Well I'm kind of an AD&D newbie, and for me, acquiring the Staff was the hardest battle in the game, and I even waited till my XP was into the end of chapter 3, after about 100 days... so I sort of felt ENTITLED to such a powerful item. So I'm happy the Staff is in the game, I would have had a harder time without it. But maybe later when I get more experienced I might think about blowing off the Staff just for the challenge... it's just that right now I'm still a putz - even soloing is over my head at present.
So I think it was fine to put it into the game, one doesn't HAVE to use it.
If you feel the Staff makes things too easy, why not just sell it - maybe your mage has a problem with any item that can cast a lightning-type spell... Or is there a way to adjust the Staff's abilities with one of the editing utilities?
BTW thanks for the combat tip - definitely WILL be employing that strategy next time around
