Attune Staff (3.5e Variant Rule)

Attune Staff

Instead of gaining a familiar a wizard can perform a ritual to attune or unattune himself to a staff (mundane or magical). Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100gp. The wizard must be in physical contact with the staff for the duration of this ritual. A wizard cannot have more than one attuned staff. If a wizard does not have access to is staff for example if it is stolen, the wizard remains attuned to the staff and can not attune to another staff until the first is destroyed.

While not in physical contact with his attuned staff a wizard suffers one negative level. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells). This negative level is restored when the wizard regains contact with his staff.

If the staff is destroyed, the wizard must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15). Failure means he loses 200 experience points per wizard level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a wizard's experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a staff's destruction.

Attuned Staff Ability Descriptions:

Spell Affinity (Sp): A wizard may choose a single arcane cantrip that he knows and can cast. The wizard's staff may be used to cast this cantrip a number of times per day equal to the wizard's level. Once selected the cantrip can't be changed for a given staff, if the wizard's staff is destroyed the wizard could choose a different cantrip for a replacement staff.

Hardness Adjustment (Ex): The wizard's staff gains an improvement to its existing hardness equal to half the wizard's class level. This bonus adds to any other increases in hardness such as the bonus granted from a weapon having an enhancement bonus.

Hit Point Adjustment (Ex): The wizard's staff gains an improvement to its existing hit points equal to the wizard's class level.

Empathic Link (Su): The wizard has an empathic link with his staff and can always tell the direction that the staff is in relative to him. He also gains a rough idea of the distance to the staff if it is within 1 mile.

Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the wizard is 3rd level or higher, his staff can be used deliver touch spells. If the wizard and the staff are in contact at the time the wizard casts a touch spell, he can deliver the touch spell using a strike from his staff. This strike is handled as a normal blow (rather than a touch attack) and, in addition to the touch effect, deals damage normally. As usual, if the wizard casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.

Call Staff (Su): At 5th level a wizard can cause his staff to fly through the air to his hand. This ability only works if the wizard's staff is unattended and free to move. Using this ability is a free action and requires Concentration skill check (DC 15, +2 per five foot of distance between the wizard and the staff).

Scry on Staff (Sp): If the wizard is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his staff (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day.

Attuned Staff Ability Feats

A wizard with the Attune Staff class ability may may choose any of the following Staff feats as bonus feats gained through the Wizard class.

Arcane Smite [Staff]

You can unleash the magical energies of your staff for potent strikes against enemies.

Prerequisites: Attune Staff class ability, Base attack bonus 5+.

Benefit: Once per day, you may attempt to smite with one normal melee attack made by your staff. You add your Intelligence bonus (if any) to your attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per wizard level. If the wizard misses with this smite, it has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day. For the purposes of this smite the staff counts as a +1 weapon for the purpose of circumventing damage reduction.

Empower Staff [Item Creation, Staff]

You can empower your attuned staff.

Prerequisites: Attune Staff class ability.

Benefit: You count as having all item creation feats but only with respect for use on your attuned staff. You are still required to meet all other prerequisites for item creation.

Greater Staff Focus [Staff]

You may use your own life force to power spells instead of needing material components.

Prerequisites: Attune Staff class ability.

Benefit: You can cast any spell that has a material component over 1gp in cost without needing that component, instead you pay 1/25th the gold piece cost in experience points.

Special: This feat is useable for any component that is not an integral part of the spell, such as the gem for a Magic Jar spell.

Ranged Arcane Smite [Staff]

You may hurl bolts of arcane energy against enemies.

Prerequisites: Attune Staff class ability, Arcane Smite, Base attack bonus +5.

Benefit: You may use your arcane smite as a ranged attack. You are still required to have your staff in hand by the damage is resolved as a spell with a range of Close. The damage inflicted is equal to that of a normal smite including any effects from your staff except that the damge is a magical effect and can not be reduced by damage reduction.

Staff Focus [Staff]

Your staff can replace most other foci and material components.

Prerequisites: Attune Staff class ability.

Benefit: You can cast any spell that has a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component. You may cast any spell that has a focus costing 50g or less without needing that focus. If the spell requires a material component or a focus that costs more than the amount specified, you must have the item at hand to cast the spell, just as normal.

Staff Spell [Staff]

You are so well acquainted with the spells you have mastered that you can store prepared spells in your staff.

Prerequisites: Attune Staff class ability, Spell Mastery

Benefit: You may prepare one spell of any level that you have mastered with the Spell Mastery feat in your staff, treating extra preparation as if you had one extra spell slot per day, which can be used only for a mastered spell. You can cast this spell normally as long as you are in contact with your staff. Once cast, the spell is used up, just as if you had held it in your own mind.

Special: You may gain this feat at multiple times. Each time you take this feat, your staff can hold one additional prepared mastered spell per day.

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