The Ultimate Skyrim Staff Power Rankings: Unleash Magical Domination!

Highlights

Staves in Skyrim serve as powerful tools for mages, ranging from generic shortcuts to accessing spells to legendary items with unique effects.

S Tier staffs are considered the premier ones in Skyrim, deriving their power from the Daedra or gods, and their impact renders them exceedingly precious in terms of both gameplay and lore. The legendary Wabbajack and the Staff of Magnus fall into this category.

Notably, there are no genuinely inferior staffs within the game. Even staffs ranked C Tier, such as the Staff of Dread Zombies, grant access to advanced Conjuration spells without necessitating a level increase.

Staves in The Elder Scrolls series traditionally signify the status of mages, but they hold even greater significance for a Dragonborn build due to the wide range of staves available. In Skyrim, these staves vary from legendary items with unique and powerful abilities to more generic ones that provide convenient access to some of the game's strongest spells.

Certain staves in Skyrim are associated with the divine and possess corresponding effects, while others are more ordinary and can only cast basic spells. To utilize any of these staves, Soul Gems must be used to charge them. It is recommended to use Azura's Star or the Black Star, along with an item enchanted with Soul Capture, in order to effectively utilize these staves.

S Tier

These staves are renowned in Skyrim for being legendary and iconic items associated with gods. Most of them have connections to the Daedra, either as artifacts or created with their influence, while some are affiliated with the god of magic. In terms of gameplay, these staves are either highly effective in dealing damage or possess unique effects that are well-known among players. Additionally, many of these staves have appeared in multiple games of The Elder Scrolls series, extending beyond Skyrim.

The Staff of Magnus, for instance, drains magicka from its target at a rate of 25 points per second until their magicka is completely depleted, after which it switches to draining their health. Its ability to control the god of magic, Magnus himself, solidifies its position as one of the most powerful staves in Skyrim, both in terms of gameplay and Tamrielic lore. Obtaining the Staff of Magnus is only possible by completing the College of Winterhold storyline.

Miraak's Staff - Acquired from the First Dragonborn, Miraak's Staff releases tendrils on the ground that poison enemies. In Skyrim, this item provides strategic opportunities by allowing players to deploy the tentacles for an extended duration, effectively barricading entry points or funneling adversaries.

Sanguine Rose - Among the highly sought-after Daedric artifacts, the Sanguine Rose now originates from Sanguine, the Daedric Prince of Debauchery. This upgraded version summons a Daedric Lord at the player's side, offering formidable assistance in combat. In addition to serving as distractions, the conjured Daedric Lords display impressive strength. Obtaining the Sanguine Rose through an engaging quest enhances gameplay enjoyment, while the staff itself serves as a magnificent collector's piece for any Dragonborn.

The Wabbajack - Injecting some of the fun from the Shivering Isles into Skyrim, the sheer unpredictability of the Wabbajack makes it a memorable item in the game. While the staff of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness, may sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help, its iconic status is unmatched in Skyrim. When directed at any target, the Wabbajack produces a random effect, ranging from completely healing the target to transforming it into a dremora, a pile of gold, or even a delicious sweet roll ready to be devoured.

A Tier

Although these staves have gained legendary status and each bears a unique name, their practicality in gameplay falls short of reaching the prestigious S Tier. Nonetheless, they all prove their worth in combat and are worth obtaining for the sake of achievements.

Staff of Incineration - Although not a unique staff, it possesses an immensely potent Destruction spell. Similar to other staves that share the same effects as Destruction magic, its charge is diminished if the Dragonborn possesses a high level of skill in Destruction and has the necessary perks unlocked. This staff can be obtained either by looting or purchasing from vendors at higher levels, and it can also be created at Neloth's staff-enchanter in Solstheim using 4 Heart Stones and 1 Unenchanted Destruction Staff.

Staff of Jyrik Gauldurson - The remarkable aspect of this staff is its rapid firing rate, coupled with its capability to deal 25 points of damage and twice as much Magicka damage. This makes it an extremely formidable staff.

Staff of Corruption - The artifact known as the Staff of Corruption, attributed to the Daedric Prince Vaermina, initially inflicts a modest 20 points of damage, which escalates to an impressive 50 points upon the absorption of slumbering individuals' dreams. The most opportune location to carry out this process is the College of Winterhold, as numerous residents congregate in a centralized area due to the presence of the dormitory.

B Tier

Certain staffs have the power to tilt the balance during a battle, becoming the crucial game-changers. While they may not possess the legendary status of divine artifacts, these staffs are undeniably effective in achieving their purpose.

The Eye of Melka, bestowed upon the Dragonborn by a benevolent hagraven in Skyrim, is a staff that mimics the fiery Destruction spell Fireball. It unleashes an explosive blast, inflicting 40 points of damage in a specific area, with additional harm to enemies already engulfed in flames.

The Staff of Expulsion serves as a solution to the troublesome presence of Daedra on the battlefield, particularly as they become formidable adversaries at higher levels in Skyrim. By wielding this staff, the Dragonborn can summon the power to banish these foes back to their original planes in the realm of Oblivion.

C Tier

Instead of spending hours practicing and leveling up Conjuration to 100, there is an alternative solution. By using one of these staves, the Dragonborn can effectively perform high level Conjuration spells.

The Staff of the Storm Atronach is particularly useful, as it allows the Dragonborn to summon a Storm Atronach to fight on their behalf, regardless of their low Conjuration skill. However, having a higher Conjuration skill will reduce the amount of charge consumed by the staff. Storm Atronachs are valuable allies in battle, capable of inflicting damage or providing distractions as needed.

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The Staff of Dread Zombies allows the Dragonborn to reanimate dead bodies into powerful fighters. These Dread Zombies surpass the strength of typical undead in Skyrim, making them suitable for use against more formidable enemies rather than low-level opponents that necromancy spells are typically limited to.

As for the Staff of the Frost Atronach, it functions similarly to the Staff of the Storm Atronach, but instead conjures a Frost Atronach. Frost Atronachs excel at slowing down enemies with their ice magic. Although they are vulnerable to fire, they prove effective against fire-based creatures encountered in Solstheim when their attacks successfully connect.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.