Staffs are truthfully just for OL and WC, but they are even actually bester with 1 handed mage blunts.
Nukes in general is better of with 1 handed weapons, so they can get a shield, Archers are your biggest enemy and with a shield you maximize your chance towards them.
I recommend an Homunkulus with acumen for yeah thought.
There are many mage weapons. Some are swords... some are blunts. We even got a few daggers ( though the SAs are useless ). In any case... if there is a staff.... there is an equal 1 handed version that always has the SA you are looking for. Especially now that they added a top B 1 handed acumen weapon as well as a low c 1 handed acumen weapon.
I myself am in love with the Sword of Miracles ( top A mage sword ). I got one. Too so long to get one too. Now I play a diffrent server and I miss it every day.