My level 15 mage has his staves skill up to 87%
He has no problem brandishing defensive staves.
But every time he tries to brandish an offensive spells staff,
he "fails to invoke" it. This is true inside or outside of melee,
against mobs. Given the 100% fail to invoke rate, he hasn't used
any in pk. An immortal on newbie channel suggested this was because of
a level issue, i.e. the staves are too high of a level -- that made
sense with the one I found in a hidden spot in a high level area. But
now, all the ones I'm using I've found on mobs and some of them I've
bought. I figure if my character can kill the mob solo at level 15 or
buy the stave, it can't be too high a level for the character.

I'm really frustrated by this, and it seems a game mechanical issue.
Does any one know what's going on?

The brandish command does not differentiate between offensive or defensive spells contained in the staff.

You can't buy wands, staves or scrolls from shops that you can't use, i.e., they aren't affected by the +5 level difference like weapons and armor.

If the level of the wand, staff or scroll is greater than your level, you won't be able to invoke it (note that the level of the spell contained in the object is independent of the wand level, and can be higher or lower). Just because you find it in a low level area or kill a mob for it doesn't mean the item will be your level or lower. Use identify, or if you get two, find a shop and sell one then type list to see what level it is. Shoppies mark up price, they don't change the level of objects they sell.

Your troubles are most likely either from trying to use staves that are higher than your level or bad luck with the RNG.

Kastellyn the Devourer of Magic, Lord of Legends

>If the level of the wand, staff or scroll is greater than your
>level, you won't be able to invoke it (note that the level of
>the spell contained in the object is independent of the wand
>level, and can be higher or lower).

Maybe we ought to add something a la 'little finger/razor teeth'
to the appearance of the item when examined if they have the
Detect Magic spell up.

That'd let magicians suss out whether they could even try to use
a magial artifact pre-Identify for level reasons.

Qaledus
qaledus@carrionfields.com

You're level 15, so you have identify: cast ID on the staff, and see its item level. I think you can buy items higher level than you these days... and finding them on mobs which you can easily kill of course happens all the time. The item level is all that matters.

If the stave's level is above your own, you will always fail invoking it.

nt!