Staff of Bones

Staff of Bones [Minor Artifact]

This staff is typically shaped from the spinal column and skull of an intelligent humanoid creature, sealed with lacquer and decorated with intricate runic carvings across the skull.

The staff is treated as a + 1 ghost touch quarterstaff in combat. When the wielder scores a critical hit, the staff releases a burst of chilling necromantic energy that deals an additional 2d6 points of damage against any living creature (undead, constructs, creatures unaffected by critical hits, and creatures immune to death effects are immune to this burst of negative energy).

The wielder of the staff is able to use the following spells: If the staff is drained of all charges, it becomes a simple + 1 quarterstaff until the wielder casts death knell upon the quarterstaff and uses it to kill a dying creature.
 * Chill Touch (1 charge).
 * Death Knell (1 charge). Instead of the wielder absorbing the life energy, the energy is used to recharge the staff (restoring ld8 charges to the staff).
 * Death Watch ( 1 charge).
 * Command Undead (2 charges).
 * Vampiric Touch (2 charges).
 * Animate Dead (3 charges).
 * Halt Undead (4 charges).
 * Create Undead (5 charges).

Aura: Strong necromancy.