Wands, Oak of the Arcane, and Rituals

[Ryan W]

I'd like some clarification. Is it possible in the current rules to use a staff as a wand while benefiting from the Enhance/Greater Wand rituals? The Enhance wand and Greater wand rituals state that they must be cast on approved wand phys reps...

Greater Wand

The Ritual Caster must spend 5 minutes in casting of this Ritual. The Ritual may only be cast on an approved Wand Rep as described under the Wands section of the Alliance LARP Rule Book, the Read Magic skill description and in accordance with any listed Addendum. This is a Celestial Aspect Ritual. This Ritual may be extended. The base duration of this Ritual is 1 year.

This ritual enchants one wand created under the Read Magic skill providing a celestial caster a damage bonus to his/her elemental packet attacks when using the ritually enchanted wand. Wand Damage Bonus is usable only when the enchanted wand is currently in your hands and is being used to throw a casters elemental packets as outlined under the Wand usage in the Alliance Larp rulebook. The Wand rep must be present in the Circle for the entire Ritual and is the target of the Ritual.

Enhanced Wand

The Ritual Caster must spend 5 minutes in casting of this Ritual. The Ritual may only be cast on an approved Wand Rep as described under the Wands section of the Alliance LARP Rule Book, the Read Magic skill description and in accordance with any listed Addendums. This is a Celestial Aspect Ritual. This Ritual may be extended. The base duration of this Ritual is 1 year.

This ritual enhances a previously created Wand (which must be present in the circle for the entire Ritual and is the Target of the Ritual) created under the Read Magic skill by allowing it to be used for multiple types of damage at the caster's choice. A normal Wand may only be used to produce Elemental damage of the type on its tag. Once this ritual has been cast on the Wand, the Wand may be used to produce additional Elemental damage of type(s) specified by the ritual caster.

Wands as outlined on page 102-103.

Wands, just like weapons, must be checked in during Logistics. Wands should be between 9 and 16 inches long measured from tip to tip, with a diameter between 1/4 inch to an inch. They can be made from most materials (PVC, CPVC, graphite or decorative wood). They can be decorated, painted, and otherwise personalized as you please. A visit to your local craft store will provide inspiration. Wands should be free from sharp edges with the ends rounded and/or filed to a smooth edge so as to not pose a safety hazard. Local chapters have a right to refuse the use of a wand if they deem it unsafe in their chapter.

This tells me that in order to grant the bonus damage and ability to add the additional elemental types to damage the character must use the wand itself that the rituals were cast on.

Oak of the Arcane states

Oak of the Arcane Oak of the Arcane allows a celestial caster to use elemental energies in a similar fashion in which they do with wands, but instead with a staff. The caster must be proficient in the use of the staff skill for this ability to be used. When Oak of the Arcane is chosen, the caster must choose an element which the packet attacks can channel (stone, lightning, ice or flame). Base damage for Oak of the Arcane is one plus an additional one for every 9th level spell slot a caster can cast from memory. The number of packets available for use with Oak of the Arcane is shared with the total number of packets the celestial caster has available when using wands under the wand rules. Having a staff shattered, lost or stolen does not end the Oak of the Arcane effect. A caster would need to find or purchase another staff to continue to use this High Magic ability.

This wording tells me that when you use this ability, you are essentially creating a new wand every game with your staff, and the staff does not gain the benefit from the Enhance/Greater wand rituals. I am also lead to believe by this wording that one may not take Oak of the Arcane multiple times to achieve the same effect as an Enhanced wand.

It's my intention to learn if my interpretation of the rules is correct, or if there is a way to essentially wield an Enhanced Greater staff you may use with wand charges.

-Thank you

 

[Polare]

Staff is not a valid Wand physrep for the purpose of Greater/Enhanced Wand rituals in Alliance 1.3. Note that LCO items may be allowed to bypass this restriction in your local chapter, but such items would not be standardly transferrable as they would not follow the standard ritual system rules.

For the other part of your question; Oak of the Arcane does not specifically prohibit multiple purchases. A character could (using appropriate High Magic) activate Oak of the Arcane multiple times on the same staff to achieve an effect similar to Enhanced Wand.

-Bryan Gregory
ARC