No One in the History of Humanity Has Ever Kept a Staff On Their Back

disky · June 17

barney2525 wrote: »

I disagree with the whole premise. If the person with the staff has no means to attach the staff somehow, like a sword scabbard is used for a sword, then I suppose when the user needs to climb something they just hold the staff in their teeth?

There are 2 types of staves that magically disappear when not being used, and pop into your hand when you need it. I think one is Gloam and the other is an ice staff. If you don't want to see the staff on your back, use one of them.

I do not like how ridiculously long they make the staves, (walking through any doorway should knock the character down) so I have watched for these 2 types when they show up in the Crown store, and always use them from the outfitter for my characters. Its 3000 gold well spent.

I use Gloambound and the ice staff style. I've already said as much, and I'm not asking for anything to change. People are so hostile without even reading my OP...

The point is just that it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, that's all.

TaSheen · June 17

Talking about "sense" in a fantasy game isn't really very sensible.... As to the OP, I read it, and it didn't come across as humorous to me (though I don't have a particularly well-developed ability to discern non-overt humor in text posts).

Ragnarok0130 · June 17

disky wrote: »

Nathrai wrote: »

Really? You start your argument with a false premise?

No, not all staffs are meant as walking supports. Actually, staffs in ESO are more closely related to staffs used in Boujutsu when it comes to functionality - that is, mostly used for fighting.

And how are Bou usually carried? Right, on the back ...
(Well, in a bag, but for vanity reasons we want to actually display our weapons when not in a fight ... )

So you're using a modern, collapsible weapon that you carry in a bag on your back. That's not at all the same thing. And to be clear, this is not a fighting staff in the same sense as a martial staff would be, although I wouldn't mind seeing a Martial Staff weapon skill tree. The objects that fantasy wizard staves are based on come from canes, staves and scepters from tribal cultures and antiquity, used by elders, often for support because they usually just needed them for support.

This:

The photos is out of context. Gandalf was saying it was his "walking stick" in order to not be disarmed like the rest of his party when they see King Theodan. And if we're being pedantic a wizard's staff is a martial staff as he uses it for fighting magically.

BretonMage · June 17

disky wrote: »

The only reason I have characters that use them is because there are styles available which make the staff disappear when stored.

Tbf I think there are more people in history who have carried their staves on their backs than have managed to make a 4-foot staff disappear.

I like having a staff on my back, leaving my hands free to carry out other activities.

Rowjoh · June 17

Syldras wrote: »

Schattenspiel wrote: »

One might set the staff on the ground, or lean it against a tree or a wall or a shelf, etc. Kind of like in the real world.

While swimming?

Staffs (or Staves) are generally depicted as being made from wood, and wood floats, right? so for immersion purposes (pun intended) it is reasonable to surmise that swimming with a staff would aid buoyancy.

And to those who are casting aspersions on the validity of swimming in capes/clothes, in fantasy worlds where mithril and similar material with magical properties is commonplace, it's easy to suspend disbelief, especially when you consider that light and impervious fabric has existed as far back as the Chinese Yuan Mongol dynasty.

Varana · June 17

While yes, we are in a fantasy world, certain aspects of that world are implied to work exactly like we expect them to work in our world. That random (non-magical) staves don't just magically float, disappear, or spontaneously combust, is one of those assumptions. Even fantasy worlds usually work just like our real world, with explicitly stated exceptions. Not every inconsistency or every mistake can just be attributed to "it's fantasy, man". Fantasy worlds still have laws of nature, and for us to convincingly play characters in them, most of these laws of nature have to correspond to what we're used to.

That said, the entire premise of the thread is flawed. The title is not true, the idea that these are "walking sticks" is not true, the insinuation that resistance against staves just randomly disappearing into nothing is due to people being "resistant to change" or whatever is not true, and so on.

disky · June 18

Ragnarok0130 wrote: »

disky wrote: »

Nathrai wrote: »

Really? You start your argument with a false premise?

No, not all staffs are meant as walking supports. Actually, staffs in ESO are more closely related to staffs used in Boujutsu when it comes to functionality - that is, mostly used for fighting.

And how are Bou usually carried? Right, on the back ...
(Well, in a bag, but for vanity reasons we want to actually display our weapons when not in a fight ... )

So you're using a modern, collapsible weapon that you carry in a bag on your back. That's not at all the same thing. And to be clear, this is not a fighting staff in the same sense as a martial staff would be, although I wouldn't mind seeing a Martial Staff weapon skill tree. The objects that fantasy wizard staves are based on come from canes, staves and scepters from tribal cultures and antiquity, used by elders, often for support because they usually just needed them for support.

This:

The photos is out of context. Gandalf was saying it was his "walking stick" in order to not be disarmed like the rest of his party when they see King Theodan. And if we're being pedantic a wizard's staff is a martial staff as he uses it for fighting magically.

The fact that everyone allowed him to continue because it was widely accepted to be used as a walking stick is the point. In that scenario, the people guarding the door are more willing to accept it as a mobility tool because that's what a staff would traditionally have been used for by a non-wizard.

Magical and martial arts are generally considered separate in RPGs.

disky · June 18

Varana wrote: »

While yes, we are in a fantasy world, certain aspects of that world are implied to work exactly like we expect them to work in our world. That random (non-magical) staves don't just magically float, disappear, or spontaneously combust, is one of those assumptions. Even fantasy worlds usually work just like our real world, with explicitly stated exceptions. Not every inconsistency or every mistake can just be attributed to "it's fantasy, man". Fantasy worlds still have laws of nature, and for us to convincingly play characters in them, most of these laws of nature have to correspond to what we're used to.

That said, the entire premise of the thread is flawed. The title is not true, the idea that these are "walking sticks" is not true, the insinuation that resistance against staves just randomly disappearing into nothing is due to people being "resistant to change" or whatever is not true, and so on.

First of all, of course the title of the thread isn't factual. I'm sure at some point someone has put a staff on their back for some period of time. It was primarily meant to be humorous but internet people are doing their thing and blowing it out of proportion. I do believe it's completely impractical and there are better ways of doing it, but at no point did I ever tell anyone that this needs to change, or that they couldn't or shouldn't want it the way that it is. This thread was meant to present other ways of handing staves or magical foci in more practical ways that might better serve the wizard archetype.

I guess I should have known better than to say something so clearly controversial.

fizl101 · June 18

My staff stays on my back with magical magnets, just like some of the bridles stay on mounts without being attached all around the head. Painless and easy to use!

spartaxoxo · June 18

I also wish there was more ways to hide staves

spartaxoxo · June 18

I also wish there was more ways to hide staves

karthrag_inak · June 18

No One in the History of Humanity Was Ever an upright walking, sassy-talking, non-self-referencing feline with impeccable taste, incisive wit, liquid grace and unimpeachable etiquette.

And yet, here khajiit is. /tada

vsrs_au · June 18

There are plenty of invisible weapons in Tamriel. I occasionally find some stuck in the who-knows-what of mudcrabs.

master_vanargand · June 18

I'd like an option to make weapons invisible when put away.
For example, to summon them or make them disappear into thin air.

xylena_lazarow · June 18

master_vanargand wrote: »

I'd like an option to make weapons invisible when put away. For example, to summon them or make them disappear

Same, summoning makes more sense to me than having them float on your body with no holster or sheath.