Question about Lightning Staff and Inferno Staff

Artanis

So, come the homestead update, I am aware that Inferno Staff provides 8% increase in damage for ST skills while Lightning Staff increases AoE skill damage.

I just wanted to clarify how these damage increase apply to some of the skills that have BOTH single target and AoE damage. For instance, Magsorc's Haunting Curse and Mage's Wrath as a skill itself is a single target skill, and would obviously scale off from Inferno Staff passive. But, at the same time, they both have a mechanic where it also damages nearby enemies, thus making that part of the skill AoE.

From my reckoning, I thought the single target part of the damage would benefit from Inferno Staff passive while the AoE part of the damage would benefit off of Lightning Staff AoE passive. I just wanted to confirm this part of the passive. I want to know if the damage is increased purely based on whether the skill's tooltip says Enemy Target or AoE Target, or if the passives apply to specific part of the skill which could be either single target or AoE damage.

Prior to homestead update, I've only used Lightning Staff, as I mainly PvP, and I'm on the verge of switching out all my Lightning Staff to Inferno Staff just because of the changes in passives. I mean who wouldn't want 8% increase in Crystal Frag, Curse, Mage's Wrath, Crushing Shock damage right? But I'd like to keep my Lightning Staff if they are still viable in small scale PvP situations. So it'd be also great to know if Lightning Staff's are still viable in PvP or if it lags behind Inferno Staff by a noticeable margin.

Vaoh

I was going to create a thread on this topic myself! It's a pretty major thing to clarify.

What I have learned so far is that Inferno Staves will buff the single target components of Mages Fury and Haunting Curse, but not the AoE portions of them (Mages Wrath "execute" proc, damage the enemies around the Curse victim takes).

I hope someone goes much more in depth with all of this. As a console player I haven't even gotten the update yet.

It sounds to me that Inferno Staff is superior in PvP due to increased single target damage, a powerful heavy attack, and an easier 25% bonus fire damage vs Vamps.

In PvE you switch between the two, but I feel Lightning Staff is basically always better because it buffs your highest DPS skills (Liquid Lightning, Wall of Elements) and nearly all fights have some AoE component to them which Lightning staff heavy attacks benefit from.

NewBlacksmurf

Well you have in the PC patch notes significant changes to aoe targets so factor this in and remove all secondary effects for over 6 mobs. Seems aoe destruction staff lost 10% using eye of the storm but you get 8% for the lightning staff

Guess that question has many different answers pertaining to what's you're doing, when you're doing it and how many mobs are involved.