1) Can staffs be used in combat as quarterstaffs?
2) Is it possible in anyway to recharge a staffs charges or any magical items for that matter?
ps. You have to have the spell on your class list in order to use it from a staff/wand right? Just like scrolls? Does Caster Level play into that like scrolls to or no?
A typical staff is like a walking stick, quarterstaff, or cudgel. It has AC 7, 10 hit points, hardness 5, and a break DC of 24.
Staffs use the wielder’s ability score and relevant feats to set the DC for saves against their spells. Unlike with other sorts of magic items, the wielder can use his caster level when activating the power of a staff if it’s higher than the caster level of the staff.The staff may be used as a weapon, functioning as a +2 quarterstaff.
Since the Woodlands staff specifically says it may be used as a weapon, I would say that generally the answer is no ... but your DM might say otherwise.
As for recharging ... a quick look-through didn't find me anything, but you *used* to be able to recharge them (Rods/Wands/Staves) by casting the spell back into it; don't know if you can still do that.
And for the PS - no, I do not believe so; the Scrolls section specifically says "spellcaster," while the other two simply say "character," which would mean that anyone can use them (potentially).
Just a couple quick questions.
1) Can staffs be used in combat as quarterstaffs?
2) Is it possible in anyway to recharge a staffs charges or any magical items for that matter?
ps. You have to have the spell on your class list in order to use it from a staff/wand right? Just like scrolls? Does Caster Level play into that like scrolls to or no?
1) depending on the DM, either masterwork quarterstaff or not at all (unless stated otherwise in the staff description). It is a finely made staff after all. And really, they don't look fragile in the pictures.
2) ask your DM, but other than that I don't know. In my games I have a system for recharging all magic items with alcohol :D it was a gnome invention.
ps: to use any spell completion item (scrolls), you must have the spell on your class list AND have the caster level minimum to cast the spell safely, or make a caster level check that could result in an exploding scroll. To use any spell trigger items (wands and staves), you must have the spell on your class list. No CL required :D That's all in DMG at the start of the magic items chapter.
Disallowing the use of a magic staff as a melee weapon adds nothing to the game. Considering all staves as masterwork weapons is reasonable; the staff must be of masterwork quality to hold an enchantment, anyway.
Besides, if a wizard is still being forced into melee by the time he can afford a staff, he's going to need all the help he can get!
Edit: Oh - and the method of using alcohol to recharge a staff was a dwarven invention. The gnomes just made off with the plans after seeing the method in action. Gods, what a party that was...
As for the rest... I think if you're looking for a purely literal interpretation, the answer would be no -- a magic staff cannot be used as a quarterstaff unless the staff's description explicitly says so. That said... I think it's a reasonable extension.
2) There are no recharge rules in 3.0 or 3.5. Those rules did exist in prior versions of the game, but they were removed.
On your PS: A staff is a spell-trigger item, just like a wand. That means the spell only needs to be on your class spell list -- you don't even need to be able to use the spell. A first level paladin, for example, can use every spell except remove disease from a staff of healing, because the other three spells are on the paladin class list.
Unlike a wand, though, a staff allows you to use your feats and ability scores if doing so is more advantageous.
A scroll is a spell completion item. The use of scrolls is a little more strict that the use of a wand or staff. The spell must be the correct type (arcane or divine), you must be of the appropriate level, and you must have a high enough ability score. If you meet those conditions, you can activate a scroll without any problem.
If you fail to meet the first condition (arcane vs divine), your only way to activate that scroll is if you have ranks in Use Magic Device. For example, a bard cannot activate a divine scroll of cure light wounds, even though the spell is on his class list.
If you fail to meet one of the other conditions (level or ability score), you can still attempt to activate the scroll by making a caster level check. Failure, however, has consequences.
Failure, however, has consequences.
Unless you like watching wizards explode...then it's not much of a consequence
