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Great post Essex.
I would have to say though that in Tolkien's world that the Staffs are integral somehow with Wizards - i.e. a sorceror may use magic etc, but a wizard always carries a staff. And I think that we are all talking about the Five.
Somewhere in the Books, Appendices (?) there is a quote regarding wizards and a word meaning "staff-man/men." Also, is it Saruman that taunts Gandalf about getting the Keys to Orthanc and Barad-dur and the Staffs of the Five Wizards? Pretty important, those staffs seems to be.
Weren't the staffs part of the Istari's disguises? Their staffs were to help these old men appear less intimdating, as it gave them something on which to lean.
Gandalf without a staff may still be formidible, but I couldn't see him without it - it's his trademark tool, like Aragorn's sword, Legolas's bow and Gimli's axe. I would also conclude that there's something connection between the wizard, his staff and his abilities.
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