| 1 | %% This page's examples section is sorted alphabetically. It would be lovely if you'd maintain this, thanks. |
| 2 | %% |
| 3 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1326610480018912800 |
| 4 | %% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 5 | %% |
| 6 | [[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Staff2_778.jpg]]]] |
| 7 | [[caption-width-right:350: [[PowerGlows The glowier, the better!]]]] |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | ->''"Tom Riddle me this, you bitch: How's your little wand gonna beat my staff?"'' |
| 11 | -->-- '''[[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Gandalf]]''' to [[Literature/HarryPotter Dumbledore]], ''WebVideo/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory'' |
| 12 | |
| 13 | A simple staff is quite versatile and coincidentally happens to resemble a really big MagicWand, so it's no surprise that WizardsAndWitches who want to add that extra kick to their spells, or who've decide they're tired of being a SquishyWizard and want to be able to fight [[KungFuWizard physically]], often pick up a Magic Staff. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | A Magic Staff is a MagicWand which is large and substantial enough to be a viable melee weapon. In that sense, it is a MagicWand first and a melee-weapon second. The magical MartialArtsStaff version is probably the most common and most deadly in physical combat, but [[CarryABigStick canes, clubs and mace-like rods]] are also viable versions of a Magic Staff, should their shapes be taken advantage of. Sometimes [[MagicItems the staff itself is magic]], though other times it's just a MagicFocusObject with little inherent ability of its own. Often a Magic Staff acts as a weapon to be used when a character's BlackMagic is exhausted or otherwise not working. For a Magic Staff which is often used in melee combat or FullContactMagic, the staff is usually much more modestly-sized and decorated than the staff of a mage that isn't taking advantage of the Magic Staff's melee-abilities. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | While almost no carrier of this weapon will hesitate to wield their Magic Staff as best they can in physical combat should the need arise, for some the point isn't a Magic Staff's melee attributes but that a Magic Staff is a MagicWand but better. They are generally considered more powerful than the traditional MagicWand, and can be elaborate to the point of AwesomeButImpractical. It's not uncommon to see staves with [[PowerCrystal huge gems]], floating rings and just plain unlikely hugeness, and since BiggerIsBetter, and [[RuleOfCool Cooler Is Also Better]] a large, decorative staff is usually the sign of a powerful mage. Another common variant is having a [[DemBones skull or bone]] sticked on a staff, commonly wielded by {{Necromancer}}s and warlocks to emphasize the motif of death. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | Wizards of all kinds are known for carrying Magic Staves, which often go hand in hand with RobeAndWizardHat. In fact, sometimes the Magic Staff functions almost purely as StockCostumeTraits for magic-users. The Magic Staff is also the signature weapon of the WhiteMagicianGirl. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Sometimes, in works based on the Far East, the magic staff in question will be based on a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khakkhara Khakkara]], a ring-tipped crosier which is traditionally carried by Buddhist monks and, at times, treated as a tool to cast powerful dharmic techniques. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | Note that as a Magic Staff was used by Moses in Literature/TheBible, this trope is OlderThanFeudalism. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | A subtrope of MagicWand. Related to MartialArtsStaff and BoomStick. Often paired with RobeAndWizardHat as part of the gear for a WizardClassic. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | ---- |
| 28 | !!Examples: |
| 29 | |
| 30 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 31 | |
| 32 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 33 | * Eriol has one in ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura.'' It's made out of what appears to be gold, and has a sun motif on the top. |
| 34 | * ''Manga/DragonQuestTheAdventureOfDai'': the great Demon Lord Vearn is a formidable sorcerer, to the point that his weakest spells have the same firepower of high level spells from ordinary wizards. When he really gets serious he handles the magic weapon forged specifically for him, the "Demon Light Staff" (Kouma no Tsue in original): it appears as a massive ornated staff though rather than allow him to cast spells he connects the staff to his body with a built-in cord and feeds it his own magical energy to manifest an incredibly powerful laser blade from the top. Aside from him, magic staffs (usually of small size) are used by wizards to cast spells and as emergency weapons. |
| 35 | * ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'': Staffs that conduct {{Mana}} are common among mages, though they can still use magic with improvised tools or none at all. Marcille crafted her staff [[ICallItVera Ambrosia]] out of living wood and vines; in magic-rich areas, it forms new sprouts. |
| 36 | * Mystogan from ''Manga/FairyTail'' uses five different staves in varying combinations for his magic. [[spoiler:It's actually because he has no magic himself due to being from the AlternateUniverse of Edolas, but his staves contain large amounts of magical power that let him cast his spells]]. Other wizards do employ staves, among them Brain from Oracion Seis and August. |
| 37 | * Mage characters in ''Anime/DotHackSign'' use magic staves, including Tsukasa, Helba, and BT. |
| 38 | * Staves in the world of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' primarily serve as MagicFromTechnology Wizard Wands, and they're {{Swiss Army Weapon}}s that usually become {{BFG}}s, {{BFS}}es or both. |
| 39 | * Negi Springfield in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' carries a staff most of the time when doing magic. It serves as a focus for his spells and he also uses it to fly in a manner resembling a FlyingBroomstick. Also, as the story progresses and his skills in magic increase, he tends to use the staff less and less: The magic ring Eva gave him is less cumbersome, and he grows to rely less on ''that'' as well. |
| 40 | * Nami's Clima Tact from ''Manga/OnePiece'' is MagicFromTechnology, but functions within the story like a MagicStaff. Sort of interesting in that it started out life as a regular Bo staff, and Usopp built her what would become her weapon specifically to do parlor tricks and "attacks". [[spoiler:Then Zeus the cloud homie has his soul transferred to Nami's Clima Tact, making it technological''and'' actually magical.]] |
| 41 | * Elie eventually picks one up in ''Manga/RaveMaster'', also known as the Staff of Space and Time. [[spoiler: It's true purpose is to help Elie use Etherion to defeat the Endless.]] |
| 42 | * Slaynn, a powerful wizard from ''Roleplay/RecordOfLodossWar'', utilizes a simple hooked wooden staff. |
| 43 | * Sailor Pluto from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' wields the stylish Garnet Rod which looks much like a key fitting her role as the Guardian of the Door of Space-Time. The staff is in turn topped by the Garnet Orb, a magical object in itself and one of 3 Magical Talismans that create the holy grail or Awaken Sailor Saturn depending on the Media. |
| 44 | %%* Rezo, the AffablyEvil priest from ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'', often used to note his arrival courtesy of jingling noises. |
| 45 | * ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'': Many of the wands used in the setting take the form of staffs. [[spoiler: The flashback on Alma Toran reveals that the Orthodox Church of David crafted a large amount of staves to channel magic power: Solomon collected 72 of these staves to his followers, who eventually became the 72 Djinns.]] |
| 46 | * ''Literature/Overlord2012'' has the protagonist, Ainz Ooal Gown, wield a majestic gold staff that resembles seven snakes intertwined with each other, each snake holding a jewel in its jaws, each jewel a different color. |
| 47 | * ''Manga/MashleMagicAndMuscles'' is set in a world where people generally use magic wands, but the more powerful are able to upgrade their wands into staves that can summon gods. |
| 48 | ** Wahlberg Baines can wield space magic, and thus summon the sky god Uranus. His staff features four compass points. |
| 49 | ** Wahlberg's rival Innocent Zero wields time magic, and thus summon the time god Chronos. His staff has a clock. |
| 50 | ** Zero's subordinate Cell War has the ability to create/manipulate blocks of obsidian, and he summons Hephasteus the god, turning his wand into a staff that wields diamond rings. |
| 51 | ** Rayne Ames's personal magic involves swords, and he summons the god of war Ares, turning his wand into a partisan polearm. |
| 52 | * ''Manga/UshioAndTora'': the monks of the Kouhamei Sect can imbue their Shakujo staves with Dharmic power (''Houriki'') to use demon-slaying techniques. Furthermore, their staves aren't made of pewter as implied, but of specially-forged ColdIron. |
| 53 | [[/folder]] |
| 54 | |
| 55 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 56 | * ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': In Season 8, Xiao Haha has four magical staffs, each with a specific elemental power ([[PlayingWithFire fire]], [[BlowYouAway air]], [[ShockAndAwe electricity]], and [[AnIcePerson ice]]), hidden in his PortalBook ''A History of Magic''. The Supermen have to find them in order to awaken the Global Leader from his sleep. |
| 57 | * ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'': Wolffy wields one in ''The Season Towns'', a wooden cane-shaped staff with red, yellow, and blue bulbs on one end, that lets him shoot [[FireIceLightning fire, ice, and lightning]] projectiles. |
| 58 | [[/folder]] |
| 59 | |
| 60 | [[folder:Card Games]] |
| 61 | * ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has a variety of equippable magic staves like [[https://scryfall.com/card/mor/145/thornbite-staff Thornbite Staff]] in addition to its many, many staff-wielding sorcerers, which include [[https://scryfall.com/card/ima/13/blinding-mage Blinding Mage]], [[https://scryfall.com/card/cma/206/selesnya-guildmage Selesnya Guildmage]], [[https://scryfall.com/card/lgn/40/glintwing-invoker Glintwing Invoker]], and too many others to list. |
| 62 | * ''Tabletopgame/YuGiOh'': Many spellcasters are staff-users, including the [[SeriesMascot iconic]] [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Magician Dark Magician]]. |
| 63 | [[/folder]] |
| 64 | |
| 65 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 66 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Nico Minoru wields the Staff of One, which is said to "make [[DimensionLord Dread Dormammu]] tremble". It hides in her body and she needs to shed her own blood to summon it. It allows her to cast any spell she wants, but only once -- if she tries to use the same spell again, the results will be completely random (it happens rarely, once summoning a flock of flamingos and once teleporting her into the middle of the desert). On several occasions, as Nico has endured a lot of horrible pain, the staff transforms into a more powerful form. It is later revealed that the Staff of One is actually a prison for a very powerful mage called the One whom Nico's ancestor defeated (though she was no hero — she was simply a more effective villain than the One). All of the annoying and painful elements of wielding the Staff of One are actually the One's means of getting what little payback he can on the people keeping him trapped and exploiting his power. |
| 67 | * ''ComicBook/ThroneOfAtlantis'' features two magic scepters: [[BigBad Ocean Master]]'s scepter controls [[MakingASplash the seas]], and the Dead King's Scepter controls [[spoiler:the Trench]] and is wielded by [[spoiler:Vulko, Aquaman's loyal friend]]. |
| 68 | * The version of Ice from ''ComicBook/WonderWomanAndTheStarRiders'' uses a magic staff capped with an often glowing crystal. |
| 69 | * While the other Lantern Corps use the standard hand-held lantern, the Indigo Tribe use a staff to power their rings. |
| 70 | [[/folder]] |
| 71 | |
| 72 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 73 | * In the ''Fanfic/FacingTheFutureSeries'', we are introduced to the Scepter of Fey, which, when used in tangent with an Amulet of Aragon, can make its user all-powerful. [[spoiler:Aragon once used it to transform Amity Park into his new Dark Age kingdom]]. |
| 74 | * ''Fanfic/{{Kitsune}}'': From "Chapter 9": |
| 75 | --> [Tome] fit all the stereotypes of a bookish wizard straight out of fantasy novels, with the added bonus of being of similar size to Warwick Davis. He even had a beard and magic staff... though his was a highly ornamented cane. |
| 76 | [[/folder]] |
| 77 | |
| 78 | [[folder:Films — Animation]] |
| 79 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', EvilSorcerer Jafar wields a [[SerpentStaff staff with a cobra's head finial]] that he initially only hypnotizes the Sultan with but eventually uses for all his magic after becoming the most powerful sorcerer in the world. |
| 80 | * Xibalba from ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife'' wields a staff resembling a two-headed snake which he can bring to life. |
| 81 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'' features the Staff of Sacanas, stolen from an Arimaspi King and made from a branch from the Tree of Harmony. The Storm King's plan is to [[PowerParasite use the magic of the princesses to empower it]] and truly be a King of Storms. |
| 82 | * Ian and Barley from ''WesternAnimation/{{Onward}}'' inherit a magic staff from their father to allow them to cast a visitation spell. |
| 83 | * [[MagicKnight Sir Aaron]] from ''Anime/PokemonLucarioAndTheMysteryOfMew'' has a magic staff of some kind, which he uses to [[spoiler:seal away Lucario while he performs a HeroicSacrifice to save Rota]]. |
| 84 | * In ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'', collector of all that is magical Big Jack Horner has a magic staff kept in a trophy case that he puts into his magical nanny bag, he uses it in the climax to fight for the Wishing Star map, wielding it like a rifle to shoot away at his opponents ([[BadBoss and also shooting the last of his lackeys]] [[TeamKiller to their death]]). |
| 85 | * ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'': [[FairyDevilMother Maleficent]] possesses a magic staff that her pet raven [[CreepyCrows Diablo]] is often seen perched upon. It’s used to fire magic blasts at both foes and [[BadBoss her own minions]] when they inevitably mess up. |
| 86 | [[/folder]] |
| 87 | |
| 88 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 89 | * ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'' centers around two of them: the Empress's unnamed staff of Gold Dragon control, and the Rod of Savrille, which can control Red Dragons. After the BigBad talks the Council of Mages into confiscating the Empress's scepter, the Empress sets her sights on the Rod of Savrille, so that she can still have at least some way to stand up to him. Unfortunately, the BigBad catches wind of her plans, and from there it's a race to get the Rod of Savrille. |
| 90 | * In ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'', the Auror Mad-Eye Moody casts spells with a heavy staff. He's the only wizard in the saga to do so (wands are the norm), and it's got a practical application: he's missing a leg and uses the staff to aid his walking. |
| 91 | * As in the books, both Gandalf and Saruman in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' movies have magic staves. So does Radagast the Brown in the ''Film/TheHobbit'' prequel movies. |
| 92 | * The witch Wanda Grubwort has one in ''Film/ScoobyDooCurseOfTheLakeMonster''. |
| 93 | * ''Film/Shazam2019'' and ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'': The wizard Shazam carries a walking stick that confers/transfers his magic to people. The villains in both films seek the staff for their own use. |
| 94 | * Medivh from ''Film/WarCraft2016'' has a staff he uses to aid some of his spells - but mostly as a glorified walking stick. |
| 95 | [[/folder]] |
| 96 | |
| 97 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 98 | * All of the Lords and some Hirebrands (wood-wizards) in the ''Literature/ChroniclesOfThomasCovenant'' wield magical staves; the High Lord's Staff of Law, created by legendary hero Berek Halfhand, is a particularly powerful and plot-centric artifact throughout the series [[spoiler: both the original and its replacement]]. On a more sinister note, the ur-vile loremasters also tend to channel their powers through rods, spears, or the like. |
| 99 | * In the ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'' universe, every Trader carries a six foot staff capped at both ends with engraved brass caps. Daja uses hers as a weapon, a walking stick and a magic wand, as needed. However, once she becomes an [[UnPerson outcast Trader]], she's not allowed to have engraved caps or carvings along the staff showing her life story (until she gets re-adopted by the caravan in ''Daja's Book''). And in ''Cold Fire'', when she gets mage-students of her own, there's an amusing exchange when they ask when ''they'' get to have cool staffs and if they can bling them out with jewels and ribbons, whereupon Daja points out that outside of plays they've probably never seen another mage who carries a staff, as they have no magical properties; she just uses hers for magic because she carries it anyway. |
| 100 | * In ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'', while Conan is king of Aquilonia, a group of evil wizards from Stygia tries to kill him. However a rival evil wizard group from Khitai attacks the first group. These Khitan wizards are armed with staves cut from the Tree of Death, which gives them OneHitKill power. With these staves, the Khitans are able to beat the Stygians, though only one Khitan survivor remains, whom Conan cuts down with a sword. |
| 101 | * Akhlaur, BigBad of ''Literature/CounselorsAndKings'', is a {{necromancer}} and [[ElementalPowers water mage]] who wields a staff that's actually a live eel he forced into that shape and petrified, [[AndIMustScream apparently while still conscious]]. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse No word on if it returned to normal after he died]]. |
| 102 | * ''Literature/TheCrewOfTheCopperColoredCupids'' has a nameless scepter topped with an intricate batlike design, which seems to be magically keyed to the position of [[SorcerousOverlord rightful Dark Lord of Shenanig]]. Lord Nefarious used it as a MagicFocusObject, but after stealing it and taking over the throne, Emperor Steer instead casts magic bare-handed, showing it's not inherently necessary. |
| 103 | * ''Literature/TheCrimsonShadow'': Brind'Amour has one he tasks Oliver and Luthien to retrieve in exchange for a reward from inside a dragon's cavern. It helps to focus his powers-without it he's weaker. |
| 104 | * In [[Literature/{{Darwath}} the world of Darwath]], all objects have at least ''some'' inherent magical power, so anything staff-shaped can be used as a Magic Staff. However, Rudy's wizardry gets noticeably better after he acquires a staff that was intentionally made to be a wizard's weapon. |
| 105 | * In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', the staff is the preferred tool of wizards, and a major plot point in ''Literature/EqualRites'' and ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}''. In ''Literature/SoulMusic'', Archancellor Ridcully recommends a staff because even if you run out of magic, you've still got [[MartialArtsStaff six foot of]] [[MundaneUtility solid bog-oak]] at your disposal. Works nine times out of ten. The staff is also the subject of a popular BawdySong, "A Wizard's Staff Has a Knob on the End", which most wizards don't actually understand. Yes, it does. What's your point? |
| 106 | * ''Literature/TheDragonEggPrincess'': The staff of ki used by Luzee, which was created using Chief Wizard Sejo's staff, three moonstones, and a dragon egg. The staff allows her to drain the essence from magical beings. |
| 107 | * In ''Literature/TheDreamsideRoad'', Enoa’s staff, inherited from her aunt, somehow enables functional magic use. Part of Enoa’s journey is learning how it works and how to use it. The staff is primarily used for explosions and sudden transmutation. Enoa can wield less deadly magic without a [[MagicFocusObject Magic Focus Object]]. |
| 108 | * In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': |
| 109 | ** The main character wields both a staff and a blasting rod, as foci for his magic. Harry's blasting rod and his staff have different functions. The staff allows him to use magic more subtly, enabling him to have a much finer control over wind or telekinesis magic. The blasting rod, on the other hand, does ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Harry uses it to control his power and unleash extremely powerful evocations in tightly focused beams - although in a few cases, he ends up using such magic without needing the rod. |
| 110 | ** Staves appear elsewhere in the books as well; Luccio and Ramirez favor much shorter staves, usually under five feet in length, while the Merlin himself goes for a tall, polished white staff. Also, [[spoiler: Eldest Gruff]] uses a staff, though more for walking. |
| 111 | *** It's not universal however: Elaine Mallory uses an enchanted chain, as it can be hidden more effectively. She also makes fun of the old-fashionedness and phallicness of staffs/wands. She has a thorn wand, lariat, and enchanted chain. |
| 112 | *** Ebenezar [=McCoy=] normally uses a staff very similar to Harry's, but when he needs to ''really'' kick ass, he breaks out [[spoiler: the Blackstaff, which is described as a wooden staff covered in pure darkness, and is capable of killing hundreds of men instantly by simply extinguishing their vital functions.]] |
| 113 | *** [[TheFairFolk Mother Winter]] apparently used to have a staff as well, although she only described as a walking stick, and since losing it she finds it very painful to travel, making it harder to summon her. There's a fan theory that her walking staff is actually [[spoiler: Ebenezar's Blackstaff, mentioned above.]] |
| 114 | ** Harry likes his staff not just for the versatility, but because it has several enchanted functions (it's very hard) that allow him to bend prison bars, among other things. It's also handy for thwacking people. A security guard requires him to check it once for that reason. It's also handy when you want to motorcycle-joust against a limo. Yes, that happened. Yes, it was ''awesome''. |
| 115 | ** Something of note is that most of a focus's power relies on the belief of the wizard using them, although some of them are spelled. Elaine's chain is an interesting example because it also plugs into ''wall sockets'' to build up charge. It's one of the few, if not the only, functional mixes of mortal magic and technology in the entire series. |
| 116 | * In ''Literature/{{Dragoneyes}}'' graduates of the [[WizardingSchool University of the Green Tower]] get to carry a staff. And Amniel, even though he dropped out. |
| 117 | * In Creator/UrsulaKLeGuin's ''Literature/{{Earthsea}}'' books, wizards trained on Roke are distinguished from mere sorcerers by carrying staves. Ged is awarded a staff made of yew bound with copper in ''A Wizard of Earthsea''. When it is lost in Osskil, Ogion makes him a replacement from a length of wood formerly intended for a longbow. Wizards of Paln, certainly Seppel in ''The Other Wind'', and at first Cob in ''The Farthest Shore'', do not seem to use staves -- but Cob does acquire the metal staff of the Pelnish Grey Mage later in the book. |
| 118 | * In the ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'', all wizards carry staves which automatically absorb magic from the environment, in order to power their spells. The effect causes an allergic reaction in magical creatures such as dragons, and is harmful to extremely magical areas such as the Enchanted Forest. Wizards store their spells in their staves, so although they are nigh-indestructible, hiding one will seriously inconvenience its wizard, though he will always find it eventually. The fact that their powers rely on magical theft is one of the things that make wizards AlwaysChaoticEvil in the books. |
| 119 | * ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series includes Tarma and Kethry short stories. In one of those, one of Kethry's classmates at the mage school they attended stole their teacher's staff, convinced that it was a powerful MagicStaff that could propel her to instant mastery. She broke it and fled the school after finally figuring out that it was just a simple staff - the only thing special about it was that it was just the right length to help him with his limp. |
| 120 | * Justified to some extent in the ''[[Literature/AWizardInRhyme Her Majesty's Wizard]]'' series by Christopher Stasheff. Wands in that series (and staves, to some extent) serve as magical "antennas", focusing a mage's spells and making them directional. Spells will still work without using a wand, or stave, but the effect is both weaker and far more easily able to be picked up by other wizards/sorcerers. Kinda the difference between using a regular radio versus one with a dish antenna. As spells in this universe are cast through poetry, this can make for some interesting duels. "He's going for the extra point!/Throw his kneecap out of joint!", etc... |
| 121 | * ''Literature/TheIronTeeth'' web serial's mages use complex mechanical staffs to direct the power of their mana crystals. |
| 122 | * The staff is the preferred weapon of several magicians in ''Literature/TheKaneChronicles''. |
| 123 | * Gandalf, Saruman and other wizards wield these in ''Literature/LordOfTheRings'', using them as walking stick, badge of office, and magical accouterment all in one. Notably, Gandalf sometimes [[DualWielding dual wields]] it with a glowing elven longsword, Glamdring, because he's that much of a badass. Gandalf also gets away with taking it indoors when the rest of his party have been ordered to leave their weapons at the entrance, because he can pass it off as an old man's walking stick. (And because the guard knew that the EvilVizier was, well, an EvilVizier, and thought Gandalf could do something about it. That latter interpretation is only in the books; in the movies it really does look like Gandalf put one over on them.) |
| 124 | * ''Literature/{{Lyra}}'': Wizards all have magical staves through which they focus their magic. The staves themselves have a core, usually a magical element that enhances the magic being focused through it, with different elements having different degrees of effectiveness. Chipping off a piece of the crystal prison in the Twisted Tower to use as an experimental core was what released the shadow beast in '''Csught In Crystal.''' |
| 125 | * ''[[Literature/AMagesPower A Mage's Power]]'': This is the [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]] for Dragon's Lair mages because they can double as a MartialArtsStaff. They're mercenaries after all, not academic researchers. One way of killing monsters is just as good as another. |
| 126 | * Laenan Kite of the ''Literature/MirrorDuet'' books (Creator/CatherineWebb) uses a staff, partly to store power but mainly because it's big and heavy and [[CombatPragmatist good for hitting people with.]] |
| 127 | * In Scott Meyer's ''[[Literature/{{Magic20}} Off to Be the Wizard]]'', most "wizards" in Medieval England use staffs in their spells. In fact, a 5-foot staff is necessary for the shell program to recognize the wizard as a user. Alternatively, a wizard can use a 1.5-foot MagicWand (a number of wizards carry collapsible backup wands in case they get separated from their staffs). A wand is typically topped with an object. Martin chooses a bust of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo El Santo]]. Jimmy has a small plasma globe. Phillip uses a bottle of Tabasco sauce (which he occasionally puts in his food and calls dragon's blood). Many [[ProjectileSpell Projectile Spells]] are coded to appear as if coming out of either a pointing hand or a staff/wand. Phillip suggests holding the staff like a rifle for a better aim. And God help you if you make the obvious joke about the staffs or wands. |
| 128 | ** In the sequel, a pair of "magicians" in Victorian England use their white canes for the same purpose. They ''do'' make the obvious joke, which greatly annoys Martin. |
| 129 | ** In the third novel, it's mentioned that the "regalia" are no longer necessary, as the wizards have realized their Achilles heel. |
| 130 | * In L. Jagi Lamplighter's ''Literature/ProsperosDaughter'' trilogy, Prospero made all his children magical staffs. |
| 131 | * "The Staff in the Stone" by Creator/GarthNix: Crafting a staff is one of the final prerequisites to become a wizard. It serves as a magical reservoir that they can feed power at leisure and draw on in times of need. This makes them tempting prizes for unscrupulous mages, who can "absorb" others' staves into their own and gain their power, and who can intuitively sense an unowned staff in the region. |
| 132 | * Ubiquitous in ''Literature/{{Ra}}''. Making one of these SummonToHand, however, is an item on the main character's list of "impossible things". |
| 133 | * ''Literature/RetiredWitchesMysteries'': Witches in the series have a specific tool, depending on their respective element, that helps them focus their powers and retains some of their magic after years of use. Air witches, like Olivia, have a wand or staff; hers is a limb from a rowan tree, carved with magical runes. |
| 134 | * ''Literature/SoThisIsEverAfter'': Matt, a mage, has one that serves to focus and strengthen his spells. |
| 135 | * ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'': Both Good and Bad Wizards use these. There is frequently a head or face carved onto the top. If owned by a Bad Wizard, it may bite or shock people, and be made of metal (if not from some unrecognizable material). Staffs Good Wizards have on the other hand are always made of wood. They will light up when necessary. In the different Tours, a Staff may contain all the Wizard's spells, be merely an aid, or an actual living thing. |
| 136 | * ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'': Mizzamir and Kahlana both have these, which help enhance their magical abilities. |
| 137 | * A couple of subversions in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': |
| 138 | ** [[TheMentor Moiraine]] wields a staff in the first book, but when Egwene starts fangirling over how powerful it is, Moiraine quickly shuts her down, pointing out that all the power comes from her and the staff is just a largely superfluous aid to concentration, borne out by the fact that no other Aes Sedai uses one. |
| 139 | ** [[StarterVillain Ba'alzamon]] wields a quarterstaff, but it's to all appearances a perfectly mundane staff despite the fact that he's the most powerful of the Forsaken and the local equivalent of an EvilSorcerer. Even the WoundThatWillNotHeal he inflicts with it appears to be a function of the [[BlackMagic True Power]] rather than any function of the object itself. |
| 140 | ** Played with and ultimately inverted with Nynaeve: one of the most powerful mages in the series and the village healer, she starts off carrying a staff but she only ever uses it for smacking sense into the woolheaded men of her village and eventually loses it somewhere and it's never brought up again. |
| 141 | * The Knights of the Word in Creator/TerryBrooks' ''Literature/TheWordAndTheVoid'' books use a MagicStaff as their primary weapon. |
| 142 | * ''Literature/TheHouseWithAClockInItsWalls'' features two magic staves: |
| 143 | ** Jonathan Barnavelt has a staff with a snow globe on it. |
| 144 | ** Florence Zimmerman's staff has an orb with a purple star in it, and she can transform it into an umbrella. |
| 145 | * The staff of the palmer from ''Literature/TheFaerieQueene'' is able to stop storms and calm rampaging monsters because it is made of the same material as Mercury's caduceus. It has the same powers as Mercury's, so it can theoretically tame the Furies and other demons of the Underworld. |
| 146 | * ''Literature/TheWitchOfKnightcharm'': Starlyght Mornyngmyst, a rookie witch at an evil WizardingSchool, acquires a magic staff after completing the school's deadly orientation. The simple staff fits her GranolaGirl personality (in contrast to the clubs and edged weapons some other students use), and she uses it to cast her spells. |
| 147 | [[/folder]] |
| 148 | |
| 149 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 150 | * ''Series/AceLightning'': Lord Fear's staff can fire energy blasts and [[LivingWeapon can talk and move on his own.]] |
| 151 | * ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': The Dweller carries with her a staff having an eye symbol on its tip. She always uses the stuff for creating powerful spells. |
| 152 | * Merlin, from ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'' has two staffs, a [[TheFairFolk Sidhe]] staff he's used on a couple occasions, and a staff from the Crystal Cave in the series finale. Both are capable of channeling lightning (or at least something that looks like it) and utilizing it as a weapon. There's also Alator, a sorcerer who uses a staff, and the Disir, three female soothsayers armed with staffs. |
| 153 | * The title character of the kids' game show ''{{Series/Raven}}'' has a Staff of Power starting in Series 2 which is apparently the source of most of his magical abilities. A Staff of Power is also given to the winner of each series from series 2-series 10 in-universe (in real life, the winner of each series got a different prize such as a holiday). |
| 154 | * ''Franchise/SuperSentai''/''Franchise/PowerRangers'': |
| 155 | ** Bandora from ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'' has one, as well as her American counterpart, Rita Repulsa from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. |
| 156 | ** American-invented Lord Zedd has a staff of his own, with a 'Z' on the top of it. Even creeper is the fact that it's regularly a snake. |
| 157 | ** ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'' has the [=DialRods=], which come along with the Magirangers MidSeasonUpgrade. Magimothers [=MagiStick=] also resembles one. |
| 158 | * Father Time, a villain from ''Series/OddSquad'' who appears in Season 2's "Flawed Squad", has one of these. It allows him to freeze opponents while leaving him and other villains intact, but has a downside of only freezing opponents for a minute at a time. In addition, he can only use his staff once per hour. |
| 159 | [[/folder]] |
| 160 | |
| 161 | [[folder:Myths & Religion]] |
| 162 | * In ''Literature/TheBible'': |
| 163 | ** Moses's staff transforming into a snake and back is one of the signs God gives Moses of his calling from God, and foreshadows the miracles God will perform through Moses and the staff. |
| 164 | ** God tells Moses to raise his staff (or tells Moses to tell his brother Aaron to raise ''his'' staff) to cause the ten plagues on Egypt. Then, when the Israelites are fleeing Pharaoh's army, God tells Moses to raise his staff to [[PartingTheSea divide the sea]] so they can cross safely on dry land. |
| 165 | ** Moses strikes a rock with his staff to cause water to come out of the rock. God did ''not'' authorize him to do this, and warned that Moses would have to pay for it later. (He gets to see the land the Israelites will settle, but dies before he can go there.) |
| 166 | ** Soon after, in a battle with the Amalekites, the Israelites would trounce their foes as long as Moses held his staff high. They start losing when his arm gets tired, so some folks get a rock for him to sit on, while his brother and another fellow help him hold the staff up the rest of the day. |
| 167 | [[/folder]] |
| 168 | |
| 169 | [[folder:Pinballs]] |
| 170 | * The protagonist of ''Pinball/MagicGirl'' wields a golden scepter with a red gem in the head. |
| 171 | * The EvilSorceress of ''VideoGame/RuinerPinball'' has one. |
| 172 | [[/folder]] |
| 173 | |
| 174 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 175 | * ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': |
| 176 | ** In general magic staffs in D&D are {{Limited Use Magical Device}}s that allow a spellcaster to cast specific spells without using their own spell slots by expending “charges” stored in the staff, similar to wands. However, unlike wands, a staff can cast multiple different spells and can be used as a melee weapon. In earlier editions staffs couldn’t be recharged while later editions have them automatically recharge daily but reduces their capacity (from 100 or more charges to 10). Some specific staffs have additional abilities: |
| 177 | *** A Catstaff gives a variety of powers that help thieves, such as climbing walls, moving silently and hiding in shadows. |
| 178 | *** A Demon Staff allows the wielder to summon a minor demon or change themselves into one. |
| 179 | *** A Staff of Command is exceptionally good at {{Mind Control}}ing opponents. |
| 180 | *** The Staff of Power and Staff of the Magi allow you to cast a very broad variety of spells, and the Staff of the Magi can absorb enemy spells to recharge its own powers on the fly. They also share the Retributive Strike power: when deliberately broken, the staff explodes like a bomb, almost certainly killing all nearby opponents. The wielder has a 50% chance of traveling to another plane and a 50% chance of being annihilated. |
| 181 | *** A Staff of the Elements stores elemental spells, and its powers depend on which type of elemental is trapped inside of it. For example, a fire elemental gives fire-related powers. |
| 182 | *** A Staff of the Serpent turns into a snake to attack your enemies. Comes in python (constriction) and adder (poisonous bite) versions. |
| 183 | *** A Staff of Striking, for when you want to administer a personal beat down. |
| 184 | *** A Staff of Swarming Insects can summon swarms of flying insects or individual giant ones. |
| 185 | *** A Staff of Thunder and Lightning can be used to throw lightning bolts or create peals of thunder. |
| 186 | *** A Staff of Withering can cause the victim to age ten years and suffer a withered arm or leg. |
| 187 | *** A Staff of the Woodlands can cast a number of plant- and anima-related spells, and can be planted into the ground to turn into a tree that can be turned back into the staff on command. |
| 188 | ** An Immovable Rod is an iron rod with a button at the end that forces the rod to stay in one place and hold up to 8000 pounds of weight before failing. One "clever" way of abusing it is to have the rod be really immovable from that one spot and have the planet's rotation force people into hitting at high speeds... that is if you're in a heliocentric system and not a geocentric one, or even within another plane (or your DM is not a total idiot). |
| 189 | ** In 4th edition, magic staves can be used both as weapons and as a means of empowering magic attacks, if you happen to belong to one of the few classes that allows it. Also, some wizards can get defense bonuses for using one, possibly by [[SpinToDeflectStuff spinning it]] if you choose to think of it that way. |
| 190 | * ''TabletopGame/FabulaUltima'': The arcane weapon category includes various rods and staves. All of them can be used as melee weapons, and some of them provide passive benefits to the wielder's magical abilities. The Caduceus makes any healing spell cast by the wielder more effective, for example, while the Rafflesia Staff makes any offensive spell cast by the wielder also poison its target(s). |
| 191 | * ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' features an enchantment spell called Staff, which can be used to turn a staff into a magic device which lets a wizard cast spells through it (so, for instance, touching them with the staff counts as touching the target directly). Since ''GURPS'' magic has very limited range, this is rather useful. |
| 192 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Ironclaw}}'': Most mage careers (Paladins have a sword) start out with a "rod" made from wood or metal associated with their school of magic. They can load spells into them for easier counterspelling, and they have a bonus to parrying attacks just like a regular staff. |
| 193 | * ''TabletopGame/LEGOGames'': In ''Heroica'', Mage is shown wielding a staff with a flaming head. A copy can be bought by other characters, who can use it to defeat enemies from afar. Sage is also shown with one, but it doesn't appear in the shop. |
| 194 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': |
| 195 | ** A number of magic staff items exist in the game: |
| 196 | *** The Shadowstaff grants its wielder [[CastingAShadow power over shadows]]. |
| 197 | *** The Staff of Heaven and Earth is an ancient artifact that can be used to cast several spells pertaining to the elements of [[DishingOutDirt earth]] and [[BlowYouAway air]]. |
| 198 | *** The Staff of the Slain is an intelligent quarterstaff with two personalities -- a wizard and a dragon which switch control of the staff at morning and dusk -- that can be used to make any given energy-based spell deal [[ShockAndAwe electric]] damage. |
| 199 | ** Four of the game's iconic magic-user characters -- the sorcerer Seoni, the wizard Ezren, the witch Feiya and the {{Necromancer}} Nyctessa -- carry staffs of varying degrees of ornateness, which they are sometimes depicted as using as foci for their spells. |
| 200 | ** Magical staves are usually usable as quarterstaves, but since the typical user is a {{Squishy Wizard}} this tends to be strictly a desperation tactic. However, there is an interesting archetype of the Magus class that specializes in staff fighting; at higher levels a Staff Magus treats a magic staff as if it were enhanced for combat and can even cast spells from it while striking. |
| 201 | ** In Pathfinder second edition staffs gain a number of daily charges equal to their wielder’s highest spell level, who can further use their power to supplement the staff. [[VancianMagic Prepared]] spellcasters (like wizards) can convert one or more of their spell slots into staff charges during daily preparations, effectively making them into a partial spontaneous caster. Spontaneous spellcasters (like sorcerers), on the other hand, can spend spell slots to reduce the charge cost of casting spells from their staff, making staffs that contain spells the caster doesn’t already know the most useful for them. |
| 202 | * ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': |
| 203 | ** An odd example come as a type of force weapon, rare weapons designed to channel a psyker's potential and release it in melee. While swords tend to be just as common, force staves tend to be elaborately decorated and may also confer other bonuses, such as acting as a psychic focus. Because psychic power is treated in a way that means it kind-of-is, kind-of-isn't magic, the trope stays in full effect. |
| 204 | ** Harlequin Shadowseers carry miststaves, staffs crafted from psychically-reactive materials and designed to channel and augment their wielder's powers. Instead of being used to cast long-range effects, however, miststaves are intended to be used in melee, clouding the minds and senses of those they strike. |
| 205 | * ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'': |
| 206 | ** In the '80s supplemental book ''Realms of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned'', one magic item is the Staff of Nurgle. Point it at an enemy and [[BodyHorror maggots will geyser out of their orifices]] and [[OneHitKill strip the flesh off their bones]]. The remaining pile of maggots becomes a battlefield hazard. |
| 207 | ** The [[StaffOfAuthority symbol of office]] for the [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership Supreme Patriarch]] of the [[WizardingSchool Imperial Colleges of Magic]] is the Staff of Volans, an AmplifierArtifact that was crafted (and named) for the first Patriarch soon after the Colleges' founding. |
| 208 | ** More generally, wizard models are almost always depicted as wielding tall staffs. These range from the Jade Wizard's simple gnarled stick to one topped with a saber-toothed beast's skull for the Amber Wizard, a scythe wrapped in black roses for the Amethyst Wizard, a metal staff tipped by a lit brazier for the Bright Wizard, and a staff topped by an elaborate orrery for the Celestial Wizard. |
| 209 | [[/folder]] |
| 210 | |
| 211 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 212 | * In William Shakespeare's ''Theatre/TheTempest'', Prospero has a staff not a wand, and resolves to bury it when he gives up his magic: "this rough magic/ I here abjure... I'll break my staff,/ Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,/ And deeper than did ever plummet sound/ I'll drown my book." |
| 213 | [[/folder]] |
| 214 | |
| 215 | [[folder:Theme Parks]] |
| 216 | * In ''Theatre/TheEighthVoyageOfSindbad'' show at [[Ride/UniversalStudios Universal's Islands of Adventure]], the evil sorceress Miseria wields a magic scepter that enables her to cause all sorts of chaos. |
| 217 | [[/folder]] |
| 218 | |
| 219 | [[folder:Toys]] |
| 220 | * Franchise/{{LEGO}} toys have featured several variations of staffs made of various pole-shaped pieces and decoration, though there aren't any pieces designated solely for the purpose of being a staff. |
| 221 | * {{Toys/Playmobil}} toys have featured several magical characters, and so there are three different varieties of magical staffs. One looks like it's made of metal and holds a magic orb between its two prongs (this is used by evil sorcerers), one looks like a twisted tree branch with a gem inside it (this is used by fairies, nature spirits, and wizards), and one appears to be made of magic energy with pearlescent decorations around the orb and bottom end (this is used by fairies or related magical females). |
| 222 | [[/folder]] |
| 223 | |
| 224 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 225 | * In ''Franchise/DotHack'' franchise several mage classes in the in-universe MMORPG "The World" and its many revisions use various staves. |
| 226 | ** The [[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games first revision]] of The World has Wavemaster as its primary (and the only seen in the game proper) mage class, and has them using staves. |
| 227 | ** The [[VideoGame/DotHackGU second revision]] splits Wavemasters into Harvest Clerics (healers) and Shadow Warlocks (damagers). Harvest Clerics retain staves, while Shadow Warlocks get {{Spell Book}}s instead. |
| 228 | * The Cresceptre in ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfSquare'', which can shoot homing projectiles at the nearby enemies. |
| 229 | * ''VideoGame/{{Afterimage}}'': Staves are a classification of subweapons that allow Renee to cast spells. Unlike {{spellbook}}s, wands, and scrolls, staves usually focus on longer-lasting or complex spells. 42 also exclusively uses a staff to launch magic spells in her playable version. |
| 230 | * Staves are the chosen weapon of Alice, Routier and Apli in ''VideoGame/AgarestSenkiZero''. |
| 231 | * ''VideoGame/{{Apocryph}}'' have you playing as a spell-casting Templar in a medieval-inspired verse, and your first ranged weapon is an enchanted Cobalt Staff that can blast energy bolts on the undead. |
| 232 | * Riannon channels magic through this staff in ''VideoGame/{{Aquapazza}}''. |
| 233 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum}}'', staffs can store Mana that can be used instead of a mage's own Fatigue[[note]]Magick in this game is cast with mental power, and casting too many spells can result in unconsciousness[[/note]] or even contain spells of their own. |
| 234 | * ''VideoGame/ArcRiseFantasia'': [[MysteriousWaif Ryfia]] wields these. While she's primarily a mage, she still uses it for her basic attacks. In one cutscene she manages to deflect a thrown knife with it. |
| 235 | * ''VideoGame/{{Arknights}}'': The basis of Originium Arts is stimulating a mineral called Originium to create various effects, requiring users to carry items fashioned from Originium (called Arts Unit) to use Arts. Arts Units can be built in many forms, with staves being one of the most common. People infected with Oripathy (a disease where Originium fuses with living cells and turns them into more Originium) can use the Originium in their own bodies to use Arts, essentially making themselves into living magic staves. |
| 236 | * The Staves of Eden in the ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' series are an artifact left over from the {{Precursor}} civilization that have shown up several times in history as Moses' Staff, the Papal Staff and Russian Imperial Sceptre, among others, the Staves allow the users to exercise MindControl. Eventually UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla and the Assassins decided to destroy the facility where the Templars were keeping it and take it for themselves, but the resulting explosion destroyed the staff itself and was so large [[HistoricalInJoke that it came to be known as the Tunguska Event]]. |
| 237 | * ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries'': |
| 238 | ** The protagonist of ''VideoGame/AtelierLuluaTheScionOfArland'', wields such a staff. |
| 239 | ** Klein and Norn can equip these in ''VideoGame/AtelierIrisEternalMana''. |
| 240 | * In ''VideoGame/AvencastRiseOfTheMage'', every mage wields a staff; for the player character, they augment his magical or combat abilities in various ways, and he can't use magic without one. The staff serves as a magically-augmented melee weapon of choice for the Path of Blood {{Magic Knight}}s, while for the PureMagic-wielding Path of Soul, it mostly makes their {{Magical Gesture}}s that much more grandiose. |
| 241 | * Lolo the druid sorcerer from ''VideoGame/BattleAxe'' uses a staff as his main weapon, which he can shoot projectile attacks from. |
| 242 | * All the mage-like units in ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth'' have these. The only exceptions are the White Magi and Magi of Light, who carry morningstars for melee instead, and the Dark Adepts, who need to carry nothing for their spellcasting, but are also completely helpless in melee. |
| 243 | * In ''VideoGame/CobraMission'', Faythe has an affinity with the equivalent, called an Esper Rod. |
| 244 | * Lian Xing the wizard from ''VideoGame/TheCrystalOfKings'' wields his trusty Thunderstaff as his default weapon, and can use it to [[ShockAndAwe summon thunderbolts and electrocute]] the forces of chaos. Most of the magic-based enemies have magic staff as their weapons, too. |
| 245 | * J.P. Dummond in the "Vendettas" section of ''VideoGame/TheDarkness II'' wields The Midnight Stick, which amounts to this. |
| 246 | * In the fourth ''VideoGame/DarkParables'' game, ''The Red Riding Hood Sisters'', Briar Rose carries a magic staff that shoots out thorny vines to combat the wolves. |
| 247 | * ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' calls them Catalysts, but the idea is the same, and they still look like a traditional staff, only usually rougher and unshaped by tools. ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' straight-up calls them staves, and gives them a more polished form. ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' goes back to calling them Catalysts. |
| 248 | * ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' loves these: |
| 249 | ** The first game had elaborate staves with some of them even having blades on either end. Almost all of them had some powerful spells, and high melee damage. |
| 250 | ** The second game, had simpler staves that provided bonuses to sorceress' skills. They also had high melee damage, but are not likely to be used in an actual fight. An exception to this is the unique staff "Ribcracker", which is a fairly popular weapon for shapeshifter druids who don't have access to the high end expensive runewords. |
| 251 | * ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': Like {{Magic Wand}}s, staves sling [[ElementalPowers elemental]] magic {{projectile|Spell}}s and can double as StatSticks or grant secondary powers. Unlike wands, their magic can only be used once per [[TurnBasedCombat combat turn]] and they can't be {{Dual Wield|ing}}ed, but they have the option to simply whack enemies. |
| 252 | * In ''VideoGame/DragaliaLost'', only fire one projectile at a time (unlike more rapid-firing wands), but will always have healing magic at the ready instead. |
| 253 | * In ''Franchise/DragonAge'', 90% of magic-wielders use staffs as their primary weapon. |
| 254 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' starts the trend, although [[MagicKnight Arcane Warriors]] can cast certain spells while using melee weapons. There's only one sword ''exclusive'' to Arcane Warriors in the entire game. |
| 255 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' turns combat with a Mage's Staff into an veritable art-form of destruction, as in addition to the spells they rapidly fling across the battlefield from both ends of the staff, the Mages seem to now favour Wushu-esque moves that rapidly spin and twirl the staff around their whole bodies. A common finishing move is to slam the Staff on the ground that sends the spell across the ground towards their enemy. In close-quarter melee, most staffs also have blades attached for the mage to slam into their opponents. |
| 256 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' carries on the staff-twirling and melee moves. You can also upgrade your staff, like other weapons, to give it a hefty damage upgrade or other effects. |
| 257 | * ''Franchise/DragonQuest'': |
| 258 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestII'': The Princess of Moonbrooke wields magic staffs to enhance her magical capabilities. |
| 259 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'': The three magic-oriented Classes -Clerics, Mages and Sages- can be equipped with magic staffs to improve their magic stats and cast spells without MP cost. |
| 260 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'': Jessica's a mage by default, after all, so she is good with magic staves. Angelo as well can improve his staff skill set to learn more spells. |
| 261 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'': Larstastnaras' main weapon is a staff that can cast Boom as well as a few buffs and status effects. |
| 262 | ** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'': [[BlackMage Veronica]] and [[TheRedMage Rab]] can equip staves to directly increase their magic damage. Morcant als carried a tall, rough-looking staff; this is the only weapon used by one of [[PrecursorHeroes Erdwin's companions]] that cannot be inherited by the current heroes [[spoiler: because it is still in [[BigBad Mordegon's]] possession]]. |
| 263 | * The Wizard and Sorceress in ''VideoGame/DragonsCrown'' use their staves to fire blasts of energy and cast other magic. |
| 264 | * Mages, Magick Archers and Mystic Knights can enhance their Magick ([[InsistentTerminology not a typo]]) capabilities in ''VideoGame/DragonsDogma''. |
| 265 | * Rungard casts through such a staff in ''VideoGame/DualBlades''. |
| 266 | * Euphonia, Berio's Aether Relic in ''VideoGame/DuelSaviorDestiny'', takes the form of a magic staff. While she ''can'' hit people with it, it's clearly very ineffective. |
| 267 | * ''VideoGame/DungeonCrawl'' has several different magical staves. Unlike [[MartialArtsStaff mundane quarterstaves and bladed lajatangs]], magical staves are most often used for their ability to enhance their wielder's spells -- most spell schools have a matching staff that increases the power of all spells of that school. They can still make decent weapons for those skilled in both the associated school of magic and Evocations -- while the staff itself makes a pretty mediocre blunt weapon, striking foes can also blast them with elemental damage. Certain rare artifact staves have more unusual properties, such as one that can refund MP costs when casting spells, or a staff used by an archdemon that lets its wielder hurl [[{{Hellfire}} damnation]]. |
| 268 | * ''VideoGame/DungeonDefenders'' has these in multitudes of varieties, with stat modifiers applying to many aspects of the wizard ''and his deployable towers''. If you upgrade one all the way, you can name it whatever you'd like. |
| 269 | * In ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'', one-handed scepters generally fulfill this role, commonly being enchanted with spell enhancements. It's quite normal to see wizards and sorcerers (and perhaps the occasional cleric or favored soul) ''dual-wield'' scepters, dooming their physical damage potential to minuscule levels, but providing substantial bonuses for magic. |
| 270 | * In ''VideoGame/DungeonsOfDredmor'', the Staff Mastery skill tree gives bonuses to magic and [[ManaMeter mana regeneration]] when wielding staves (in addition to the bonuses in [[MartialArtsStaff bashing monsters on the head]]). |
| 271 | * Pang Tong and Zhang Jiao's [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]] in ''VideoGame/{{Dynasty Warriors}}'' and Aya in ''VideoGame/{{Samurai Warriors}}'': all of them have seemingly magical powers, often using spell-like abilities for their Charge attacks (in the fist five games, Zhang Jiao's staff could even shoot flames as part of the final combo string). |
| 272 | ** ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'' gives Lana one of these, though the second and third-tier weapon upgrades refer to it as a spear. She uses it both for melee combat and for casting. |
| 273 | * ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': |
| 274 | ** Historically in the series, magic staves have been a favored weapon of the [[UnevenHybrid Bretons]] of High Rock, and may even be where the originated. It makes sense, as the Bretons are a natural MageSpecies (thanks to their traces of elven blood) with defensive AntiMagic traits, making them excellent in MagicKnight and MageKiller roles. |
| 275 | ** Likewise, magical staves are a common tool for [[OurLichesAreDifferent liches]], further enhancing their already formidable magical prowess. |
| 276 | ** The series has several recurring LegendaryWeapon artifact staves: |
| 277 | *** Perhaps the most prominent is the Staff of Magnus, associated with the God of Magic who served as the architect for Mundus, the mortal plane. It is variously capable of channeling, absorbing, and suppressing extreme amounts of magical energy. Magnus is said to have used it during the creation of Mundus as a "metaphysical battery". Some legends claim that it was abandoned when [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere he fled during the creation]] of Mundus. Others claim that it was a gift to mortals. Still others claim that it was stolen from him by mortals. Whatever the case, it has been one of the preeminent magical staves on Nirn. It is also said to [[EmpathicWeapon leave its wielder]] whenever that wielder becomes too powerful, so it doesn't upset the mystical balance of Mundus. |
| 278 | *** Another artifact staff is Wabbajack, associated with Sheogorath, the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] of [[MadGod Madness]]. It randomly turns things into other things. It may turn a bandit into a sheep, or a wheel of cheese, or a ''[[OurDemonsAreDifferent Daedroth]]''. It's mostly just for fun, making it a CoolButInefficient JokeItem. |
| 279 | *** The Skull of Corruption is an artifact staff associated with Vaermina, the Daedric Prince of Nightmares. It has the power to [[DreamStealer steal the dreams of sleeping mortals]] in order to increase its own power. In various instances, it has either allowed the caster to create clones of the staff's target (who then fight for the caster) or it casts a damaging spell which gets stronger if it has stolen dreams. |
| 280 | *** The Staff of Worms is associated with the infamous [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]][=/=]{{Necromancer}}, Mannimarco. It has the power to revive dead bodies to fight of the staff's wielder. |
| 281 | ** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' has them as a variety of two-handed Blunt Weapon. Actually striking opponents with them should be a last resort, as they are not particularly strong weapons, but they are ''highly'' enchantable, with the Ebony Staff having the highest potential for enchantment out of any weapon in the game. |
| 282 | ** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'': Staves are just oversized magic wands that fire {{Projectile Spell}}s from their own refillable [[{{Mana}} Magicka]] reserve, with no bludgeoning functionality. If you join the [[WizardingSchool Mages Guild]], your first task is to craft a personal staff. |
| 283 | ** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' features magic staffs, which can each cast a predetermined spell a limited number of times. The amount depends on your skill with the type of spell the staff casts. E.g. A high skill in Destruction gets you tons of uses out of a Lightning staff. After the staff is depleted, it needs to be recharged from a [[YourSoulIsMine soul gem]]. What makes it even better is followers who [[{{Muggle}} know nothing about magic]] ''can'' use staves, in other words, you can beef up [[NighInvulnerability Dark Brotherhood Initiates]] and [[DoWithHimAsYouWill Stormcloak/Imperial/Thalmor Captives]] with dozens of [[StuffBlowingUp Destruction Magic Staves]]. |
| 284 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Enclave}}'', these are used by Wizards and Druids on the Light side, as well as Liches and Sorceresses on the Darkness one. |
| 285 | * ''VideoGame/TheEndTimesVermintide'' and ''VideoGame/VermintideII'': As a PragmaticAdaptation of the ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'' magic system to a FirstPersonShooter, the wizard Sienna Fuegonasus wields staffs as ranged weapons, using {{Overheating}} instead of ammunition. The type of staff determines how her PlayingWithFire works, ranging from a precise long-ranged beam to a close-quarters flamethrower. |
| 286 | * The ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy'' series has mage Natz, who only has one, crystal-topped staff, in ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy1'' and ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy2'', but the further main series games gives her more options. |
| 287 | * ''VideoGame/EternalFighterZero'': Both [[VisualNovel/{{Kanon}} Sayuri Kurata]] and [[VisualNovel/{{AIR}} Kano Kirishima]] use a magic wand or staff in the 2D fighting game. Sayuri's wand is more of a MagicalGirl type wand, with [[MorphWeapon transforming powers]]. Kano's is modeled after the staffs used in fantasy role-playing games, fitting alongside her various tiers of elemental magic and her unique [[{{Mana}} MP gauge]]. |
| 288 | * Reinherz and Lysty use enchanted staves in ''VideoGame/EternalLegacy''. |
| 289 | * Wizards fight with these staves in ''VideoGame/FantasyLife''. |
| 290 | * In ''VideoGame/FellSealArbitersMark'', rods and staves are the weapons of choice for most magic-using classes. Staves increase the range of the wielder’s spells and provide bonuses to their magic-related stats, while rods greatly increase the wielder’s Mind and may also provide elemental resistance or boost the power of elemental spells. |
| 291 | * The various Mage classes in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games can equip rods and staves as their traditional weaponry. Typically, rods are associated with Black Magic, while staves align with White Magic. For example: |
| 292 | ** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', rods can be equipped to boost magic stats and give enemies an elemental thwack to the head, or broken to release a powerful spell of the associated elemental type. |
| 293 | ** In both ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2'' (which are much more closely related than most of the Ivalice Alliance games), we get not only poles, but also staves and rods, which are even more suited for magic-wielding characters since they boost magical power. |
| 294 | ** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', at least, staves' attack damage are calculated from a character's magic power as well as their strength while giving a substantial bonus to magic power and usually a damage bonus to one element. Rods give smaller magic bonuses and are based entirely on strength, but also boost MP and some can cause beneficial status effects. |
| 295 | ** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' have the famous Elemental Staves, which can be used by all jobs and provide bonuses and augments that even non mage jobs want. |
| 296 | ** The Red Mages of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' have a unique variant where their swords also serve as their staves when they reverse their grip on it and the magical catalyst that floats near them attaches itself to the pommel. |
| 297 | * ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': |
| 298 | ** Staves are used to cast healing and support magic. Offensive magic, conversely, comes from [[SpellBook tomes]]. |
| 299 | ** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses Three Houses]]'', where spells are learned by the unit rather than equipped like a weapon or item, staves appear as accessories that increase the potency or range of the wielder's magic. |
| 300 | ** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes Heroes]]'', staves can be used for both healing and attacking, but the damage potential of staves is reduced by half, unless the staff unit has the Wrathful Staff equipped as a skill or as a built-in effect on their staff. |
| 301 | * In ''VideoGame/FlyFF'', [[SquishyWizard Mages]] can wield staves, with their second class the [[ElementalPowers Elementor]] specialising in them. Similarly, the Assist, and its second classes the [[TheMedic Ringmaster]] and [[JackOfAllStats Billposter]], use a [[CarryABigStick stick]] for buffs and heals. Both are a bit slow in melee, but they rarely if ever actually use them for fighting directly. |
| 302 | * ''VideoGame/{{Gift|2001}}'' has such a staff, powered by magic crystals...but whose powers are entirely melee-based. |
| 303 | * In ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series mage-style [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Adepts]] use staves, although they also can, depending on the character, use either short swords or maces. Staves tend to be slightly weaker than their counterparts from other weapon types, but their Unleashes (special attacks that activate randomly) tend to apply debilitating status effects in addition to damage. |
| 304 | ** It's worth noting that in all three games there's exactly ''one'' type of non-Artifact staff - Wooden Stick. Unlike with other weapon types, [[FridgeBrilliance there's little point in making such a staff, if it's not enchanted]]. |
| 305 | * ''VideoGame/{{Grandia}}'' series: |
| 306 | ** In the original ''VideoGame/Grandia1'' staves and rods are a subset of blunt weapons, that several characters can use. However, it's also the only weapon type that can be equipped by the EleventhHourRanger Liete, the MysteriousWaif who sent heroes on their jorney in the first place. Almost all staves have some sort of special effect, such as speeding up spell casting. |
| 307 | ** In ''VideoGame/GrandiaII'' staves are Elena's weapons, and many of them can be used as an item to cast a spell for free. One of Elena's specials has her staff fly towards the enemy on its own, and spray everything around with [[BubbleGun bubbles]]. In somewhat of a subversion, Elena's actual magic stat is very weak, making it unviable for her to actually cast magic, despite her choice of weapon. |
| 308 | ** In ''VideoGame/GrandiaXtreme'' Jaid goes for a more MagicKnight approach, so he can choose between maces, that only increase his attack, and magical staves, that are weaker, but also improve his magic. Regardless of one the player chooses, two of his special moves has him imbuing his weapon with magic. |
| 309 | ** In ''VideoGame/GrandiaIII'' Alfina uses staves as her weapon. Some of her attacks involve creating spheres and circles of light with the staff's head to use them as projectiles. Most staves raise both attack and magic, as opposed to just attack by most other weapons. Like in previous games, staves also most often can be used as an item to cast a spell for free. |
| 310 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Grounded}}'', Candy Staves are a type of level 3 weapon that have different effects depending on the candy used to make them. The Spicy Staff launches an arcing fireball that explodes, the Sour Staff shoots a slow-moving, bouncing projectile with a high stun chance, and the Mint Staff casts an icy cloud that slows down targets. |
| 311 | * You're a wizard in the FPS ''VideoGame/HandsOfNecromancy'', and your default weapon is the Firebolt Staff which can shoot projectiles from it's jewelled tip. |
| 312 | * In ''VideoGame/HappyWars'', mages fire their projectiles through these. |
| 313 | * ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic'': |
| 314 | ** In ''II'' and ''III'', liches and magi both use staves. |
| 315 | ** The [[VideoGame/MightAndMagic RPG games]] had Staff as a weapon skill from VI onward. In VI, it was simply one of the few weapon skills available to the Sorceror. In VII and VIII, it was also the weapon skill the Sorceror (VII)/Necromancer (VIII) could get best at. Random staves tended (although weren't always) to be either non-magical or have various boni to bludgeoning people with them, but unique staves consistently had some kind of strengthening of magical power, whether it be boosts to one or several magical skills, increasing magic-relevant attributes, or both. |
| 316 | * ''VideoGame/HeroesOfNewerth'': pearl has a staff enchanted to shoot out... bubbles. |
| 317 | * ''VideoGame/HeroinesQuest'': A Sorceress character always carries one, and can cast EnergyBall attacks through it at any time, along with the other kinds of magic. |
| 318 | * ''VideoGame/HexyzForce'' features Cecilia's Ragnafact. |
| 319 | * ''VideoGame/HighNoonDrifter'' features The Gate of Anthrakia staff fires a stream of fire and surrounds the Drifter with damaging flames in its alt-fire. |
| 320 | * ''VideoGame/{{Hordesio}}'': The Mages use these for their spellcasting, and upgrading them improves not only their damage, but also [[CriticalHit critical chance]], [=MP=] pool and [=MP=] regeneration. They start with the Level 1 "[[WithThisHerring Broken Twig]]", and can ascend up to the level 95 [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathweaver]]. |
| 321 | %%* ''VideoGame/ImmortalRedneck'': The Staff of Ra acts as one.%%As what? |
| 322 | %%* ''VideoGame/JaysJourney'': Carol can use these, along with staves.%%Use what? |
| 323 | * ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'': Enchanted staffs are just one of the weapons Pit can use. They're this game's equivalent to a SniperRifle as they shoot long-ranged lasers and not suited in melee combat. |
| 324 | * ''VideoGame/KingArthurTheRolePlayingWargame'': These are used by most of the magic-centered characters. |
| 325 | * ''VideoGame/{{Thelastio}}'': There are five of them -- three elemental ones (of the FireIceLightning kind) that fire projectiles directly, and two (Poison and Meteor) that indirectly damage a circular area, but only after a sizeable delay. The latter are much more powerful, but are often easier to dodge. Both types of staffs also consume player's mana when used, and the Poison/Meteor ones also consume a lot more per use. |
| 326 | * ''VideoGame/LegendOfGrimrock'' has the Shaman Staff, though it's only there to amplify the power of the Earth spells. |
| 327 | * ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyroTheEternalNight'': Gaul has a magic staff tipped with a green crystal that he uses to drain Spyro's power away. |
| 328 | * ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': |
| 329 | ** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' introduces [[FireIceLightning elemental]] rods, obtained from Wizzrobes, as one-handed weapons. When swung, they unleash a burst of their respective elemental power (bouncing fireballs, freezing clouds, or floating electrical spheres). They can also be used to bludgeon enemies for minor damage, though they can't take much physical punishment before they break. |
| 330 | ** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'' enables the player to fashion their own makeshift rods by fusing a gemstone to a weapon to confer its appropriate element to them for the same general purpose (ruby for fire, sapphire for ice, topaz for electricity, opal for water, and star fragment for light). Of course, magic rods can still be obtained, alongside the new magic scepters and staves (classed as two-handed and polearm weaponry respectively). |
| 331 | * ''VideoGame/LostOdyssey'': These are used by the game's various magic users, and MagiTek devices often have ones built in that swing like pendulums to generate magic energy. The real stand out, though, is Grandstaff, a MageTower designed to act like a massive broadcast antenna for magic instead of radio waves. |
| 332 | * ''VideoGame/{{Lunar}}'': |
| 333 | ** ''VideoGame/LunarTheSilverStar'' has various canes, renamed into staves in later versions. Most of them have special magical attacks, and a couple of late-game ones even increase Wisdom (the magic stat). They are primarily equipped by Mia and Nash. |
| 334 | ** ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue'' also has staves, which this time around primarily raise Wisdom. They are used by Lemina. |
| 335 | * ''VideoGame/MagicRampage'': There are several, as you would expect from the name. Two standouts are the Staff of Gadarast and the Staff of Oxyomo. |
| 336 | * ''VideoGame/ManaSeries'': |
| 337 | ** In ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' the heroine ("Helena" in the manga) wields one of these. She's the most magic-oriented of all the playable characters. |
| 338 | ** In ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' Angela, one of the two recruitable mages, uses rods and staves. It comes in handy, as she starts with no spells avilable. |
| 339 | ** In ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' staves are avilable to the hero/heroine as equippable weapons. While they mainly use it as MartialArtsStaff, some of its special techniques involve magic, like shooting [[BubbleGun bubbles]] at the enemy. |
| 340 | * ''VideoGame/{{Manafinder}}'': Savius drops his staff upon his defeat. It has no advantages against any enemy type and instead deals non-elemental magic damage. It also grants the Meteor Rain unleash, which deals four non-elemental magic hits to the entire enemy party. |
| 341 | * In the Director's Cut version of ''VideoGame/ManosTheHandsOfFate'', Torgo wields one when he's playable after beating the game. |
| 342 | * ''VideoGame/MinecraftDungeons'': The Lightning Staff, which allows you to summon a bolt of lightning as long as you have enough souls. |
| 343 | * In ''VideoGame/MoshiMonsters'', if you hold a staff, it's never simply going to be a walking cane. Elder Furi, Big Bad Bill, Wuzzle, Hocus and all the Super Moshlings wield a magic staff. |
| 344 | * Rod of Justice acts as an equivalent to one in ''VideoGame/NaughtyBear''. |
| 345 | * Downplayed in ''VideoGame/NetHack''; a wizard starts the game with a quarterstaff, but it is used solely to physically assault monsters; spellcasting either comes entirely from within, or uses a different wand for each spell. |
| 346 | * In ''VideoGame/OctopathTraveler'' and [[VideoGame/OctopathTraveler its sequel]] staves are one of the six main weapon types. Most staves primarily raise Elemental Attack, making them a good weapon for spellcasters, but there's a few weapons, like Flail or Giant's Club, that focus on Physical Attack instead while still being considered staves. Still, the only two basic {{jobs|ystem}} that wield staves are the magic-oriented Scholar and Cleric. |
| 347 | * In ''VideoGame/PanzerBandit'', Miu carries one, which sports a happy face on its tip. |
| 348 | * In the ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' series, there are a couple. |
| 349 | ** Sir Grodus, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' uses a large mechanized scepter which he uses in true ShockAndAwe fashion to attack his enemies with primarily electricity-based attacks; he also wields [[FireIceLightning fire and ice attacks as well]]. |
| 350 | ** Count Bleck, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' uses one to manipulate the power of the Void and use it to harm his opponents. |
| 351 | * ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'' uses both this trope and MartialArtsStaff. Staff weapons can be [[RandomlyGeneratedLoot created]] with either physical attack bonuses or serve as a StatStick with spell bonuses. |
| 352 | * ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline'' has Rods, Canes(staves), and Wands available to Forces. Rods are basic, canes have longer reach, and Wands give a bonus to your Magic stats. |
| 353 | * The Voodoo Staff in ''VideoGame/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnline''. It is generally the final weapon a player will unlock in a playthrough, and unlike its other magic counterpart, the VoodooDoll, it cannot heal allies, and instead focuses purely on offensive play with powerful voodoo hexes. |
| 354 | * ''VideoGame/PrayerOfTheFaithless'': Oracle's Staff gives its wielders the ability to cast a magical shield. |
| 355 | * ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker5'': One of the possible weapons from the Souvenir store, an "Oak cane": |
| 356 | --> A very hard cane. Suitable for magic spells\ |
| 357 | Magic+10, MAG_DEF +5\ |
| 358 | Price: 180000 Yen |
| 359 | * In ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney'', this is one of the limitations that common witches are bound under: they may only perform witchcraft if they have a staff embedded with magic gems on hand. The staff itself isn't worth dirt without any gems, and a witch has to actually touch the staff to use magic. |
| 360 | * In ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo20thAnniversary'', Amitie's alternate costume, Red Amitie, uses a magic staff as a weapon. The staff has a big sun symbol on its top end. |
| 361 | * ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' lets Wizard characters obtain a magic staff in games 3 through 5. In 3 and 4 it's only somewhat useful (no mana consumption while active, but moving at all de-summons it), but it received a major overhaul in 5 (where it has its own regenerating mana supply and can be used until it runs out and needs a recharge, greatly extending the player's mana) and became useful. |
| 362 | * The Mages of ''VideoGame/RagnarokOdyssey'' require these for their spellcasting, while the Clerics go for the classic combo of shield and a mace. |
| 363 | * In the ''VideoGame/RuneFactory'' series, the player can purchase staffs and wands that significantly amplify magic power (particularly offensive spells like Fireball). |
| 364 | * ''VideoGame/RuneScape'': Staves, along with {{Magic Wand}}s, are the standard option for magic combat, serving as the means for casting combat spells. Some staves negate part of the [[LimitedUseMagicalDevice rune cost]] for magic combat, while others have unique special attacks and passive effects. In addition, a few spells can only be cast while wielding a certain type of staff. |
| 365 | * Both mages and priests wield staves for their spellcasting in ''VideoGame/ShadowEra''. |
| 366 | * The original ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts1'' has Li Zhuzhen, an old oracle, who fights with staves. He casts magic by planting it into the ground and reciting the AsianRuneChant, with some spells coming out of the staff's head. He also uses it hor his normal attack, expertly wielding it like a MartialArtsStaff, but for some reason (which may be advanced age) his STR is very low, and he won't deal much damage this way. |
| 367 | * This is Asrael's primary weapon and means of spellcasting in ''VideoGame/ShadowsOfAdam''. |
| 368 | * ''VideoGame/ShiningSeries'': |
| 369 | ** Across the series, both {{Black Mage}}s and {{White Mage}}s mostly use staves and rods as their weapon. In ''VideoGame/ShiningForce'' it's the main type of weapon for your Mages and Priests and their promotions. |
| 370 | ** ''VideoGame/ShiningResonance'': Rinna Mayfield uses a staff with what looks like a trombone on its top. It helps her call forth her [[BlowYouAway wind magic]]. |
| 371 | * Krystal's staff in ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', which Fox recovers and uses since [[ArbitraryMissionRestriction General Pepper ordered him to leave his blaster behind]]. The TelescopingStaff can be used [[CloseRangeCombatant pummel enemies]], and also possesses various powers needed to navigate the planet. |
| 372 | * Mages from the ''VideoGame/StarOcean'' series in general mostly opt for rods, that are slightly shorter than usual staves, yet far too big for {{Magic Wand}}s. |
| 373 | ** ''VideoGame/StarOcean1: Fantastic Space Odyssey'' has Millie Chliette, who, being an {{Expy}} of Mint from ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'', wields short rods. Ioshua Jerand uses the same type of weapon, although in his hands they suddenly [[AllSwordsAreTheSame become full-sized]]. ''The First Departure'' remake adds a secret character [[spoiler:Erys, who replaces a character who leaves permanently in the original]], another rod-wielding mage. |
| 374 | ** ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory'' has Celine Jules, one of your main offensive mages. In the ''Blue Sphere'' GaidenGame she trades her neat rod with a sphere on the top for what can be described only as a decorated ''club''. She's still a mage, though. |
| 375 | ** ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'' has Sophia Esteed, the resident symbology user, fight with rods. |
| 376 | ** ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope'' has Myuria Tionysus using staves, and explicitly names them so for the first time in the series. Sarah Jerand, meanwhile, uses weapons that are technically called spears. However, since they are so ornate and Sarah herself is a SquishyWizard, they end up being magic staves in all but name. |
| 377 | ** ''VideoGame/StarOceanIntegrityAndFaithlessness'': Miki Sauvester, one of the two mages in the party, uses staves. |
| 378 | ** ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheDivineForce'': Midas Felgreed, the party's main mage, uses canes to cast magic. |
| 379 | * In ''VideoGame/StickWar'', the Magikill wield these, and either conjure explosions that stun their enemy at range, or stun those that get into a melee with them. |
| 380 | * ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series: In general, magic staves belong to the "wand" weapon type, that, despite the name, encompasses both staves and actual {{Magic Wand}}s. This is done to help players avoid confusing magic staves with [[MartialArtsStaff Bo Staves]]. |
| 381 | ** Two of the series' most recurring characters, Viki and Jeane, are both potent mages, who wield staves. Viki's trademark "Wow Wow Wand" is topped by an octahedron with a sphere inside, while Jeane's slightly less trademark "Crystal Rod" looks like a long, straght tree branch. |
| 382 | ** Likewise, Luc is a powerful mage, who possesses the [[PiecesOfGod True Rune]] of [[BlowYouAway Wind]], and wields the Gust Rod in the first two games, before ditching it in favor of a RingOfPower. |
| 383 | * ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'': |
| 384 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'' has Mint Adenade the WhiteMagicianGirl. And yes, she can smack enemies with it. |
| 385 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfEternia'': Keele Zeibel TheSmartGuy, although some of his weapons are actually [[CarryABigStick maces]]. |
| 386 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny2'' has Reala. Despite being the mage of the party, she also has plenty of physical artes. |
| 387 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'': Raine/[[DubNameChange Refill]] Sage, TheMedic of the party, uses a staff. While she doesn't have any artes associated with it, whith the spell cancel glitch she can solo even the {{Superboss}}. |
| 388 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfRebirth'' has Annie equip rods. The only way she uses it outside of basic attacks is [[SwordPlant planting it into the ground]] when calling upon her magic circles. Notably, in the story, when she goes for a kill, she opts for a knife instead. |
| 389 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'': Mikleo's weapon is a rod, which he apparently chose [[HeightAngst because of his short stature]]. Other party members note that for a [[ElementalEmbodiment seraph]] like him the main criteria for a weapon is its elemental affinity. Since rods, apparently, represent Earth, that has an [[ElementalRockPaperScissors advantage]] over Mikleo's Water element, it actually ''hampers'' his power. Still, he sticks with rods as a training exercise. |
| 390 | * In ''VideoGame/TalesOfMajEyal'' staves are mostly used as StatSticks to improve spellpower and spell critical chance, but characters can also buy access to the Staff Combat talent category to use staves as melee weapons. Mindstars serve a similar role for bolstering mindpower, and also have the Mindstar Mastery category to turn them into weapons as well. |
| 391 | * The Keystaff used by the titular character in ''VideoGame/TobariAndTheNightOfTheCuriousMoon'' is one. |
| 392 | * ''VideoGame/TokyoMirageSessionsFE'': Kiria Kurono, your main spellcaster, uses one when fusing with [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Tharja]]. Fitting her IdolSinger profession, it's modelled after a mic stand. When unfused, Tharja herself also has one, that she has to levitate [[BizarreAlienBiology due to her lack of hands in the Mirage form]]. It's an odd design choise, as in ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series offensive mages use {{Spell Book}}s instead, and in her home game Tharja has only one class that allows her to use staves (and it's a DLC anyway). It leads to an amusing fact that in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' Kiria's Mirage Rod is classified as a Tome. |
| 393 | * Despite having a huge cast of magic-users, the only ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' character that uses a staff is Mima, and she disappeared after the ContinuityReboot. Although that… ''thing'' [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Flandre]] has may also count. |
| 394 | * ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'' features two types of these. Neither of them is used for physical attacks, and basic attacks with them produce some magic orbs instead. They are different from any other weapon in that they can attack several enemies at once, and that they target all weaknessess at once, not just one or two types. |
| 395 | ** Orbal staves, first introduced in ''VideoGame/TrailsFromZero'' are a high-tech version of this. Most people in the setting use MagicFromTechnology, and Orbments, built into these staves, allows users to cast [[StockRPGSpells arts]] instananeously. It's rendered in gameplay as making several clearly magical attacks avilable to staff-users as instant-use Crafts. Notable users include [[VideoGame/TrailsFromZero Tio]], [[VideoGame/TrailsOfColdSteel Elliot, and Emma]]. |
| 396 | ** Some of the characters who can use ''actual'' magic also use staves, with the most notable example being the Second Anguis, [[RedBaron Witch of the Abyss]], aka [[spoiler:Vita Clotilde]]. |
| 397 | * ''VideoGame/TwistedWonderland'': In dorm uniform, dorm leaders' magical pens turn into magic staves. The exceptions are Idia's which turns into a skull and Vil's which turns into a book. |
| 398 | * Haruka wields such a staff in ''VideoGame/VanguardPrincess''. |
| 399 | * ''VideoGame/AVeryLongRopeToTheTopOfTheSky'': All the staves, rods, canes, scepters, etc. give a boost to the Spirit stat, which is used to attack with, and defend against, magic, but also the Attack stat, which governs physical attack damage. |
| 400 | * ''VideoGame/WildArms'' series: |
| 401 | ** Cecilia Adlehyde from the [[VideoGame/WildArms1 original game]] is the mage of the party, and uses a staff as her weapon. The [[VideoGameRemake remake]], ''VideoGame/WildArmsAlterCodeF'', makes her hold it in a weird martial artist-like stance, but she still uses it to cast magic. |
| 402 | ** ''VideoGame/WildArms2'': |
| 403 | *** Lilka Eleniak normally fights with an [[ParasolOfPain umbrella]], but all of her tools are various rods. She starts with Flame Rod, and later gains Freeze Rod and Change Rod. The former two shoot projectiles, while the latter can change healing gems into blocks to stand on. |
| 404 | *** Tim Rhymeless is a user of SummonMagic, who has a staff as his weapon. |
| 405 | ** ''VideoGame/WildArms4'': Among various tools found in dungeons, there is Wonder Staff. By itself it's just a club, but when lit on fire or imbued with light, it can fire projectiles of the same element to solve puzzles. |
| 406 | * ''VideoGame/{{Wildsio}}'' has the Ice Staff, which is used to fire icy projectiles. These deal the least damage out of all weapon attacks individually, but the overall fire rate is so high that it's easy to overwhelm less-experienced players with these. It gets even easier if you manage to hit with a special attack first, which deals no damage, will freeze the enemy in place and leave them helpless against the ensuing barrage. Nevertheless, the projectiles are individually weak and don't travel very quickly, so they be dodged, blocked or even right back at the caster. |
| 407 | * In ''VideoGame/WindomXP'', these are used by the Linux Iris and Primula. |
| 408 | * Flora summons tornadoes through such a staff in ''VideoGame/TheWizardOfOzBeyondTheYellowBrickRoad''. |
| 409 | * Staves in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' tend to be caster weapons, and are generally not used to melee but merely as stat boosters. Melee-oriented staves tend to be druid weapons, and again druids don't fight with their weapons, but their [[VoluntaryShapeshifting claws.]] However, there are a few rare staves designed for warriors and other melee classes (for monks recently). |
| 410 | * ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'' series: |
| 411 | ** Melia from [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles the first game]] uses staves as her weapon, and uses them to conjure elemental spirits and then discharge them at the enemy. In ''Future Connected'' epilogue story she gets a unique "World Ender" staff, that has a laser blade on the top, making it closer to a polearm. It doesn't change her moveset, though. |
| 412 | ** In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' Haze[=/=][[IdentityAmnesia Fan la Norne]][=/=][[DubNameChange Kasumi]] has a ''crosier''[[note]]A type of a staff, used in real life in most Christian denominations[[/note]] as her Blade weapon. She uses it in equal portions to strike and cast magic. |
| 413 | ** ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'': |
| 414 | *** While no primary character wields such a staff, mace-like rods are shown to be a primary weapon of most {{Mook Medic}}s, both in Keves and Agnus alike. Additionally, Keves trains so-called "blasters", mage soldiers, who use full-sized staves. |
| 415 | *** A secret post-game [[GuestStarPartyMember Hero]], [[spoiler:Melia Antiqua, the Queen of Keves]], uses a weapon called "Elemental Staff". [[spoiler:It's the same staff that she uses in ''Future Connected''.]] The party can use it through the game's JobSystem. |
| 416 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Ziggurat}}'', a magic staff is one of the four available weapon types. |
| 417 | [[/folder]] |
| 418 | |
| 419 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 420 | * ''WebAnimation/{{Dreamscape}}'': [[TheRedMage Drake's]] staff is primarily blue and has a purple crystal. |
| 421 | * ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': [[TheChosenOne Ozma]] originally used to fight with a magical staff that was covered in swirling vine-like patterns and topped with a large emerald crystal. In the [[TheTimeOfMyths age of magic]], it was his weapon of choice and was used to channel his [[EmeraldPower magic through the emerald]] to blast his enemies. [[spoiler:After his death, [[BigBad Salem]] held onto the staff, allowing his [[ResurrectiveImmortality first reincarnation]] to be reunited with it. Thereafter, [[LegacyOfTheChosen every reincarnation]] has carried the staff until [[GadgeteerGenius one host]] eventually created a cane called [[ClassyCane The Long Memory]]. Since him, it's the cane that has been passed down through reincarnations until it finally reached [[BigGood Professor Ozpin]] and later [[LegacyCharacter Oscar Pine]]. While the swirling patterns on the cane are identical to the ones on the original staff, the exact relationship between the two is unknown.]] |
| 422 | [[/folder]] |
| 423 | |
| 424 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 425 | * Steven's weapon in ''Webcomic/AskWhitePearlAndStevenAlmostAnything'' is a staff made of pure light with a gem near the top. It can change size and function both as a close combat weapon and a long range weapon. It's even able to unleash a powerful wide range shockwave that can poof other gems instantly. |
| 426 | * In the Korean webtoon, ''Webcomic/TheGodOfHighSchool'', Jin-Mo-Ri carries one as [[spoiler:the legendary Monkey King, Sun Wukong]]. |
| 427 | * ''Webcomic/LeifAndThorn'': Carried by the most powerful magical girls (and boys). [[http://leifandthorn.com/comic/magical-thorn-act-1-page-5/ As seen here with Kudzu.]] |
| 428 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Magic staffs hold "[[LimitedUseMagicalDevice charges]]" of specific spells, per ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' [[RPGMechanicsVerse mechanics]]. Malack the [[ReligionIsMagic cleric]] carries one so he's not limited to his own [[VancianMagic spell slots]] for a particular important spell -- [[spoiler:one that protects vampires like himself from sunlight. Vampire Durkon inherits it after Malack is destroyed.]] |
| 429 | * ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive:'' Magic staves exist, but are fairly rare. In this setting, the [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2013-09-19 bigger a magic item is the more energy it can store]], so while a smaller MagicWand grants the wielder the ability to cast spells but not a lot of extra energy, staves have a ''lot'' of power. |
| 430 | [[/folder]] |
| 431 | |
| 432 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 433 | * ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': The Green Brujah has a staff "provided by Quetzalcoatl, and acts as a "lens" and "power regulator" to her power, allowing the Brujah to wield much more power than she should be able to without decades of practice." |
| 434 | [[/folder]] |
| 435 | |
| 436 | [[folder:Web Videos]] |
| 437 | * In ''Franchise/{{Noob}}'', Sparadrap gets one early in the story. The generalized post-[[spoiler:level 100]] upgrade the main cast gets later in the story includes Gaea getting a Magic Staff too. |
| 438 | [[/folder]] |
| 439 | |
| 440 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 441 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'': The Relic Staff was created for the human dark mage Ziard, implicitly by [[GreaterScopeVillain Aaravos the Startouch Elf]]. After Ziard was killed by the Dragon King Sol Regem, the staff eventually made its way into the hands of [[Characters/TheDragonPrinceViren Lord Viren]], who disguised it as a fancy walking stick. |
| 442 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'' shows that the staff Rafiki carries is a part of his place as Royal Mjuzi, who’s something of a spiritual advisor to the Lion kings. During training, apprentice Mjuzis must search for their bakura staff on their own. It’s also used to communicate with the Great Lions of the Past, and the gourds often contain things used for healing, like the tuliza for Kion. Makini kept losing staffs until the trip to the Tree of Life when she needed hers to read the path markers. |
| 443 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicKey'': The Rook King wields a wooden staff whose head is shaped to resemble the head of a corvid, which he uses to curse the main children into BecomingTheCostume. This appears to be the entire source of his powers- once the transformed children manage to take it from him, he’s not only unable to wield magic but unable to even command his minions properly. |
| 444 | * in ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'', Skeletor's [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]] is his Havoc Staff, which in [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983 the original series]] seems to be an AmplifierArtifact for his magic, as well as containing a small CrystalBall in the back of the ram's skull at the head of the staff, which Skeletor uses to scry on people. Evil-Lyn also wields a magic staff with a crystal ball. In [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2021 the 2021 series]], Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, and the Sorceress all carry magic staffs that act as a TransformationTrinket for their respective SentientCosmicForce. |
| 445 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' has Palismen, which are a blend between a Magic Staff and a {{Familiar}}. They come in the form of small animals, but can transform into staves topped with a wooden figurine of the animal in question. Their primary use is to allow their witches to fly a la FlyingBroomstick, though they can also be used to cast spells. |
| 446 | ** Both [[Characters/TheOwlHouseEmperorBelos Emperor Belos]] and [[Characters/TheOwlHouseTheGoldenGuard Hunter]] have more mechanical-looking staves that contain artificial magic, since [[spoiler:neither of them have the means to cast magic without one]], though Hunter starts using his artificial staff less and less once he adopts a Palisman of his own. Also [[KungFuWizard Hunter prefers using his artificial staff and later his Palisman as a]] MartialArtsStaff, and only uses magic to supplement his more physical combat style. |
| 447 | * In ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'', King Koppa[[note]]normally known as Bowser[[/note]] often utilizes a regal-like magic scepter to cast spells, mainly using it to [[TakenForGranite turn people to stone]]. |
| 448 | * [[KungFuWizard Nabu]] from ''Westernanimation/WinxClub'' has a Magic Staff as his weapon of choice. |
| 449 | [[/folder]] |
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