Having a staff as part of your weaponry in Dark Souls 2 is not only crucial to creating a spell caster; it also boosts the damage caused by your game character. The best staff for you will depend on your base levels, spell buff, scaling, and intelligence stats.
In this article, we review the 6 top staves available in the dark world.
1. Staff of Wisdom
The Staff of Wisdom, also known as the staff of the lost land of Olaphis, is a finely crafted staff with a crystal at the tip that augments the staff’s spell strength.
- The Staff of Wisdom significantly boosts your character’s sorcery damage, especially when infused with dark magic.
- It cannot be used to cast hexes.
- It can put multiple enemies under spells at close range and is effective when casting spells over barriers.
- Due to the staff’s sheer length, a close-range spell on your enemies can score you a headshot, which comes in handy when facing off taller enemies.
- The staff effectiveness can be further boosted with Twinkling Titanite.
How to Get It:
- The Staff of Wisdom is acquired by walking up the nearby steps in the Dragon Shrine to the left as if you are leaving the bonfire room. Once there, you must kill the Drakekeeper and destroy the crates behind him to expose the area to activate it with a Pharros Lockstone. Once activated, a fog wall will appear behind your game character with a chest containing The Armor of Judgement together with The Staff of Wisdom.
- Alternatively, you could go to the Brightstone Cove Tseldora, jump down the well, and enter the house where you will find a Mimic with Dark Leggings along with the Staff of Wisdom.
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2. Black Witch’s Staff
The Black Witch’s Staff is mainly used by Leydia Witches, whose apostles wielded unique weapons. It contains special dark magic, making it one of the best staff for performing miracles, sorceries, and casting hexes.
- The Black Witch’s Staff’s ability to cast miracles, sorceries, and all hexes makes it the most versatile staff in the dark world.
- It is a perfect buff casting option as it allows you to perform multiple buffs across all forms of miracles with just one slot on your gaming screen.
- The Black Witch’s staff can be infused only to perform specific magic. For example, you can infuse it with a Darknight Stone to make it only cast out hexes.
- You can use this staff to cast Profound Still on your opponent and then cast a different spell.
How to Get It
- From Peculiar Kindalur
- From the Leydia Witches
- In a Main Hall cage, you will find a Mimic drop in Aldia’s keep.
3. Witchtree Branch
The Witchtree Branch staff was initially a part of a forest-wandering witchtree. The staff has proven to be an effective weapon when casting hexes and sorceries.
- The Witchtree staff has the fastest casting speed of all staves and is more effective when infused with Dark magic.
- With its +10 Dark infusion, it is suitable for casting Dark Hail and Dark Orb.
- It comes with speed-boosting rings and armors.
- With the help of this staff, you can quickly perform a deadly combo such as Dark Greatsword with Affinity.
How to get it
- In the pit found in the middle of Majula.
- When Laddersmith Gilligan arrives in Majula, ask him to create the 12,000 soul ladder. You must then climb the ladder to your left and collect the Witchtree in one of the metal chests in the room. You will need a Forgotten Key.
- Alternatively, drop from the pit using the planks to fall on the platform just before you reach the first cave opening. Use the Silvercat Ring to lower your equip load down the metal ladder. You will need the Forgotten Key.
Related: Best Greatsword in Dark Soul 2
4. Sunset Staff
The mysterious Lord Aldia, who forged the Sunset Staff, is known to have secluded himself inside a manor to carry out various experiments. The staff is specifically powerful for casting hexes.
- When infused with Dark magic, the Sunset Staff is the best staff for hex damage and performing significant magic damage.
- It is 523 dark with 30/30
- Its durability is lower compared to the other staves, and its casting speed is relatively slow.
- The Sunset Staff effectiveness can only be improved by the Twinkling Titanite.
How to get it
- If your FTH and INT are both 20+, you can talk with Felkin the Outcast, located in Huntsman’s Copse. After exhausting his conversation path, he will hand you with the Sunset Staff together with the Hexer’s Set.
- If you do not have the required INT and FTH to obtain the Sunset Staff, you could go outside Aldia’s Keep, left of the stairs, where you will find a mimic of an iron chest that contains the staff. This quest does not require you to kill Felkin to complete the Royal Sorcerer Navlaan’s questline.
5. Lizard Staff
The Lizard Staff was typically used by the fallen sorcerers in the dark world. The staff is perfectly ideal for casting both hexes and sorceries. Nonetheless, the lizard bound on the staff’s tip is only a simple charm, with no additional powers.
- The Lizard Staff’s output is always stable despite the stat being human or not.
- Among the three scaling sorcery staves, it has the fastest casting speed.
- It is less durable.
- With its +10 scaling, the Lizard Staff is the best sorcery staff under the normal-titanite path.
- You cannot reanimate skeletons with this staff.
- It can be further boosted by Titanite and Souls.
- Requires magic infusion and high intelligence for in-build.
How to get it
- As long as you do not kill the boss in the Undead Purgatory, the staff will respawn infinitely.
6. Sorcerer’s Staff
Last on our list of the best staff, the Sorcerer’s Staff was initially used by most sorcerers and is perfectly effective for casting hexes and sorceries.
- The Sorcerer’s Staff has the best B scaling than the other staves.
- From a height of 80 int/ft. The staff can damage any opponent with a B scaling for both faith and intelligence.
- The Sorcerer’s Staff has a remarkable cast speed of 135 and a B scaling mastery.
Similar: Best Armor In Dark Soul 2
How to get it
- Purchasing from Carhilion of the Fold.
- From the starting equipment of Sorcerer Class.
- From the hidden room in the Pate trap at the bottom of the huge set of stairs in the Forest of Giants.
This analysis of some of the top staves available in Dark Souls 2 should help you identify the best staff for your character. Remember, every staff has unique features such that some staves have more boosts for casting dark magic than others. Consider what you need for every level and whether you can get it in time.