Wands, Staves, and Scepters (Thaumcraft 4)

One of the core features of Thaumcraft 4 is the use of Wands in crafting and spellcasting. There is a wide variety of different wand types, but there are patterns to their construction, usage, and capabilities.

Wands
Wands are crafted from a Wand Core and two Wand Caps. Wands more advanced than the Iron Capped Wooden Wand are crafted in an Arcane Worktable.

Wands have two properties that determine their capabilities: capacity and cost. The Vis Capacity of a wand is the number of points of aspects the Wand can hold. Wands can be charged by draining Vis from Aura Nodes or by picking up Aspect Orbs dropped by killed mobs, Unstable Nodes, or Primal Charms. The Vis Cost is a percent multiplier on all Vis usage from the wand. This can range between 20% and 110%, and can be additionally reduced by Thaumaturge's Robes or similar armor (10% minimum), or increased by Flux Flu and Flux Phage. The capacity of a wand is determined by its core, while the cost is determined by its caps.

There are two specialized Wand variants: Staves and Scepters.

Staves and Scepters
Staves and Scepters are more expensive than conventional wands, but in exchange have higher Vis capacities. However, their individual uses are more limited. Staves cannot be used in the Arcane Worktable for crafting, while Scepters cannot be used with Wand Foci for active spellcasting. Staves have (usually) 2.5x the Vis capacity of Wands, while Scepters have 1.5x capacity and -10% Vis costs.

Staves are crafted from a Staff Core and two Wand Caps. Staff Cores are crafted from two Wand Cores and a Primal Charm. Scepters are crafted from a Wand Core, three Wand Caps, and one Primal Charm. Staves and Scepters are crafted in the Arcane Worktable. Additionally, all Staff Cores require additional minor research to unlock, while Scepters are all unlocked with a single research.

Wand Cores
The capacity of a Wand or Staff is determined by the material of its Core. Certain materials can only be used for Staves. Note: Certain cores have an aspect affinity to them. Cores that have an affinity will passively regenerate that aspect, up to 10% of that aspect's capacity.

Some Thaumcraft add-on mods add additional Wand Cores. Their stats are listed here as well. Many cores have special abilities they apply to Wands or Staves they are made of.
 * Primal Staves add 1 level of Potency to any Focus used with them.
 * Amber Wands has very low capacity, but passively recharges to full capacity rather than 10%.
 * If a Transmutative Wand contains more than 90% capacity of any aspect, it will attempt to convert that aspect into other aspects at a rate of 1:0.4, split evenly across all aspects being recharged.
 * Necromancer's Staves apply a Wither effect to any enemies struck by melee attacks, and recharge at 4x speed from aspect orbs, however recharge at 75% speed from draining Nodes or other means.
 * Tainted Wands can recharge up to 10% of their stored Vis when you are within a Tainted Lands biome.
 * Infernal Wands recharge up to 30% of their Ignis Vis, and if in the Nether, recharges 10% of all other Aspects. Additionally, having it or the wand created from it in inventory will result in instant flame extinguishment and withering protection, and holding it in hand provides the same protection as Fire Resistance Potion.
 * Blood Wands can can recharge their stored Vis by draining from their holder's Blood Magic Soul Network (or health bar, down to 3 hearts), at a rate of 1000LP per Vis every 100 ticks. Blood Staves have reduced capacity but 4x the LP:Vis recharge rate of Blood Wands, but will kill their holders if their Soul Network is empty.
 * Livingwood and Dreamwood Wands can recharge their stored Vis by consuming Botania Mana at a rate of 1100 Mana per Vis every 40 ticks. If they are fitted with Manasteel or Elementium Caps, that rate is reduced to 900 Mana per Vis.

Wand Caps
The Vis cost of a Wand or Staff is determined by the material of its Caps. Note: Certain caps have one or more aspect affinities to them. Caps that have affinities will be -10% cheaper when channeling those aspects.

Some Thaumcraft add-on mods add additional Wand caps. Their stats are listed here as well.

Uses


Right clicking and holding the cursor upon an Aura Node with this Wand in hand will tap primal aspect vis into the Wand's storage until full. Note that attempting this with a wand made out of a wooden core or iron caps will completely drain primal aspects, even if Node Preserver has been researched.

When holding the Wand, a gauge will appear in the top left of the player's window (by default) which shows how much Vis the wand currently holds. Holding Shift with the wand will show a rounded number of each Vis Aspect that the Wand holds.

The Wand is used in Arcane Crafting with the use of the Arcane Workbench to imbue crafting recipes with aspects that the Wand has stored.

The Wand is used to produce a Thaumonomicon by right clicking a Bookcase with the wand in hand (this does not require Vis).

The Wand is used to create a Crucible by right clicking a Cauldron with the wand in hand. This does not require Vis.

The Wand is used in the activation of a Mystical Construct such as the Infernal Furnace, the or the Infusion Altar, the vis required depends on the structure and may require a wand with larger vis capacity.

The Wand can be used to empty the contents of a Crucible by right clicking on it with wand in hand. This may cause adverse effects including but not limited to; Flux Spillage, Flux Gas release or even the spawning of Tainted Slime which is a good source of Tainted Goo.

The Wand can be used to activate Infusion Crafting by right clicking the Runic Matrix with wand in hand.