Sigil Staff

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The Sigil Staff was released at Duskruin Arena in December 2018 at Sigil Shop by GameMaster Estild. The staff had been teased previous to this on the official forums and one was in the 2018 Ebon Gate feeder. Sigil Staves are part of the 3-piece Sigil Set, along with Mana-Infused Armor and Dramatic Draperies.

Tier 1

Off the shelf, the Sigil Staff has zesty verbs and no special abilities by itself. When paired with Mana-Infused Armor or a Dramatic Drapery of any tier, it has a chance to trigger an SMRv2 based Sigil of Binding rooting effect.

Analyze

You analyze the faewood staff-of-Lumnis and sense that the creator has provided the following information:

This is a tier 1 Sigil Staff.

Tier
1: a standard staff-of-Lumnis with some special messaging

Unlocked verbs: draw, hug, point, spin, touch

The staff-of-Lumnis can have the color or quality of its sigils and magic effects customized with a descriptive word or phrase. Various messaging will include this custom setting.

The current setting is: pale

Messaging using this custom setting must make sense in the following context examples:
a/an [adjective] sigil [adjective] energy/sparks/tendrils/haze

Customization should remain simple, nothing so complex as to require a comma.
Examples of functional customization choices: pale, dark, bright, shadowy, fiery, blue-green, coruscating violet, silver and gold
Examples of nonfunctional customization choices: shapes, anything that is not an adjective, anything lengthy enough to require a comma for grammatical purposes
Try to keep it to three words or less, and if three words, see prior rules. ('silver and gold' works, 'red, blue, and green' does not because of sentence structures, 'incandescent viridian and gold-speckled cerulean' is long enough to be cumbersome)
When in doubt, use a distinct color.

The random runes that are displayed when the staff-of-Lumnis is spun can also be customized to any list of words.

The current setting is: luck,sunburst,celestial,forest,glacier,will-o-wisp,fire,water,earth,air,lorae'tyr,shien'tyr,grik'tyr

You might be able to have a talented merchant lighten the faewood staff-of-Lumnis for you.

Usage

Verb First Third
GET You remove a sigil-carved glowbark runestaff from in your runestaff sling. At your touch, a number of sigils worked into its grain take on a faint luminescence. XXX removes a sigil-carved glowbark runestaff from in <his/her> runestaff sling. At <his/her> touch, a number of sigils worked into its grain take on a faint luminescence.
DRAW You focus intently and begin a precisely ordered series of hand motions. Threads of <color> energy scribe themselves on the air before you, forming concentric geometric shapes bordered by dense lines of runes. With your final gesture, an arcane sigil bursts into being at the center of the elaborate pattern.
After a moment's scrutiny, you flick your fingers and allow the construct to disperse.
XXX's eyes narrow with concentration, and <he/she> begins a precisely ordered series of hand motions. Threads of <color> energy scribe themselves on the air before <him/her>, forming concentric geometric shapes bordered by dense lines of runes. At <his/her> final gesture, an arcane sigil bursts into being at the center of the elaborate pattern.
After a moment's scrutiny, <person> flicks <his/her> fingers, and the lines of the pattern dissolve, leaving nothing but a fading afterimage.
HUG You draw your glowback runestaff in close. Its myriad arcane sigils intensify for a moment, casting a <color> veil across your vision. XXX draws <his/her> staff in close. Its myriad arcane sigils intensify for a moment, casting a <color> veil across <his/her> vision.
POINT You point your glowbark runestaff at nothing in particular. Ribbons of <color> energy briefly curl away from the sigils gleaming within its surface. XXX angles <his/her> glowbark runestaff to one side. Ribbons of <color> energy briefly curl away from the sigils gleaming within its surface.
POINT
(targeted)
You narrow your eyes and point your glowbark runestaff at YYY. Ribbons of <color> energy unwind from the sigils gleaming within its surface and coil about <him/her> before snapping back to their origin. With narrowed eyes, XXX points <his/her> glowbark runestaff at YYY. Ribbons of <color> energy unwind from the sigils gleaming within its surface and coil about it before snapping back to their origin.
SPIN You slowly rotate your glowbark runestaff between your flattened palms. Crackling <color> filaments spin out from its surface, intertwining and forming a spiraling array of <random rune> runes. The runes flash briefly, then disperse. XXX slowly rotates<his/her> glowbark runestaff between flattened palms. Crackling <color> filaments spin out from its surface, intertwining and forming a spiraling array of <random rune> runes. The runes flash briefly, then disperse.
TOUCH Lost in thought, you absently stroke the grain of your glowbark runestaff, and <color> energy trails follow in the wake of your fingertips. Glimmers of radiance follow the paths of XXX's fingertips as <he/she> absently strokes the grain of <his/her> glowbark runestaff, and <color> energy trails follow in the wake of <his/her> fingertips.
Parrying an attack A complex pattern of <color> energy flashes briefly into existence between you and <target>, deflecting the assault entirely. A complex pattern of <color> energy flashes briefly into existence between XXX and <target>, deflecting the assault entirely.

Tier 2

At this tier, spells can be TRANSFERred from scrolls onto the runestaff. The number of spells the runestaff can hold are unlocked separately (up to 6 spells total). Sigil Staves will no longer lock scrolls when transferring a spell from the scroll. Instead, it will now reduce the value of the scroll, which controls how many times it can be infused. It reduces it the same amount as if you had manually invoked each charge to remove the spell from the scroll. Overall, the goal is to make Sigil Staves neutral when it comes to Scroll Infusion (714), offering no disadvantage or advantage. There is also a +25 bonus to the activation check when invoking a spell from a Sigil Staff and spells invoked from a Sigil Staff receive a +15 AS/+10 CS bonus when cast. When a person transfers spells from a scroll to the sigil staff, it combines the charges of the spell already on the staff up to 40 charges. Any charges past 40 are put into a new slot on the staff if one is available. For Self-Knowledge Scrolls, this results in a higher duration for the scroll effect.

At this tier, Sigil Staves acquire a scripted dispel flare (which does not take up the Cat B script slot) that triggers before a spell attack resolves and dispels up to one spell. If there aren't any active spells on the target, the target could now be subject to SMRv2-based disruption damage. This SMRv2-based skill check is formulated with a baseline effectiveness wherein the user is expected to be trained 1x in Magic Item Use. This was previously not available until tier three, but was updated to also occur at tier two. The dispel flare is slightly stronger than standard dispel flare damage and scales with the tier (per APM Estild)

Usage

Verb First Third
INVOKE <spell> <staff>
CAST
Holding your glowbark runestaff before you, you focus intently on the <spell name> sigil illuminated within its grain. In response to your murmured invocation, the sigil's power blazes forth in trails of <color> energy and surges into you! Holding <his/her> glowbark runestaff before <himself/herself>, XXX focus intently on a sigil illuminated within its grain. In response to <his/her> murmured invocation, the sigil's power blazes forth in trails of <color> energy and surges into <him/her>!
READ You focus on your glowbark runestaff and notice brightly burning sigils corresponding to these spells:

<spell list>
N/A
TRANSFER <spell> <staff> Murmuring a precise incantation, you focus your concentration on the <spell> spell scribed on your <scroll>. The arcane symbols flicker and fade from the <scroll> entirely before flaring to life as a <color> sigil on your glowbark runestaff. Murmuring a precise incantation, XXX focuses <his/her> concentration on a spell scribed on <his/her> <scroll>. The arcane symbols flicker and fade from the <scroll> entirely before flaring to life as a <color> sigil on <his/her> glowbark runestaff.

Tier 3

At this tier, the staff can be WAVEd at a target to dispel 1-3 spells (requires 500 mana to have been spent casting spells to fuel the ability and has a 5 minute cooldown) and adds special LOOK messaging. The scripted dispel flare that became active at Tier 2 can now affect up to 2 spells (1d2).

The following line will appear when you LOOK at a character holding a staff:

A slowly rotating ring of sigils encircles each of <his/her> hands, scribed on the air in <color> energy.

Usage

Verb First Third
LOOK
(dispel ready)
You notice 1 sigil more pronounced than the others along the runestaff: a brightly glowing sigil with bands of concentric geometry. N/A
WAVE
(targeted)
A decisive gesture sets sigils all along your glowbark runestaff ablaze. Tendrils of <color> energy lash out at <target> and cage it within bands of concentric geometry that constrict as one, shattering upon impact! A decisive gesture sets sigils all along XXX's glowbark runestaff ablaze. Tendrils of <color> energy lash out at <target> and cage it within bands of concentric geometry that constrict as one, shattering upon impact!

Tier 4

At this tier, the staff can be RAISEd to lower the mana cost of all spells by 50% for 30 seconds or 10 casts (requires 5000 mana to have been spent casting spells to fuel the ability and has a 60 minute cooldown) and adds ambient messaging. The scripted dispel flare that became active at Tier 2 can now affect up to 3 spells (1d3).

Usage

Verb First Third
LOOK
(ready for RAISE)
You notice 1 sigil more pronounced than the others along the runestaff: a sigil emitting pale sparks that shimmer in and out of existence. N/A
PROD
(turn on ambients)
With a subtle gesture, you release the energies coursing through your glowbark runestaff from their bindings, allowing them to surge and flow as their nature dictates. N/A
PROD
(turn off ambients)
With a subtle gesture, you bind the energies coursing through your glowbark runestaff to quiescence. N/A
RAISE You raise your glowbark runestaff high! <Color> sparks jitter along its grain as sigils flare to life one after the other. Sharp lines of energy pulse in the air around you, the swift shifting of their patterns a dizzying yet curiously regimented dance. So invoked, the arcane energies continue to visibly flow about you even after you lower your runestaff.

The patterns of shifting, <color> energy surrounding you flicker and fade away.
XXX raises <his/her> glowbark runestaff high! XXX sparks jitter along its grain as sigils flare to life one after the other. Sharp lines of energy pulse in the air around <him/her>, the swift shifting of their patterns a dizzying yet curiously regimented dance. So invoked, the arcane energies continue to visibly flow about XXX even after <he/she> lowers <his/her> runestaff.

The patterns of shifting, XXX energy surrounding <Person> flicker and fade away.
Casting while RAISE active The shifting energy surrounding you clarifies the pattern of your spell. N/A
RAISE (during cooldown) (Insufficient mana used thus far for offensive spells:)

The sigils on your fireleaf staff flicker briefly, lacking the energy required to augment your mana consumption.

(Mana has been used but the one hour cooldown has not yet expired:)

Wait 1092 sec.

Tier 5

At this tier, the staff unlocks the ability for the runestaff to multicast (repeat the last cast spell) as a standard flare.

>prep 713
You trace an intricate sign that contorts in the air while forcefully invoking Balefire...
Your spell is ready.
>cast at rat
You gesture at a small black rat.
You hurl a ball of greenish-black flame at a small black rat!
  AS: +417 vs DS: +204 with AvD: +12 + d100 roll: +14 = +239
   ... and hit for 56 points of damage!
   Superheated arc of plasma traces blackened path across the black rat's belly!
   The black rat is stunned!
The ball of greenish-black flame strikes a small black rat, blossoming into a much larger sphere of flame upon impact.
   ... 5 points of damage!
   Pinpoint strike sears the black rat's chest.

 ** Numerous sigils along your glowbark runestaff abruptly flare to brilliance!  <Color> energy surges from each, twining into an echo of your last spell... **

You hurl a ball of greenish-black flame at a small black rat!
  AS: +417 vs DS: +184 with AvD: +12 + d100 roll: +56 = +301
   ... and hit for 74 points of damage!
   Intense arc of energy flays the black rat's arm to the bone!
The black rat shrieks as it slumps to the ground and licks at its wounded right foreleg.
The ball of greenish-black flame strikes a small black rat, blossoming into a much larger sphere of flame upon impact.
   ... 5 points of damage!
   Insignificant burns to the black rat's neck.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

Analyze

You analyze your rune staff and sense that the creator has provided the following information:

This is a tier 5 Sigil Staff.

Tier
  1: a standard staff with some special messaging
  2: has dispel flares up to 1 spell and allows spells to be TRANSFERred from scrolls onto itself, number of spells the staff can hold are unlocked separately (up to 6 spells), currently holds 6 spells
  3: dispel flares include up to 2 spells and cause disruption damage if no spells are active, can be WAVEd at a target to dispel 1-3 spells (requires 500 mana to have been spent casting spells to fuel the ability and has a 5 minute cooldown), and adds special LOOK messaging
  4: dispel flares include up to 3 spells, can be RAISEd to lower the mana cost of all spells by 50% for 30 seconds or 10 casts (requires 5000 mana to have been spent casting spells to fuel the ability and has a 60 minute cooldown), and adds ambient messaging
  5: unlocks the ability for the staff to multi-cast (repeat the last cast spell) as a standard flare

Unlocked verbs: draw, hug, invoke, point, prod, read, spin, transfer, touch, wave

The staff can have the color or quality of its sigils and magic effects customized with a descriptive word or phrase.  Various messaging will include this custom setting.

  The current setting is: pale

  Messaging using this custom setting must make sense in the following context examples:
    a/an [adjective] sigil
    [adjective] energy/sparks/tendrils/haze

  Customization should remain simple, nothing so complex as to require a comma.
  Examples of functional customization choices: pale, dark, bright, shadowy, fiery, blue-green, coruscating violet, silver and gold
  Examples of nonfunctional customization choices: shapes, anything that is not an adjective, anything lengthy enough to require a comma for grammatical purposes
  Try to keep it to three words or less, and if three words, see prior rules. ('silver and gold' works, 'red, blue, and green' does not because of sentence structures, 'incandescent viridian and gold-speckled cerulean' is long enough to be cumbersome)
  When in doubt, use a distinct color.

The random runes that are displayed when the staff is spun can also be customized to any list of words.

  The current setting is: luck,sunburst,celestial,forest,glacier,will-o-wisp,fire,water,earth,air,lorae'tyr,shien'tyr,grik'tyr

You might be able to have a talented merchant lighten the rune staff for you.

Additional Information

Ambients

The following ambients are available starting on Tier 4.

Ambient Viewpoint Messaging
1 First Person Thin wisps of <color> haze seep from your witchwood scepter.
Third Person Thin wisps of <color> haze seep from <Person>'s witchwood scepter.
2 First Person The grain of your witchwood scepter ripples faintly with contained energy.
Third Person The grain of <Person>'s witchwood scepter ripples faintly with contained energy.
3 First Person Faint lines of visible energy score the air around you, radiating from your witchwood scepter.
Third Person Faint lines of visible energy score the air around <Person>, radiating from <his/her> witchwood scepter.
4 First Person Glints of <color> energy crest the surface of your witchwood scepter, tracing the outline of an arcane sigil before sinking away.
Third Person Glints of <color> energy crest the surface of <Person>'s witchwood scepter, tracing the outline of an arcane sigil before sinking away.
5 First Person Several sigils incised along your witchwood scepter flicker briefly with <color> energy.
Third Person Several sigils incised along <Person>'s witchwood scepter flicker briefly with <color> energy.
6 First Person A low crackling sound accompanies the momentary flare of a sigil on your witchwood scepter.
Third Person A low crackling sound accompanies the momentary flare of a sigil on <Person>'s witchwood scepter.
7 First Person The sigils wreathing your hands pulse with <color> energy.
Third Person The sigils wreathing <Person>'s hands pulse with <color> energy.
8 First Person Following a brief fluctuation, the <color> sigils encircling your hands settle into a new pattern of arcane geometry.
Third Person Following a brief fluctuation, the <color> sigils encircling <Person>'s hands settle into a new pattern of arcane geometry
9 First Person The ring of sigils orbiting your hands abruptly reverses the direction of its rotation.
Third Person The ring of sigils orbiting <Person>'s hands abruptly reverses the direction of its rotation.
10 First Person Your witchwood scepter thrums with controlled power, subtly vibrating beneath your hand.
11 First Person The arcane energies contained within your witchwood scepter ebb and flow with a slow, inexorable rhythm.
12 First Person A subdued hum, more sensed than heard, emanates from your witchwood scepter.

Set Bonus with Mana-Infused Armor and Dramatic Draperies

If at least one other item in the Sigil Set are used in combat, the user gains the ability to flare a Sigil of Binding effect via an SMRv2 attack that roots your opponents and prevents them from using combat maneuvers. Each unlocked tier of the Sigil Set worn by the user increases the odds of a flare by 1% (up to 15%, if Tier 5 of all 3 items are used). T0 contributes 0% towards this chance but can still count as one of the two items needed to activate the flare.

A rooted target is unable to move away from the room but can still perform combat actions. Rooted targets receive a penalty of -50 AS to melee attacks, -25 AS to ranged attacks, and -25 DS, but this does not stack with some other status conditions. In addition, rooted creatures cannot perform maneuvers.


See Also

Sigil Staff Information
Type Mechanical
Item Classification Weapon
Item(s) Applied to Runestaff
Alterable Yes
Light/Deep Yes
Customizable Yes
Custom Color/quality of sigils
Runes
Original Release Venue Bloodriven Village
Tiered Yes
Number of Tiers 5
How to Unlock Certificate
Corresponding Item Scripts Mana-Infused Armor
Dramatic Drapery
Restrictions Three words or less and no commas in sigil customization
Item Verbs
DRAW HUG INVOKE LOOK
POINT PROD READ SPIN
TRANSFER TOUCH WAVE