18 thoughts on “Should a Staff be allowed the Precise tag?”

  1. Could be a very thin rigid staff allowing for precise strikes. Would seem an uncommon thing though. Character would have to explain in his back story (i.e. the monastery of satay trained me).

  2. Yep, it’s important to keep in mind that a staff will usually just be a walking-stick or some other weighted weapon. Quarterstaffs were, as I recall, tipped with iron! Certainly not a precise weapon.

    So a Precise staff would be one specifically designed for fast, dextrous strokes. It would have to be light, but durable enough to not snap on contact with an enemy.

  5. the initial answer is “yes” but I’d say that you can add the precise tag to anything, if the fiction points in that direction. Essentially, if the story justifies a thing, do the thing, but I’m less comfortable with picking a thing and then trying to make the story fit it.

  7. As to “how would one add that tag in a story”, I would suggest that maybe they make modifications to the staff to make it more suited for combat–or find someone who knows how to modify it! That would make a great hook, and it totally falls under “tell them the consequences/requirements and ask”. More “mundane” things like that can be great ways to explore your world.

  8. Depending on how extensive the modifications to the staff can be, you could steal the concept from the protagonist’s sword in the Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. It had a hollow core with mercury in it, meaning the blade was light and agile when held upright but the weight ran to the end and gave increased momentum when swung.

    So you could either create this staff or allow it to be retro-fitted to an existing staff with a bit of drilling and magical hardening:

    This staff has a hollow core containing an amount of dense liquid metal that responds to the wielder’s mental commands. This allows them to vary where the weight is distributed at will – the staff gains the precise tag.

  13. Robert Doe In fact, that version of the staff could probably allow either the precise or the forceful tag, as the wielder desires, but not both at the same time.

    James Etheridge Sorry, I don’t think it actually has a name – I believe it’s just called an executioner’s sword 🙂

  16. When you say a Staff with the Precise tag, I am imagining those Bo Staves  with tapered ends like a toothpick.

    Sorta like this:

    http://www.wmaonline.com/bo-staff-2-piece-graphite-tapered

    That is what I imagine.  While DW is general enough, the fiction should point to the fact that this type of staff is perfect for thrusts and trips but not full blocking of a sword.  Anytime the response is “I block with my staff” it should be more of a Parry, any “Block” is likely to get the staff broken.  Unless magic is involved.

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