What's the obsession with staffs?

[Daelon DuLac]

While I fully understand that it's nice to have a piece of equipment that will:

a) allow you to use spells you normally wouldn't have access to (chain lightning, fireballs, etc...) or don't have enough magicka to cast
b) act as a backup when you're low on magicka
c) make you look like a classic wizard a'la Gandalf

I just can't get in to them and find them rather boring (of course there are exceptions: Miraak's, etc...). At this point, the Arch Mage has probably 100 staves just languishing in a chest at the college (I'm trying to collect 10 of each type).

Just what is the draw of staves? Would they be more appealing if you were playing a pure mage? Frankly as a battle mage/spell sword, I just don't need the extra 8# in my inventory. I carried around a Staff of Chain Lightning and a Staff of Blizzards for about 10 levels and I never used them once so I put them away.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Cherry]

I've sometimes carried staves when playing a mage, with the intent of using them if I run out of magicka. But, when the time came, I just didn't use them anyway.

I guess the biggest reason I don't use them is the fact that they don't increase your skill level. That just bothers me. If I kill a bear with a Staff of Fireballs, all I can think of is, "damn, I just wasted xp". I guess I'm just a little neurotic that way

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I've sometimes carried staves when playing a mage, with the intent of using them if I run out of magicka. But, when the time came, I just didn't use them anyway.

I guess the biggest reason I don't use them is the fact that they don't increase your skill level. That just bothers me. If I kill a bear with a Staff of Fireballs, all I can think of is, "damn, I just wasted xp". I guess I'm just a little neurotic that way

You look a lot like David Tennant... oh, wait...

 

[Chadonraz]

The only reason I ever pick up staves is because they usually have a pretty good value/weight ratio.

If I'm playing a magic-user, I'll use spells. If I'm playing a non-magic user, I won't use any magic whatsoever. I do sometimes give a staff to a follower (but I nearly always adventure on my own, so...).

 

[seeker23]

Agree with Chadonraz. The only reason I carry a staff on a mage is to sell it.

Well I would take a staff thinking that I will use it in the next fight. Then I forget all about it during the fight.

Well I think staves are good when the character is in the lower levels, but when you have enough magica and enough destruction magic cost reduction, to sustain a good fight, the staves become useless. I sometimes use Wabbajack because well..... because it is the Wabbajack. I used to use Sanguine Rose as well, but gave it up when I got Summon Dremora Lord.
Sanguine Rose and Wabbajack were the only staves I used at a higher level, and they weren't destruction staves. Using a destruction staff became pointless.

 

[LotusEater]

They are great if you aren't pushing cost-reduction to the max. On my pure mage I keep a Staff of Chain Lightning handy. In a big battle even the biggest mana pool can be drained as you often have to reach outside your cost-reduced spells to turn the battle. It's nice to be able to spam Chain Lightning while your magicka is recharging.

 

[Pete]

I do like the staff of firewall and staff of paralysis. Great complements to a spell blade type of character - since mine tend to be 1H plus spell with no blocking skills. If your companion is Eola, she happily uses staffs.

 

[HappyFaceClown]

some of them are life savers early on, like the staff of paralysis you find in snapleg cave, when starting a fresh mage character it can take a LOOONG time to unlock the impact perk, so i always grab that staff asap when starting a new mage character cause untill u get the impact perk its the only option you have to back enemies off of you.. ofcourse once i get impact i sell it immediately.

 

[ColleenG]

I do not like staves but I am addicted to them. When things are tough--my blades are dull, my arrows fall short, my magica spent, that damn staff of chain lightning works wonders.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I do not like staves but I am addicted to them. When things are tough--my blades are dull, my arrows fall short, my magica spent, that damn staff of chain lightning works wonders.

I don't think I've figured out chain lightning. It's great against people but pointless against a bear.

 

[ColleenG]

I do not like staves but I am addicted to them. When things are tough--my blades are dull, my arrows fall short, my magica spent, that damn staff of chain lightning works wonders.

I don't think I've figured out chain lightning. It's great against people but pointless against a bear.

Oh no, It does really bad things to bears. Stops them in their tracks. It actually stops everything in their tracks, from bears to Draugr Death Overlords.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I do not like staves but I am addicted to them. When things are tough--my blades are dull, my arrows fall short, my magica spent, that damn staff of chain lightning works wonders.

I don't think I've figured out chain lightning. It's great against people but pointless against a bear.

Oh no, It does really bad things to bears. Stops them in their tracks. It actually stops everything in their tracks, from bears to Draugr Death Overlords.

I must not be using it right then. I'll keep practicing.

 

[Morgan]

I don't care for them myself, but a follower with a scimitar in one hand and a Staff of Flames in the other will get you some pretty epic screenshots.

 

[Black Ice]

The only staff you will ever need is the WABBAJACK !!!

 

[HappyFaceClown]

The only staff you will ever need is the WABBAJACK !!!

wasn't that useful when i tried it, except for terrorizing town folk..

 

[Mr Forz]

Well I have a different question.

What's the obsession with the Nightingale stuff, the Dark Brotherhood and assassins in general?


For the question itself, I haven't seen much obsession with staves as everything it does, you can do the same with your bare hands. It just tends to be very useful (when fixed xp wise) when looking to be a high level magic user (most of the time hybrid warriors) with no investment in magicka. Oh and some look really good.

 

[Black Orchid]

My main reason for not using staves is that they don't help raise any skills, well, except for when you have to recharge your staff with a soul gem it helps raise Enchanting.

I've been playing on Master difficulty lately, so my Undead Hunter carries around a Staff of the Flame Atronach since I don't use followers of any sort. I also don't use Conjuration magic since this is primarily a melee build, with a bit of Restoration for healing and recharging my stamina.

The Flame Atronach isn't all that powerful, but it's ranged fire attacks work well for softening up all the vampires I run into (I'm doing the Dawnguard quests, currently), and also distracts enemies while I pulverize them with crossbow bolts or dual-wield swords.

I didn't want to use Conjuration magic since it's not in the theme of my build, so in this case the staff really comes in handy. It also doesn't detract from gaining skill points that much either, as I normally still have to kill the enemies myself.

 

[PuuLoo]

Staves are fun and can really save your life at early levels. I have marked a few places and when i start a new character i always go to these places and get the staves as soon as possible.

I really like the staves of the Dragon Priests as well. There is a reason they use these 'more special' staves. They're more powerful and lethal than the normal ones.

And i also wonder why can't we enchant staves just like in Oblivion...??
....Oh, right.... We will become godlike.

That being said, i think that the only reason to even think about staves later on in the game is their value and rareness.

 

[Black Ice]

The only staff you will ever need is the WABBAJACK !!!

wasn't that useful when i tried it, except for terrorizing town folk..

Who said anything about it being useful?

 

[Irishman]

I've sometimes carried staves when playing a mage, with the intent of using them if I run out of magicka. But, when the time came, I just didn't use them anyway.

I guess the biggest reason I don't use them is the fact that they don't increase your skill level. That just bothers me. If I kill a bear with a Staff of Fireballs, all I can think of is, "damn, I just wasted xp". I guess I'm just a little neurotic that way

Im the exact opposite. I gennerally use them so i dont level. Either so i can level other things like armour 1st or just so i dont level at all for the purpose o unique thralls. There are some reall good staves though:
1. Staff of magnus
2. Sanguine rose (for followerers)
3 staff of jyrik gaulderson