system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Lord of the Rings] Is Gandalf powerless without his staff?

More specifically, what exactly can he do with/without it; how much does it influence his powers; and what is the extent of his powers, anyway?
gpt
The wizards are Maiar, angelic beings in the guise of humans. Their power is inherent, but their staffs are symbols of that power, not unlike a crown symbolizes a king's power. What is the extent of Gandalf's power? Manipulations of the natural world, including both objects and people, but not to the point of producing completely "unnatural" effects. He can inspire Theoden to shake off Wormtongue's influence or light trees on fire or call down lightning or break a stone bridge, but he can't teleport or fly or throw fireballs around without any source of fuel. The scope of this manipulation is also limited by Gandalf's own spiritual stature, especially if matched against another angelic being like a Balrog or Sauron himself.