A Wizard's staff (plural staves) was his primary implement, power conductor, and at times, a weapon of the "Istari" (the Order of Wizards). It could also have functioned as an indication of their rank or prowess. Only five wizard staves existed in Middle-earth because there were five Istari in the Order of Wizards.
Wizard Staves
We should note here that a significant portion of the descriptions about the wizard staves comes from the live-action films instead of the books. That is because Tolkien did not provide detailed reports of the staves in his novels. Thanks to Peter Jackson and the Weta productions team for their unparalleled imagination and skill in bringing these magnificent and mysterious wizard tools to life both in the movies and in later recreations or replicas for public consumption.
Gandalf (Mithrandir)
Gandalf the Grey carried a wooden staff all through the events of “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Gandalf lost that staff when he fell from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm into the abyss underneath Moria's mines. Gandalf's staff has a protruding nail at its bottom end, the purpose of which is not very clear. However, the books indicate that Gandalf uses the tool to etch inscriptions and runes on objects such as stones and the door of Bilbo’s small domicile.
Some say that Gandalf also uses it as a weed tamper for his pipe. Having been resuscitated in Lothlorien after his duel with Durin's Bane (Balrog of Morgoth), Gandalf reappeared as a White Wizard (hereafter referred to as "Gandalf the White") and became the new leader of the Order of Wizards. Gandalf's rebirth significantly increased his wisdom and power, thus enabling him to aid Middle-earth, during its dire need, in a more direct and personal capacity.
Having the “Flame of Anor” available to him, he could then help his friends once again. Furthermore, he was able to condemn and cast Saruman out of the Order of Wizards and, subsequently, the White Council. It is interesting to note that only one White Wizard can exist in a lifetime. Gandalf’s return as one denotes the fact that at that point, Saruman no longer had the authority as a White Wizard. Furthermore, Saruman forfeited his rights as White Wizard the moment he embraced the dark powers of Sauron. Gandalf the White bore an everyday staff, white in appearance, and of ash wood constitution.
Some say that Gandalf also uses it as a weed tamper for his pipe. Having been resuscitated in Lothlorien after his duel with Durin's Bane (Balrog of Morgoth), Gandalf reappeared as a White Wizard (hereafter referred to as "Gandalf the White") and became the new leader of the Order of Wizards. Gandalf's rebirth significantly increased his wisdom and power, thus enabling him to aid Middle-earth, during its dire need, in a more direct and personal capacity.
Having the “Flame of Anor” available to him, he could then help his friends once again. Furthermore, he was able to condemn and cast Saruman out of the Order of Wizards and, subsequently, the White Council. It is interesting to note that only one White Wizard can exist in a lifetime. Gandalf’s return as one denotes the fact that at that point, Saruman no longer had the authority as a White Wizard. Furthermore, Saruman forfeited his rights as White Wizard the moment he embraced the dark powers of Sauron. Gandalf the White bore an everyday staff, white in appearance, and of ash wood constitution.
Saruman
Saruman the White bore his Staff of Power since he assumed the leadership of the 'Order of the Wizards.' The staff seemed to have a black metallic hue, with pointy edges at the crown. Immediately following the Battle of the Hornburg, a small group led by Gandalf the White rode into Isengard to speak with Saruman. Upon arriving and having spoken with a defiant Saruman, Gandalf shattered his staff into thousands of pieces, its crown dropping at his feet. Gandalf thus stripped the former White Wizard of his powers and authority to account for his treachery to Middle-earth.
Radagast the Brown
Radagast’s staff is designed as an upturned sprig, indicating his countryside character. He used his staff once to fight the Witch-King of Angmar, and regularly to aid the Middle-earth forests in blossoming. The staff has a blue crystal fixed into the crown that holds magical healing facilities that can mend injuries and treat illnesses. Radagast bequeathed his staff to Gandalf so the latter could recover his power, thus allowing him to be a participant during the “Battle of the Five Armies.”
Blue Wizards
Similar to the preceding described wizards, the two Blue Wizards had the tools that helped them on their journeys. There are no available descriptions of said staves.
Portrayals in Popular Culture
Peter Jackson’s trilogies: "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings."
Throughout the two trilogies, Gandalf has been shown with five staff variants, with three during his time being Gandalf the Grey. The Weta Workshop group describes Gandalf's staff in "The Hobbit" trilogies as a flower in bloom and of an elvish motif. Gandalf uses magic in igniting the crown to light acorns and pinecones and brighten the Fells of Rhudaur. The Necromancer destroys the staff in Dol Guldur as Gandalf tries to fend off Sauron's dark magic. Gandalf’s staff in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” has a crown similar to that of Gandalf, the White's staff. Upon losing his staff to Sauron, Gandalf receives Radagast's staff, which he then uses in the Battle of the Five Armies.
While trying to use the staff in fighting a troll, Gandalf experiences some trouble as the embedded crystal at the staff’s crown does not respond to the magical incantations he was making. Gandalf evades the troll's assaults and tries to strike back using the staff but to no avail. Much like the way he attacked Saruman during their epic duel inside Orthanc, Gandalf then channels Radagast's staff without the crystal's help. Subsequently, that staff acquired some damage during the Battle of the Five Armies, with the structure (resembling a root) atop the staff withered, thus approximating Gandalf's staff in "The Fellowship of the Ring." Although not visible in "The Fellowship of the Ring," Gandalf's staff has a particular place to keep his weed pipe.
Gandalf uses this specific version of his staff all throughout “The Fellowship of the Ring” and ends when Saruman sequesters it during their Orthanc battle. Elrond provides him with another plain wooden staff during one visit to Rivendell. That staff presumably had a removable illuminating crystal that can adjust its luminosity at Gandalf’s wish. In contrast to the book, Gandalf's staff is still intact when he strikes the Bridge of Khazad-dûm with it, during his duel with the Balrog. However, the staff gets lost as Gandalf falls into the abyss, pulled by the fallen creature.
The new staff of Gandalf the White appears white and smooth, hewn from ash wood. It sports Elvish arches and a pyramid-like structure that forms a hollow looking very much like Gandalf’s earliest staff. Galadriel gave him the new staff in Lothlorien, enhancing his powers when he returned. Gandalf's new staff possesses high strength, although very little is evident in the film adaptation. Eventually, Gandalf’s white staff breaks when he fights the Witch-king on top of Minas Tirith’s ramparts as he deflected a streak of fire from the Nazgûl Lord’s sword. During the epilogue scenes at the Grey Havens, Gandalf is somehow holding a staff that resembles the previous one in shape and color, although this one is significantly longer. Saruman's staff is metallic and black in the films, although depending on the lighting angle, it can appear white. The staff's crown resembles the Tower of Orthanc and holds a sizable whitish jewel. Saruman used the staff against the Nazgûl in Dol Guldur as he deflected their assaults. The sphere in the staff burns white as he strikes the Nazgûl, displaying his magical ability and prowess. In the Extended Edition of “The Return of the King,” Saruman is seen using the staff to eject a streak of flame towards Gandalf the White, who blocks it and in turn, shatters the Staff of Power.
While trying to use the staff in fighting a troll, Gandalf experiences some trouble as the embedded crystal at the staff’s crown does not respond to the magical incantations he was making. Gandalf evades the troll's assaults and tries to strike back using the staff but to no avail. Much like the way he attacked Saruman during their epic duel inside Orthanc, Gandalf then channels Radagast's staff without the crystal's help. Subsequently, that staff acquired some damage during the Battle of the Five Armies, with the structure (resembling a root) atop the staff withered, thus approximating Gandalf's staff in "The Fellowship of the Ring." Although not visible in "The Fellowship of the Ring," Gandalf's staff has a particular place to keep his weed pipe.
Gandalf uses this specific version of his staff all throughout “The Fellowship of the Ring” and ends when Saruman sequesters it during their Orthanc battle. Elrond provides him with another plain wooden staff during one visit to Rivendell. That staff presumably had a removable illuminating crystal that can adjust its luminosity at Gandalf’s wish. In contrast to the book, Gandalf's staff is still intact when he strikes the Bridge of Khazad-dûm with it, during his duel with the Balrog. However, the staff gets lost as Gandalf falls into the abyss, pulled by the fallen creature.
The new staff of Gandalf the White appears white and smooth, hewn from ash wood. It sports Elvish arches and a pyramid-like structure that forms a hollow looking very much like Gandalf’s earliest staff. Galadriel gave him the new staff in Lothlorien, enhancing his powers when he returned. Gandalf's new staff possesses high strength, although very little is evident in the film adaptation. Eventually, Gandalf’s white staff breaks when he fights the Witch-king on top of Minas Tirith’s ramparts as he deflected a streak of fire from the Nazgûl Lord’s sword. During the epilogue scenes at the Grey Havens, Gandalf is somehow holding a staff that resembles the previous one in shape and color, although this one is significantly longer. Saruman's staff is metallic and black in the films, although depending on the lighting angle, it can appear white. The staff's crown resembles the Tower of Orthanc and holds a sizable whitish jewel. Saruman used the staff against the Nazgûl in Dol Guldur as he deflected their assaults. The sphere in the staff burns white as he strikes the Nazgûl, displaying his magical ability and prowess. In the Extended Edition of “The Return of the King,” Saruman is seen using the staff to eject a streak of flame towards Gandalf the White, who blocks it and in turn, shatters the Staff of Power.
Video Games
In the game “The Lord of the Rings: Conquest,” the main antagonist, the Mouth of Sauron, uses Saruman’s Staff of Power as his primary weapon instead of a long dark sword. It is unknown if Sauron gave the staff to him as a prize when Sauron became the Master of Isengard (as indicated in the book as "Proposal of Sauron – Isengard shall be handed over to Sauron and a new Master of Isengard shall there be.” It is also possible that a copy having similar powers was crafted for the servant. However, that theory is less plausible as the title Master of Isengard automatically falls to Gandalf after becoming the leader of the Order of Wizards. A straightforward explanation is that the Mouth of Sauron received the staff to provide him with abilities similar to those of wizards merely for the game's purposes.
“The Hobbit” adventure game features Gandalf the Grey as a non-playable character that accompanies your avatar. He always moves around, holding a staff shaped like that of a shepherd that enables him to easily and quickly defeat foes. In "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," the avatar of Gandalf is active, always wielding a bent blocky staff. The staff provides Gandalf with self-healing powers and shoots lightning and fire to diminish enemy health. Gandalf also has the option of “staff strike,” which shoots a circular energy blast around the character to eliminate several nearby enemies in one instance.
In “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” both Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White are non-playable characters that wield the corresponding variants of staves with varying abilities. The ‘Gandalf the Grey’ character has no magical powers and can only use the staff for aggressive attacks. The 'Gandalf the White' character uses his staff to decimate several foes by striking the ground with it. After that, the white wizard aids the player by defeating foes, breaching doors that the players cannot enter without Gandalf's assistance. The staff’s projectiles and shock waves are all lightning generated. Saruman the White also appears in the game as a 'boss' in the 'Tower of Orthanc' bonus level, where he summons enemies using his staff for routing the player. He then uses the staff to thwart any attempts by the players to subdue him.
In “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” the character of Gandalf the White can be played with abilities to fire off energy bolts towards enemies, strike the ground with his staff to knock enemies down, and conjure a magical shield that momentarily protects him from enemy assaults. The exciting feature of this ability is that Gandalf can accumulate enough energy to destroy the enemies in one violent attack. In "The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age," both the Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White characters can be played and have noticeable variances in their abilities. The Gandalf the Grey character can drain AP from the Balrog of Morgoth so he can launch lightning bolt strikes against enemies.
The White Wizard Gandalf, on the other hand, generates a particular skill to attack the Witch-king of Angmar directly and effectively. In this game, the white staff remains intact even after Gandalf duels with the Lord of the Nazgûl. In the LOTR video game by LEGO, character versions of Radagast, Saruman, Gandalf (both White and Grey versions) are all holding the implements. The staves give the characters the ability to assemble Lego structures magically, compared to the manual building method of the other individuals. The staff can also illuminate dark places, much like the Phial of Galadriel.
In contrast to the films, Gandalf can reacquire his staff after he falls from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and can ascend using the staff towards his climactic fight against the Balrog. In the iOS device compatible version of the game, Saruman and Gandalf the White use the corresponding staves they have in the films instead of their LEGO versions. Although both Gandalf the Grey and Radagast have staves different from the LEGO versions, these are still far from the staves seen in the films. As a bonus, Galadriel also has a white staff decorated with flowers that give her abilities similar to those of the wizard players. Lastly, in “Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor,” the only reference to a Blue Wizards staff is shown as a broken staff appearing as one historical artifact.
“The Hobbit” adventure game features Gandalf the Grey as a non-playable character that accompanies your avatar. He always moves around, holding a staff shaped like that of a shepherd that enables him to easily and quickly defeat foes. In "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," the avatar of Gandalf is active, always wielding a bent blocky staff. The staff provides Gandalf with self-healing powers and shoots lightning and fire to diminish enemy health. Gandalf also has the option of “staff strike,” which shoots a circular energy blast around the character to eliminate several nearby enemies in one instance.
In “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” both Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White are non-playable characters that wield the corresponding variants of staves with varying abilities. The ‘Gandalf the Grey’ character has no magical powers and can only use the staff for aggressive attacks. The 'Gandalf the White' character uses his staff to decimate several foes by striking the ground with it. After that, the white wizard aids the player by defeating foes, breaching doors that the players cannot enter without Gandalf's assistance. The staff’s projectiles and shock waves are all lightning generated. Saruman the White also appears in the game as a 'boss' in the 'Tower of Orthanc' bonus level, where he summons enemies using his staff for routing the player. He then uses the staff to thwart any attempts by the players to subdue him.
In “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” the character of Gandalf the White can be played with abilities to fire off energy bolts towards enemies, strike the ground with his staff to knock enemies down, and conjure a magical shield that momentarily protects him from enemy assaults. The exciting feature of this ability is that Gandalf can accumulate enough energy to destroy the enemies in one violent attack. In "The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age," both the Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White characters can be played and have noticeable variances in their abilities. The Gandalf the Grey character can drain AP from the Balrog of Morgoth so he can launch lightning bolt strikes against enemies.
The White Wizard Gandalf, on the other hand, generates a particular skill to attack the Witch-king of Angmar directly and effectively. In this game, the white staff remains intact even after Gandalf duels with the Lord of the Nazgûl. In the LOTR video game by LEGO, character versions of Radagast, Saruman, Gandalf (both White and Grey versions) are all holding the implements. The staves give the characters the ability to assemble Lego structures magically, compared to the manual building method of the other individuals. The staff can also illuminate dark places, much like the Phial of Galadriel.
In contrast to the films, Gandalf can reacquire his staff after he falls from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and can ascend using the staff towards his climactic fight against the Balrog. In the iOS device compatible version of the game, Saruman and Gandalf the White use the corresponding staves they have in the films instead of their LEGO versions. Although both Gandalf the Grey and Radagast have staves different from the LEGO versions, these are still far from the staves seen in the films. As a bonus, Galadriel also has a white staff decorated with flowers that give her abilities similar to those of the wizard players. Lastly, in “Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor,” the only reference to a Blue Wizards staff is shown as a broken staff appearing as one historical artifact.
Additional References
Gandalf’s staff is usually called a “walking stick.” Furthermore, Gandalf has many names that infer he uses a staff, wand, or cane. In "The Hobbit," there are some references to Gandalf having a rod. That is, in all likelihood, his staff.
Reproductions
United Cutlery made Gandalf the White's staff, which initially had a metal crown made with three pieces. The company decided to discontinue the production of those versions of the staff with metal helms due to persistent problems, especially with the paint cracking and flaking near the periphery of the triangular assembly. Further, a considerable number of inconsistencies occurred among the prop staff included in the film because the triangular assembly did not meet requirements in a final bid compared to the Weta counterpart. Subsequently, they corrected all these problems by using the ordinarily available poly resin helm variant that was made available.
Weta never released their prop version for public consumption as it could have been prohibitively expensive to produce given that the “Hero” Gandalf the White staff was of marble construction. United Cutlery had also initially made Saruman’s Staff of Power, and also experienced several problems with inconsistencies. The orb-like crystal resting within the crown often comes loose because of the incorrect fitting. Also, the shaft did not have a tapered spike-like structure and circular indentation near the bottom. The Weta group was able to rectify the error by recreating the prop using one-piece metal pieces already incorporating all the design elements. Weta was able to produce about one thousand numbered pieces.
Noble Collection also reproduced Gandalf, the Grey's illuminating staff that he used in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" as a three-piece plastic prop. These NC versions were vastly different from those of Weta’s and United Cutlery’s counterparts because of some technical issues in the manufacturing process that NC adopted to make the props. One apparent departure is the color. NC made a blueish-grey finish, while UC and Weta made a dull cream-white blend. The prop version of Gandalf the Grey's staff used in "The Hobbit: United Cutlery and Weta reproduced an Unexpected Journey." The two versions differed significantly in color, weight, and size. Weta produced a more closely painted version of the film prop, more massive, and a bit smaller compared to that made by United Cutlery. Furthermore, the UC version was comparatively inferior in quality as it breaks easily due to its polyresin construction and develops cracks quickly with improper use. Weta made a total of one thousand numbered stocks.
United Cutlery made reproductions of Gandalf the Grey's Pipe staff, which was a crucial feature in "The Fellowship of the Ring," and "The Battle of the Five Armies," and is a deteriorated version of Radagast's staff. It appears to be a yellowish-brown or brownish-yellow color, significantly contrasting with Weta's version of Radagast's staff prop. Its crown is considerably showing wear to indicate battle damage. It does not include Radagast's crystal but features Gandalf's pipe and the nail spike used as a pipe tamper. United Cutlery produced one thousand numbered pieces of its version, while Weta also created one thousand articles. Weta’s variant featured Gandalf’s leather horse fastener and his pipeweed container. The staff featured runs throughout its center. Finally, Weta wonderfully recreated Radagast, the Brown's staff by utilizing the same construction as the original prop used in the movie. Weta carefully made sure that they included all design elements and features of the movie prop in the reproductions. Weta produces one thousand pieces of these very impressive staff replicas.
Weta never released their prop version for public consumption as it could have been prohibitively expensive to produce given that the “Hero” Gandalf the White staff was of marble construction. United Cutlery had also initially made Saruman’s Staff of Power, and also experienced several problems with inconsistencies. The orb-like crystal resting within the crown often comes loose because of the incorrect fitting. Also, the shaft did not have a tapered spike-like structure and circular indentation near the bottom. The Weta group was able to rectify the error by recreating the prop using one-piece metal pieces already incorporating all the design elements. Weta was able to produce about one thousand numbered pieces.
Noble Collection also reproduced Gandalf, the Grey's illuminating staff that he used in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" as a three-piece plastic prop. These NC versions were vastly different from those of Weta’s and United Cutlery’s counterparts because of some technical issues in the manufacturing process that NC adopted to make the props. One apparent departure is the color. NC made a blueish-grey finish, while UC and Weta made a dull cream-white blend. The prop version of Gandalf the Grey's staff used in "The Hobbit: United Cutlery and Weta reproduced an Unexpected Journey." The two versions differed significantly in color, weight, and size. Weta produced a more closely painted version of the film prop, more massive, and a bit smaller compared to that made by United Cutlery. Furthermore, the UC version was comparatively inferior in quality as it breaks easily due to its polyresin construction and develops cracks quickly with improper use. Weta made a total of one thousand numbered stocks.
United Cutlery made reproductions of Gandalf the Grey's Pipe staff, which was a crucial feature in "The Fellowship of the Ring," and "The Battle of the Five Armies," and is a deteriorated version of Radagast's staff. It appears to be a yellowish-brown or brownish-yellow color, significantly contrasting with Weta's version of Radagast's staff prop. Its crown is considerably showing wear to indicate battle damage. It does not include Radagast's crystal but features Gandalf's pipe and the nail spike used as a pipe tamper. United Cutlery produced one thousand numbered pieces of its version, while Weta also created one thousand articles. Weta’s variant featured Gandalf’s leather horse fastener and his pipeweed container. The staff featured runs throughout its center. Finally, Weta wonderfully recreated Radagast, the Brown's staff by utilizing the same construction as the original prop used in the movie. Weta carefully made sure that they included all design elements and features of the movie prop in the reproductions. Weta produces one thousand pieces of these very impressive staff replicas.
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