ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

In every other category that gives a weapon mastery, the mastery is the first talent. For whatever reason, Channel Staff is the first talent in Spell/Staff Combat and Staff Mastery is the second. This adds a point tax to getting Staff Mastery, which is inconsistent and not needed in my opinion. Can these talents be swapped?

I think this may be so that alchemists have channel staff at level 1.

Making this swap and giving Alchemist a Staff/Magic tree with it's own channel staff like in Arcanum would be an excellent solution. To maximize staff channel damage you want one more point in channel than mastery if I recall correctly however, so Alch could still work with a simple swap

Thinking about this it seems like the current staff combat tree is trying to do two different jobs.

Staff Mastery, Defensive Posture, and Blunt Thrust are all talents that objectively are physical techniques; not magic. You might be able to buy these at the same time you buy archery training or general combat. To complete this as a "technique" type skill tree you only need a new talent that adds a passive chance to block attacks with your staff.

Channel staff is the odd one out, it simply doesn't fit. Channeling magic through weapons is already a big part of the game's lore. Arcane blades learn to do it one way; the Arcane Might prodigy lets you do it another way. Plus almost every staff provides you with a point in the talent "Command Staff" which changes the damage type and bonus for the weapon. Isn't that a form of channeling and controlling the magical energy flowing through your weapon?

I don't think that it is beyond reason for alchemists have a tree focused entirely on this sort of thing. In fact it is surprising such a tree DOESN'T exist when you start to think about it. The first talent might be an improved version of command staff, followed by channel staff, the third skill perhaps lets you inset a gem onto your staff for further damage bonus'; perhaps the final skill lets you channel energy into your cloth armor for defensive bonus' . . .

In game you use the Magic stat to make use of Staves; even in melee combat. However, there is nothing stopping the creation of new Staff Categories if someone wants to code them.