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This is a question that really needs professional observation and advice to answer, but I thought I'd see what people think. Here's the issue: I hook/draw my driver consistently. I draw it about 35% of the time, with perfect ball flight, and it's a thing of beauty. About 55% of the time, it flat-out hooks bad. Goes about 150 yards straight as an arrow, then dives left. Other 10% of the time I duck hook it. I NEVER hook my irons, it is almost always dead straight or a slight draw.

Question: is this a case where a stiffer shaft might help, or is there probably something inherent in my swing?

Well whats your swing speed, and current shaft right now. Stiffer shafts are generally only needed for players who have a high swing speed, and if you are indicating that yours is low or high that can be a good start point. here is a mini break-down (may differ based on what shafts you play)

under 80 senior
80-90 regular
90-100 firm
100-110 stiff
110+ x-stiff

EDIT: Your problem will most likely lie with you swing or grip if you speed is under 100. You most likely have a rounded swing or a strong grip if that is the case. Irons tend not to show the driver tendencies as much.

EDITEDIT: lol, i also just remembered that it is possible that you are lining up incorrectly, if you feet are right of the target (ie. your right foot is pulled back) then this will cause the rounded swing and a duck hook.

To answer your question most of the stiffer shaft shafts are designed to help eliminate hooks. There are some like the aldila nv that are designed for neutral ball flight. You can go to golfworks.com and look up shafts and look for the playability guide and any shaft that has an H in the fouth digit of the playability code is found to have a resistance to hooking. Most of all tip stiff shafts will resist the flipping that allows the clubface to close to quickly. That being said you may be just over active with the wrist at impact causing the duck hooks and hard draws. It is generally not the shaft if the results vary greatly unless you are using too weak of a shaft. I would ask a local pro at the range if they have one to check it out to see for sure. They can even fit you with a more correct shaft if thats the case. Good luck!

From having been away from the game for a few years I have noticed the vast change in shafts. So many of them weigh almost nothing 40-65 grams that it was hard getting me fitted in a Driver. In the old days I would always hit a regular shaft and had no problem even when really trying to lean on one to give it a ride. On the Golfsmith machine I hooked every regular shaft they gave me to hit. This wasn't the problem a few months ago cause I hadn't played in 4 years and was badly out of shape. Now that I am improving my swing, more speed, better turn due to better flexiblity things have changed. My swing speed was only 79-83 MPH a few months ago and is nowl only 87-94 MPH (I did hit 98-100 a few times) They tell me I am on the borderline for going to a stiff shaft because the new shafts are so light. My new Stiff Shaft is only 55 grams.
The folks at Golfsmith say they are fitting more people these days that would normally hit a regular shaft in the past into the lighter weight stiff shafts.
So think of the Figikura E150 with 350 tip as a light stiff.
I am sure that the heavier stiff shafts would still feel like a 2x4 to me.
But it sure was strange to watch me the the light regulars and watch me over power the shaft. Lol the harder I swung to sharper the hook.
There was no differance in distance for me between the 2 shafts on the system.
It seems as though the folks at golfsmith know what they are doing. lol I may need to scrape off the stiff marking on the shaft thought to keep me from trying to kill the ball.
All this new science in Golf is giving me a headache.

i hook my titleist 20.5* all the time and its the only club thats regular flex in my bag. i fade everything else...