Crook of Roa (Magic Item Advice)

[SMac8988]

Hello all, was looking for some advice on a magic item for one of my players.

He is currently playing a monk/paladin focusing on tranquility and peace. His god is Roa, and I was thinking giving him the ability to get the "Crook of Roa" would be pretty awesome.


What I was thinking:

Crook of Roa

+2 Quarter Staff

"A crooked staff like a shepherd’s crook. It is carved from hornwood, with jacinth, alexandrite, sard, topaz, and other precious stones embedded in it. Its shaft and headpiece are formed from cold iron and silver. It gives the impression of immense age."

Attunement Item

Turn Evil: By speaking a pray to the Lord of Peace, and using an action you can turn demons, or fiends similar to the Clerics "Turn Undead" ability. CR rating is based of paladins levels, scaling the same as Cleric. At 5th level demons/fiends that are affected by this ability are sent back to their home plane.

The purity and sanctity of the Crook prevents the summoning of fiends within one mile of its location. If one is attempted to be summoned in this range, the attuned user will feel then location, and if the fiend is named he will hear it's name.

Using your reaction you give disadvantage to one attack against you or a target within 5ft of you when they are attacked by a fiend.

[ATHATH]

What level is the Monk/Paladin? How long (in terms of levels) do you expect him to use it for?

[nickl_2000]

The summoning of demons thing certainly will limit you in your BBEG as a DM. I hope you know what will happen in your adventure in the fututre

[SMac8988]

As of now, he is 7 monk, 1 paladin. He plans to go I think 12/8 by the end.

It's meant to be his long term weapon, probably wouldn't give it to him till he hits paladin 3, so level 10.

And it does, but all it does is prevent them from being summoned, if they are already there it doesn't do anything. Figure it's a nice fluff ability, could also use it as a plot device to get them moving in a certain direction or into a dungeon later on.

[Kuulvheysoon]

As of now, he is 7 monk, 1 paladin. He plans to go I think 12/8 by the end.

It's meant to be his long term weapon, probably wouldn't give it to him till he hits paladin 3, so level 10.

And it does, but all it does is prevent them from being summoned, if they are already there it doesn't do anything. Figure it's a nice fluff ability, could also use it as a plot device to get them moving in a certain direction or into a dungeon later on.

If you want it as a fluffy ability/"questgiver", why have the ability to stop summons? Just make it give him either a general idea of where the summon happened or just direction/distance. That way you're not limiting yourself and they still have reason to check it out.

[Waterdeep Merch]

Am I to assume this is the same 'Rao' from Greyhawk? I like the guy, I used his clergy in a game two years ago. Even had someone use a known forgery of the Crook.

Your abilities are mostly spot-on for how it's typically described. The only thing it's missing is the ability to send fiends back to their home planes with a regular hit as well. Which... might be over the top, considering the power level of the campaign as you have it.

[SMac8988]

Am I to assume this is the same 'Rao' from Greyhawk? I like the guy, I used his clergy in a game two years ago. Even had someone use a known forgery of the Crook.

Your abilities are mostly spot-on for how it's typically described. The only thing it's missing is the ability to send fiends back to their home planes with a regular hit as well. Which... might be over the top, considering the power level of the campaign as you have it.

My player started as a tranquility monk, and then on a town they found a temple and he started to worship and is heading towards becoming a paladin now.

I saw that on hit ability it was to much at level 10.

And about the fluff ability, may change it. Would the item loose to much if I changed that?

[Waterdeep Merch]

My player started as a tranquility monk, and then on a town they found a temple and he started to worship and is heading towards becoming a paladin now.

I saw that on hit ability it was to much at level 10.

And about the fluff ability, may change it. Would the item loose to much if I changed that?

Only if your players are purists about the lore. Though you could get around it by saying immensely corrupt objects can ward off the power of the Crook, giving the players something to focus on breaking before using the Crook's true power. Rao is mighty, but there are mighty evils in the world, too.

Perhaps the Crook itself is corrupted a bit? That would explain its loss of power. Could make a cool plot about restoring it, perhaps only revealing its true self to a truly worthy wielder in their greatest time of need.

[SMac8988]

Only if your players are purists about the lore. Though you could get around it by saying immensely corrupt objects can ward off the power of the Crook, giving the players something to focus on breaking before using the Crook's true power. Rao is mighty, but there are mighty evils in the world, too.

Perhaps the Crook itself is corrupted a bit? That would explain its loss of power. Could make a cool plot about restoring it, perhaps only revealing its true self to a truly worthy wielder in their greatest time of need.

He is amazingly good about playing into the peaceful diplomat. And I was planning on this being his end all weapon.

Maybe I could start it thst it just alerts him of their presence till he truly proves himself. Then jt will awake and get some more to it?

[Waterdeep Merch]

He is amazingly good about playing into the peaceful diplomat. And I was planning on this being his end all weapon.

Maybe I could start it thst it just alerts him of their presence till he truly proves himself. Then jt will awake and get some more to it?

That sounds appropriate for Rao. He's a humble god, despite his power. The strength of his artifact may appear meek until it has need of its true potential.

[SMac8988]

That sounds appropriate for Rao. He's a humble god, despite his power. The strength of his artifact may appear meek until it has need of its true potential.

That could fit into my story line. I'm doing a homebrewed world, kinda taking from all over with it.

Basically the good pantheon built a dividing all from the material plane between both the heavens and the hells/abyss. The evil pantheon has found ways to shunt their energy more into the world and have begun creating avatars of their power in order to find a way to bring down the wall.

The good gods are now attempting to get artifacts of power in the hands of heroes around the world to fight back against these avatars.

One of my party members holds the hammer of the Lord of storms, thor, and is his chosen daughter to stand against them.

So I could have my monk/paladin be Roa chosen person, but he must first prove himself.

[EvilAnagram]

That sounds appropriate for Rao. He's a humble god, despite his power. The strength of his artifact may appear meek until it has need of its true potential.

If he's a humble god, the gems might be a bit much. It would be more appropriate for it to appear to be a simple wooden staff with beautiful carvings along its haft.

[Waterdeep Merch]

That could fit into my story line. I'm doing a homebrewed world, kinda taking from all over with it.

Basically the good pantheon built a dividing all from the material plane between both the heavens and the hells/abyss. The evil pantheon has found ways to shunt their energy more into the world and have begun creating avatars of their power in order to find a way to bring down the wall.

The good gods are now attempting to get artifacts of power in the hands of heroes around the world to fight back against these avatars.

One of my party members holds the hammer of the Lord of storms, thor, and is his chosen daughter to stand against them.

So I could have my monk/paladin be Roa chosen person, but he must first prove himself.

That sounds like a good adventure to me. It best exemplifies the flavor of a monk and paladin combined, too. He's a warrior, but only when absolutely necessary. Peace and serenity are his first concerns.


If he's a humble god, the gems might be a bit much. It would be more appropriate for it to appear to be a simple wooden staff with beautiful carvings along its haft.

It's weird, but I figure Rao did it for the sake of the mortals that would end up wielding it. Rao rarely, if ever, talks to his clergy or followers. But he DOES care, and he crafted several powerful artifacts that he slipped into the world to help them.

The Crook might be the oldest of his artifacts, wielded by an angel against the minions of Tharizdun before the formation of Oerth. Perhaps Rao was going through a phase?

[SMac8988]

That sounds like a good adventure to me. It best exemplifies the flavor of a monk and paladin combined, too. He's a warrior, but only when absolutely necessary. Peace and serenity are his first concerns.

That's honestly most of the campaign as of now. The big over arcing theme is more a search for peace than a group of adventurers. Like they haven't even taken a paying job yet, just traveling to talk to a would be king about keeping peace.



It's weird, but I figure Rao did it for the sake of the mortals that would end up wielding it. Rao rarely, if ever, talks to his clergy or followers. But he DOES care, and he crafted several powerful artifacts that he slipped into the world to help them.

The Crook might be the oldest of his artifacts, wielded by an angel against the minions of Tharizdun before the formation of Oerth. Perhaps Rao was going through a phase?

I love the idea of him going through a phase! I like to have my paladins, when they take their oath, speak to their god in a dream state.

My idea would be he would do a task, I have an idea but idk how my players would feel about it, when he reaches level 3 paladin and at the end he would get his oath, and the Crook.