[Maz]

Ok, after looking through the books, reading this thread and making one myself that answered some of my questions this is how I understand things:

Anyone can use a polearm or spear with Staff skill EXCEPT that only weapons that do not become unready can be used with staff skill, which makes sense as staff skill is only for balanced weapons. That is you cant use a weapon with double-daggers (‡) with staff skill.
[Evidence: In basic set the only polearm listed under staff is the naginata, the only polearm in the basic set that is not unready. The same is true in MA, the only polearms listed under staff is the ones without a ‡]

When using a polearm with staff it get the following stat changes:
Damage: Change to sw+2 cr/thr+2 cr. No matter what damage your weapon normally have.
Reach: Change to 1,2 (or 2,3 for polearms that normally have reach 3). The benefit of this is that it doesn't cost an action to change between reach.
Parry: Stays unchanged. You get 0U for swing, and 0 for thrust. YOU DO NOT GET +2.
ST Is unchanged as well.

Spears (unlike polearms) are a special case in that they do indeed get +2 Parry. This is backed up by the "switching skill" box in MA, and the fact that you could simply take a staff (with its +2 parry), and ad a spearpoint using the combination weapons rules, and presto, you got a spear.

---------------------------------------

Now that, that is clear I fail to see what benefit Weapon Adaptation gives using spear or polearm with Staff skill?
[edit]
After some further consideration I'm back to my original thought. That for this combinatino: polearm or spear -> staff skill. the only benefit is you only have to pay for one skill (staff) but can use all the full polearm stats OR use it as a staff.


Form Mastery has clear benefits in that it allow to switch between "staff mode" and "polearm mode" freely. I am however unsure what benefit it has with a Spear. A staff with a spearend on it (re. combination weapons) would still use staff right? just change it's dam to thr+3 imp instead of thr+2 cr? Unless you can't strike with a pointy stick without spear skill, the "switching "skill"
[edit]
Ok, I think the point here is that you simply can't strike for impaling with staff skill, even if it's a combination weapon staff with a pointy end. You HAVE to have spear skill to deal impaling dam with it.