One more possible mechanic: the Signature Staff.
The wizard may choose to select a signature staff instead of a familiar. The signature staff serves as a focus for the wizard's magic, and enables the wizard to cast certain spellls for which the wizard is renowned ... signature spells.
At first level, the wizard's staff is a masterwork quarterstaff to which the wizard is attuned (this process takes 24 hours and 100gp worth of oils, incense, and other materials for the tuning ceremony). With the staff in hand, the wizard casts all spells as if she possessed the Eschew Materials feat. In addition, the wizard may use the staff to "lose" a prepared spell slot and spontaneously cast a "signature spell" the level of that spell slot or below. This casting is a standard action which draws attacks of opportunity.
Siganture spell: At 1st level, choose one spell the wizard knows. With signature staff in hand, the wizard is able to spontaneously convert prepared spells of the level of the sacrificed spell slot or below into the signature spell. The wizard gains an additional signature spell from spells known at every odd level.
Example: Mialee chooses to focus on fire spells. At first level, she selects burning hands as her signature spell. At any time she has her staff in hand, she may choose to sacrifice one of her prepared first level spell slots to cast burning hands as a standard action. At 3rd level, she selects pyrotechnics as her next signature spell. She may then spontaneously convert any 2d-level prepared spell slot into pyrotechnics or burning hands, or any 1st level spell slot into burning hands.
In addition to the signature spell ability, the signature staff also increases in utility as the wizard increases in level:
At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, it gains a +1 enhancement bonus -- it is a +1 quarterstaff at 5th level, a +2 quarterstaff at 10th level, etc. At 5th level, the wizard may also futher enhance the staff with additional weapon enhancements starting at 5th level, provided the wizard has the craft arms and armor feat (costs as per th feat). At 12th level, the wizard may imbue additional spell abilities into the signature staff as charges, provided the wizard has the craft staff feat (this mechanic functions exactly as the craft staff feat, except that when all charges in the staff are expended, the staff returns to its role as a signature staff. It may then be further charged with different spells should the wizard choose by repeating the crafting process).
The wizard knows the direction and distance to the signature staff so long as the staff is on the same plane and within 1 mile.
If the signature staff is destroyed, the magical energies associated it detonate, causing 5 points of force damage per wizard level to all within 20' of the staff, to include the wielder, if the wizard has it in hand)(Reflex save DC10 + wizard level for half damage). The wizard must make a Fortitude save (DC15) or lose 200 XP per wizard level (or half that if the saving throw is made). The wizard may then attune a new signature staff, but doign so requires not only the 24 hours and 100gp for the ceremony, but a gold piece and XP expenditure equivalent to crafting a magical quarterstaff of the same enhancement as the signature staff. The wizard may select new signature spells for each appropriate level when crafting a new signature staff.
A wizard who has a signature staff, who does not have it in hand, may not employ the Eschew Materials feat, nor spontaneously convert spell slots to signature spells. A wizard who is without the attuned signature staff for a period of more than 24 hours becomes fatigued until the staff is recovered (this does not apply if the attuned staff has been destroyed; see below).
The wizard may voluntarily choose to sacrifice the staff by breaking it, but risks the damage from the arcane detonation and suffers the XP loss as per normal. The wizard may then craft a new signature staff.
A signature staff is strengthened by the arcane energies which attune it to its wizard; it possesses hardness 10, and 20 hit points, or hit points equal to the wizards (whichever is greater).
