Shaman's Rod

The Shaman's Rod is a Staff found early in Golden Sun. Ivan automatically receives it after the thieves in Vault are defeated. Being a Staff, it can be equipped by Jenna, Ivan, Sheba, and Mia.

The Shaman's Rod is essentially useless as a weapon except for a very brief period of time right when it is obtained in each game. Though it has low attack and lacks an Unleash, it is possible to have Ivan and Sheba equip it at the very start of their respective games to give them a few extra attack points before making your first replacement weapon purchases.

However, the Shaman's Rod plays an important role in the story, and as such cannot be sold or dropped.

Story relevance
The Shaman's Rod once belonged to Hoabna, the hero of Shaman Village, who, upon the conclusion of a great war, gave the Rod to the people of Contigo as an act of mutual friendship. Eventually the Shaman's Rod was handed from these Jupiter Adepts to the merchant, Hammet, along with a young Ivan and a prophecy: Ivan must set out on a quest with warriors from Vale three years after a storm that would hit only Mt. Aleph. The Shaman's Rod is vital to this quest, as it is needed to gain access to Jupiter Lighthouse (although how the Rod is to be used is not revealed to Hammet at the time). This is the reason for Hammet taking Ivan with him on his travels, he was attempting to fulfil this prophecy.

Hammet wasn't the only one interested in the prophecy, however. On top of Venus Lighthouse, Saturos demands that Ivan hand him the Shaman's Rod in exchange for Sheba's safety. As Felix had been objecting to Saturos and Menardi's methods only a short time before this, Saturos has Felix retrieve the rod as a test of his loyalty. This turns out to be a wise decision, as neither Saturos nor Menardi survive the conflict with Isaac's party and end up falling into the Lighthouse's well, which would have destroyed the Rod. Although Felix jumps off the Lighthouse with the Rod (to try and save Sheba, who had been knocked off by an earthquake), both he and the Rod survive this fall, and he carries it with him in The Lost Age.

In the second game, the Rod is not so much as mentioned prior to Felix's party's arrival in Shaman Village. In order to reach the top of Jupiter Lighthouse, the Hover Psynergy is needed. The Hover Jade is held by Moapa, chieftain of Shaman Village, who is waiting for the Shaman's Rod to be returned. At first he is unwilling to hand the Hover Jade over to Felix, but then decides to allow his team to take a test on Trial Road. By reaching the top of Trial Road and defeating Moapa and his companions, Felix's party is deemed worthy and is given the Hover Jade, allowing them to complete their quest, thus fulfilling the prophecy that had been given to Hammet many years ago. This is the last time the Shaman's Rod is seen.