Rods vs. Staffs

I play a monk and for a long while now (mostly because I just finished Hell's Precipice yesterday) I've been using a combination of a rod and a focus item rather than a staff. The rod and focus item ae both maxxed (almost) and both give me benefits to my skills.


(the last thing on the symbol is Recharge speed 20%)

Now I know that staffs are good because you can get upgrades for them, but which upgrades really make it worthwhile to use a staff over a rod+focus item combo?
(PS, I know the rod's not that great because it's precious and that doesn't help much, but I have an identical smiting one that increases speed and recovery of smiting spells by 20%)

you can get a staff with the same stats as your symbol offhand from the collector outside of port sledge and if you added an insightful head for +5 energy and a wrapping of your choice, you would have more energy and another mod that your combo dont provide atm. staffs are more upgradable to your character than a rod/ offhand combo, but some rods/offhand combos (ie. the brohns rod and collectors healing ank) work wonders and better than any staff ive seen. I guess it al ldepends on what the character build is that youre using

Well, a good staff will start out with +10 energy and max damage 11-22. But you can also add an Insightful Staff Head (max on that is +5) so already you are doing better on energy there. Staff Wrapping of Fortitude/Shelter/Defense/Warding (I prefer defense) can give +30 health/+7 armor vs physical/+5 armor/+7 vs elemental.

What's nice about your offhand there, is the improved casting & recovery. Other than that, there are some nicer ones out there. If you do not mind -1 energy regen you can find offhands with +21 or more energy.

Generally, the staff is better than the wand/offhand unless you have both a wand and an offhand with the 20% recharge and are of an attribute line with long recharge times. Alternatively, the wand/offhand combination of the +15 energy -1 regen variety can be useful to switch to and get a quick boost of energy in an emergency situation (obviously more beneficial for monks than others).

Yeah I'm definitely not bragging about my stuff. I usually don't have much time to play leaving little time for farming or making money, I was just wondering what better stuff I should be shooting for and why. Thanks for the help .

Javinator

The best combo would be a HoD +5 energy sword with whatever mod you want and the off-hand of your choice.

My ele has a +5 energy (enchanted) wand with a 10% skill recharge, and a +12 flame artifact with +38 health (enchanted). Works pretty well a srunning dual attunements keeps me enchanted almost constantly.

my necro has a deaths collector staff which ive been upgrading as I find parts. Currently +12 energy and +21 life I think. More than enough to be successful at pve.