Can wands be used as melee weapons? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can wands be used as melee weapons? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Juniphy
02-28-05, 08:59 PM I know magically charged staffs can be used as quarterstaff and rods could be used as mace/clubs, but what about wands? They're small and thin making it frail, but some are made of metal.

I like the idea of beating down some stuff with a small stick. Does anyone think it can inflict actual damage? If so, what would the damage be? Maybe it's equivalent of a jo-stick, but I don't know the stats on that.
Nom
02-28-05, 09:35 PM "A typical wand is 6 inches to 12 inches long and about 1/4 inch thick, and often weighs no more than 1 ounce." (DMG). A standard ruler is 12 inches long. Think about the comparison.

If you really must use a wand in combat, I'd treat a metal wand as if a regular gauntlet or knuckleduster (medium 1d3 bludgeoning), except as an improvised weapon. A wooden wand would be no more effective than a good punch. In either case, it would be very easy to bend or break the wand.
DevilKiller
02-28-05, 10:04 PM If a staff with charges can be used as a quarterstaff and a rod can be a mace then I don't see any pressing game balance reason why wands can't be used to beat people too. I agree that the "typical" wand would be useless as a weapon, but I don't see why you couldn't craft sturdier wands if you felt like it. At worst they could be improvised weapons that do 1d4 bludgeoning. At best I wouldn't advise letting the wand become more than a light mace.

On the other hand, I've seen more than one person request a magic weapon with a wand or staff as the handle or haft. That's possibly a little unbalanced, but I wonder what other folks think. Would it be nuts to be able to put charges of a spell into pretty much any item that contains a wand/rod/staff shaped piece?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Juniphy 02-28-05, 08:59 PM	I know magically charged staffs can be used as quarterstaff and rods could be used as mace/clubs, but what about wands? They're small and thin making it frail, but some are made of metal. I like the idea of beating down some stuff with a small stick. Does anyone think it can inflict actual damage? If so, what would the damage be? Maybe it's equivalent of a jo-stick, but I don't know the stats on that.
Nom 02-28-05, 09:35 PM	"A typical wand is 6 inches to 12 inches long and about 1/4 inch thick, and often weighs no more than 1 ounce." (DMG). A standard ruler is 12 inches long. Think about the comparison. If you really must use a wand in combat, I'd treat a metal wand as if a regular gauntlet or knuckleduster (medium 1d3 bludgeoning), except as an improvised weapon. A wooden wand would be no more effective than a good punch. In either case, it would be very easy to bend or break the wand.
DevilKiller 02-28-05, 10:04 PM	If a staff with charges can be used as a quarterstaff and a rod can be a mace then I don't see any pressing game balance reason why wands can't be used to beat people too. I agree that the "typical" wand would be useless as a weapon, but I don't see why you couldn't craft sturdier wands if you felt like it. At worst they could be improvised weapons that do 1d4 bludgeoning. At best I wouldn't advise letting the wand become more than a light mace. On the other hand, I've seen more than one person request a magic weapon with a wand or staff as the handle or haft. That's possibly a little unbalanced, but I wonder what other folks think. Would it be nuts to be able to put charges of a spell into pretty much any item that contains a wand/rod/staff shaped piece?