Although the changes to staves to make them into a double weapon is a clever feature, it has made fewer PCs actually use them. They've gone from a Simple 2 handed bludgeoning weapon that PCs would carry because it was useful against undead or suited to the PC concept, to a very limited specialist weapon that takes 2 feats to use and is therefore of much less use to classes with Simple weapons. I've got a few ideas that might see them in use again, if scriptable.
- Give PCs the Ambidexterity Feat when wielding a staff. This would mean 15 Dex or ranger levels wouldn't be a requirement of the weapon. They'd still be a potentially useful Simple weapon, but restricted by Two Weapon Fighting, which anyone can take.
- Basic staves and some loot staves with Ambidexterity, Two Weapon Fighting. Restricted to Simple Weapon classes and with an OOC "Do not use if you have levels in Barbarian/Paladin/Fighter/Ranger" note.
- Wizard/Sorcerer only Perk:
- Staff of the Magus (5 levels of Wiz or Sorc required): You specialise in channeling power both arcane and muscular through the classical tool of the wizard. Gain +2 AB and +1 Spellcraft when wielding a staff. -4 Spellcraft and -1 AB when not wielding a staff.
- Any mage PC that's serious about using a staff and burning a feat or two on it deserves some help :D.
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It seems like for some ridiculous reason people thought it would be a good idea to make the off-hand damage only d3. Where does this come from? Does it make any sense to not only voluntarily cripple yourself by taking an inferior double weapon, but to cripple that weapon further by giving it the same damage as my elbow?
Either remove the double-weapon status, or give it proper damage. The way it is now, one of the coolest weapons is essentially useless.
I'd almost rather it go back to the way it was before the override. Not everything needs to copy the SRD.