Short Staff skill

General Information

Historically staff weapons are associated primarily with martial forms of combat. The lack of a curved metal upon which to cut or impale a foe and the fairly forgiving weight of most wooden weapons makes staff weapons a favorite of many martial forms for training purposes. The ubiquitous stick is perhaps the earliest example of armed combat. The early discovery of bronze-working, for all practical purposes, made staff weapons an obsolete tool of war in human prehistory.

Luckily, within Dragonrealms the staff presents a viable (if not ideal) weapon class. Stave weapons in Dragonrealms are divided into two categories: quarter staffs and short staffs. Short staffs represent an eclectic mix of weapon types, from simple staves to nightsticks to odder improvised weapons like chair legs. Short staffs are generally lighter and easier to wield than quarter staffs, often at the expense of damage output.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Extremely light
• Low roundtime
• Easy to sheath and store

Disadvantages

• Considerable lack of power
• Difficult to train into high ranks
• Lack of powerful templates, both player-made or merchant-bought

Guild-Specific Abilities

• Barbarians can Whirlwind with all melee and pole weapons, hitting everything within range. Requirements: 350 ranks