Promoting the use of simple weapons...

[Technik4]

The quarterstaff is a fine weapon. I believe the tables in the DMG for determining frequency of magic item distribution make simple weapons more common, which is a slight bonus (also more common in Modules - most seem to have at least 1 Dagger +1 and Quarterstaff +1).

-If you aren't dual-wielding you get Str x 1.5, which is a nice bonus.

-Gandalf's ruse - It's just a walking stick!

-It is one of the more useful out-of-combat weapons, since you can use it in many situations - holding open a door, as a life-saving device if someone is sinking, or even just jamming it in some contraption you are trying to short out (of course, other weapons can serve in that regard as well).

Technik

 

[the Jester]

I wouldn't modify a weapon just because a pc wanted to use it. I'd point out existing options to make it better- in the case of a staff, Weapon Focus, Power Attack, the 2WF chain, some CW feats...

Would you tweak a weapon to make it better for your villains?

 

[dshai527]

Isn't there a long staff in one of the complete books that acts like a quarterstaff, but if you spend a feat on it you can negate flanking while using it as a double weapon or something. At work don't have the books handy.

 

[Talic]

Yeah, that longstaff is in Complete Adventurer I believe. But the catch is, it's no longer a simiple weapon. It's exotic.