eh, My dream would be a weaponless ele. I have always hated the idee of staffs being the default Magic tool. Magic comes from the person, not the tool. I like that when I throw fireballs it is from my characters hand.
The point is. casting tools are not weapons. they are Foci. yes the focus is not the only focus in the game. every weapon a caster use is a focus, not a weapon
While I respect your stylistic preference for a weaponless caster, it isn’t as usual as I think you’re stating.
Popular culture, mythology and the like presents us with magic users commonly wielding staffs, wands (sceptres) and various focuses. (Gandulf, Merlin, Morgan le Faye and the like).
Even modern (and many older) religions which practice ‘magic’ use similar tools. Staffs, Wands, Athame (a dagger), Poppets / fetches (focuses). I’d say stylistically, ANET probably have it right.
Overriding all of that of course is the old ‘their world, their rules’ we just get to play in it.