Staffs behaving like FF9 rackets

[JamesOnyx]

So I've been contemplating exactly how to go about doing this, making staffs hit from a distance and I've started coming up with a couple concepts.  I was thinking the easiest way would be changing the staff item type into gun and changing the formula so that it would cast a simple spell upon hitting.  But the sad thing is the only formula I could find that can cast an ability on hit is 02 and it only has a 25% chance of doing so.  I want it to behave like 04 but I can't specify the spell with that formula so that won't work.  So I thought maybe the bar under the Evade% section would help since it does say inflict status/cast spell but I can't seem to get spells to actually come up since the shortcut sends me straight to the inflict status section.  And this is why I have decided to seek help on the Forums.  Anyone have any ideas on how to get this up and running or should I just my get my mind off of the staffs and try to do something else.  Or should I just stop being so nitpicky and live with the staff being swung and then a random status appearing on the target.

[The Damned]

If you want to make it so there's always spell upon hitting, then you're going to need to use Xifanie's hack to turn formula 02 chances for spells from 25% into 100%. Of course, this would happen affect any other equipment that uses or already uses formula 2, like elemental Rods.

Alternately, you could use formula 2D and make the WP absolute crap (like 1 or 2) if you wanted to just turn them into status mechanics. Classes with better PA would of course use them "better", but if the WP is such crap that there's not really a multiplier, then it's not going to matter.

As for distance stuff, you can actually keep them as staffs. You just need to turn their behavior to either direct (like crossbows and guns) or arc (like longbows) and then set a range (greater than 2 IIRC) for them to "hit". You'll have to hex edit the animation for them to not look wonky, though, and I can't help you there since I haven't done that (yet).