Staff

Legendary The Gift of Decay

The Staff of Decay wields several horrifying abilities that embody the essence of pestilence and disease.  

Swarm Summon:

Allows the wielder to call forth the unholy swarms of Vihbus's domain. As an action, you may activate one of the following effects:  

• Insect Plague: You cast Insect Plague (DC 18) centered on a point within 120 feet. This casting does not require concentration and lasts for the spell’s full duration.

• Vermin Swarm: Summon 2d4 Swarms of Rats or Insects. These swarms are under your control and remain for 10 minutes or until destroyed. You can command them using a bonus action.

This ability can be used twice per long rest.  

Aura of Pestilence

A 10-foot radius aura of disease and decay surrounds you. Creatures of your choice that start their turn within this radius must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or suffer the following effects:  

• Take 3d6 poison damage.

• Their movement speed is halved until the start of their next turn.

This aura can be activated or deactivated as a bonus action.  

Plague Strike:

Channel concentrated plague energy into a melee attack. When you hit a creature with a melee attack using the staff, you may force the target to make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned for 1 minute and takes an additional 2d10 necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This ability can be used three times per long rest.  

Patient Zero:

Once per day, you can use the staff to cast Contagion without expending a spell slot. The spell functions as normal, but it is always empowered by the touch of Vihbus, making it more virulent and deadly.  

Enhanced Properties (Post-Attunement)

When the Staff of Decay is fully attuned, it evolves into an even more insidious and devastating weapon.  

Swarm Hoard:

The Call of the Swarm property increases the potency of Swarm Summon. The number of Swarms of Vermin summoned increases from 2d4 to 3d6, and you may now summon swarms of Plague Beetles, which have an additional 1d8 poison damage on their attacks. When you use Insect Plague, it summons a horde of plague-infested locusts that deals an additional 4d6 poison damage on the first turn of its casting.  

Improved Infection:

The Aura of Pestilence grows to a 20-foot radius, and the aura's effects become more severe. Creatures that fail the Constitution saving throw are also blinded until the end of their next turn as their eyes swell with toxic pus.  

Plaguebringer's Strike:

A more advanced version of the Plague Strike. When you use this enhanced ability, you may choose to afflict the target with one of the following conditions for 1 minute (your choice):  

• Blindness

• Paralysis

• Confusion (as per the Confusion spell)

• The saving throw for Plague Strike becomes DC 20.

 

Harvest the Dead:

Any creature that dies within 30 feet of you while affected by the effects of the Staff of Decay is automatically reanimated as a Plague Zombie under your control for 24 hours. You may control up to 5 plague zombies at a time.  

Special Ability - Wave of Decay

Once per long rest, you may channel the full power of Vihbus through the staff. As an action, you unleash a wave of rot, plague, and filth in a 60-foot cone.  

• Creatures in the area must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw.

• On a failed save, they take 8d10 necrotic damage and are poisoned for 1 minute.

• Creatures reduced to 0 hit points by this effect are reanimated as Plague Zombies under your control for 24 hours.

On a successful save, creatures take half damage and are not poisoned.  

Curses

The Blightbearer’s Affliction

Each dawn, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save:  

• You develop visible signs of decay (boils, lesions, or rotting flesh) and suffer a -1 penalty to Charisma-based skill checks.

• If you fail three saving throws, you become a Plaguebearer.

• As a Plaguebearer, you permanently take on the appearance of a diseased monstrosity.

• Your creature type changes to Undead in addition to your normal type.

• You gain resistance to poison and necrotic damage, but you gain vulnerability to radiant damage.

 

Hunger for Decay:

A curse that forces you to spread disease. If you do not infect at least one creature within 24 hours, you take 4d10 necrotic damage at the next dawn. This damage cannot be reduced or avoided.  

The Mark of the Plaguefather:

If you attempt to betray Vihbus, you lose access to the staff's abilities and properties. Your maximum hit points are reduced by 20, and you must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be afflicted with a permanent disease that can only be cured by Wish or Divine Intervention.

The Staff of Decay is a terrifying relic imbued with the malevolent essence of Vihbus, god of pestilence and disease. Its shaft is made of gnarled, rotting wood that seems to pulsate like a diseased vein, exuding an ever-present mist of noxious green vapor. Veins of sickly energy pulse along its length, glowing faintly in darkness. Its crown is a grotesque skull, half-skeletal and half-rotted flesh, its hollow eye sockets leaking a putrid, green glow. The staff radiates death and decay, and creatures instinctively feel an oppressive, nauseating presence when near it. The air thickens with the stench of plague and rot as it channels the power of corruption.