Dungeon Plunder: The Thunderstaff

If you decide to use this in a game,
feel free to print and give to your players.

The Thunder Staff is a powerful artifact; the secrets of it’s construction are literally lost in the mists of time.  Literally – the wizard who created and used it for a century lost his way on the elemental plane of mist.

The staff is a six foot length of whitebark pine carved with whorls and swirls that resemble clouds.  The staff emits a faint vapor mist over its entire length at all times.

When found, this staff has d100-1 charges.  The holder of the staff is immune to electric damage. The following  cost one charge each:

  • Predict weather
  • Magic missile (2d4 sonic damage, no effect on deaf creatures)
  • Call lightning (only usable outdoors in the middle of a storm)
  • Striking (a hit by the staff deals 1d6 normal damage plus 1d6 sonic damage)
The following uses cost three charges:
  • Thunder (As lightning spell – but does 3d6 sonic damage, save for half)
  • Fly (30 to 60 minutes)
  • Control Winds
The following uses cost five charges each:
  • Weather Control
  • Power Word Stun
The staff can be recharged by casting lightning spells into it.  Every level of spell cast into the staff increases the number of charges by 3.  Natural lightning is drawn to the staff as well – an hour of time inside a natural storm will replenish 1 charge.  If the number of charges replenished ever exceeds 99, then the staff detonates in a terrific explosion that does 20d6 electric damage to anyone within 100 feet of it.  The damage is an even split between sonic and electric damage.