Rune Staves

Unlike most weapon types, a rune staff is utilized more for defense than for offense. A character of the spell casting professions may use this type of weapon. Held in the right hand, skill with a rune staff is based on the wielder’s overall magical knowledge. This arcane knowledge effectively translates into a rune staff “weapon” skill for purposes of parrying incoming attacks. Additionally, these wooden rune staves are capable of parrying magical bolt spells and missile weapons, whereas most other weapons cannot. When parrying these ranged attacks, rune staves provide half their normal parrying bonus.

In order to benefit defensively using a rune staff, it is best to have at least eight magical ranks per level. A magical rank can be in any magical skill in the Character Manager, and each skill, regardless of cost, is weighted equally. Eight magical ranks per level is the approximate equivalent to 1x training in two-handed weapons and provides defenses as if the user had 10 additional parry ranks. Each additional magical rank per level will increase the caster’s effective weapon ranks by 5%.

Magical skills include:

Arcane Symbols
Elemental Lores
Elemental Mana Control
Harness Power
Magic Item Use
Mental Lores
Mental Mana Control
Sorcerous Lores
Spell Aiming
Spell Research
Spiritual Lores
Spiritual Mana Control

Runestaves are considered to be two-handed weapons when INSPECTING. When looked at, a runestaff will always show an enchanter’s mark.

Runestaves made of magical woods will now impart their full bonus. In the past, it was said that they only gave half, but that has since been changed.

While using a runestaff, a spellcaster may hold a magical artifact in their off hand and not suffer a DS loss. As such, wands may be waved with no penalty. Scrolls must still be invoked with both hands, however.

Runestaves are to be made of magical woods. Consult the Magical Woods list for more information on these materials.

Staves may be purchased from the weapons shops in the Landing, Icemule and Ta’Vaalor. These staves vary in enchant from 0x up to 4x, but are not cheap.

Runestaff Exchanges

With the introduction of the runestaff system, a number of merchants will begin to offer their services in exchanging weapons and shields for a runestaff.

Posted by Melissa 12/19/03:

The following are the guidelines which will govern runestaff exchanges:

Only shields and/or weapons may be exchanged for the runestaff. No silvers or other items will be accepted.

All exchanged items must have 5 enchants (+25) or more. The only exception is claidhmores, which may be as low as 1 enchant (+5).

Multiple items that meet the above criteria may be combined to exchange for a single runestaff.

To determine valid exchanges, GMs will use the values of weapons/shields calculated by our in-game valuation. This value is NOT what the pawnbroker would quote you. This value is NOT what items sell for on the open player markets. Alterations on items are NOT taken into account in this value. Scripts on items are NOT taken into account in this value, so it might be in your best interest not to exchange scripted items.

For the sake of speed, no alterations will be provided. However, we will try to pair each runestaff exchange merchant with a runestaff alteration merchant so that everyone may customize their weapons.

No lor or illthorn will be used for the runestaves. Woods of lesser rarity will be used, with their plus values increased as shown in the attached table. Plus values other than as shown in the table will not allowed. For example, villswood runestaves are only allowed with plus values of 18, 23, 28, 33, 38, 43, and 48.

Runestaves will not be lightened or enhanced in any way by the merchant traders.

Until what we perceive will be heavy demand is reduced, we will only be converting one runestaff per account. When the demand has diminished somewhat, we will be lifting this restriction.

Once the GMs determine the value of the items that you wish to convert, they will quote you the highest valued runestaff that they will exchange for you. You may select that runestaff, or any staff of lesser value. (Please note, we will not be making change or compensating for the loss if you choose an item of lesser value.)

The valuation table is listed here, listed from least valuable to most valuable: