Any point to using a staff if only using class abilities?(Even if said abilities are magicka?)

AtmaDarkwolf

Specifically as a NB, using all magicka abilities(siphon set, impale, lotus, etc) would using either staff be a better choice (or alternative) than shield or duel (for defensive or offensive bonuses)

I looked over the passes and most say 'when using destruction staff/restoration staff abilities' other than the 2 (one in each) that give something for using heavy attacks. Other than those (the heavy attacked based ones) do any of the other 'passives' apply to 'class skills'? (As duel weild the extra skills give some boost to dmg, specifically dual blade and blunt, and with shield u gain bonuses such as less stamina use when blocking, move faster when blocking, reduced damage etc, that all apply even with no 'weapon' skills slotted. Just wondering if the 'gain' from using a staff outweigh the losses from switching types)

redcloud1187_ESO

The restoration expert passive under the restoration staff tree doesn't specific that u have use a restoration staff spell for it to apply u just have to have a restoration staff equipped

UrQuan

If you're not planning on using any staff skills, then really the only benefit to using a staff comes from magicka regeneration from heavy attacks (and any passives you buy that apply to the heavy attacks). Well, that and being able to do light & heavy attacks at range.

The restoration expert passive only works on resto staff abilities - I believe that they are updating the text on it to reflect that with today's patch.

Skiserony

Staff is needed for top magicka dps in PvE and this has a few reasons:

Weaving light - heavy attacks between skills will increase your dps tremendously. The damage of these attacks scale of your magicka and spell damage, where as using light - heavy attack on duel or s&b scale of stamina and weapon damage. As a magicka user these stats will be very low and hardly increase or even decrease your dps. Weaving is very important, it will add a lot of dps, plus it will decrease your magicka cost over time which helps with your sustain.

An ability to restore magicka, a dps can't do much dps without it's magicka.

So basically to do best dps you need at least one staff, preferably destro staff. On the other bar you can use something else. S&b are great when soloing or have some incoming damage. But when there's a good healer in the group it isn't really necessary. Best option is dual wield, it increases your spell damage quite a lot and increases the damage you do by 5% (it's bugged, doesn't only scale of duel wield abilities). That's what many dps builds use, destro on main dps bar and duel wield on secondary bar.

So even though you don't use any staff abilities, the destro staff will always be superior for magicka dps builds.