Phoenix (staves and wands)

[Albert Sales]

In A, it states "The amount that is added to the user's Casting Ability equals Staff MEL x 8." This implies, to me, that the cast ability is increased. It also states, on both sides of that comment, that the amount of mana may excede the normal energy level limit. I have always percieved staves (and wands) as having some storage capacity. I gave the staff a mana regen of MEL/5 (RD) on days that it is used, and added the MEL on days it is not (just like a magic-user).
   Requiring the cast ability to regenerate before use if an awesome idea. However, I now must wonder if they were intended to have a cast ability increase.?.

Alex Koponen <akoponen at MOSQUITONET.COM> wrote:
J Hooten writes:

Staffs and Wands mana, how does it work?
The description says a few things that dont quite work well together.
1) allows mage to use more mana per day than Enl by some amount. --This is
fine and self limiting. More than justifies the item.
2) adds some amount to mana. --This is a problem as it opens up areas of
confusion.
What occurs if the item is lost, not carried etc?
What if another mage gets the item?
I think the simplest fix was the item raises the mages max mana limit
while in his possession.
Thus that extra mana needs to be recovered normally to use it.
Loss of item can then trim mana to normal limit or just no longer allow it
to be recover to that level.
Passing it around doesnt give free mana etc, and likely wont be of much
use unless they hold onto it for days, other than the targeting
improvements etc.

Alex's answer is:
Huh? I've been playing mages, using staves, most of the time that I have
been playing P&P. #1 we agree on, no problem. #2 you have me confused.
Actually I think you are confused. Power B of staves and wands COSTS an
extra mana or two in order to cast a spell through the item which slightly
improves the odds of the spell working. Power C is for the case where the
staff or wand has been ensorcelled (as in B2, p34) with the number of
times/day limit replaced by a cost to cast (granted it could have been
written more clearly). Nowhere does it add extra mana so far as I see and
interpret the rules.

Maybe you are thinking of mana batteries? btw What are the limits to the
number of mana batteries?
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