There are many things I don't like about the staff from Quintessential Wizard as written:
It requires a feat to create.
It doesn't allow you to gain anything by "capturing" another wizard's staff. You must be attuned to gain any benefits, and you can only be attuned to one staff.
All the abilities cost money to add to the staff.
It's powers do not increase as you gain levels, and the powers are static and cannot be changed.
Some of it's powers mimic feats, which is one of my pet peeves. Most feats should have to be learned, not gained by buying an item.
What I liked:
Being able to use your staff to cast a spell one or more times a day by burning spell slots is extremely cool, useful and balanced. I just wish there was a more flexible system for doing so. (The article from Dragon #338 does offer such a system, but it requires permanent sacrifice of a spell slot.)
The ability to "will" the staff into your hand from across the room.
The ability to use the equivalent of sudden metamagic feats from your staff.
Ability to have a sturdier staff. It's pitifully easy for a fighter to sunder your staff. Increasing the hardness and hitpoints means it has a better chance of survival.
The various saving throw bonuses and protection abilities of the staff are pretty cool.
What I'd like to see:
-Improving the wizard's fighting/defense abilities. It is after all, a weapon, a martial extension of the wizard's power, so why shouldn't it boost the wizard's martial abilities? It could offer bonuses to attack and AC. This might require feats, or cost money to enhance, but it should be discounted since losing the staff incurs penalties, wizards are severly lacking in combat ability, and the combat abilities of the staff only function for wizards.
-Staff's abilities improve as the wielder's caster level improves. This goes for both purchased enhancements to the staff, and the base abilities that the staff provides. As the wizard gains access to new spells, why should he be able to upgrade the staff's capabilities without creating a new one? It doesn't make sense that a wizard should have to craft a new staff because he "filled up" the powers he can invest to his original staff. Provide a system to upgrade abilities. Basic abilities granted by the staff should improve as the wielder improves his caster level. (The article from Dragon issue #338 does a good job here)
-The ability to use another wizard's staff against him. This is a classic element in fantasy books, it's the wizard's time to shine! Allow the wizard to use whatever abilities that the captured staff has to offer, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
-Some drawback or loss of abilities if the staff is lost. The Dragon article suggests an XP penalty similiar to losing a familiar if the wizard loses his staff, but that doesn't seem appropriate to me. Something like casting all spells at -1 caster level until the staff has been replaced seems more appropriate.
