Tuesday Magic Item – Wanderer’s Staff

Gollaon and Voddick watched the old man moving under the burden of a seemingly precariously stuffed large backpack only his staff seemed to allow him to stay upright.

“Do you need some help, sir?” asked Voddick.

“Thank you for your kindness, but I could not accept, I still owe you for your earlier aid.”

“Earlier aid?”

“You helped free me from a pack of ruffins in Argozzo,” said the old man.

“We have not been in Argozzo in more than two decades,” said Gollaon.

“Just so,” said the old man, and he continued on his way.

Wanderer’s Staff

These staves are usually the result of spontaneous magical awakening, simple items that have been so well used and loved that their innate magic has come to the fore.  They are usually simple lengths of wood, often carved and decorated, and sometimes showing signs of repairs.  Each one is a unique expression of its owner or owners.

The wanderer’s staff is an aid and a tool for the traveler.  While using the staff, the traveler can travel an extra one-tenth distance over a day of walking and their carrying capacity is increased by one-tenth as well.  They also gain a +4 compence bonus to Survival checks to forage for wild foods along their path and to determine direction and best routes to travel.

If the wanderer is forced to defend themself, the staff can be used as a masterwork quarterstaff and provides a +1 shield bonus to armor class.

Lastly, the staff is very difficult to break and it repairs itself of any damage that does not break it overnight.

Aura faint divination; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 1,200; Weight 3 lb
Construction Requirements
Craft Wondrous Items, guidance, mending; Cost 600

For D&D 5E:

Wondrous item (staff), uncommon

First paragraph as above.

The wanderer’s staff is an aid and a tool for the traveler.  While using the staff, the traveler can travel an extra one-tenth distance over a day of walking and their carrying capacity is increased by one-tenth as well.  They also gain advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to forage for wild foods along their path and to determine direction and best routes to travel.

If the wanderer is forced to defend themself, the staff can be used as a magical quarterstaff and provides a +1 bonus to armor class.

Lastly, the staff is very difficult to break and it repairs itself of any damage that does not break it when its owner takes a long rest.

Notes: I have done a lot of magical staves along this theme, but I really am enchanted (see what I did there?) with the idea of spontaneously empowered magic items.  It is a world of magic, use that for better storytelling.

Image Rembrandt as shepherd with staff and flute from Wikimedia Commons and is in the Public Domain.