The Orb is definitely the superior choice for me, as a spellpower mage.
The int+6 is ok, but what really shines is the spellpower+13 and mana recharge ability. The mana recharge abiility makes it superior to Spirit of Aquamentas, another great offhand.
Both are replaced once you get your hands on a Rod of the Ogre Magi from Dire Maul tribute, though.

I would definitely take Celestial Orb over Celestial Stave in this quest. Celestial Stave can be replaced where as Celestial Orb is useful even at lvl 60 in high level instances such as Naxxramas! One can switch this orb in, use it after 30 seconds, and switch back to their normal offhand.

I was confused by this chain and the one that leads to Mage's Wand, which is a separate quest chain. I'll post on that chain under that quest. Here goes, for the 'Celestial Power' chain:

1. It's not listed here, but there's a Horde quest like the Alliance-side 'Journey to the Marsh' that you get from the mage trainer in Ogrimmar, sending you to Tabetha, who is southeast of Brackenwall Village in Dustwallow Marsh, almost to the coastline.
2. Tabetha gives you 'Infernal Orb' that sends you to Desolace to get an orb off a Burning Blade summoner at Mannoroc Coven. Summoners are level 38-39 warlocks with imp pets - kill the imp first, fast. Beware of demon adds here. Take orb back to Tabetha.
3. Tabetha summons (just outside her shack) a level 40 elite demon from the orb that you have to kill for 'The Exorcism' quest. This thing hits hard for its level and is a pure melee mob.
4. Tabetha then wants you to kill the Obsidian Sentinel (42 elite) just inside the back entrance of Uldaman in Badlands ('Power in Uldaman' quest). He drops the power source you take back to Tabetha. This mob a. reflects spells, including the shaman Purge spell, back onto you, and b. splits itself, making more level 42 elites. The split-off mobs also reflect spells back to you - just melee this thing down. I saw as many as 2-3 at a time, counting the original - see the thread under his listing here at Alla's.
5. Tabetha then gives you 'Mana Surges' quest. Do NOT accept this quest til you are ready. Once you accept, she goes outside her shack and starts the event that pops a chain of level 40 (non-elite) water elementals. You have to kill 12 in 10 minutes: yes, there is a timer. These things are frostbolt casters and will not come to you to melee unless you stop them casting somehow, like a silence or a shaman earth shock. Frost protection potions would be good here. As other posters in these threads have said, the first 2 elementals will aggro on you but the rest will not. You can pull singles from the group of them that pop by Tabetha's shack - there are usually as many as 4 up at a time. Once 12 are dead, do not kill more - run to Tabetha and finish the quest. If you're in a group they can kill more while you run to Tabetha.
6. After the elementals are dead, Tabetha gives you the 'Celestial power' quest, where you choose the Orb or the staff. In my opinion, the Orb is the way to go - up to 1200 mana on a clickie off-hander = yes! Go get an Illusionary Rod in Scarlet monsatery library off Doan for your staff at this level.

Never take the staff... ever. Get Zum'rah's Vexing Cane if you have to have a staff... +10 stam +10 intel and 21 spell damage... a whole 1 spell damage less, but you gain 2 intel and 10 stamina versus the celestial staff. http://classicdb.ch/?item=18082

This is much better (Item #11262) and btw, the orb is named "Prophetic Cane" for horde.
The only way Celestial Orb is useful, is as an extra mana pot

Edited, Oct 11th 2006 at 1:45pm PDT by Bloodhoofie

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

nubs l2 (Item #18082)
using any other non epic staff in lvl 40 would be just plain stupid...

Well if you look at the stats,
Hypnotic Blade and the orb would give you all together +22 spell damage as does the staff
The staff only gives +8 Int whereas the blade gives 8 int and 3 spirit + the 3 int from the orb, and you have the special ability. So the orb is much more useful than the staff. Only other thing the staff has on blade is DPS :P

PS: most people dont want to pay for epic gear unless they are twinking or its end gear stuff. This is free stuff.

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

I recently re-rolled on a different server and am playing a mage now. At lvl 39, I've found that all the mage class quests (wand quest excluded) are really only worth the xp you get.

For the sake of argument. The Celestial Orb is the superior choice for these quest rewards. The stats are modest. Good for a spell dmg mage. But as previously stated in the posts on this quest. The 'Use' function is awesome.

Currently I use a Hypnotic Blade & Prophetic Cane. Which come from Doan and a quest reward. Collectively I get 20 int from them and that makes them superior in my book over the Illusionary Rod.

I'd contemplate using the Celestial Orb when I'm out grinding since I'm kinda specced for xp farming with instant arcane explosion. And any extra spell damage gear helps the killing go faster.

Is this ally only?

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

It appears there is alot of different opinions about the quest rewards...

i play a mage, lvl 70 atm, and i found the following advice to help me chose quest rewards...

first look at what will u will benefit the most out of, like wat is the biggest upgrade...(mages i find need 2 sets of gear, 1 for instances (+ spell dmg, + int), and the other for pvp/grinding/questing (+ stam, + spell dmg, +int)

next, look at what u will use the most, or will last u for a long time (as pointed out, Zum'rah's Vexing Cane is easy to get in Zul'Farrak)

i found this to help my choice to chose my reward...i went the celestial orb...i was still using at lvl 60...and i still have it in my bag, as the use has no real eqivilant...i used hypnotic blade until i got the 1h blade from Maraudon...

as far as stats go, all i need is int (dont really need stam to much) and the orb has the use...which is 40-120 intellect i might point out...fair enuf it has a CD but with evocation, i never seemed to go out of mana in a battle...

the orb i think is far superior, but that is just my opinion...hope this helped u all out a bit :)

wtf, they both sux bigtime

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

why does it increase healing? mages don't have healing spells...that's why these rewards suck. when you have +dmg and +healing the number is less. when you have one alone the number is much more.

Can't decide, wich one I should take. I normally use staff, and that staff with +22 spell dmg is nice, since im spell damage specced. Illusionary Rod kinda sucks. But also, that orb has a nice Use -ability, and thats 13+ spell dmg also. So I thought I would get the sword with +1% spell crit from Maraudon. But also, the staff is really nice... Somebody can help me with this hard decision?

so many people don't understand the fact that +22 spell dmg > 8 stam and 9 int

i'm using (https://classicdb.ch/?item=873) so i dont think ill be using anyof the items form thsi chain, disenchant i guess. unless i can find a better combo, not too sure

Rasore, you have so right, I have the Orb and I got a dagger too. It gives more specs then the staff does. So I would have pick the Orb = )

I still prefer illusionary staff with drops from the mage guy in the library of SM -_- gonna have to take the staff, it sells for around 1g to vendors >.>

Spell power mage? All mages should get spell damage. it's much more important than intellect because you tend to have a lot already. the orb + hypnotic blade are awesome. Spell damage is as important to a mage as agility is to a rogue.

The staff was obviously made for pvp. That plus spell damage is great for a damage spec. At this level finding a good sword for + fire/arcane/frost is kinda hard. That means that to use the orb along with a 1hander is not the best idea for spell damage. The orb is meant for grinding and is a good option and rules with that mana use. Personaly i do pvp at this level simply to break up monotony of grinding. Im waiting till 60 to pvp. Then there wont be any dumbass 12 year olds pvping at lvl 31. Wtf are they retarded?