I told you to take the wizard's staff. (Staff Question)

[Alejandro]

If I may, I'd like some advice from the forumites. I currently have a 6th-level wizard, who owns a staff+2. I have reached a point where I may be able to start considering various powers/specific staves to upgrade into. I'm not sure, however, what to take.

Some context:

6th level party
Others: Paladin, Bard, Artificer, Ardent. Sometimes a Ranger or Slayer.
Me: 6th lvl tiefling wizard, focused on being as good of a controller as I can at this level. Beguiling Strands, Color Spray, Visions of Avarice, and so forth.

I will be taking the feat Initiate of the Faith, and the paragon path Divine Oracle, especially as it fits the campaign's setting of a powerful church being the authority on magic, and wizards being rare except for those who are, in fact, wizards of the church.

That given, I considered this:

Staff of the Faithful ArcanistLevel 8+ Uncommon

This alabaster staff is topped with a deity's symbol for those who consider their powers to be a gift from their god.
Implement: Staff

Enhancement Bonus: attack rolls and damage rolls

Critical: +1d6 damage per plus

Requirement: You must have the initiate of the faith feat.
Power (Divine, Healing) Daily (Minor Action)

As the cleric's healing word power (Player's Handbook, page 62).
--
It fits me very well. However, I am concerned that it might be 'too much' of something we already have, as the paladin, bard, artificer, and ardent all have some healing magic, and so will I, from Initiate of the Faith. Perhaps it might be better to obtain some ability we cannot already do?

Any suggestions would be most welcomed.

[Ashdate]

From a roleplaying perspective, that staff sounds like a good fit.

From an optimization perspective? Probably not. I don't really know your build, nor the type of campaign you're in (is it combat heavy? Are the combats you do have difficult? Does your wizard make death saving throws often?) but here are some suggestions for a level 7-9 staff:

Mnenomic Staff: swap a daily or utility power out for something more useful to your situation.

Staff of Expansion: grab another extra creature with your powerful spells (such as Sleep) without risking your comrades getting hit by the effect. Alternatively...

Staff of the War Mage: heck with your comrades. They've got enough healers.

Earthroot Staff: Make some of your powers more difficult to save out of.

Feyswarm Staff: Daze the enemy on a critical hit.

Staff of Elemental Mastery: Deal a bit more damage, and help protect your party from big AOE damage.

[Alejandro]

The greatest problem we have, when we must fight, is that sometimes we have no striker, and we struggle to do harsh damage and put enemies down swiftly.

I probably am the least attacked character in the party (that would be the paladin) and when I am, I am very good at avoiding damage (staff feature, shield spell, good defenses, etc.)

[obryn]

In that case, you could do a lot worse than a Staff of Ruin. Not exactly thematic, but....

-O

[Alejandro]

Wouldn't a Staff of Ruin not work with, say, Beguiling Strands, because there is no damage roll?

[obryn]

Wouldn't a Staff of Ruin not work with, say, Beguiling Strands, because there is no damage roll?
:smallredface: Yeah, I kinda missed that. No, it wouldn't help even a bit with non-damaging spells.

-O

[Alejandro]

Staff of the War Mage seems to be a good choice. I plan to have the Enlarge Spell feat, but that does not work on a daily spell. The staff, however, will. And my Artificer friend can recharge its daily power to allow me to do it again in the same day.

[Kurald Galain]

If I may, I'd like some advice from the forumites. I currently have a 6th-level wizard, who owns a staff+2. I have reached a point where I may be able to start considering various powers/specific staves to upgrade into. I'm not sure, however, what to take.

If your party needs damage, take the Staff of Ruin and accept no substitutes. It's one of the most powerful implements by a long shot.

If not, try the Warmage Staff for a huge boost to one of your daily powers, or some other fun staff like the Staff of Light (in-character for you!), Staff of Transposition, or Staff of the Architect. Note that all of these work as an off-hand implement (i.e. lower level and cheaper) while you wield your main implement in your main hand.

I found the Mnemonic staff to be underwhelming, and I would not recommend any "effect on a crit" implements until you get a better crit range.

[Alejandro]

If your party needs damage, take the Staff of Ruin and accept no substitutes. It's one of the most powerful implements by a long shot.

If not, try the Warmage Staff for a huge boost to one of your daily powers, or some other fun staff like the Staff of Light (in-character for you!), Staff of Transposition, or Staff of the Architect. Note that all of these work as an off-hand implement (i.e. lower level and cheaper) while you wield your main implement in your main hand.

I found the Mnemonic staff to be underwhelming, and I would not recommend any "effect on a crit" implements until you get a better crit range.

Your argument for the Staff of Ruin, especially based on my group's difficulty with dealing out significant damage, is a strong one. Maybe you are right. :)

[TheKoalaNxtDoor]

If you need damage, then staff of ruin and warmage's staff are what to look into. But if you want to enhance your controller-ee-ness, then i'll echo the earthroot staff mentioned by ashdate previously. Always good to keep your save ends stuff around for more turns.