The Staff of the dead is a one-handed staff that requires 75 Magic and 75 Attack to wield. It is dropped by K'ril Tsutsaroth, and counts as a Zamorakian item while in the God Wars Dungeon and in the Bandit camp. It is one of few magic items that boosts the player's magic damage, boosting it by 15%.
When a combat spell is cast with the staff, there is a 12.5% (1/8) chance that the staff will negate the rune cost for that spell. The staff can also be used as a more accurate alternative to the slayer's staff for casting Slayer Dart. Additionally, the staff can autocast Flames of Zamorak and Crumble Undead.
The staff is also notable for its offensive melee stats, which are unusually high for a Magic weapon. Its stats are comparable to the dragon longsword; the longsword has 3+ better stab bonuses, but the staff has +1 better slash and strength bonus in addition to the magic damage boost, accuracy, and a faster attack speed.
The staff of the dead offers an attack speed of 6 when using melee, which is the same as weapons such as the abyssal whip. However, when using magic spells, it offers an attack speed of 5, which is the same as all spells, except for the trident of the seas or swamp.
The staff has a special attack that halves all Melee damage of your opponent(s) (all opponents that hit you in the time of the special attack are lowered) for one minute at a cost of 100% special attack energy. This effect stacks with the PvP damage reduction effect of the Protect from Meleeprayer, but is lost if the staff is unequipped.
Upgrading
Players with level 59 Crafting can attach a magic fang to the staff using a chisel, creating a toxic staff of the dead. This enhances its magic attack bonus by +8, and has the ability to infect a target with venom. However, to take advantage of those benefits requires using Zulrah's scales to charge the staff.Targets can only be infected with venom while using a magic attack, however using melee attacks will also consume Zulrah's scales.
Requires 240 Telekinetic, 240 Alchemist, 2400 Enchantment and 240 Graveyard points, and a teacher wand equipped or in the player's inventory, to purchase from the Mage Training Arena. Thus it does not cost much besides the time and runes spent in the Mage Training Arena.
Has a special attack that halves all melee damage the player takes for one minute, which stacks with the PvP damage reduction effect of the Protect from Melee prayer. This consumes 100% of the player's special attack.
When a combat spell is cast with the staff, there is a 1/8 (12.5%) chance that the staff will negate the rune cost for that spell.
Currently the strongest staff when used as a melee weapon, surpassing the Ancient staff and Iban's staff, and provides +17 magic defence.
Has its own built-in spell, requiring charges which cost 115 runes and 10 coins per cast. Can hold up to 2,500 charges.
Built-in spell damage scales with the player's Magic level and can hit up to 28 at 99 .
Has a weapon speed of 6 (same as scimitars/whip), while all other forms of combat magic only have 5 (same as longswords).
Because the spell is built-in, the player does not need to carry its runes in their inventory and can use Lunar spells or Ancient Magicks while wielding this staff.