ToME WikiMariAi: Gandalf standing on the bridge facing Durin's Bane. In his right hand is Glamdring, lighting up the dark hall. In his left he holds his trusted staff.
Is this something ToME should take after? After all, the mage staff is not really meant to be used as a weapon. What about moving it to the Left hand/ shield slot instead? This would then mean giving it more protective properties. Another interesting possibility is to make small activations more common for the mage staffs.
NeilStevens: This is something that could only happen if a two-weapon skill or ability is ever created. Mage staves in ToME are weapons that can be wielded in one or two hands, so a combat-oriented mage could use a single-handed sword and a mage staff at once with such a feature.
Right now, though, allowing two weapons like that woud allow the player to accumulate too many bonuses of that type. Shields and weapons (including mage staves) have different kinds of effects in ToME at present, after all.
MariAi: As long as mage staffs are considered weapons, this would be difficult, yes. But if they like picks got a change in status, and became a shield type instead, this could work. Not saying it should be done however.
NeilStevens: But if we made them shields, we'd have to remove the mana and stat bonuses, making them worthless to most players.
VagaBond: What about a new combat style, ie. spellcasting? If the character wants to use them for combat, well, it's two handed. If s/he wants to use it for spellcasting, s/he can use it as shield and wield some other thing in his/her other hand, but don't expect that s/he can make more than a single blow.