I have two questions about casting from a staff that I'm hoping someone here can answer. To preface, my character who will be using the staff is an undead bloodline sorcerer (so a Divine tradition), and will be taking the Wizard Dedication at level 6. The staff in question is a Greater Staff of Evocation we found. My two questions are:
1. Can I only cast spells from the staff that my wizard dedication "level" can cast? In other words, with just the Wizard Dedication, would I only be able to cast ray of frost, and at level 8 after taking Basic Spellcasting, I would suddenly be able to cast up to level three spells from the staff, or would just having the Wizard Dedication be enough to grant me access to all the Arcane tradition spells on the staff?
2. Spontaneous and prepared casters cast from staves differently. Would I be able to use sorcerer spell slots to cast spells from the staff, or would I have to have wizard spell slots and just add charges?
Unlike D&D 5e, spell slots in PF2E are unique to the tradition
Staves have 3 requirements: That you have the spell on your list (Wizard Dedication will take care of this), that you are of a level to cast the spell (Until you get Basic Spellcasting for an arcane tradition, you wouldn't otherwise be able to cast any of those arcane spells except Ray of Frost, so this is where you come undone), and the staff has charges (see below)
So, to answer 1, you would need Basic Spellcasting to fulfill the requirements to cast from the staff as none of the spells in the Greater Staff of Evocation appear on the Divine spell list. Interestingly, if you were a Cleric instead, and had the right god, you potentially could cast some of these spells if they were on your god's list
The answer to 2 is more interesting. RAW it doesn't matter what tradition you are using to charge the staff, so when you get Basic Spellcasting at level 8, and your Sorceror can cast level 4 spells, you can charge the staff using Sorceror for 4 charges, even though the highest level of spell you will be able to cast is level 3 from your dedication. Your GM might choose to be stricter in their interpretation of this, and limit you to your effective Wizard casting level
As to different traditions using the staff, you couldn't cast the slot with your Divine Sorceror spells, so you couldn't use the spontaneous casting rules to reduce the cost of casting from the staff, but you will be able to use the prepared casting version once you have the Basic Spellcasting to spend the level 3 slot to overcharge the staff, potentially for a total of 7 charges at level 8
Until then, enjoy your mighty and terrible staff of Ray of Frost
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1 - You would use the level of arcane spells you can currently cast: "You can Cast a Spell from a staff only if you have that spell on your spell list, are able to cast spells of the appropriate level, and expend a number of charges from the staff equal to the spell’s level."
2 - You would use your wizard slots. "You can prepare a staff only if you have at least one of the staff’s spells on your spell list."
2 - You would use your wizard slots. "You can prepare a staff only if you have at least one of the staff’s spells on your spell list."
Missed that last line on initial reading, so yes, at level 8 with the Basic Spellcasting, 3 charges plus another potential 3 from spending a slot for the overcharge.
Until then, enjoy your mighty and terrible staff of Ray of Frost
Oh well, at least ray of frost is a better damage-dealing cantrip than anything the Divine tradition gives me (daze is non-lethal and has half the range, and divine lance is 30 ft and my character is Rahadoumi, so can't use it anyway).
Regarding 1), I don't believe we actually have any clarity about that from devs. It could easily be read either way, so really, ask your GM for their interpretation.