In Alliance, combat with a staff is sort of limited (for example, no thrusting, no attacks that would cause you to take a hand off the staff), so no, it's not particularly powerful. It's a good, cheap defensive weapon for casters, plus you can block with one hand while throwing packets with the other, so there's that. But if you were building an optimal weapon-user, staff probably isn't the best way to go.
Alliance LARP
Draven
Jonathan Khaing
No, staffs are the same as other weapon. Perhaps it depends on how you use them.
Durnic
Draven summed it up well -- they are excellent defensive weapons. I have seen a fighter use staff and short sword as a fighting style which he seemed to enjoy but I do not know if I would classify it as any more (or less) effective than a sword and board.
Staff is also cheap to buy for everyone since it it just 4 BP across the board for all classes.
Staff is also cheap to buy for everyone since it it just 4 BP across the board for all classes.
nothingtoseehere
Using a staff is somewhat notoriously useless as anything but a defensive thing, and even then it's not worthwhile unless you're a magic user and you're using it as a wand.