Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Ionon

Ionon, the Blazing Staff
Created by a wizard from pure elemental fire, Ionon is a conduit between the wielder and the Elemental Plane of Fire. The staff is made of polished obsidian and is wreathed at all times in wispy blue-white flame. This flame deals no damage to the wielder.

'Requirements: Any character can wield Ionon as a +1 flaming/ +1 flaming quarterstaff and also gain the benefit of the resistance to fire special ability described below. A spell scion who wields Ionon gains additional special abilities if the character fulfills the following criteria.

Alignment: Any nonlawful.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks.

Feats: Empower Spell.

Spells: Ability to cast 4th-level arcane spells, including at least three spells with the fire descriptor.

Special: Must have been reduced to -1 or less hit points on at least one occasion from a hit that dealt fire damage.

Restrictions: If Ionon is grasped by a creature with vulnerability to cold, the weapon’s flame goes out temporarily. This renders all the staff’s special abilities (except for its enhancement bonus) inactive. The creature grasping the staff takes 1 point of fire damage in every round when the weapon remains grasped.

Maintenance: Ionon must be kept in a warm environment to remain at full power. If the staff spends at least 1 hour in an area where the temperature is below 50°F, its flame goes out temporarily. This renders all the staff’s special abilities (except for its enhancement bonus) inactive. This loss of special abilities can be postponed by dealing at least 5 points of fire damage to Ionon every hour. (Damage dealt to the staff “counts” for this purpose even if the staff actually takes no damage, such as because of its hardness.)

Attributes: Ionon has the following attributes.

Hardness/Hit Points: 14/45.

Caster Level: 15th.

Value: To any character other than a spell scion who meets the above requirements, Ionon appears to be worth as much as a Medium +1 flaming/+1 flaming quarterstaff that grants the resistance to fire ability (market price 24,600 gp).

Special Abilities: Ionon provides the following special abilities to its wielder, depending on the character’s class level in the spell scion prestige class (see the table below).

Initial Abilities: When first acquired, Ionon functions as a +1 flaming/ +1 flaming quarterstaff. Anyone who wields it, whether a spell scion or not, also benefits from the resistance to fire ability (see below).

Resistance to Fire (Ex): The wielder of the staff gains resistance to fire 5, even if she has no levels in the spell scion class.

A spell scion who wields the staff gains resistance to fire 10. At 4th level, the resistance improves to 20, and at 7th level to 30. This resistance does not stack with any other resistance to fire the wielder may have.

Empowered Spells (Su): Three times per day, a spell scion wielding Ionon can empower (as the Empower Spell feat) any arcane spell she casts that has the fire descriptor. She may apply this effect to any spell whose level is equal to or less than her spell scion level, and may even apply it to spell-like abilities cast by the staff itself. Activating this power is a free action and has no effect on the spell’s level or its casting time.

Recall Spell (Su): As a free action, a spell scion of 2nd level or higher can recall any arcane spell she has just cast, as long as that spell has the fire descriptor, up to a maximum spell level equal to her spell scion level. She either restores that spell to her list of prepared spells (if she prepares spells) or regains that spell slot (if she does not prepare spells). She may only recall a spell cast in the same round that she uses this ability.

This ability can be used once per day at 2nd level, twice per day at 5th level, and three times per day at 8th level.

Fire Shield (Sp): Once per day, when wielded by a spell scion of 3rd level or higher, Ionon can wreathe the wielder in a warm ''fire shield of blue flames.

Enhancement Bonus (Ex): When Ionon is wielded by a spell scion of 5th level or higher, the staff’s enhancement bonus improves from +1/+1 to +2/+2. The bonus increases to +3/+3 when the wielder attains 9th level as a spell scion.

Plane Shift (Sp): Once per day, 'Ionon can transport a spell scion of 6th level or higher to the Elemental Plane of Fire, just as if it had cast plane shift. Additional willing characters can accompany the scion, as described in the plane shift spell. The effect is more accurate than normal for plane shift, delivering the scion 5 to 500 yards (not miles) from her intended destination. The spell scion must have her own method of return, since Ionon provides no return trip.

Immunity to Fire (Ex): At 10th level, a spell scion wielding Ionon gains immunity to fire.