Staff of Spheres (Magic Staff)

This rare, strange staff was devised by Elminster himself long ago, when he was in Myth Drannor at the height of its greatness. All the staff does is create spheres—giant, transparent, floating bubbles that glow with a faint silver blue radiance, the bubbles are 6' in diameter and, upon their creation, can be commanded to remain floating and motionless, to follow or precede the Staff at a certain distance, height, and orientation, or to follow a straight-line journey away from the staff wielder, in any direction.
A bubble can carry any collection of things, of up to 140 pounds, including living manner (if this limit is exceeded, the bubble will instantly burst). Any pointed or sharp objects allowed to contact the surface of a bubble will also destroy it. A bubble gives off enough light to read by, but not enough to blind any creature or affect undead.
If cast around beings, a sphere allows the enclosed creatures clear vision and breathing, and it protects them with a feather fall spell if its movement is directed downward or it bursts in a location that spills its occupants out for a fall (if the bubble fails due to weight overload, this protection does not apply). A spell, magical item, or artifact power of any sort cast into or out of a sphere is negated, but it destroys the sphere. When a sphere fails due to the contact, it negates any magic (including magical creature powers) entering or leaving its area in that round, not just one spell or effect.
Spheres are not prisons: any conscious, mobile being can easily break a sphere to escape (securely bound creatures cannot, nor can caged creatures, if the sphere is formed around a smooth-edged cage). Wizards typically use such spheres as traveling storage for coins, food weapons, or even open spell books, for which the sphere provides handy reading light. Spheres can also be used to convey food, treasure, or other items to creatures one does not wish to approach too closely.
A sphere has a movement rate of 16 when traveling “free'” (that is, not linked to the location of the staff that formed it), but it can never develop sufficient velocity to break or move objects in its path, nor to deliver a weapon in an attack. Spheres can serve to deliver lit oil pots or torches to intended destinations, as nonmagical flame does not affect a sphere.
A staff of spheres can create a maximum of one sphere per round. Each sphere drains one charge during its creation, which requires an entire round to complete.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
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Category:Magic Weapons