@JeremyECrawford Can you use a staff (that can be used as a quarterstaff) for spells and abilities that require a weapon, such as Green Flame Blade, Shillelagh, and the Warlocks Pact Weapon?
— Simon Cwilich (@kingslime80) March 15, 2018
A quarterstaff is a weapon, as is a staff that can be used as a quarterstaff. See the Weapons table for a list of weapons, including the quarterstaff (PH, 149). #DnD https://t.co/ofcUaKLtN5
— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) March 16, 2018
“A quarterstaff is a weapon, as is a staff that can be used as a quarterstaff. See the Weapons table for a list of weapons, including the quarterstaff.”
See, this is the sort of inconsistency I hate.
We’ve been told that for an item to qualify as a weapon, it must be listed on the weapon table. But there is no entry for “staff” in that table. Only for a quarterstaff.
Here you state that a staff that “can be used as” a quarterstaff counts as a quarterstaff, and therefor is a weapon. But if that is true, then logically any item that “can be used as” a weapon listed on the table must also count as a weapon.
So then why does, say… a shield… not count as a weapon? It “can be used as” a club, and clubs are listed on the weapon table.
How about a steel chain? Such an item “can be used as” a whip, which is listed on the weapon table. Does that make a steel chain qualify as a “weapon”?
How about a large blanket or a tarp? Such an item “can be used as” a net.
How about a rock? Such an item “can be used as” a club or light hammer.
How about ammunition? Does a sling bullet qualify as a weapon when launched from a sling, but doesn’t qualify when thrown by hand? Is the ammunition irrelevant, and what matters is if the thing propelling it is classed as a “weapon”?
If that’s the case, what happens with the Magic Stone cantrip? Does it count as a “weapon” if you use a sling to hurl the enchanted pebble, but NOT if you throw the pebble instead?
We need consistency, damnit!
It is consistent. It’s simple: if it says it can be used as a weapon (i.e. a staff as a quarterstaff) then there you go. Otherwise, everything else is subject to ‘improvised weapon’ status.
the staff entry says that a staff is a quarterstaff unless its description says otherwise, no inconsistency