With a rope dart there's actually two parts, a blade end and a counterweight. They both have to work together. It's rhythmic, sort of like dancing. A rope attached to a pole is... sort of like a kusarigama but in reverse. [ Sorry for the random Japanese, she does this. ]

I'm not saying you can't make it work, though. It would take more effort, but if you want to use your staff we can experiment a little. Make like sort of a flail but with a much longer cord. Or like.... the world's deadliest tetherball.