Let the people die.
The staff of the Magi explodes when its destroyed in a 30’ radius.
The people are dead either way, the staff can be saved.
I think the Retributive Strike has to be an intentional action by the attuned wielder. I don’t think damage from external sources triggers it, even if it breaks the staff.
Don’t staves of the magi explode spectacularly when destroyed?
That party might be done for either way.
IIRC, When a staff of the magi snaps, it explodes. So the party will die either way. You’re just gonna have to decide whether you want a shiny item or not :P
I have spare the dying prepared, we’re good.
Oh sorry I have die the spared prepared as a reaction
See? Now, I’m curious what other fun spells’d come outta flipping the word order of existent ones. 🤩
Like, would conjuring a Hand Mage call up a street magician?
Also, would Person Hold be a ritual hug spell?
Or, Cage Force grant a target incredible Con-Air hair?
I’m just very very tired of ball fire
So, you… 🎵fell down as tiiired ball o’ fire🎵, then?
Trick question, the lever was actually an immovable rod with a cap glued over the button.
*Sovereign Glued over the button
The trick is getting said sovereign into glue form in the first place. That’s basically why the item’s so rare. They’re super wily, that way.
Cast Wall of Force in front of the trolley destroying the trolley, and saving everyone. Then I take the staff.
That’s an odd way to cast Fireball, but sure. 🧏🏼
It depends. Did I learn Gentle Repose, and is that staff worth more than 2,500 gp?
It depends because official magic item prices are vague and bad, but Sane Magic Item Pricing has items that go up to 165,000gp and considers the staff of the magi too powerful to price.
Something tells me that researcher wasn’t allowed to hold the staff and just decided to cover for lack of citable valuation spec. Or, the bearer at the time paid their academic fees, etc.
Either way, everything has a price, no matter if it’s for sale —especially to a D&D party. 😐 It may not manifest as commerce, but it will cost them.
It’s an artifact level magic item. It’s worth considerably more than 2500 gp. Probably closer to 100,000-200,000 gp
Side note: you subconsciously pilfer for the proletariat? Sounds like a tough gig. Your ire is likely well-placed, and I support your low-altitude efforts. 🤘🏼
why do we expect the trolley to kill anyone? some of those guys can be bitten by dragons and survive, they’ll surely stop the trolley or be able to rip out of the rope on tipe
or the rogue can just undo the knots really fast
Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum.
Per Ghosts of Saltmarsh, a ship roughly trolley size (though ~¼ its weight) does 25d10 bludgeoning when crashing, (considering a trolley approaching a track switch tends toward 10-15mph, ramming rules seemed excessive).
The party restrained on the tracks may or may not be immobilized as well, but regardless: 25d10 bludgeoning may very well one-shot each and every one of them instantly, and then some.
how much health do they have around the level where they’d have access to a staff of the magi?
What would Sheldor do?
I pull out my immovable rod…
Obviously: while the rest of the party argues, the trigger-happy blaster drops an upcast fireball on the trolley.
Next puzzle, dungeon “master”. 😅😶
Party members can be revived, shinies can’t
Also, if the staff is fully charged they’d all be taking 400 damage unless they made the DC 17 Dex save (with disadvantage because they’re restrained). And even then they’d take half. Except if they have evasion, which is probably why one of them is smiling XD
