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In a DND 5E game, my character has the staff of healing. Does this count as a staff/quarter staff for melee purposes? If so, does it get +1 to attack and damage rolls for for being magical?

The spell Magic Weapon reads

You touch a nonmagical weapon. Until the spell ends, that weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to Attack rolls and Damage Rolls."

This would imply that all weapons that are magical in some way would have a natural +1 to attack and damage rolls (unless stated otherwise or of a higher value)

So does the staff of healing get +1 to attack and damage rolls?

SurrealAnalysis
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Skeither7
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  • I believe the question linked directly addresses your question. If that's not the case please edit your question to make the difference clearer and flag it for reopening. Thanks! – nitsua60 Sep 25 '17 at 03:53
  • I cannot think of any clearer way to say it. But from the link there would imply if the items description does not say so, then no. do you agree? – Skeither7 Sep 25 '17 at 03:58
  • Yes--some weapons (staves, particularly), are magic weapons (mostly important for purposes of bypassing resistance/immunity) but have no pluses to hit or damage rolls. I'm second-guessing the duplicate-ness, though, and leaving this open. Others can decide if this is a duplicate of https://rpg.stackexchange.com/q/67330/23970. (accidentally deleted) – mxyzplk Sep 25 '17 at 12:11
  • I have noticed this in SEVERAL questions recently about magic items/weapons as equipment being compared to the spell Magic Weapon....which has absolutely NO bearing. It is becoming a pattern now. Why are people thinking those are connected in any way? – Airatome Sep 25 '17 at 15:26

2 Answers2

16

No.

Unlike prior editions, there is no requirement for a weapon to have an enhancement bonus before having other magical effects. A Sword of Wounding is a magical weapon with no extra bonus to hit.

Some wondrous items can function as magic weapons, but that only helps them bypass resistances.

Compare the Staff of Charming:

The staff can also be used as a magic quarterstaff.

...to the Staff of the Magi:

This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it.

Each item specifies if it can be used as a magic weapon in addition to its other functions. Some items, like the Staff of Healing, don't get the benefit of dealing magical damage simply because they don't say they can. It's still a quarterstaff (DMG, p. 140), but it doesn't count as magic for whacking people (probably has something to do with the fact that it's magic is about healing, not harming).

In short...

The item does exactly what the DMG says - no more, no less.

Community
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T.J.L.
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4

In general, magic items do what they say they do and no more.

On DMG p.140 it says:

Unless a staff's description says otherwise, a staff can be used as a quarterstaff.

and:

Whether crafted for some fell purpose or forged to serve the highest ideals of chivalry, magic weapons are coveted by many adventurers.

Some magic weapons specify the type of weapon they are in their descriptions, such as a longsword or longbow. If a magic weapon doesn't specify its weapon type, you may choose the type or determine it randomly.

A Staff of Healing is a weapon (specifically a quarterstaff): it is also a magic weapon which allows it to bypass resistance/immunity. However, it does not get any bonus to hit or to damage.

Dale M
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