Staff of Withering

This staff can be used to age a creature or make one of it's limbs useless.

• Once the staff is grasped, it imparts its abilities to the wielder as well as the number of charges remaining in the staff.

• The staff functions as a +1 staff.

• The weapon ignores armor defense adjustments.

• The staff also provides the following functions on a successful strike. Creatures immune to ageing are immune to these functions.

Age. [melee] (immediate) The wielder can announce the power of ageing upon a successful melee attack. If a successful strike is made, the target will age 10 years (no save). For humanoids, this could change their abilities due to a change in age category. Some creatures are made more powerful when aged. This ability uses 2 charges. This ability cannot be used if any other function of the staff was previously used during the round. 

• Creatures with a defined Constitution score must make a System Save or die when aged. Those without a score may have the save set at a particular score or may be immune to system shock due to magical ageing (per the GM).

Wither. [melee] (immediate) The wielder can announce the power of withering upon a successful melee attack. If a successful strike is made, the target will age 10 years as per an ageing attack listed above (no save). In addition, the creature must make a save vs. Wand or one of their limbs will wither and become useless (save avoids). A creature must have definable limbs for the staff to operate this way. This function uses 3 charges. This ability cannot be used if any other function of the staff was previously used during the round. 

The limb withered is determined by rolling a d6:

1. 1. Head

   2. Left leg

   3. Right leg

   4. Left arm

   5. Right arm

   6. Roll again

If the creature has more limbs or a tail, the GM will use a larger die to determine the limb, the legs and arms listed above will always be the fore-limbs. For example, a horse will require a d8 (6=left hind leg; 7=right hind leg; 8=tail).

If a creature's head is withered, it will die (unless a troll, or creature with a similar type of regenerative power).

Other effects are based on the limb withered. A biped that attempts to move and cannot use a leg must make a Dexterity save vs. Petrify or will fall prone and must crawl at 10-ft. per round. A quadruped that loses function in a single leg will move at 75% normal speed. Loss of function in an arm or similar limb means it cannot be used. Loss of function in a tail may or may not hinder movement per the GM.

• Charges. Staves of this type will have 2d12+1 charges when found and each use will consume a single charge. The staff cannot be recharged and becomes mundane when the last charge is used.