Antimagic Susceptibility. The Staff is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
Spellcasting. The necromancer is a 14th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The Staff has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, dancing lights, mage hand, mending, minor illusion
1st level (4 slots): false life*, inflict wounds*
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness*, ray of enfeeblement*, web
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead*, bestow curse*, counterspell, lightning bolt
4th level (3 slots): blight*, dimension door, fire shield**
5th level (2 slots): arcane hand, cloudkill, wall of force
6th level (1 slot): create undead*
7th level (1 slot): finger of death*
*Necromancy spell of 1st level or higher
**The Staff casts these spells on itself before combat.
Harvest of Dread (1/Turn). When the staff damages a creature that is neither a construct nor undead with a spell of 1st level or higher, the necromancer regains hit points equal to a quarter the spell's damage, or half if it is a necromancy spell.
Multiattack. The staff makes two melee weapon attacks or one melee weapon attacks if it casts a spell.
Staff of Dread. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) cold damage. The staff regains hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.
Spell Absorption(1/turn). Whenever the staff is targeted by a 5th level spell or lower, it can choose to negate the spell and instead regain a number of spell slots equal to the level of the spell cast.
Description
Surrogate Artifact. The staff can be used as a substitute for any arcane component in ritual magic. Usually, it is created as a replacement for artifacts at the sacrifice of its original owner due to it being easier to find a willing necromancer. As such, as long as the ritual does not need a specific magic item, it makes for a versatile proxy.
Wielder Domination. A creature can grab the staff out of the air with a successful grapple check against the staff, and grappling the staff does not reduce the creature's speed. Any creature that successfully grapples the staff must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or be charmed by the staff until the staff is no longer in its grasp. While the creature is charmed, the staff can issue commands to it, which the creature does its best to obey. The creature can repeat the saving throw each time it takes damage, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that successfully resists the staff's control gains advantage in it's next save against this agility.
Break and Release. A creature holding the staff that isn't charmed by it can use an action to attempt to break the staff over a knee or against a solid surface, doing so with a successful DC 25 Athletics check. Upon it being broken, each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the staff must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Breaking the staff in this manner destroys it to where it cannot be repaired, unless by a wish spell.
Spoils of Victory and Defeat. When the Animated Staff of Dread is defeated in combat it drops itself as a sentient item (see Staff of Dread) that calls for the creature that slayed it to pick it up. This creature must make a DC 18 wisdom saving throw or be compelled to do so and preserve the staff at all cost. If the creature that picks it up is slain with the staff on its person, the staff absorbs their soul and reanimates at full health, resetting whatever spells slots it had before the creature's death. Creatures that Souls have been absorbed into the staff can only be brought back to life by a true resurrection or wish spell.
Comments