Staves or wands?

ermns

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2006

Athens, Hellas

Mo/

24 Jan 2007 at 08:15 - 1
Hello everyone :-)

My question is "Staves or wands"?

This is a heated discussion in my mind so I decided to ask your opinions. It seems to me that ,(all other things being equal), staves deliver overall more than the combination of wand and offhand.

All other things being equal I mean that you compare similar characteristics. It seems to me that the best staff will beat the combination of a wand and an offhand. There could be maybe a couple of points in energy that a wand/offhand will be able to "beat" a staff but OVERALL it seems that a staff beats wand/offhand.

Where Wand/Offhand combination shines is in diversity. I believe that someone will choose a wand/offhand combination if he/she wants to have the ability of adapting more easily to the environment that he is facing, while staves are more rigid in their offered characteristics.

What I would like is your input as well. What is your opinion?
What do you usually carry with you? Staff or wand/offhand.

Thank you guys

Thom Bangalter

Thom Bangalter

Grindin'

Join Date: Dec 2005

MO

E/Mo

24 Jan 2007 at 08:16 - 2
Sword/axe/spear+offhand is better, unless you're on a dom mesmer.

Why? since most classes don't really worry about the hsr 20% that a wand can provide, you get options like health +30 or enchantments +20%, as well as a constant +5 energy.

The only reason dom mesmers care is for faster diversion recharges.

Patrick Smit

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2006

NiTe

24 Jan 2007 at 08:20 - 3
diversity is also well at home on a staff. U can have 20% halves recharge of all spells and 2*10% halves casting tomes of all spells on a staff. Wand and focus only allow a spell belonging to a specific attribute to be faster recharged or cast. a wand can be used with a shield if u want more defense, but then also a staff can be equiped with defensive mods, that apply all the time, not only when attacked from the front as i understood from shield mechanics.

Nowadays i prefer staves over wand+focus, unless i use a sword for targetting, in that case sword or focus is welcome.

ermns

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2006

Athens, Hellas

Mo/

24 Jan 2007 at 08:24 - 4
Thank you guys

Well when I was talking about staff or wand, I meant professions that really use them. It's a rare (if not non existent) sight to see a warrior with a staff.

I was referring mainly to proffesions such as necromancers, monks, elementalists, mesmers...

What would you usually use...

Thanks again

S_Serpent

S_Serpent

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

When not at Aziure's Wizard Tower you can find my in Belgium

Knigths of the Keyboard Order - KkO

24 Jan 2007 at 08:53 - 5
I used mostly staves, but recently changed to weapon and offhand, because of the interchange-ablility.

I'm speaking here for my ele: I have an reduced poison + hp crafted shield that I modded (that stacks with the reduced poison on my armor), I have 4 collectors offhands with HSR and HCT for there attribute, I made myself an +5 energy + longer enchant sword and a -5 energy +hp sword will be made soon too when I get the gold for the crafter to combine with the offhands/shields. One special offhand is also a fire artifact with reduced dazed added on it. And for Wands I like HSR + ???.

And this was all very cheap to get = mostly all are collectors items, the rest was crafted at the weaponsmiths (I don't care about the skins its the functionality I want for my char). And you can customize your stuff too, without having to think if your going to customize a pricey gold or rare skin :P
My motto is customize, customize ...

Lilith St Cyr

Lilith St Cyr

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2006

24 Jan 2007 at 09:23 - 6
I did this comparison on one of my eles' weapons:

SKYBRINGER.........Energy: 10.........Health: 30..........HSR: 20..........HSC: 40
AMADIS................Energy: 10.........Health: 60..........HSR: 20..........HSC: 20

WEAPONSMITH WAND............................................HS R: 20..........HSC: 20
LUSHIVAHR...........Energy: 12..........Health: 30.........HSR: 20

ss1986v2

ss1986v2

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2006

Mo/

24 Jan 2007 at 09:27 - 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by ermns
Well when I was talking about staff or wand, I meant professions that really use them. It's a rare (if not non existent) sight to see a warrior with a staff.

I was referring mainly to proffesions such as necromancers, monks, elementalists, mesmers...
Thom wasnt referring to melee classes, but caster using single hand melee weapons. because you have ascess to mods on melee weapons (pommel, grip, ect...) as well as a permanent +5 engery, rather than the condition +5 on a wand, using a sword for example is a very good idea. all you miss out on is the HSR, which you can still have on your focus if you have to have it.

compare these three:

common staff:

* Energy +15
* [type] damage: 11-22 (req. 9 [Attribute])
* Halves skill recharge time of spells (Chance: 20%)
* Energy +5 (while health is above 50%)
* Health +30 or 20% longer enchantments

common wand/offhand:

* [Type] damage* 11-22 (Requires 9 [Attribute])
* Halves skill recharge of [Attribute] spells (Chance: 20%)
* Energy +5 (while Health is above 50%)

* Energy +12 (Requires 9 <Attribute>)
* Halves skill recharge of <Attribute> spells (Chance: 20%)
* Health +30

common sword/offhand:

* Cold Damage: 15-22 (req. 9 Swordsmanship)
* 20% longer enchantments or +30 Health
* Energy +5

* Energy +12 (Requires 9 <Attribute>)
* Halves skill recharge of <Attribute> spells (Chance: 20%)
* Health +30

i usually use a sword/off hand combo on my monk. more unconditional energy than a wand/offhand or a staff, gives 20% enchants, HSR, and + health.

SotiCoto

SotiCoto

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2007

Drazach Thicket

Temple of Zhen Xianren [Sifu]

24 Jan 2007 at 10:52 - 8
I'm not sure if I've got this totally right.... but doesn't the average staff only give +10 energy by default.... I mean aside from extra energy functions?

riojin

riojin

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

East Coast Australia

A/Mo

24 Jan 2007 at 10:59 - 9
well for emergency energy i use +15/-1 for wand and offhand. it can come in handy.

other than that im a staff man

ss1986v2

ss1986v2

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2006

Mo/

24 Jan 2007 at 10:59 - 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by SotiCoto
I'm not sure if I've got this totally right.... but doesn't the average staff only give +10 energy by default.... I mean aside from extra energy functions?
yes, but the one i mentioned above has a +5e mod and a +5e ^50 inscription.

Cebe

Cebe

The 5th Celestial Boss

Join Date: Jul 2006

Inverness, Scotland

The Cult of Scaro [WHO]

E/

24 Jan 2007 at 11:22 - 11
Numbers aside...Staves are infintely more elegant.

I guess Wands and Focus can come in useful when you want LOADS of extra energy...if you were mad enough to use a wand and a focus both with 15/-1 on them ("Sieze the Day" inscription).

From an Elementalist point of view, anyhow, what with 70-80 energy a staff is fine since that is more than enough energy...I mean, you CAN try and get 130 energy if you want but there's no point when with good energy management my 70-80 energy pool rarely falls below 50.

Staves just look far cooler than any wand/focus ever could

SotiCoto

SotiCoto

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2007

Drazach Thicket

Temple of Zhen Xianren [Sifu]

24 Jan 2007 at 11:31 - 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestial Beaver
Staves just look far cooler than any wand/focus ever could
Platinum Staves for the win.

I need at least one of my monk heroes to have the Kaolin Protection Staff.... not least since I've already got the Kaolin Water Staff and Kaolin Domination Staff (the latter of which is quite the shiny Mesmer weapon)... ^_^ ... I kinda want the Kaolin Accursed Staff for myself, but until then I'll just stick with my Hale Evil-Eye Staff of Defence when I go A/N.

Darcy

Darcy

Never Too Old

Join Date: Jul 2006

Rhode Island where there are no GW contests

Order of First

W/R

24 Jan 2007 at 12:14 - 13
The benefit of wand/off-hand is the ability to use them in different combinations in your weapon sets. It is easier to get the exact combinations you like to use with the separate items than with staves,

And warrior runners on the Droks run quite often equip caster items for the larger +eng stats.

Cebe

Cebe

The 5th Celestial Boss

Join Date: Jul 2006

Inverness, Scotland

The Cult of Scaro [WHO]

E/

24 Jan 2007 at 14:10 - 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by SotiCoto
Platinum Staves for the win.

I need at least one of my monk heroes to have the Kaolin Protection Staff.... not least since I've already got the Kaolin Water Staff and Kaolin Domination Staff (the latter of which is quite the shiny Mesmer weapon)... ^_^ ... I kinda want the Kaolin Accursed Staff for myself, but until then I'll just stick with my Hale Evil-Eye Staff of Defence when I go A/N.
I have the Dominatiion Staff and the Accursed Staff...I'm also hoping to complete my Kaolin Staff collection this weekend with the Water and Protection staves. They are truly stunning. One day...when I'm leet enough I would really love a Tormented Staff. That skin is amazing.

Thom Bangalter

Thom Bangalter

Grindin'

Join Date: Dec 2005

MO

E/Mo

24 Jan 2007 at 17:22 - 15
Nothing beats a +5 energy fiery dragon sword.

Lonesamurai

Lonesamurai

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Apr 2006

Cheltenham, Glos, UK

Wolf Pack Samurai [WPS]

R/A

24 Jan 2007 at 17:37 - 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thom Bangalter
Nothing beats a +5 energy fiery dragon sword.
I know something that does...

+5 Energy Crystaline Sword


haw, pwned!

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

24 Jan 2007 at 18:01 - 17
Nah, 'cuz Crystallines are ugly

Personally, I like dual 20/20 wand and artifact for elementalist... we really don't need extra energy modifiers, and dual 20/20 allows you the chance to fire off more spells faster than other combos (of course, with some kind of enchanting weapon on switch if you're one of them dual attunes types ).

Titan Chrae

Titan Chrae

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Frozen Lake

Illustrious Chromatic Enigmas (ICE)

Mo/

24 Jan 2007 at 18:24 - 18
It's all a matter of personal preference. People who use melee weapons and offhand on casters are problaby PvP oriented where mod swapping matters more.

I like to be able to apply a little more damage pressure by wanding enemies...I wouldn't want my monk in a fight swinging a sword.

To Answer the OPs question: I'm more into PvE and I prefer staffs, in general because, they take up fewer slots in inventory, look more elegant (Banor's Sacred Branch and Zodiac Staff) and you can pretty much match any wand/offhand stats with a good Staff.

GODh

GODh

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2005

The Netherlands

BFTW and DLRR

24 Jan 2007 at 19:37 - 19
For me it depends on the profession (i only play PvE):

For monk and mesmer i prefer staves that give +20 energy (10 + 5 + 5^50)... that way i miss the HCT 10 or 20%, but i dont consider that as a problem as the 10 or 20% is a chance (nothing guaranteed). Many monks skills usually cast in 1 second or faster and for mesmer we have fast casting. This really works fine for me.

For elementalist and necro i prefer wand+focus... the wand (or rod) is usually 20/20 in speed and the focus is +12 energy, +1 death or fire (20%) and +30 health. IMO with these 2 professions i must have faster casting as casttimes are often long. And the missing 3 energy compared to 20/20 staves (10 + 5) is not a problem with decent energy storage or soul reaping settings. I tried +1 death or fire (20%) staves but i felt very vunerable because i was missing the 30 extra health (for these professions i prefer the 30 health over 3 extra energy).

All my chars have at least 1 superiour rune for their profession + superiour rune of vigor... giving me 485 health (no dp).

Just my 2 € cents...

Yanman.be

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

24 Jan 2007 at 21:02 - 20
I run 1 staff with proper mods ( enchanting or health, depends on build ), 1 wand/offhand with 1/15, another set with 2 1/15's, and a negative set.

S_Serpent

S_Serpent

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

When not at Aziure's Wizard Tower you can find my in Belgium

Knigths of the Keyboard Order - KkO

25 Jan 2007 at 09:05 - 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lilith St Cyr
I did this comparison on one of my eles' weapons:

SKYBRINGER.........Energy: 10.........Health: 30..........HSR: 20..........HSC: 40
AMADIS................Energy: 10.........Health: 60..........HSR: 20..........HSC: 20

WEAPONSMITH WAND............................................HS R: 20..........HSC: 20
LUSHIVAHR...........Energy: 12..........Health: 30.........HSR: 20

Off topic: Lilith SF is that you too? Seems this is a small world Hey mate.

Crom The Pale

Crom The Pale

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2006

Ageis Ascending

W/

25 Jan 2007 at 17:50 - 22
On topic: I tend to preferr my caster chars use a wand + offhand. the main reason is its easier to find the mods for focus at a collector, ie +1 death, fire, healling....

Off topic: I like to give all my Hero's staffs so I can store shields and offhands on them to save some space