Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Hibiki54 Dec 27, 2014 22:11:21	Greetings.   There are various monsters in the Monster Manual and other sources in 5th Edition that have different types of resistances. Page 196 details various types of damage types. Certain constructs, for example, have resistance against non-magical blugeoning, slashing and piercing damage.   My question stems from an item that I acquired in "Lost Mines of Phandelver" called the Spider Staff.   SPIDER STAFF The top of this black, adamantine staff is shaped like a spider. The staff weighs 6 pounds. You must be attuned to the staff to gain its benefits and cast its spells. The staff can be wielded as a quarterstaff. It deals Id6 extra poison damage on a hit when used to make a weapon attack. The staff has 10 charges, which are used to fuel the spells within it. With the staff in hand, you can use your action to cast one of the following spells from the staff if the spell is on your class's spell list: spider climb (1 charge) or web (2 charges, spell save DC 15). No components are required. The staff regains Id6 + 4 expended charges each day at dusk. If you expend the staff's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff crumbles to dust and is destroyed.   It is a magic item that must be attuned to in order to gain any benefit from it. The staff can also be used as a weapon, but does not give a bonus to attack or damage. When you make melee attacks with the staff, while attuned, does the bludgeoning damage and poison damage count as magical damage.   I would say "Yes" and I had another player/DM agree. However, I expect table variation on this subject and would like to read opinions from players and DM who also play in Adventure League tables.
#2 Grazel Dec 27, 2014 22:44:24	Yes it would be magical damage as far as immunities and resistances are concerned. The staff is a magical item. Most magical weapons don't have a plus associated with them which is why creatures aren't set up with immunities against plusses, just magical/non-magical sources.
#3 Cooperjera Dec 28, 2014 16:07:52	I had the same question at may table.  The players acquired both the Spider Staff and the Staff of Defense.  I agree that it makes logical sense that a magical staff, especially one made of glass, would cause magic damage, but researching the section of staves in the DMG revealed the following:   1. Two staves have the text, "The staff can also be used as a magic quarterstaff."  They are:  Staff of Charming Staff of Withering 2. Some staves have the text, "This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that grans a +X bonus to attack and damage..." where X is a value for the staff.  Examples are: Staff of Power, Staff of Striking, Staff of the Magi, etc. 3. Some staves to not mention their use as a magic weapon.  Examples are: Staff of Fire, Staff of Frost, Staff of the Adder, etc.   The DMG does indicate on page 140 that all staves can be used as a quarterstaff unless noted otherwise in the staff description.   Therefore, I would have to conclude one of the following:   1. The section on staves was written by several different authors and editing missed the lack of consistency, and therefore all staves do magic damage, but that detail was missed by some authors. 2. Some staves do not act as magic weapons even though they are made of brittle materials and can be used to cast fireball or have a snake head attack from its end.   It's an interesting mix on how they set the magic items up.   Thank you.
#4 Grazel Dec 28, 2014 20:25:19	I think it's an inconsistency in editing. Also since the staves don't list they can't be used as a weapon they'd fall under a quarterstaff. They would also count as a source of magical damage, though they may not have any plusses to hit/damage ( the staves in example 2 are the ones that also have plusses, as well as the generi +1-+3 weapon which can include a quarterstaff).   It's things like this that make me glad they'll be putting out Sage Advice and hopefully provide some sort of at least semi-official eratta on these minor muddled areas that seem to mostly be a matter of editing inconsistency and in the case of the Mines staves, non-finalized rules (note that Mines items don't even have rarities listed for them).
#5 Hibiki54 Dec 29, 2014 0:19:45	Thanks for the replies. I appreciate your input on the subject, while not critical, can be a brief topic at Adventure League tables. Again, I expect table variation on the ruling.   There is also the option of making a decision based on the Flavor text of the item. For example, the Spider Staff is constructed out of Adamantine, which is critical when facing certain creatures. I haven't brought this up yet at a table to a DM, but I will do so in the future.   I can possibly call the issue a moot point if I spend 100 quid and get it silvered.