- Type
- Staff
- Rarity
- Very Rare
- Attunement
- Required
- Price (2014)
- 5,001–50,000 gp (DMG value range)
- Price (2024)
- 40,000 gp
This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. While holding it, you gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class, saving throws, and spell attack rolls.
The staff has 20 charges for the following properties. The staff regains 2d8 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff retains its +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls but loses all other properties. On a 20, the staff regains 1d8 + 2 charges.
Power Strike. When you hit with a melee attack using the staff, you can expend 1 charge to deal an extra 1d6 force damage to the target.
Spells. While holding this staff, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC and spell attack bonus: cone of cold (5 charges), fireball (5th-level version, 5 charges), globe of invulnerability (6 charges), hold monster (5 charges), levitate (2 charges), lightning bolt (5th-level version, 5 charges), magic missile (1 charge), ray of enfeeblement (1 charge), or wall of force (5 charges).
Retributive Strike. You can use an action to break the staff over your knee or against a solid surface, performing a retributive strike. The staff is destroyed and releases its remaining magic in an explosion that expands to fill a 30-foot-radius sphere centered on it.
You have a 50 percent chance to instantly travel to a random plane of existence, avoiding the explosion. If you fail to avoid the effect, you take force damage equal to 16 × the number of charges in the staff. Every other creature in the area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes an amount of damage based on how far away it is from the point of origin, as shown in the following table. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage.
| Distance from Origin | Damage |
|---|
| 10 ft. away or closer | 8 × the number of charges in the staff |
| 11 to 20 ft. away | 6 × the number of charges in the staff |
| 21 to 30 ft. away | 4 × the number of charges in the staff |
How the Staff of Power plays
It’s a +2 quarterstaff, and while you hold it you also get +2 to Armor Class, saving throws and spell attack rolls. That alone makes it one of the best defensive items a wizard can find. It’s very rare and requires attunement by a sorcerer, warlock or wizard.
It has 20 charges and regains 2d8 + 4 at dawn. With an action you can spend them on spells, using your own save DC and attack bonus: Magic Missile or Ray of Enfeeblement for 1, Levitate for 2, and for 5 each Cone of Cold, Hold Monster, Wall of Force, or a 5th-level Fireball or Lightning Bolt. Globe of Invulnerability costs 6. In melee, 1 charge adds 1d6 force damage to a hit.
Common questions
What spells can you cast from a Staff of Power?
Cone of Cold, Fireball (5th level), Hold Monster, Lightning Bolt (5th level) and Wall of Force for 5 charges each; Globe of Invulnerability for 6; Levitate for 2; Magic Missile and Ray of Enfeeblement for 1.
Does the +2 to saves stack with a Ring or Cloak of Protection?
Yes. They’re different items, so a wizard with the staff and a Ring of Protection has +3 to AC and every saving throw.
Does the staff raise my spell save DC?
No. It adds +2 to spell attack rolls only. Spells cast from it use your normal save DC.
How does the retributive strike work?
You break the staff as an action. It explodes in a 30-foot radius: you have a 50% chance to be flung to a random plane and escape, otherwise you take 16 force damage per remaining charge. Everyone else makes a DC 17 Dexterity save, taking 8, 6 or 4 times the charges depending on distance (10, 20 or 30 feet), half on a success. With 20 charges, that’s up to 160 damage next to it.
Did the 2024 rules change the Staff of Power?
The +2 bonuses and 20 charges stay. The 2024 retributive strike deals a flat 4 times the charges to every other creature in 30 feet, instead of more damage closer in.
How much is a Staff of Power worth?
It’s very rare. The Dungeon Master’s Guide puts very rare items at 5,001 to 50,000 gp, and the builder’s Standard Conversion prices them at 50,000 gp.
Staff of Power in the 2024 rules
The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide revised the magic items, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new text. What changed:
- Dice: 2d8, 1d8, 1d6 → 2d8, 1d20, 1d8.
- Type
- Staff
- Rarity
- Very Rare
- Attunement
- Required by a Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard
This staff has 20 charges and can be wielded as a magic Quarterstaff that grants a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with it. While holding it, you gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class, saving throws, and spell attack rolls.
Spells. While holding the staff, you can cast one of the spells on the following table from it, using your spell save DC. The table indicates how many charges you must expend to cast the spell.
| Spell | Charge Cost |
|---|
| Cone of Cold | 5 |
| Fireball (level 5 version) | 5 |
| Globe of Invulnerability | 6 |
| Hold Monster | 5 |
| Levitate | 2 |
| Lightning Bolt (level 5 version) | 5 |
| Magic Missile | 1 |
| Ray of Enfeeblement | 1 |
| Wall of Force | 5 |
Regaining Charges. The staff regains 2d8 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll 1d20. On a 1, the staff retains its +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls but loses all other properties. On a 20, the staff regains 1d8 + 2 charges.
Retributive Strike. You can take a Magic action to break the staff over your knee or against a solid surface. The staff is destroyed and releases its magic in an explosion that fills a 30-foot Emanation originating from itself. You have a 50 percent chance to instantly travel to a random plane of existence, avoiding the explosion. If you fail to avoid the effect, you take Force damage equal to 16 times the number of charges in the staff. Each other creature in the area makes a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes Force damage equal to 4 times the number of charges in the staff. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage.
