Staff

Staff

A staff is a simple wooden pole which may be used as a weapon or which may be enchanted to create a magical effect. Popular amongst magic-users, staves have appeared in Ultima I, Ultima II, Ultima III, Ultima IV, Ultima V, Ultima VI, Ultima VII on the SNES, Ultima VII Part Two, and Ultima IX, as well as in the Savage Empire.

Description

Staves were prevalent in archaic Sosaria where they were were used primarily by wizards and clerics to enhance their capacity for magic. During the years of Exodus' assault, both arcane and divine spellcasters would find Yewen staves a necessary component for several spells, including such high magic as the dread invocation of the Evil One. Later, however, staves faded from use as ritual components, although they remained popular amongst Mages and shepherds as a simple means of defense.

Effectiveness of the Weapon

In the SNES version of Ultima VII and Ultima VII Part Two, staves have a damage of "6" and a reach of "3".

In Ultima IX, a simple staff does between 1-9 points of damage, whilst gnarled staves specifically formulated for magical use do between 8-12 damage, and staves of Gargish make do between 30-40 points of damage.

Variants

Terran Staves

In the strange years of Minax's interference with Earth's timestream, wands or staves were necessary to enact any sort of magical spell, although during this motley of eras, magic could only be cast within the confines of dungeons or towers. In this era, staves were not equipable as weapons, and could only be found amongst the holdings of slain wizards.

The Bladed Staff and the Dum-Dum

Main articles: Bladed staff, Dum-dum

Innovators interested in increasing the combative power of staves would attempt to enhance them in later years by combining them with other weapons, leading to such unique creations as the bladed staff, which added a curved scimitar-like blade to one end of a normal fighting staff; and the dum-dum, which had had both of its ends outfitted with hammers.

Black Staves

Main article: Black staff

The great Kotl civilization of the Eodon valley developed weapons known as black staves in the hopes of defending themselves from the menace of the Myrmidex, a slave race which had risen against them. Specially designed for combat against these ant-like monsters, black staves would glow with light when they detected the presence of Myrmedix warriors.

Ceremonial Staves

In addition to service as weapons and magical foci, some staves function as pieces of religious or spiritual regalia, such as Fellowship staves; which were topped with the societies emblematic trigaph; or the Serpent Staff, which was used in Ophidian culture by whomever held the office of the Great Hierophant.

Magical Staves

While many early staves filled a function as a basic magical conduit, later ages saw magical staves specifically created to enact certain magical effects. Among the earliest of such staves was the Yew staff developed by the magician Nicodemus during the Gargoyle War. This artifact was capable of holding up to ten different castings within it, which could be bound to it using the Enchant spell. Once charged, these spells could then be employed by anyone who held it.

Later on, during the early Age of Armageddon, highly potent magical weapons known as firedoom staves became popular, which could discharge massive bursts of explosive fire at their intended targets, while the last days of the Avatar saw the rise of unique instruments, such as the Staff of the Dead, which was designed specifically to combat the undead.

Lore

“	A six foot piece of carved ironwood that has been magically attuned, the staff sold in the weapons shop of Britain is more formidable than it seems. It is the favorite weapon of Magi. – from The History of Britannia (Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar)

“	A stout length of ironwood serves many purposes on a long travel, yet among various disciplines, such a tool, if balanced properly, is an effective weapon. In can be a prober of defenses and a sweeper of legs. Elegant in its simplicity, in the hands of a martial master, it is a lively marvel. – from Journal (Ultima IX: Ascension)

“

Long ago, the gnarled staff was often a repository of magic. The traveler who approached in robes and armed with but a staff was to be treated with caution. In time, the favored channel became the spellbook which could hold more magic and send it forth with a matching speed. The gnarled staff has become a simple weapon, its end weighted and thickened by the wind-tempered woods of the Polar Circles. In the hands of a trained fighter, however, it can deliver a terrible headache. – from Journal (Ultima IX: Ascension)

See Also

• Weapon values

References

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Weapons

Melee Weapons
Basic Melee Weapons	Axe ☥ Bladed staff ☥ Club ☥ Custom sword ☥ Cutlass ☥ Dagger ☥ Decorative sword ☥ Dum‑dum ☥ Halberd ☥ Hammer ☥ Jeweled weapons ☥ Knife ☥ Mace ☥ Main gauche ☥ Morning star ☥ Poison dagger ☥ Saber ☥ Scimitar ☥ Serpentine dagger ☥ Serpentine sword ☥ Silver sword ☥ Spear ☥ Spiked helm ☥ Spiked shield ☥ Staff ☥ Sword ☥ Two‑handed axe ☥ Two‑handed hammer ☥ Two‑handed sword
Enhanced Melee Weapons	Blackrock sword ☥ Exotic Weapons ☥ Fire sword ☥ Glass sword ☥ Great dagger ☥ Lightning sword ☥ Lightning whip ☥ Magic sword ☥ Mystic Weapons ☥ Sword of defense

Ranged Weapons
Basic Ranged Weapons	Blowgun ☥ Boomerang ☥ Bow ☥ Crossbow ☥ Iolo’s bow ☥ Flaming oil ☥ Hawk ☥ Musket ☥ Siege bow ☥ Sling ☥ Throwing axe ☥ Triple crossbow
Enhanced Ranged Weapons	Anachronistic weapons ☥ Fire wand ☥ Infinity bow ☥ Lightning wand ☥ Lightning whip ☥ Magic axe ☥ Magic boomerang ☥ Magic bow ☥ Magician’s wand ☥ Starbursts

Ammunition
Basic Ammuntion	Ammunition ☥ Arrows ☥ Bolts ☥ Cannonballs ☥ Sling stones
Enhanced Ammuntion	Burst arrows ☥ Fire arrows ☥ Love arrows ☥ Lucky arrows ☥ Magic arrows ☥ Magic bolts ☥ Mana arrows ☥ Serpent arrows ☥ Sleep arrows

Non-traditional Weapons
Non-traditional Weapons	Cannon ☥ Cleaver ☥ Death scythe ☥ Fellowship staff ☥ Fishing rod ☥ Hammer ☥ Hoe ☥ Hoe of Destruction ☥ Pick ☥ Pitchfork ☥ Powder keg ☥ Rake ☥ Rock hammer ☥ Rolling pin ☥ Scythe ☥ Shears ☥ Shovel ☥ Tongs ☥ Torches ☥ Whip

Others
Other Weapons	Weapons in Savage Empire ☥ Weapons in Martian Dreams ☥ Gloves ☥ Rope & spikes