Staff of the Open Hand
(staff, sentient, requires attunement by monk)

Last Updated: April 7, 2023
Campaign: Monsters with Class (Goblins)

This quarterstaff appears to be a regular staff made from oak .

The "Staff of the Open Hand" is fully sentient (INT 10, WIS 20, CHA 20) as it is possessed by an ancient lawful neutral Master Monk of the Way of the Open Hand.
The "Staff of the Open Hand" can communicate telepathically with any creature that carries or wields it. Language is not a barrier.
The "Staff of the Open Hand" has hearing and normal vision out to 120 feet. It has a Perception score of +5 and a passive perception of 15.

When wielded by anyone who is not a monk or who has not attuned to it, the staff acts as a regular non-magical quarterstaff since the ancient master only unlocks its abilities to those he deems ready and experienced enough to wield them properly. In the event of a conflict with a wielder, the ancient Master can reduce or suppress any of its abilities, until the wielder is deemed worthy again.

The ancient master is also able to share his Ki with the wielder of the "Staff of the Open Hand". These Bonus Ki Points can be accessed to power the monk's own Ki abilities.
The monk can also use their own Ki or the bonus Ki points provided by the staff to heal themselves. Each Ki point used will heal 1 hit point (HP), subject to a daily limit as indicated below.
Bonus Ki Points are regained after a short or long rest, just like regular Ki points.

The "Staff of the Open Hand", is a magic weapon that when wielded in combat, grants a bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it as indicated below.

When you hit with a melee attack using the "Staff of the Open Hand", you can expend 1 of its charges. For each charge you expend, the target takes an extra 1d6 force damage.
The number of charges available, the maximum number of charges that can be used during a single melee attack and the amount of expended charges that are regained daily at dawn is indicated below.

Thus, the "Staff of the Open Hand" will have different power levels, which depend upon the level of the monk attuned to it, as per the table below.

Monk Level Bonus Ki Points Max HP healed
per day		 Magic Bonus
(to hit/damage)		 No of Charges Max Charges
per Melee Attack		 Expended Charges
Regained at Dawn
1-3 Monk Level/2 round down 5 HP +1 0 0 0
4-7 Monk Level/2 round down 10 HP +2 3 1 1d4-1
8-11 Monk Level/2 round down 15 HP +2 6 2 1d6-1
12-15 Monk Level/2 round down 20 HP +3 9 3 1d10-1
16-20 Monk Level/2 round down 25 HP +3 9 3 1d10-1

If the ancient Master feels it is justified, he could attempt to take control of the wielder.
In this case, the wielder must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 17).
On a failed save, the wielder is charmed by the item for 1d12 hours.
While charmed, the wielder must try to follow the item's commands.
If the wielder takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
Whether the attempt to control its user succeeds or fails, the item can't use this power again until the next dawn.

History:

  • Long ago, a Master Monk of the Way of the Open Hand, was extremely dedicated to his Order and his students.
  • He felt he had still much to teach his students, but the years had caught up to him, and soon he and his knowlege would be gone.
  • As he lay dying, he used his Ki to transfer his soul into his "Staff of Striking".
  • Thus, when his staff was grasped by a novice or experienced monk, he could connect to them using his Ki, and instructs them on the techniques and traditions used by the Way of the Open Hand.
  • Over time, the staff and its Ki teacher became known as the "Staff of the Open Hand".
  • His most recent student, a novice monk, was slain in a goblin ambush.
  • One goblin, "Stinky the Cook", claimed the "Staff of the Open Hand", to use as a stirring stick in his cooking cauldrens as he prepared meals for the tribe.
  • Was this to be his fate, the ancient Master lamented, to stir sludge and gruel?
  • Then struck by inspiration, he used his Ki to connect with "Stinky the Cook".
  • "You are weak", the ancient master telepathicaly told the pitiful goblin holding the "Staff of the Open Hand", "but I will show you the Way and make you strong"
  • "Stinky the Cook" agreed, and has become the newest monk to be taught by the "Staff of the Open Hand".

    Design Notes:

    The value of the item is either priceless or zero since the "Staff of the Open Hand" is unique and chooses its user.

    This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 ("SRD 5.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.
    The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

    The "Staff of the Open Hand" is based on a Staff of Striking that is sentient as per p251 of the SRD 5.1.

    Return to New 5e D&D Magic Items page