid enough to cast a spell centered inside the globe should be affected, and they would be affected by the final strike.

[oakesspalding]

I'm assuming that "(t)his power is distributed as hit points to all creatures within a 3" radius," means "EVENLY distributed". Thus, if there are, say 8 x 25 = 200 charges left and there are 4 creatures within the circle, then each would take 50 hits of damage. So IF the Magic-User himself counts as one of those creatures, then the only scenario in which a Final Strike would really help without being suicidal would be one where most of the Magic-User's opponents had fewer hit points than he did. That's an especially daunting hurdle considering that in either the 3 LBB's or Greyhawk/AD&D, Magic-Users in general have only about 60% of the hit points of your typical monster at an equivalent "level." Thus, unless you're trying to hold off 20 Goblins or Orcs rushing at you, Final Strike is probably not a good deal. Maybe that's the intention of the rule and that's simply the way it goes, but I find it odd.

Or in other words, if your opponents are weak enough, you probably don't need it. If they're stronger, then you'd need to be pretty high level to survive, and then, again, why would you need it if that's the case? And what's the rest of the party doing as you destroy one of the best possible magic items? Or are they all already dead?

[talysman]

The Final Strike is supposed to be *final*, i.e. a suicidal sacrifice. To a certain extent, it models Gandalf destroying the bridge in Moria to protect the Fellowship from the Balrog, although there what "kills" Gandalf is the Balrog taking him down with him into the chasm.

I'm not certain "distributing" the damage here means dividing it evenly, instead of applying it to all targets. Either way, most of the time, the wielder of the staff will be killed.

[Red Baron]

Dec 30, 2013 17:35:15 GMT -6 oakesspalding said:

I'm assuming that "(t)his power is distributed as hit points to all creatures within a 3" radius," means "EVENLY distributed". Thus, if there are, say 8 x 25 = 200 charges left and there are 4 creatures within the circle, then each would take 50 hits of damage. So IF the Magic-User himself counts as one of those creatures, then the only scenario in which a Final Strike would really help without being suicidal would be one where most of the Magic-User's opponents had fewer hit points than he did. That's an especially daunting hurdle considering that in either the 3 LBB's or Greyhawk/AD&D, Magic-Users in general have only about 60% of the hit points of your typical monster at an equivalent "level." Thus, unless you're trying to hold off 20 Goblins or Orcs rushing at you, Final Strike is probably not a good deal. Maybe that's the intention of the rule and that's simply the way it goes, but I find it odd.

Or in other words, if your opponents are weak enough, you probably don't need it. If they're stronger, then you'd need to be pretty high level to survive, and then, again, why would you need it if that's the case? And what's the rest of the party doing as you destroy one of the best possible magic items? Or are they all already dead?

I'm not sure... wouldn't the magic user be better off just casting cone of cold at them or something? 

[coffee]

The 'final' part of final strike means just what it says. The Magic-User is out of spells and nearly out of hit points. He knows he won't get out alive. He is using the final strike capacity to either wipe out the enemy he came to vanquish, or simply to prevent such a powerful item from falling into that enemy's hands.

[Red Baron]

What Im saying is that if a magic user cast the globe, he could fire off fireballs and things at his own position to kill everything around, without being hurt. All of which the staff can do.

[makofan]

My own opinion is thus: Staff with 25 charges left. BOOM! 200 damage to each and every creature within 30', including the staff breaker. Save vs Staves for 1/2 damage. Very interesting discussion though