Curious Objects: Staff of Wizardry

Once again, he is undeterred!

The staff of wizardry is arguably one of the most powerful magic items in the game. It's effectively the BX equivalent of AD&D's Staff of the Magi. Basically, it is three separate magic staves in one: in addition to its own distinct powers, it has all the abilities of the Staff of Power, which in turn can be used as a Staff of Striking. Let's start with the most straightforward of the three and move upwards, shall we?

Firstly, the Staff of Striking lets the wielder have a stronger melee attack than your average MU is capable of (2d6 damage, but costs a charge). While this staff is unusual in that clerics can also wield it, I do not think that aspect translates to the Staff of Power or Wizardry. While it isn't expressly stated, this is usually ruled to count as a magic weapon attack for purposes of hitting special monsters like gargoyles.

The Staff of Power gives the wielder some nice attack spells: fireball, lightning bolt, and cone of cold. Each dealing 8d6 damage! Sure it costs charges, but an Elf or MU toting one of those around is going to have something to bring to almost any fight. I particularly like that he has a variety of damage types to choose from. Fighting something immune to fire? Cone of cold it is!

The Staff of Wizardry is the main event, though. In addition to all of the above powers, it can also cast quite the laundry list of super-useful (and powerful) spells:

• Invisibility
• Passwall
• Web
• Conjure Elemental

These are some awfully nice abilities that aren't tying up a spell slot! Something I hadn't previously considered is that the elemental conjuration isn't just for one kind, it's any of the four! We're not done yet, though.

The staff also allows the wizard to create a whirlwind like a djinn. It also doubles as a wand of paralyzation. 

The last trick the staff carries is its "final strike." This release a fireball effect of 8hp damage per remaining charge (not rolled) to anyone within 30'.* This includes the caster or any friendlies, so it's a last-ditch effort, to be sure. It's still mighty impressive.

Staves in BX are found with 3d10 charges, and there is no BtB way to recharge them. So while this is a very powerful item, it is limited. The Elf or MU that found one would probably want to be conservative in its use. With an average of less than 20 charges, it's not going to last forever. In fact, I can imagine an NPC wizard with one who knows it's down to just a couple charges, but does his best to hide the fact in order to appear more dangerous. 

*Cook lists both 20' and 30' as the radius, but the Rules Cyclopedia says 30', so I went with that.

RSA/RMA: Invisible Stalker

It's a spell! No, it's a monster! No, it's a spell and a monster! It's the Invisible Stalker! It's a Random Spell + Monster Assessment!

This one has been around for nearly every edition of D&D that I know of, yet it seldom comes up in play. The BX version of the creature only appears if summoned via the 6th level MU spell of the same name, which may be unique for a creature listed in the monsters section; unless you include elementals, which can be summoned in three different ways (staff, device, or spell).

Invisible Stalker (from Cook)

AC: 3
HD: 8*
Move: 120' (40')
Att: 1
Dmg: 4d4
No. App: 1
Save: F8
Morale: 12
Treasure: Nil
AL: N

Since it's summoned via a 6th level spell, it makes sense that this is a fairly tough creature: good AC, high HD, respectable damage, and infallible morale score are enough to make a bad time for anyone the stalker is sent after or who gets in its way.

The stalker is summoned via spell to perform some task for the magic-user. It could be to kill someone, but it might be an entirely different objective. Unlike automatons like zombies or golems, the stalker is 'very intelligent.' So much so that it may try to subvert the spirit of the command while obeying the letter of it because it resents being summoned (much like an Efreet).

Other factors that make the stalker so dangerous is its innate invisibility. While BX does not go into detail, other editions describe the ability as persisting even if the creature attacks and not being affected by dispel magic. Further, it surprises on a 1-5 (thanks to the invisibility) and is described as a "faultless tracker" (similar to an Amber Golem).

There is no duration to the spell. The Invisible Stalker remains until its task is complete, it's slain, or the 5th level clerical spell dispel evil banishes it. A scenario that requires the presence of fairly powerful characters: a 7th level cleric for banishing and/or an 11th level MU for summoning. This implies that the creature really shouldn't be too common before PCs have a few levels under their belts. ISs do not appear randomly; in the wilderness or in dungeons. They should be placed deliberately if they show up at all (unless summoned by a PC).

As a DM, I can imagine scenarios where an NPC wizard summons an IS and sends it on a mission that conflicts in some way with the PCs' goals. It isn't sent specifically to kill the party, but it will eliminate obstacles as necessary. Remember that stalkers are intelligent, they will solve problems creatively.

Likewise, I expect a scroll or other non-permanent item that allows summoning an Invisible Stalker falling into the party's hands could cause a good deal of plot-fodder. If they aren't careful, they may find that they don't quite get the results they hoped for.

RMA: Pixies

Rounding off the BX fairy-tale types is the pixie. This one is probably closest to the classic "fairy" that many people think of. They are small (1-2' tall) elfin humanoids with insect-like wings. They can be encountered in dungeons (Level 2 wandering monster) or in wilderness on the Flyer subtable and -weirdly- Desert humanoid. This makes me smile as I imagine a strain of pixie with scarab beetle shells and wearing tiny keffiyehs.

Pixie (from Moldvay) - 

AC: 3

HD: 1

Move: 90' (30') Fly 180' (60')

Attack: 1 (dagger)

Dmg: 1d4

No. App: 2-8 (10-40)

Save: E1

Morale: 7

AL: N

Like most fae, they aren't terribly powerful in combat, but seem to be present mostly to add to the "fantastic" element of the game. The most fun aspect of the pixie is its powerful invisibility ability. they can turn invisible at will and it is "improved" invisibility (they can attack and stay concealed). They always surprise under these circumstances and cannot be attacked during the first round! Even after you can spot their shadows, etc. you're still at -2 to hit them as they flit about.

That's actually a bit daunting if you are facing off against more than a couple of these little buggers, and there can be up to forty if you've stumbled upon their little village, etc. Their daggers do normal weapon damage, though their low HD means they aren't so great at hitting with them. Their low morale makes me think they would flee pretty quickly, but if they had a vested interest in hurting or killing someone, I can imagine them whittling someone down over time with periodic surprise attacks. 

To fight them, I imagine area of effect spells and things like sleep as being fairly effective. That said, I also suspect they aren't usually hostile. 

Befriending some pixies and having them use their invisibility to scout for the party would be a fun roleplaying situation to introduce. I can also imagine them as being servants to a more powerful being, possibly a high level elf sorcerer(-ess)?