A wizard's staff has a knob on the end, knob on the end, knob on the end
A wizard's staff has a knob on the ennndddd!
What he does with it is magic!A wizard's staff has a knob on the end
And runes run up the shaft
It's long and proud and stiff and loud
It's the pride of wizardcraft.The Wizard's Staff **George Anketell** (after Terry Pratchett)
Basic Information
A magic staff is a staff which serves as a tool and frequently a symbol of office for a wizard. This is rarely an iron-bound quaterstaff or anything similar - although it may serve as a weapon in a crisis - and is more normally decorative and ceremonial, and quite possibly a nod to the age-equals-wisdom meme as a "wise old man's walking stick" whatever the age of the wizard.
A wizard's staff is generally a highly personal piece of equipment - often one he makes for himself - and will generally reflect his personality in appearance and function. Using another wizard's staff may be dangerous or even impossible - some users believe that they are self aware to some degree, or at least highly bonded to their creator and resist strangers - although there are some stories of staves being inherited. Possibly the death of the previous user allows the staff to be re-attuned.
The staff may serve as a larger replacement for the wand or may be a seperate tool to be used alongside it, depending on tradition. In many systems the staff serves as a magical earthing or stabilising device or as a concentrator or reservoir for magical power. Alternatively they may serve to maintain a spell which would normally take the wizard's own effort to prolong. In most traditions they can also serve as an extension of the wizard's body, delivering workings that would normally require him to touch the subject.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- Many RPG systems treat the wizard's staff as a piece of consumer hardware or a mere accessory. Subvert this. It's probably more significant to wizards of the European tradition than the familiar - something which is also much misused in RPGs.
