CK II - [2.8.3.3] [SAHQ] Staff of Moses is a combat weapon

[jonjowett]

One line summary of your issue
[2.8.3.3] [SAHQ] Staff of Moses is a combat weapon

Game Version
[2.8.3.3] [SAHQ]

What expansions do you have installed?
All of the above

Do you have mods enabled?
No

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
The Staff of Moses is a findable tier-5 artifact added by M&M. Here's the artifact code:

Spoiler

staff_of_moses = {
    monthly_character_prestige = 0.1
    monthly_character_piety = 0.5
    command_modifier = {
        morale_offence = 0.1
        morale_defence = 0.1
    }
    stewardship = 2
    same_religion_opinion = 5

    active = {
        OR= {
            religion_group = christian
            religion_group = muslim
            religion_group = jewish_group
        }
    }
    allowed_gift = {
        OR= {
            religion_group = christian
            religion_group = muslim
            religion_group = jewish_group
        }
    }
    quality = 5
    flags = { religious jewish_group christian muslim very_rare troops_morale }
    stacking = no
    picture = "GFX_royal_scepter"
    slot = weapon
}

I have restrained myself from logging this issue for quite a while, because I'm aware that it's my subjective opinion. However, I can now think of a very large number of reasons for why it should not be a weapon (and none for why it should be a weapon), which is why I'm raising it now. I also suspect that this issue hasn't been raised before now because the item is "very rare" and can only be found via the M&M artifact search - which means that it's probably been seen by very few players .

Anyway, here are my reasons, in approximate decreasing order of "convincingness":

• It's one of the very few non-ceremonial weapons that don't give any Martial or Personal Combat Skill (implying that it can't be used in combat).

• There should be some incentive to use a tier-5 religious item (of your religion), rather than sending it to China for massive amounts of Grace. (If you don't equip it, it has a high chance of being lost on succession.) The staff is arguably inferior to even tier-1 weapons (because it doesn't give personal combat skill). It's decidedly inferior to the smithed tier-3 and tier-4 weapons, and to nearly all of the Chinese weapons. The former are only available to emperors; but the latter are easily accessible unless you're based in the west or far north of the map.

• Almost all of the other holy weapons (mjolnir, axe of perun, sword of mohammad, etc) are decent combat weapons. This is not. (Exceptions: Lance of Longinus, possibly Axe of Perkunas.)

• Moses never used it as a combat weapon - apart from that one time when it turned into a snake in a magical duel. (This is in contrast to all of the other holy weapons.) It was more of a symbol of the authority granted to him by God. (Caveat: My biblical knowledge is not great, I may well be wrong here.)

• There is, admittedly, a certain attraction in smiting your foes with the raw power of God himself. But I think that this (and the Lance of Longinus) would be more likely to become relics on display than for some king to use them as his personal weapon. This is in contrast to some of the other holy weapons, like the Swords of Mohammad.

• There are no other staff weapons in-game.

• It uses the scepter graphics, so maybe it should use the scepter slot?

Suggested resolution: Change the Staff of Moses' slot to scepter. Or maybe ceremonial weapon.

Extra resolution (for bonus points): Reconsider the Axe of Perkunas (maybe it should have personal combat skill?) and Lance of Longinus (shouldn't this be a display relic?).

Steps to reproduce the issue.
N/A

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