I think that it is telling of the ubiquity of paladins, that a conversation about a caster weapon in the hands of a warrior somehow got turned into a paladin discussion thread. *smirk*
Also: when some/many/take your pick people started playing this bracket, they're first thought wasn't on "how do heirlooms fit in all of this?'' but more ''yay a bracket that isn't a loomfest! Long live 'Year One resets'!'' So with the stats on the Stick being what they are, finding some creative uses was bound to happen. However, isn't Reef Axe/Cold Iron Pick with Stones more effective in general than Stick without Stones (as far as I know Staves still can't take Weightstones)?.