lylsyly
2018-07-05, 02:33 PM
How would you optimize wielding a quarterstaff? Yes, I know it's possible to get another weapon proficiency but I am curious just how far you can take the quarterstaff, say on a Wiz/Sorc build.
Eilservs School (DotU). If you hit with both ends of the staff, you can activate a spell from it as a swift action (this is a great feat for the type of build you're looking at).
Forceful Staff Style (Ghostwalk): Free bullrush against anyone you stun with your staff (more for Monks than anything else; not sure how worthwhile the feat is).
Quick Staff (CW): Boost dodge bonus from Combat Expertise by 2 points (very feat intensive).
Sudden Willow Strike (PGE) use Stunning Fist with Quarterstaff
Channel Charge (LeoF): use up spells/slots instead of charges
Cull Wand Essence (MoE): transform a charge into a damaging ray (generally not worth it)
Item Reprieve (LeoF): only useful if you're a specialist Wizard and want to use staffs of a banned school
Metamagic Spell Trigger (CM): speaks for itself
Prophecy's Artifex (MoE): activate most staffs you create as a swift action (useful for when you aren't whacking people with it)
Wand Surge (MoE): use action points instead of charges (obviously only useful if the games uses action points)
Wand of Shillelagh (SRD) +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls (a quarterstaff gains this for both ends of the weapon). Deals damage as if two size categories larger. Cannot be used with a Magical Staff.
Brambles (CD, p.156) gains a +1 enhancement bonus on its attacks and deals an additional +1 point of damage per caster level (maximum +10) Duration 1 round/level.
Decastave (Unapproachable East, p.49) It creates a quarterstaff of force that deals 1d6 damage on a touch attack and +1d8 sonic damage on a crit with a chance to permanently deafen the target (DC 14 Fort Negates).
Entangling Staff (CA p.147) adds a nice debuff to your attacks as a swift action.
Greater Magic Weapon (SRD) enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls of +1 per 4 caster levels (Max +5)
Greater Mighty Wallop (RoD) bludgeoning melee weapon damage increases by one size category for every four caster levels you have, to a maximum of five size categories or up to an effective size of Colossal.
(Please note that the above two spells stack)
Shillelagh (SRD) +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls (a quarterstaff gains this for both ends of the weapon). Deals damage as if two size categories larger. Does not work with Magical Staves.
Spikes (CD, p. 181) As Brambles above , except that the affected weapon gains a +2 enhancement bonus on its attacks, and its threat range is doubled. Duration 1 hour/level.
Densewood (ECS) Weighs twice as much, costs twice as much, and much harder to break.
Ironwood (SRD) This is material created by a 6th level Druid spell. done correctly, this gives the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus.
Darkwood (SRD) Weighs half as much, considered a masterwork item but you pay for it.
Livewood (ECS p.127) Stays alive on being cut and costs 150% normal. I don't see a benefit to this material but read it for yourself.
By Fouredged Sword
Thinking it through I think the most powerful build for quarterstaff fighting would be something abjurant championy...
Maybe this
Spelltheif 1 / martial wizard 5 / Ruthar 2 / abjurant champion 5 / unseen seer 7
Master spelltheif lets you steal spells to power channel charge Eilservs school spells from a staff.
I am thinking a staff of vampuric touch, disentigrate, and perhaps something debuffy.
And you want a magical staff. The same feat that lets you cast as a swift action after hitting with both ends grants a flat +5 to damage if you have 40+ charges in your staff. As my build uses channel charge to burn normal stolen spells to power the staff, you should never spend a charge.
You are basically getting quickened casting of the staff spells for +1 spell level.
By Fouredged Sword
On a completly different note, a staff is one of the better monk THWs. This makes it a good choice for a focused attack karmeic strike combo.
Focused attack trades flurry of blows for a single attack at -2 that deals double damage... and also causes all further attacks that round to deal doubke damage!
So go Monk 2 / Half Orc Paragon 3 / Fighter 6 (dungeoncrasher) / X
Pick up travel devotion, extra rage, rolibars gambit, and karmeic strike.
Make a single attack as a full round action. Then use travel devotion to run through threatened squares triggering AOO's. For each AOO the enemy takes you slap them back twice with a double damage raging two handed quarterstaff slap.
Thurbane
BowStreetRunner
Fouredged Sword
AnimeTheCat
fallensavior
Skevvix
Dread_Head
Falontani
Eilservs School (DotU). If you hit with both ends of the staff, you can activate a spell from it as a swift action (this is a great feat for the type of build you're looking at).
Forceful Staff Style (Ghostwalk): Free bullrush against anyone you stun with your staff (more for Monks than anything else; not sure how worthwhile the feat is).
Quick Staff (CW): Boost dodge bonus from Combat Expertise by 2 points (very feat intensive).
Sudden Willow Strike (PGE) use Stunning Fist with Quarterstaff
Channel Charge (LeoF): use up spells/slots instead of charges
Cull Wand Essence (MoE): transform a charge into a damaging ray (generally not worth it)
Item Reprieve (LeoF): only useful if you're a specialist Wizard and want to use staffs of a banned school
Metamagic Spell Trigger (CM): speaks for itself
Prophecy's Artifex (MoE): activate most staffs you create as a swift action (useful for when you aren't whacking people with it)
Wand Surge (MoE): use action points instead of charges (obviously only useful if the games uses action points)
Wand of Shillelagh (SRD) +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls (a quarterstaff gains this for both ends of the weapon). Deals damage as if two size categories larger. Cannot be used with a Magical Staff.
Brambles (CD, p.156) gains a +1 enhancement bonus on its attacks and deals an additional +1 point of damage per caster level (maximum +10) Duration 1 round/level.
Decastave (Unapproachable East, p.49) It creates a quarterstaff of force that deals 1d6 damage on a touch attack and +1d8 sonic damage on a crit with a chance to permanently deafen the target (DC 14 Fort Negates).
Entangling Staff (CA p.147) adds a nice debuff to your attacks as a swift action.
Greater Magic Weapon (SRD) enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls of +1 per 4 caster levels (Max +5)
Greater Mighty Wallop (RoD) bludgeoning melee weapon damage increases by one size category for every four caster levels you have, to a maximum of five size categories or up to an effective size of Colossal.
(Please note that the above two spells stack)
Shillelagh (SRD) +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls (a quarterstaff gains this for both ends of the weapon). Deals damage as if two size categories larger. Does not work with Magical Staves.
Spikes (CD, p. 181) As Brambles above , except that the affected weapon gains a +2 enhancement bonus on its attacks, and its threat range is doubled. Duration 1 hour/level.
Densewood (ECS) Weighs twice as much, costs twice as much, and much harder to break.
Ironwood (SRD) This is material created by a 6th level Druid spell. done correctly, this gives the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus.
Darkwood (SRD) Weighs half as much, considered a masterwork item but you pay for it.
Livewood (ECS p.127) Stays alive on being cut and costs 150% normal. I don't see a benefit to this material but read it for yourself.
By Fouredged Sword
Thinking it through I think the most powerful build for quarterstaff fighting would be something abjurant championy...
Maybe this
Spelltheif 1 / martial wizard 5 / Ruthar 2 / abjurant champion 5 / unseen seer 7
Master spelltheif lets you steal spells to power channel charge Eilservs school spells from a staff.
I am thinking a staff of vampuric touch, disentigrate, and perhaps something debuffy.
And you want a magical staff. The same feat that lets you cast as a swift action after hitting with both ends grants a flat +5 to damage if you have 40+ charges in your staff. As my build uses channel charge to burn normal stolen spells to power the staff, you should never spend a charge.
You are basically getting quickened casting of the staff spells for +1 spell level.
By Fouredged Sword
On a completly different note, a staff is one of the better monk THWs. This makes it a good choice for a focused attack karmeic strike combo.
Focused attack trades flurry of blows for a single attack at -2 that deals double damage... and also causes all further attacks that round to deal doubke damage!
So go Monk 2 / Half Orc Paragon 3 / Fighter 6 (dungeoncrasher) / X
Pick up travel devotion, extra rage, rolibars gambit, and karmeic strike.
Make a single attack as a full round action. Then use travel devotion to run through threatened squares triggering AOO's. For each AOO the enemy takes you slap them back twice with a double damage raging two handed quarterstaff slap.
Thurbane
BowStreetRunner
Fouredged Sword
AnimeTheCat
fallensavior
Skevvix
Dread_Head
Falontani