Maerok
2006-09-23, 11:47 AM
This staff is always found sticking up from a pile of bodies and rubble. It's spikes and bladed edges make finding a place to hold the staff a difficult task. Across some of the larger blades are inscriptions, which if read off, power the staff's insidious effects. Rumors say that this devious creation is the work of demons, created for the Blood War. How such an artifact reached the Material Plane is still a mystery.
Staff of Slaughter (Major Artifact)
Command words (in Abyssal) must be read off the staff while held. So long as the staff is held, the wielder is immune to any damaging effect of the staff.
While held, the wielder is considered to be a demon for all effects and receives a +8 bonus to all Charisma-based checks when dealing with demons.
Using the staff turns the wielder Chaotic Evil, with immunity to the Atonement spell. They are automatically detected on the first round of using Detect Evil or Chaos, and by paladins with such abilities instantly (whether the paladin is using the ability already or not).
And So It Rained Blades (15 charges): Within a 40' radius around the staff, red clouds form 80' overhead. In the next moment, hundreds of blades fall from the cloud to impale those below it. Anyone within the radius of the effect must make a DC 23 Reflex save or receive 6d6 slashing damage. Once the blades have fallen, creatures move through the area as if there were caltrops (BAB is +10, instead of +0) for 2d3 rounds.
Raze the Heavens (10 charges): Upon reading out the inscription and thrusting the staff into the ground, the staff emits a cloud of suffocating gas in a 80' high cylinder with a radius of 40'. Creatures who must breathe have to succeed a DC 23 Will save each round or begin to suffocate so long as the cloud is in effect. The cloud lasts 2d4 rounds and the wielder may half one dimension of the cloud to double the other once each round as a free action.
Reap the Stars (15 charges): A meteor strikes a 30' radius within sight of the wielder. Anything in that area must make a DC 25 Reflex save to move outside but adjacent to the impact area. Failing the save kills the creature. Any creature within 30' of the impact zone (even those that pass the save) are knocked prone and take 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
Let Loose the Inner Fury (15 charges): Within a 60' ray, all creatures must choose to become Chaotic Evil and suffer from Berserk for a year and a day, or resist the effect. If they choose to resist, they must pass a DC 25 Will save. If failed, each creature is rendered helpless for the next 1d4 rounds as their bodies convulse from some inner force. On the last round, a Vrock (HD is equal to the victim's) explodes from within them and serves the wielder for 1d3 day so long as they hold the staff) before going off on their own.
Call Forth the Judgment (35 charges): The wielder must also speak the name of any Balor, if they wish. Throwing the staff into the air, it rockets into the sky and explodes in a flash of black and red lightning. The lightning reshapes itself and becomes the chosen Balor or a generic Balor at HD 20 for 1 hour. It knows no loyalties, and the wielder is at its mercy as the Staff of Slaughter is within the creature. After 1 hour or its destruction/death, the creature reforms back into the staff, which spears itself into a pile of bodies once more.
Whenever an effect of the Staff of Slaughter kills or destroys a creature, the staff gains a charge (to a maximum of 50).
Chaotic Evil, Strong Evocation
Staff of Slaughter (Major Artifact)
Command words (in Abyssal) must be read off the staff while held. So long as the staff is held, the wielder is immune to any damaging effect of the staff.
While held, the wielder is considered to be a demon for all effects and receives a +8 bonus to all Charisma-based checks when dealing with demons.
Using the staff turns the wielder Chaotic Evil, with immunity to the Atonement spell. They are automatically detected on the first round of using Detect Evil or Chaos, and by paladins with such abilities instantly (whether the paladin is using the ability already or not).
And So It Rained Blades (15 charges): Within a 40' radius around the staff, red clouds form 80' overhead. In the next moment, hundreds of blades fall from the cloud to impale those below it. Anyone within the radius of the effect must make a DC 23 Reflex save or receive 6d6 slashing damage. Once the blades have fallen, creatures move through the area as if there were caltrops (BAB is +10, instead of +0) for 2d3 rounds.
Raze the Heavens (10 charges): Upon reading out the inscription and thrusting the staff into the ground, the staff emits a cloud of suffocating gas in a 80' high cylinder with a radius of 40'. Creatures who must breathe have to succeed a DC 23 Will save each round or begin to suffocate so long as the cloud is in effect. The cloud lasts 2d4 rounds and the wielder may half one dimension of the cloud to double the other once each round as a free action.
Reap the Stars (15 charges): A meteor strikes a 30' radius within sight of the wielder. Anything in that area must make a DC 25 Reflex save to move outside but adjacent to the impact area. Failing the save kills the creature. Any creature within 30' of the impact zone (even those that pass the save) are knocked prone and take 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
Let Loose the Inner Fury (15 charges): Within a 60' ray, all creatures must choose to become Chaotic Evil and suffer from Berserk for a year and a day, or resist the effect. If they choose to resist, they must pass a DC 25 Will save. If failed, each creature is rendered helpless for the next 1d4 rounds as their bodies convulse from some inner force. On the last round, a Vrock (HD is equal to the victim's) explodes from within them and serves the wielder for 1d3 day so long as they hold the staff) before going off on their own.
Call Forth the Judgment (35 charges): The wielder must also speak the name of any Balor, if they wish. Throwing the staff into the air, it rockets into the sky and explodes in a flash of black and red lightning. The lightning reshapes itself and becomes the chosen Balor or a generic Balor at HD 20 for 1 hour. It knows no loyalties, and the wielder is at its mercy as the Staff of Slaughter is within the creature. After 1 hour or its destruction/death, the creature reforms back into the staff, which spears itself into a pile of bodies once more.
Whenever an effect of the Staff of Slaughter kills or destroys a creature, the staff gains a charge (to a maximum of 50).
Chaotic Evil, Strong Evocation