What determines the power of a staff

[B_gerrits@comcast.net]

I have a staff that says 10-30 base what determines whether it performs at 10 or 30 is it how much intellegence you have or random? I have a level 20 conjuer and I guess i screwed up as I was trying to build a char that has some melee and the staff I guess you have to choose one or the other?
How does boost his dps?

[dXter]

The 10 ~ 30 is randomly generated everytime the staff fires off. Get a staff with a high base fire damage. As a conjurer, I hope u are using a fire staff and have earth enchantment up to bolster the staff's damage. Throw in ternion later on for more serious up close damage and crowd control. the actual damage that you do is based on the staff's damage modified by its elemental damage modifier, your toon's intelligence level and also by the skills your toon possess.

The conjurer is a caster through and through and thus have no need for melee weapons. U can still go up close with the staff especially with the ternion skill (+ arcane lore) from the spirit mastery. If the enemy is close, the 3 ternion shots can instant kill it.

DPS is improved through %Attack Speed and %Total Speed mods from equipment.