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[Pwned dwarf]

Staves can hit very hard when properly wielded, they could be a cheap alternative to metal weapons for poor fortresses. Elves could use them instead of their crappy wooden swords and whatnot. They could be made of wood or metal. If possible they'd be wielded with 2 hands.

[KittyTac]

And when magic is added, in some worlds you might have to use staves to cast spells, and the staff itself could be used as a backup weapon. +1

[Pwned dwarf]

And when magic is added, in some worlds you might have to use staves to cast spells, and the staff itself could be used as a backup weapon. +1

I'm not talking about magic staves, maybe they could exist, but i'm talking about quarterstaffs or Bo staffs.

[WillowLuman]

They're easy enough to add. Not sure if existing combat skills are entirely appropriate for them, but you can definitely make raws for them right now.

[StagnantSoul]

I use spear skill for staves and just not give it anything but bash attacks, it basically makes them really bad maces.

[Pwned dwarf]

I use spear skill for staves and just not give it anything but bash attacks, it basically makes them really bad maces.

I modded in staves, and gave it the spear bash attack. But increased the velocity of bash to 3.5x (from 1.25,) lowered prepared and recover time to 2 (from 3) and raised the weapon size to 500 (from 400.) In object testing arena, elves armed with steel staves were able to beat elves armed with steel spears.

[Rowanas]

I'm not sure that staves should regularly beat out spears, simply for the fact that a spear is a staff with extra options.  In theory, could they be given a block_chance, allowing them to be more defensive? I haven't got my raws with me to check if they're compatible.

EDIT: If the shield block_chance is compatible with weapons, I might go modding all of my weapons to make some of them more offensive or defensive.

[Ninjabread]

If you don't mind invaders never using it, you could assign them to an unused skill like balance or alchemy, and rename it appropriately.

Also, as the proud owner of both staff and spear, I can tell you, a staff doesn't really get any more velocity than a spear, unless it's weighted or something, and no matter what will never get more momentum behind it that a freaking maul. The other 2 differences are reasonable though.

You could force things under a certain size to use them 2 handed, but even though that's how they'd be better used IRL, AFAICT it provides no advantage in DF.

[☼FUN☼]

And when magic is added, in some worlds you might have to use staves to cast spells, and the staff itself could be used as a backup weapon. +1

you could put an magic gem or other magical source (unicorn hair/horn) on the end of the staff to make it magical

[KittyTac]

And when magic is added, in some worlds you might have to use staves to cast spells, and the staff itself could be used as a backup weapon. +1

you could put an magic gem or other magical source (unicorn hair/horn) on the end of the staff to make it magical

Depends on the world. Magic will be completely procedurally generated.

[SixOfSpades]

I'm not sure that staves should regularly beat out spears, simply for the fact that a spear is a staff with extra options.  In theory, could they be given a block_chance, allowing them to be more defensive?

You're right, of course, as far as the composition of the weapon itself is considered, but much depends on how it's used, and the conditions. A single speardwarf can use his spear just like a staff, but a whole squad of them standing in formation cannot. Admittedly, they could if they were spaced far enough apart, but that's less defensively viable than adopting a phalanx or shieldwall formation, which only make sense for spears, not staves. So any block_chance to be considered would stem more from how the weapon is used, rather than what the weapon is.

Historically, staves were used not because they were better than spears (they weren't), but because they were so damn cheap. I think DF should echo that: Staves are fine for civilians, but a soldier is going to want a real weapon. (Unless they're using a staff merely to show that they don't even need a real weapon to waste your sorry ass.)

[Rowanas]

I'm not sure that staves should regularly beat out spears, simply for the fact that a spear is a staff with extra options.  In theory, could they be given a block_chance, allowing them to be more defensive?

You're right, of course, as far as the composition of the weapon itself is considered, but much depends on how it's used, and the conditions. A single speardwarf can use his spear just like a staff, but a whole squad of them standing in formation cannot. Admittedly, they could if they were spaced far enough apart, but that's less defensively viable than adopting a phalanx or shieldwall formation, which only make sense for spears, not staves. So any block_chance to be considered would stem more from how the weapon is used, rather than what the weapon is.

Historically, staves were used not because they were better than spears (they weren't), but because they were so damn cheap. I think DF should echo that: Staves are fine for civilians, but a soldier is going to want a real weapon. (Unless they're using a staff merely to show that they don't even need a real weapon to waste your sorry ass.)

You're right about the block_chance - it was more an afterthought caused by the discussion.  If staves could be coded in for civilians (like a woocutter's axe or miner's pick) I'd like to see them and other modded weapons being used as civilian dwarven sidearms, without the need to assign everyone to an always-uniformed militia squad.  That would make use of the ease and low cost of making them, because under any other circumstances you'd just make any of half a dozen better weapons.

[Miles_Umbrae]

And when magic is added, in some worlds you might have to use staves to cast spells, and the staff itself could be used as a backup weapon. +1

I'm not talking about magic staves, maybe they could exist, but i'm talking about quarterstaffs or Bo staffs.

There are usually two different kinds of magic staves in mythology and fiction:
One is inherently magical, the other is just a conduit/amplifier for the mages/spellcasters own power.

[Cathar]

Wooden training spears are litterally staves, tho. It's a spear made of wood without edge. It's as staffy as it gets

[Pwned dwarf]

I'm not sure that staves should regularly beat out spears

The staff is larger and 2handed, the spear is smaller and one handed, if the spear user has a shield, they get the advantage.