Fantasy narratives often imbue characters with powerful staffs, portraying them as tools of authority and magic. From Gandalf's iconic wizard's staff to Marcille Donato's staff Ambroisa from Delicious in Dungeon, staves are as much tools as part of their identity. Yet, the romanticized image rarely aligns with the practical realities of carrying a six-foot-plus piece of wood or metal, especially when adventuring takes a turn for the confined.
When Staff Becomes Hazard
Step into a typical fantasy dungeon, and the ideal combat scenario — an open field with plenty of room to maneuver — quickly evaporates. Instead, you're faced with narrow corridors, low ceilings, cramped chambers, and unexpected traps. This is where a long staff turns into a liability.As seen in Delicious in Dungeon, Marcille's staff has faced its share of damage, a testament to the realities of dungeon wear and tear. Wooden staves, while sturdy, are not impervious to hard impacts, falls, or being caught in precarious positions. A sudden break in a critical moment could leave a spellcaster or martial artist disarmed and vulnerable.
Furthermore, a staff demands continuous attention. As I've personally experienced when traversing rocky terrain, you need both hands for climbing or stability ... so where does the staff go? Slung across the back, it can catch on overhead obstacles or become unbalanced. Carrying it by hand in a non-combat situation means one hand is perpetually occupied, limiting your ability to hold a torch, wield a shield, or simply steady yourself. In the tight confines of a dungeon, this constant encumbrance becomes a source of frustration, slowing movement and potentially compromising safety.
I've also played a legionnaire who specialized in polearms; he was frequently collapsing and reassembling his staff (the only way to make it work in a dungeon without magic). Telling your enemies to wait one round while you assemble your polearm wasn't fun.
Overland Advantage
Despite its dungeon drawbacks, the staff truly shines during overland travel. Historically, staffs and walking sticks have been invaluable companions for travelers for good reason.For long treks, a staff provides crucial support and balance, significantly reducing strain on the legs and back. In my experience on hikes, a staff offers stability on uneven ground, aiding uphill climbs by allowing you to push, and alleviating knee strain on steep descents by distributing weight. This can dramatically increase endurance and comfort over long distances. Moreover, a staff can be used to probe uncertain ground (is that mud shallow, or a deep bog?) and clear away irritating underbrush (a constant problem). Just remember about the person hiking behind you when you force branches aside and they whip back into place (sorry about that Keith!).
The Staff in Combat
While a staff might be cumbersome for general dungeon navigation, its utility in combat, particularly in skilled hands, should not be underestimated. The common quarterstaff, typically 6 to 9 feet long, was a formidable weapon in historical martial arts, praised for its reach, speed, and versatility.The Polearm Master feat in Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons quantifies what counts as a polearm as glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear, bestowing a Bonus Action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon for an extra d4 Bludgeoning damage and an opportunity attack when they enter reach. The value of staff weapons like this is their reach, keeping combatants with shorter weapons at bay. But in theory anything long enough can be an improvised weapon that might just be a walking stick; as the quote above demonstrates, Gandalf makes an argument that he needs his staff to walk, making it a reliable tool for self-defense for a traveler who might not be overtly armed.
Staves are also often symbols of authority. As I've experienced managing a boffer/LARP combat game, whoever has the staff is the referee, and the dragon atop my staff kept a bunch of unruly boys in line when I held it up. Gandalf's staff came to represent the power of Istari, such that there's quite a bit of debate as to whether or not Háma recognized the magical threat posed by Gandalf's ... and let him in anyway.
Conclusion
While a staff is great for overland travel, its utility drastically diminishes in confined environments like dungeons. It becomes a cumbersome, easily damaged, and often inconvenient accessory (just watch poor Marcille run with it in Delicious in Dungeon). In combat, its effectiveness depends heavily on space and the wielder's skill.There are ways around this: collapsible staves that don't lose structural integrity, magical weapons that expand and contract on command, a "staff caddy" backpack like a bag of holding, or even just summoning weapons when needed like warlocks (glaivelocks in the above video). Staves and polearms definitely have their advantages, both in and out of combat. But for those of us in real life who face rocky terrain on hikes ... I'll stick with my hiking poles, thanks.
