Staves

[Xyrlove Woodsoul]

If you use a staff does it take both hands, or only both hands when you use it as a weapon (quarterstaff)?

Can you hold a staff in one hand and attack with a dagger in the other, without penalty?

If you have the dual implemnet spellcaster feat, can you wield a staff in one hand and another staff?

 

[DracoSuave]

If you use a staff does it take both hands, or only both hands when you use it as a weapon (quarterstaff)?

Can you hold a staff in one hand and attack with a dagger in the other, without penalty?

If you have the dual implemnet spellcaster feat, can you wield a staff in one hand and another staff?

1.

Weapons only require two hands when used as weapons. They might be too heavy to carry in one hand, but that's a question of encumbrance and carrying limits for the DM, and not a question that involves the implement rules.

(translation: In before someone actually compares a wooden stick to Cloud's bustersword.)

Weapon wielding requires two hands because of leverage, not because of weight. Implement use does not utilize leverage, therefore would not use two hands.

2. and 3.

Yes.

 

[N0Man]

If you have the dual implemnet spellcaster feat, can you wield a staff in one hand and another staff?

I want to add, that if you have Dual Implement Spellcaster feat and then add Staff Fighting, you can gain the benefit of a 2nd implement using each end of a single staff, and gain the Defensive and Stout weapon properties.

 

[BASHMAN]

I want to add, that if you have Dual Implement Spellcaster feat and then add Staff Fighting, you can gain the benefit of a 2nd implement using each end of a single staff, and gain the Defensive and Stout weapon properties.

My Staff Wielding Barbarian/Cosmic Sorcerer thanks you!

 

[Destil]

Two-weapon staff wielding is pretty good, since you can also take two weapon fighting and defense...
Edit: And weapon focus.

 

[DracoSuave]

Two-weapon staff wielding is pretty good, since you can also take two weapon fighting and defense...
Edit: And weapon focus.

SF/TWF/TWD... eh.

I'm not entirely convinced this is the best expendature for feats for an implement user. Sorcerers might want some spell fury in there.

 

[kerbarian]

SF/TWF/TWD... eh.

I'm not entirely convinced this is the best expendature for feats for an implement user. Sorcerers might want some spell fury in there.

I'm playing a staff wizard and was looking at those feats. I think Staff Fighting can be worth it, but TWF/TWD don't cut it for me. Assuming you take Dual Implement Spellcaster, and your off-hand implement has an enhancement 1 less than your main, Staff Fighting is effectively +1 AC and +1 damage, which is quite nice for a single feat. After that, TWF and TWD give you the same benefit (and +1 Reflex), but for two feats -- not nearly as good a deal.

They're still decent feats, but if you look at everything else you'd definitely want to take first...

• Staff Fighting (+1 AC and +1 damage)
• Dual Implement Spellcaster (better than TWF for damage)
• Weapon Focus (at least as good as TWF for damage)
• Leather Armor Proficiency (better than TWD for defense)
• Implement Expertise

For wizards, I'd also add Enlarge Spell and maybe Improved Initiative or Destructive Wizardry. With the PHB3, there's also Superior Implement Training.

So that more than fills out your heroic feats... then there are some great paragon feats, depending on your focus: Arcane Admixture + Resounding Thunder, Psychic Lock, Spell Focus, etc.

After all that, you're probably at least at mid-paragon before getting to TWF and TWD. They might be decent choices at that point, but +1 damage at mid-paragon isn't too exciting.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Well, leather armour is only better than TWD if you are talking AC - if Reflex is more important to you, TWD gives you that while the armour does not.

Additionally, you do give up something for using a staff in one hand - the ability to use it as a weapon. Which may or may not matter to you - but it is something. Sometimes it can be handy to have something better than an improvised weapon to make opportunity attacks with.

Incidentally, something else to consider when choosing feats is which ones stack and which ones don't.

 

[Starfox]

Considering the escalating returns of AC, if you are optimizing defenses you want all of these - its just a matter of what order you take them.

 

[DracoSuave]

Considering the escalating returns of AC, if you are optimizing defenses you want all of these - its just a matter of what order you take them.

Incorrect. To reduce damage you want to reduce outcomes of damage.

You want to reduce AC only if it is the most targetted defense, if you have a choice between defenses. However, if you have a choice between feats, you might not necessarily gain as much by increasing defenses.

If all your defenses are targetted the same amount, you reduce incoming damage the same no matter which defense you improve.