This new magic staff for Dungeons & Dragons gives your wizard the powers to raise, summon, and control the dead. Deal necrotic damage or heal yourself with life energy stolen from enemies.
Staff of Necromancy
Staff, rare [Tier 2]
(requires attunement by a wizard)
Damage: 1d6+1 bludgeoning
Weight: 5 lbs.
Properties: Versatile (1d8+1)
Topped with a hideous grinning skull, this magic staff can be wielded as a quarterstaff that grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to activate one of the following effects.
Death Strike. When you hit with a melee attack using the staff, you can expend up to 3 of its charges. For each charge you expend, the target takes an extra 1d4 necrotic damage.
Life Drain. When you hit with a melee attack using the staff, you can expend up to 3 of its charges. For each charge you expend, you regain 1d4 hit points. The number of hit points you regain can not exceed the damage dealt by the attack.
Undead Servant. You can expend 5 charges to cast animate dead at 3rd level.
The staff regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges each day at midnight.
Very Rare [Tier 3] upgrade
When you achieve level 10 while attuned to the staff, you have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.
The staff has 12 charges and regains 1d8 + 4 expended charges each day at midnight.
Death Ray. A black beam of necrotic energy shoots from the staff toward a creature within 60 feet. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 necrotic damage. You can expend up to 3 of the staff’s charges. For each charge you expend, the target takes an extra 1d4 necrotic damage.
Dominate Dead. You can expend 5 charges to beguile an undead creature that you can see within 60 feet. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 hour. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting the undead creature, it has advantage on the saving throw. If the target has an Intelligence of 10 or higher, it has advantage on the saving throw. If it fails the saving throw and has an Intelligence of 12 or higher, it can repeat the saving throw at the end of every hour until it succeeds and breaks free.
Life Harvest. When you kill a creature with necrotic damage, you can expend 2 charges as a reaction to regain 2d8 hit points.
Legendary [Tier 4] upgrade
When you achieve level 17 while attuned to the staff, you have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.
While holding the staff, you have resistance to necrotic damage.
The staff has 15 charges and regains 1d10 + 5 expended charges each day at midnight.
Legendary Death Strike. When you hit with a melee attack using the staff, you can expend up to 5 of its charges. For each charge you expend, the target takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage.
Legendary Death Ray. Make a ranged spell attack against the target within 90 feet. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 necrotic damage. You can expend up to 5 of the staff’s charges. For each charge you expend, the target takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage.
Summon Undead. You can expend 10 charges to magically summon five skeletons or zombies. The summoned creatures appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of you and obey your verbal commands. They take their turns immediately after yours. Each lasts for 1 hour, until you or it dies, or until you dismiss it as a bonus action.
Power Tiers
To help Game Masters determine which player character levels a magic item is appropriate for, each item is assigned a power tier.
Tier 1: Levels 1 – 4
Common and Uncommon items for characters still learning their abilities.
Tier 2: Levels 5 – 10
Uncommon and Rare items for characters who are seasoned adventurers.
Tier 3: Levels 11 – 16
Very Rare items for characters who are established masters of their class.
Tier 4: Levels 17 +
Legendary items for characters who are like superheroes or demigods.
An item’s power tier is only a suggestion, and the GM should consider how each item would best fit with their campaign and player characters.
More D&D Homebrew
Would you like to see more homebrew D&D magic items, monsters, and spells? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and send us your suggestions!
Subscribe to get free homebrew content for Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop RPGs delivered to your inbox.