Staff weapon
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SGStaffWep.jpg
The staff weapon is a fictional weapon in the Stargate universe.
The staff weapon is a common weapon for Jaffa in the armies of the Goa'uld. The weapon is powered by naquadah like most Goa'uld technology. There is a switch along the staff that opens up an almond-like head at the tip which delivers a strong energy blast. The energy bolts from a staff weapon penetrate armor very well, and the blast is powerful enough to punch a hole the size of a man's head through the target. A single clean hit to the chest is usually sufficient to kill, although a hit to the thigh or shoulder areas may be survived if the target is lucky. The heavy, rounded ends of the weapon also allow it to be used in melee combat for striking and knocking down an opponent.
In highly skilled hands, it can be quite effective, but its design is not optimized for military use. In the episode "The Warrior", the staff weapon was demonstrated to be significantly less accurate at long range than the FN P90, even in the hands of an exceptionally skilled Jaffa warrior. Jack O'Neill, comparing the staff weapon to his (much less impressive) P90 explained, "[The staff weapon] is a weapon of terror: it's made to intimidate the enemy. This [A P90] is a weapon of war: it's made to kill the enemy." This may explain how SG-1 is often able to prevail unscathed when confronted by several Jaffa firing at them with staff weapons, while more often than not they end up getting knocked out when someone is firing at them with a zat.