RE: Traditins Hawken Woodsman
The wad has a couple reasons for being used. And sometimes it will help and sometimes it will not. It will level the pressures from the powder ignition a little. It will also protect the patch. You will find if you shoot Triple Seven for instance, the patch without a wad can be shredded. With a wad, there is little damage to it. With Pyrodex RS and other black powders, it seems that the patch damage is not so extreme.
The wad is a stiff cardboard or felt construction. It will not go down at an angle because the loading jag will straighten it in the barrel and then seat it right on the powder charge.