When to Use Staff Weapons

[hoot hoot]

Is there ever a reason to use a staff over a physical melee weapon or wands? I had initially thought it'd be good for a melee mage, but warfare skills need you destroying physical armor for knockdown effects to work. You also can't use a shield, which you can do with wands.

So it's a melee weapon for mages who shouldn't be in melee range anyway?

I just don't get what the point is of staves.

[Hyperion]

yes...it's kinda flawed...I have tried a battlemage in the past, it didn't really work. Warfare is purely focused on physical anyway (even the passive says so). It could work in a mixed group with other physical players, it's still an addition having extra cc abilities...

You shouldn't be focusing on your warfare skills but rather the element school of your staff..if you want more damage. If it's a fire staff then go for the passive of the school that increases overall fire damage for example.

[Gregorovitch]

I played tactician with gwo mages amd two phys melee. My mages had no time or reason to mess about with staff or wand after early Fort Joy. They used shields, which made them awesome tanky, and they had wands for the buffs, nothing more. Other than that they cast spells, spells and more spells.

I can see no advantage in a mage using a staff over a wand ('cos can't use shield) nor can I see any arguement for putting points in warfare at the expense of the magic schools. It seems to me the battlemage archetype doesn't work too well in this game TBH.

[Chaoslink]

Most people use them for the passives. I'm pretty sure you can get much higher crit chance on a staff than wands, which is very strong when mixed with savige sortilege. Further combine that with the two handed skill which increases the critical multiplier, your spell crits hit like a truck. The melee damage of the staff is somewhat meh, but on occasion, a strong cleave staff can be somewhat useful.

You can make it work rather well though. I did a build with a staff that was pretty strong actually. I went Aero as it has quite a few touch range spells, including cross class spells. You take warfare just enough for the abilities, same for necro since necro will buff from warfare and also has touch spells.

While your damage is split between physical and magic, you’ll be very flexible. This makes you work well with archers. Archers can get physical damage all over with range, but can also mix water and shock arrows into the mix to help the mage keep elemental affinity up while supporting their magic damage both with the arrows themselves and because water arrows make enemies wet, boosting air damage 20% and setting up stun combos.

Put simply, it’s a build that fits a flexible role and works well when combined with allies. An elf might help this character with team support by using flesh sacrifice to get elemental affinity with necro to get out cheaper yet powerful necro abilities.

[vitamin boost]

I would say I see staves as more the "role play" choice, personally. For power gamers, a wand and shield-equipped mage works SO well that using a staff on purpose seems like intentionally giving yourself a handicap.

On the other hand, the roleplayer/gamer in me is shocked at the idea of mages lugging shields around. *Gasp!* Heresy!!! (At the Character Creation, when I was about to play this game for the first time, I was actually horrified when I saw the Conjurer sporting a shield and heavy armor.) Eeeek!

[Manithro]

It is possible to do a pretty solid Battlemage build using Master Of Sparks. Using Master Of Sparks with Warfare AoEs like Battle Stomp, Whirlwind, and Crippling Blow can lead to some good DPS. Of course, the main problem is it's magic damage.

[Syrris]

The battlemage style with a staff is focused on damage from the melee skills more so than the status effects; this is combined with one element type (typically fire with a lizard) and the big-boom powers that are offered there (including the self-damaging ones - resistance to your own element is a must) for non-stop AoE in close quarters.

It works, but you have to build accordingly.

[Qiox]

Originally posted by ishkalafufu:

On the other hand, the roleplayer/gamer in me is shocked at the idea of mages lugging shields around. *Gasp!* Heresy!!!

I felt a little dirty every time I used Battering Ram to knock down some enemies who were out of phys armor. That skill works just fine on a wand + shield mage.

[vitamin boost]

Originally posted by Qiox:

Originally posted by ishkalafufu:

On the other hand, the roleplayer/gamer in me is shocked at the idea of mages lugging shields around. *Gasp!* Heresy!!!

I felt a little dirty every time I used Battering Ram to knock down some enemies who were out of phys armor. That skill works just fine on a wand + shield mage.

I know right.. I stuck to making my Summoner/Necromancer-main use a staff "on D&D role-playing principle", but he keeps on dying because the blasted enemies rush him first ("Oh lookie, a mage with low physical and magic armor! Let's gank him!") All the while, Lohse, my wand and shield, Hydrosophist healer is just standing at the back, full physical and magic armor, virtually untouched. The enemies probably saw how crazy high her phys and magic armor was and didn't even bother.

I switched to a wand a shield for my main after a few hours. I promise to pray to the rolepaying gods later to atone for my heresy...

[hoot hoot]

There is a mod on the workshop that makes staff weapons ranged like wands, if you'd like to use that. I'm still trying to get achieves, so I can't use it. ;_;

[vitamin boost]

Originally posted by Henry be Praised:

There is a mod on the workshop that makes staff weapons ranged like wands, if you'd like to use that. I'm still trying to get achieves, so I can't use it. ;_;

Nice. TBH though, I would really like a staff with an invisible force knockback (and maybe Blinding Radiance?) a la Lord of the Rings movies. LOL Seeing stuff come out of the staff tips like ammo seems kinda cheesy. :D

[Pyromus]

I'm debating starting a red prince staff battle mage solo after my current game is done. Looking for a challenge but too nervous to try a non lone wolf solo run. Other solo runs I've done were a lot simpler than a staff build. So it's also useful for just changing things up on yourself.

[Tarruvi]

My first experience with staves was soured by the fact their default attack was melee. I expected my staff-wielding mage to cast this ball of angry energy at their opponent... Then I was left in shock as my mage *ran* straight into the enemy lines to get off one poke before it was the enemy's turn to beat them into a pulp. Didn't resurrect them, I left their charred remains there the entire fight while the ranged and melee characters did their jobs. I mean, you look at the damage indicator and see "Shock/Fire/Poison Damage", and you expect it to be magic based like the wands. But, it's actually reserved for the skill you get to use one time and have to wait. I'm still not over that incident all these years later.

[jonnin]

I haven't tried it but seems like you could use them on a 2h warrior in some fights?

[Chaoslink]

Originally posted by jonnin:

I haven't tried it but seems like you could use them on a 2h warrior in some fights?

Not effectively due to it being an INT weapon rather than STR.

[Astronimo]

It actually usable if you build around it. Just get warfare to 3 points, so you will have jump, sparks, whirlwind, etc. You don't need anything else. After that, just build like a battlemage, but with a focus on melee range. So, electro/vacuum touch, firenova, flame whip, etc.
Whirlwind+sparks in a pack of enemies with a flame staff - very juicy. Plus, you always have that range attack.