Skill Overview
Staves have been around for ages, being simply a long stick that you hit people with. To some, it seems silly to use a stick as a weapon, when you could grab a nice sharp gladius or even a knife, but to the experienced user, a stave is more then a stick. It's balance gives it the ability to quickly move around, blocking all parts of thier body, and quickly snapping attacks at the enemy, from close-range, or even several feet away (due to the six foot length of the weapon).
The quarterstave is the chosen weapon of the Iridine Constabulary (along with clubs), the Cineran Officer, and about the entire island nation of Altene. The Altenes are trained in staves from an early age, due to being driven from their original homeland. Then King Alterod started the rigorous training program instilled in every Altene, teaching them the ways of the quarterstave.
I'll not deny the existance of the other staves maneuvers popping up about the city. Along with the familiar Snap Strike, I've also seen Sweep and Strike, Spin Strike, Triple Bash, Whirling Block, and Pivoting Longarm. I've also heard rumors of other maneuvers on the way. What exactly does this mean? I would say it points out that the moves taught by Leda and Rook just aren't enough. A staves user looking to be the best he or she can be would look into one of these rare moves.
For guidance on using the skill set, see the Staves Guide.
| Skill Info | Ranks Taught by Trainer | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skills/Actions | Difficulty | Hands | Range | Wound | Prerequisite | Rook | Leda | Pelias | Facitio |
| Staves | Easy | - | - | - | - | 300 | 300 | 100 | 40 |
| Staves Altene Skirmish Stance | Easy | - | - | - | - | 100 | 100 | 95 | - |
| Staves End Jab | Easy | 2 | Either | Bruise | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Simple Strike | Easy | 2 | Either | Bruise | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Swat | Easy | 2 | Either | Bruise | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Leg Sweep | Average | 2 | Either | - | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Feint | Average | 2 | Either | - | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | - |
| Staves Pivot Smash | Average | 2 | Either | Bruise | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Side Strike | Average | 2 | Either | Bruise | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Longarm Strike | Difficult | Either | Long | Bruise | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Defensive Sweep | Average | 2 | Either | - | 40 Ranks in Staves Leg Sweep | 175 | 300 | 95 | - |
| Staves Parting Jab | Easy | Either | Short | Bruise | 10 Ranks in Staves End Jab | 175 | 300 | 95 | - |
| Staves Parting Swat | Easy | Either | Short | Bruise | 10 Ranks in Staves Swat | 175 | 300 | 95 | - |
| Staves Parting Smash | Average | Either | Short | Bruise | 20 Ranks in Staves Pivot Smash 20 Ranks in Staves Parting Swat |
175 | 300 | 95 | - |
| Staves Stepping Spin | Average | 2 | Either | Bruise Bruise Bruise |
40 Ranks in Staves Parting Jab 40 Ranks in Staves Parting Swat 40 Ranks in Staves Parting Smash |
175 | 300 | 95 | - |
| Staves Simple Block | Easy | 2 | - | - | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Crossblock | Average | 2 | - | - | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Overhead Block | Average | 2 | - | - | - | 175 | 300 | 95 | 40 |
| Staves Accuracy | Difficult | - | - | - | - | 100 | 100 | - | - |
| Staves Grip | Impossible | - | - | - | - | 100 | 100 | - | - |
| Custom Skills | |||||||||
| Staves Snap Strike | Average | 2 | Either | Bruise | - | - | - | - | - |
| Staves Sweep and Strike | Difficult | 2 | Either | Bruise | 10 Ranks in Staves Leg Sweep 10 Ranks in Staves Swat |
- | - | - | - |
| Staves Spinstrike | Difficult | 2 | Either | Bruise Bruise Bruise |
40 Ranks in Staves Snap Strike | - | - | - | - |
| Staves Triple Bash | Difficult | 2 | Either | Bruise Bruise Bruise |
20 Ranks in Staves Pivot Smash 10 Ranks in Staves Snap Strike |
- | - | - | - |
| Staves Whirling Block | Difficult | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Staves Pivoting Longarm | Difficult | Either | Long | Bruise | 20 Ranks in Staves Pivot Smash 20 Ranks in Staves Longarm Strike |
- | - | - | - |
Directions to Rook (Monlon): Take the ferry to Monlon, Nx3, W, N, NW, W, Nx3, NEx2, S
Directions to Leda (Riverside, Iridine): Walk to Toga, W, SW, S, E
Directions to Pelias (Town of Rock Valley): Walk to Hospice, wait for drover to appear, follow drover, Ex12, Nx2, Ex20, Nx2, Ex2, Nx2, W
Directions to Facitio (Ludus Valerius, Bronze Lane, Iridine): Walk to Bronze, Wx2, N
Notes on Learning
Custom Skills
The custom skills can only be learned in three ways. From another player, in the VC creation lobby, and one NPC trainer. Veylen can be found in the tent NW of the Stone Toga Inn and will only teach up to 20 ranks in each of the custom moves. He becomes unavailable as as a teacher at 1000 total combat ranks.
Strategy: Sweep & Support
Staves are an excellent support weapon. You can often maintain distance from your enemy and hit them from outside of their effective area. As a result, stavers are wonderful assets to close combat fighters, because they can knock down targets and then use high-damage and multi-striking attacks to deliver critical hits and fractures. Fighters choosing to be in a support role should do everything they can to stay back and let their partners with shields and heavy armor absorb blows. Stavers rarely act as the 'tank' and to do so requires not only strong dodges but you must also be well-trained in all staves blocks, including the less commonly-known Whirling Block.
Strategy: Distance Control
Keeping in the spirit of remaining at a distance, a staver with parting moves and sweep can prove both an annoyance to opponents and a heavy damage dealer. Parting moves keep your enemies at a distance, hit harder than their non-parting relatives (especially parting smash), and have a reduced roundtime. Coupled with a strategy of well timed approaching and falling back, you can cause your opponent to constantly reconsider their strategy if you get too close or move too far away for them to hit you effectively.
Skill Details
#Staves Sweep sweep <target>
The wielder attempts to swing the stave at the opponent's legs and knock him on his rear end. Of course, your target must be standing in order to use this attack.
When you see this in use you see:
Leda brings her quarterstave in a downward sweeping arc aimed at a thug's legs, knocking him down!
#Staves Feint feint <target>
Exactly like all the other feints, it lowers the opponents defensive abilities. The difficulty for a feint to be used is dependant on the opponents overall fighting ability, a less skilled opponent will fall for a feint easier then a more skilled warrior.
When you see this in use you see:
Leda leans forward, feigning a strike at a thug with her quarterstave.
#Staves End Jab jab <target>
The least damaging of all the staves moves, its only plus is that it is easy. It's basically the wimpy little brother to Staves Simple Strike, and is avoided by similar defenses. If you see someone using End Jab, they're probably Altene, because hardly anyone in their right mind would learn this one.
When you see this in use you see:
Rook jabs tentatively at a thug with with the butt of his quarterstave, but misses.
#Staves Swat swat <target>
Another easy move, you'll often see swat in use by a stave user. It is decent to hit with, but doesn't hit hard at all. About the only move weaker is staves end jab. It is a slashing move, and thus is typically blocked by cross blocks. It is dodged relatively easily.
When you see this in use you see:
Using the center of a quarterstave as a fulcrum, Leda swats at a thug with one end of the weapon, but misses.
#Staves Simple Strike strike <target>
An easy staves move, it is one of the better easy stave moves. Swat hits slightly less hard, but because it is a slashing attack, it is harder to block then Simple Strike. Simple Strike is blocked by relatively simple blocks. Aimed low, it is defended by a well-timed leg dodge or a low shield block, as well as assorted other low and simple blocks from other weapons.
When you see this in use you see:
With a quick forward rotation, Rook brings then end of a quarterstave down and strikes at a thug, but misses.
#Staves Side Strike sidestrike <target>
A manuever of average difficulty, this involves swiping sideways at your opponent with the stave. It hits harder than a simple strike, though many stavers seem to prefer the pivot smash over this maneuver.
When you see this in use you see:
With quarterstave held at the horizontal, Leda lets loose a quick sidestrike at a thug, but misses.
#Staves Pivot Smash smash <target>
The most damaging average staves attack, slightly stronger than even the infamous Snap Strike. Their damages are very close, though Pivot Smash aims toward the midsection by default, while Snap Strike aims higher. It is defended the same as a Swat, as it is also a slashing attack.
When you see this in use you see:
With quarterstave held at the horizontal, Pelias steps forward and pivots slightly, releasing a powerful sideways strike at a thug, but misses.
#Staves Longarm Strike longarm <target>
The most powerful, and most difficult of all the standard single-hitting staves moves. It is basically a harder and stronger version of Snap Strike (below) which can only be used from a distance. It can also be performed with only one hand. It aims high by default, as does Snap Strike, and is defended by overhead blocks and Swaying Dodge. This technique can be aimed towards the mid section, but not at any specific body parts.
When you see this in use you see:
Using her quarterstave like a long club, Leda bashes at a thug, and hits! He suffers a bruise to his neck.
#Staves Simple Block
The wielder interposes the lengthy quarterstave between him and his opponent's weapon. A simple block, it blocks simple attacks, aimed at the midsection, or low.
When you see this in use you see:
Leda blocks a thug's tin dagger with her quarterstave!
#Staves Crossblock
Crossblock defends against slashing attacks aimed at the midsection or low.
When you see this in use you see:
Holding quarterstave vertically, Rook catches a thug's tin dagger with an inside-out movement!
#Staves Overhead Block
Overhead Block blocks many attacks aimed high except for some more advanced techniques that instead must be deflected with Whirling Block.
When you see this in use you see:
Sliding her hand's apart, Leda bends her knees slightly and blocks upward, stopping a thug's tin dagger with her quarterstave!
#Staves Parting Jab pjab <target>
Staves parting moves provide a quick way to fall back and attack at one time, even if the attack is unsuccessful. Parting Jab hits much better than End Jab.
When you see this in use you see:
Pelias retreats
Pelias steps back, jabbing at a thug with the tip of his quarterstave! He suffers a small bruise to his waist.
Pelias retreats
Pelias steps back, jabbing at a thug with the tip of his quarterstave but missing.
#Staves Parting Swat pswat <target>
Staves parting moves provide a quick way to fall back and attack at one time, even if the attack is unsuccessful. Parting Swat is a bit more powerful than Parting Jab.
When you see this in use you see:
Pelias retreats
Pelias steps back with his lead foot while spinning around, swatting at a thug with the low end of his quarterstave! He suffers a small bruise to his right shoulder.
Pelias retreats
Pelias steps back with his lead foot while spinning around, but fails to catch a thug with the low end of his quarterstave.
#Staves Parting Smash psmash <target>
Staves parting moves provide a quick way to fall back and attack at one time, even if the attack is unsuccessful. Parting Smash hits harder than Pivot Smash and may be the second hardest hitting staves attack, aside from Pivoting Longarm. Parting Smash targets high by default.
When you see this in use you see:
Leda retreats
Leda steps back with her lead foot while spinning backwards, smashing a thug with a horizontal blow from her quarterstave! He suffers a bruise to his neck.
Leda retreats
Leda steps back with her lead foot while spinning backwards, but fails to catch a thug with a horizontal strike from her quarterstave.
#Staves Defensive Sweep dsweep <target>
The wielder attempts to swing the stave at the opponent's legs and knock him on his rear end.
Executing this attack will leave the attacker in a more defensive posture.
- This attack is a defensive stepping maneuver.
When you see this in use you see:
Assuming a more defensive posture, Rook brings his quarterstave in a downward sweeping arc aimed at a thug's legs, knocking him down!
#Staves Stepping Spin sspin <target>
Stepping forward toward your foe, you take on a more aggressive stance and simultaneously unleash a rapid barrage of strikes.
Executing this attack will leave the attacker in a more aggressive posture.
- This attack is a offensive stepping maneuver.
When you see this in use you see:
Leda takes several aggressive steps forward, striking at a thug with an opposite end of her quarterstave every step of the way!
#Altene Skirmish Stance skirmish?stance
At 90 ranks, provides a +18 to hit bonus and +3 defensive bonus while maintaining the stance.
When you see this in use you see:
Angling your body to produce a narrower profile, you wield your quarterstave with one hand near the middle and the other about a foot from the bottom end.
#Staves Snap Strike snap?strike <target>
A decent staves move, Snap Strike automatically aims high like chop does for swords. It used to be the best, back when aiming didn't work for staves, because of this. But it isn't the best any more. It is strong, but Pivot Smash would probably be a better choice in the long run. It is stronger, and doesn't always aim high, so you can aim it elsewhere, where someone may be less defended. Snap Strike is one of several lesser-known staves maneuvers that are only taught by other players and two reputation based NPC trainers.
When you see this in use you see:
Without interrupting his quarterstave's spinning motion, Malezzerai chops down at a thug, but misses.
#Staves Sweep and Strike sweepstrike <target>
A combination of a sweep, followed with a rapid strike, originally created by Constable Juggalos. This move can only be dodged, it cannot be defended with rolling rise. Sweep and Strike is one of several lesser-known staves maneuvers that are only taught by other players and two reputation based NPC trainers.
When you see this in use you see:
With a fluid motion, a constable brings his oak quarterstave in a downward sweeping arc aimed at a thug's legs, knocking him down. Continuing the spinning motion, he then brings around the opposite end of the weapon to strike!
#Staves Spinstrike spinstrike <target>
A little known but hard-hitting staves maneuver created by Constable Lorican. This maneuver automatically aims high, much like Snap Strike, and is capable of dealing up to three blows. Spinstrike is one of several lesser-known staves maneuvers that are only taught by other players and two reputation based NPC trainers.
When you see this in use you see:
Stepping slightly to the side, Lorican brings his quarterstave down in a forward spin and unleashes several rapid strikes at a thug! He suffers a bruise to his head. He suffers a bruise to his right arm. He suffers a bruise to his face.
#Staves Triple Bash triplebash <target>
A little known but heavy-hitting staves manuever created by Constable Lothar. This maneuver automatically aims high, much like Snap Strike, and is the strongest manuever available to the stave, being able to deal up to three ugly bruises. This technique can be aimed towards the middle section, but not at any specific target. Triple Bash is one of several lesser-known staves maneuvers that are only taught by other players and two reputation based NPC trainers.
When you see this in use you see:
Bashing downwards with his quarterstave, Lothar strikes at a thug then steps forward quickly to release a side strike before spinning completely around for yet another! He suffers an ugly bruise to his head. He suffers an ugly bruise to his right arm. Critical Hit!
#Staves Whirling Block
A little known but extremely effective staves block created by Antaeus, it deflects many attacks that would otherwise pierce through the quarterstave's defenses. For example, it acts as a second layer of defense for many of the same powerful attacks that are dodged by Swaying Dodge, such as Spears Overhead Thrust. Whirling Block is one of several lesser-known staves maneuvers that are only taught by other players and two reputation based NPC trainers.
When you see this in use you see:
Antaeus deflects a thug's spear with his quarterstave, twirling it masterfully in both hands until it becomes a blur!
#Staves Pivoting Longarm pivot <target>
A little known staves maneuver created by Constable Shara, Pivoting Longarm combines the one-handed power strike of Longarm Strike with the pivoting motion of Pivot Smash to increase the power even more. This maneuver is the strongest single strike available to the stave, being able to give major bruises with a very poor stave provided by Rufus. It can easily fracture bones with a more adequate stave. Pivoting Longarm is one of several lesser-known staves maneuvers that are only taught by other players and two reputation based NPC trainers.
When you see this in use you see:
Pivoting on one foot, Shara extends her stave along one arm and unleashes a vicious horizontal blow at a thug! He suffers a major bruise to his right thigh.
#Staves Accuracy
With enough training in Accuracy, you are able to raise your perception in combat situations. A grandmaster in this skill will be equivalent to low-end great perception.
When you see this in use you see:
(This is a passive skill that improves your perception, making it easier to hit targets.)
#Staves Grip
With enough training in Grip, you are able to raise your dexterity in combat situations. A grandmaster in this skill will be equivalent to low-end great dexterity.
When you see this in use you see:
(This is a passive skill that improves your dexterity, making it significantly easier to hit targets.)