Why is the Legendary going to be a staff?

[Rabian]

First off, this is not a QQ post, my main is a hunter. I am just curious as to why Blizzard would choose a staff instead of a dagger for the caster legendary weapon. This legendary was supposed to be for caster dps (unless all the rumors are wrong) but having it be a staff kinda gimps elemental shammies since then they lose roughly half of their armor due to loss of a shield. All the caster dps can use a dagger: spriest, mage, lock, ele, and boomkin, but a staff is just awkward for shamans. So why would they do it?

[Combatbutler]

Because Metzen said so

but seriously I really don't know

[Sedative]

You're speculating.

I dare not take everything Chris and/or any other panel said - possibly in jest - at Blizzcon as gospel.

[Shamslam]

All casters can use a staff anyway (afaik). I doubt shockadins become viable enough to warrant a legendary. Plus, you can do so much more detail wise with a staff than a dagger.

[Lugo Moll]

Because staves are bigger and looks cooler. It's hard to make a tiny thing like a dagger stand out and look super legendary.

About the shammies, armor isn't a big deal in PvE anyway, and legendaries are mostly a PvE thing.

[MortalWombat]

Dagger is small, staff is big. Artists like something big to work with when designing unique weapon models! And who cares about the armor of a dps in raids? If a guild tries to argue that it can't be used for a shaman because they can use shields, how do they explain the same to other casters with offhands? What do they expect the shaman to MT?

[Deleted]

They've answered that before. The reason why they don't want to make a legendary dagger is because daggers are smaller than other weapons which means less details and blizzard wants as much eyecandy as possible when they make legendaries.

[Marooned]

you dont need armor in PvE as ele shammy

[huangzhong9]

So all casters can use it?

[Rivin]

Shaman can use staffs. The armor from a shield doesn't really do anything in PvE, and legendaries are PvE weapons, so losing that armor is meaningless.

Daggers are just too small to make good-looking legendaries from, unless they make it as big as a sword.

[Trivial]

Some elemental shamans do not approve of it because Legendaries are usually BiS for PvP as well. It's a bit annoying, yes.

[Rabian]

Dagger is small, staff is big. Artists like something big to work with when designing unique weapon models! And who cares about the armor of a dps in raids? If a guild tries to argue that it can't be used for a shaman because they can use shields, how do they explain the same to other casters with offhands? What do they expect the shaman to MT?

No, but for PvP purposes it would be disappointing for shamans to have the highest dps weapon gimp their survivability.

[Alraml]

So all casters can use it?

All casters can use daggers last time I checked

[Baz]

Because they said it would be <_<

[-Rain]

Think about it.
Think about it for like at least 10 seconds.
Tell me why a staff might be better than a dagger. Go on, try.

[Deleted]

'cos "legendary dagger" sounds lame? great archmagi and sorcerers are usually portrayed with what? runed kitchen knife? diamond-encrusted pig-sticker? No, they are portrayed with staves - symbols of power and majesty.

As for armor - shamans are the most armored casters already, with their mail armor; apart from that, I'm sure a legendary item will provide enough stamina to compensate for any armour loss.

[Patrickstarr]

Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian 2.0?

[Monran]

First off, this is not a QQ post, my main is a hunter. I am just curious as to why Blizzard would choose a staff instead of a dagger for the caster legendary weapon. This legendary was supposed to be for caster dps (unless all the rumors are wrong) but having it be a staff kinda gimps elemental shammies since then they lose roughly half of their armor due to loss of a shield. All the caster dps can use a dagger: spriest, mage, lock, ele, and boomkin, but a staff is just awkward for shamans. So why would they do it?

Wait, people took that seriously?

[SappyTheUnpotent]

Why did Shadowmourne have arpen despite it being horrible for Ret?
Why was Val'anyr so gimped for Disc Priests?

Face it, some classes benefit more from an item than others. That includes legendaries.

[Shamslam]

Unless there is another Faction Champs-esque fight in Cata, us PvE shaman will probably go for the legendary staff