Spellstaff: It's possible to use it on a magical item or an artifact?

[Dal-Shaloth]

As title the description is not clear because is not specified like other spells such as "Shillelagh". A player of mine has found a cursed magical staff and wants to use it as a focus for Spellstaff.

I believe its not possible, is not specified in the description and usually keeping a spell requires a special ability. Anyone have information about it?

If yes, this works also with Artifacts / Legendary magical weapons?

Thanks

[TxSam88]

I would say yes, as long as it's a wooden staff...

[Dal-Shaloth]

Thanks. I am still looking for an official answer/post, for now I have not found anything.

[willuwontu]

Quote:

Target wooden quarterstaff touched

As long as the item is a wooden quarterstaff, the spell can affect it. Note that staff != quarterstaff.

For example, a Staff of Fire would not be a valid target for the spell, but a Quarterstaff of Entwined Serpents, Oaken Staff, Staff of Curses or Staff of Dark Flame would be.

[Azothath]

Dal-Shaloth wrote:

... A player of mine has found a cursed magical staff and wants to use it as a focus for Spellstaff.

I believe its not possible, is not specified in the description and usually keeping a spell requires a special ability. Anyone have information about it?

If yes, this works also with Artifacts / Legendary magical weapons?

Spellstaff 6th lvl druid, hunter spell has a focus/target of a wooden quarterstaff. Thus ANY primarily wooden quarterstaff will do, magical or mundane.

I'd agree that rods and such do not meet the casting requirements.

When you get into artifacts and legendary items you have to read the intro and the item description. I don't know that mere mortal magic can affect an artifact being what it is, and you'd have to find a rather plain wooden quarterstaff artifact.

My search for "artifact quarterstaff" on AoN returns -none- (a demon harbinger that USES a quarterstaff). Expanding to "artifact staff" returns Staff of the Magi{Yes, though the word quartstaff does not appear in the description; Wizards are proficient with quarterstaff, not staff and this is a wizarding 3.0/3.5 item, all the staves under magic items say "quarterstaff"}, Shadowstaff{No-not wood}, Cantorian Spring{No-not wood}, Orrery of Distant Worlds{No-not a staff}. Add Baba Yaga's Mortar and Pestle{No-functions as but isn't}, Eyjatas{No-one presumes it is not wood but some hellish material}, Helicyon{No-again likely some heavenly material, IF you rule YES then add Eyjatas also}, Relic of Kazavon, Staff of the Slain{No-not wood}.

[Azothath]

This is a case where reading the basic description clarifies the meaning in specific item descriptions. Thus it is important to read the Staves entry under Magic Items in the CRB.
The text describes several forms that staves come in. Thus a Staff of Fire could be crafted as a walking stick to a quarterstaff. IF the description is not specific then it is up to the GM to decide what the crafter did in this particular instance and attach a specific weapon type to the item.

In the case of a wrong form, walking stick instead of a quarterstaff, the players have options; Polymorph any Object, Weaponwand{for wands}, Spellsword, "repairing a magic item" under crafting, or enchanting a weapon change into the magic item. These can correct any form issues for time & money.

Advice: Essentially if it is an item that most wizards use it should be a quarterstaff as that is where the greatest demand lies. Yes there will be nobles and oddballs that want a unique form that fits within the Stave description.