Elemental Staff

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

A powerful staff which used to belong to the leader of the Guild of Five Elements. The staff enhances the power of all elemental spells cast by its wielder. In addition to the protection it provides, those skilled in Evocations may discharge powerful blasts of elemental energy when striking with it.

the +3 Elemental Staff

+3 staff
+3 AC
rF+
rC+
rElec
Acts as an enhancer staff for Fire, Ice, Air, and Earth Magic
Inflicts 10 + 1d14 fire, cold, electricity, or physical (crushing) damage each time it triggers. Chance to trigger = 1 - (1 - Evocations/27)^2.

Desirability

The Elemental Staff offers a good array of defensive bonuses, giving the wielder significantly more freedom when it comes to armour and jewellery slots. It also acts as 4 different enhancer staves, so casters relying on any of the four elements will find significant use out of this staff. Spells that are of multiple elements (like Plasma Beam) get multiple power boosts.

This staff is also decent as a melee weapon. With 10 Evocations, you'll have a 60% chance to proc a 10-24 damage attack, as opposed to electrocution's 25% chance for 7-20. With a modest skill investment in Staves (12 for min speed), it's a suitable weapon for a good chunk of the game, though not having control over the element you evoke is unfortunate.

History

• Prior to 0.30, the Elemental Staff provided rF++, rC++, and AC+5.
• Prior to 0.28, the Elemental Staff also provided +80 willpower.
• Prior to 0.25, the Elemental Staff did not act as a spell enhancer for all elemental schools.
• Prior to 0.14, the Elemental Staff was a +3, +1 quarterstaff making it a marginally better source of physical damage. However, it lacked any elemental brand effects, offered no rElec, made noise while wielded, and significantly increased your hunger. It also provided only +60 MR.