I don't think the remark about the staffs of the five wizards indicates that they were used for magic; it seemed rather to be about personal glory, and treating the staffs themselves as trophies.
I cannot think of examples of the staffs being used as instruments of magic.
It's possible that the staffs of the wizards became symbolic -- but then, other men had staffs, and Gandalf at least got a new staff quite easily. They are for leaning on. The Istari need them because they have the bodies of old men.
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Los Ingobernables de Harlond
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