Suggestions? weapon picks for my gnome f/t

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:10 pm

Hi I'm starting a gnome fighter thief (f/t). I'm playing BG:ee and will play SToA and ToB also with ee edition or if those two games are not made with ee I will use the regular game and use shadowkeeper.

So far I choose daggers ** and longbow ** and single weapon style * (to crit) to be strong in BG1. I am going to use the poisoned dagger +2 in BG which is a good weapon I recall from youtubes of solo speed play.

In SToA I am going to build two handed swords and get Carsomyr (no paladin in party and use any item)..

So 6: two handed
9: two handed
Note: maybe at 12 or 15 instead of 6 or 9th (level)

I know the dagger of stars is designed for backstab in ToB but for another weapon would be nice in SToA as the daggers are not good. If the 4th weapon (1 longbow 2 dagger 3 two handed) could have some other utility that would also be cool..

I thought of celestial fury +3 but it might be outdated in ToB

Here is my planned party so you can see who is using what main weapons..

Minsc - dual wielding flail of ages and defender of easthaven
Jaheira - the best spear available forget the name (or staff)
Jan - not sure maybe the equlizer for melfs/energy blades
Viconia - Crom Faeyr and the sling that does strength damage (with DUHM).
Imoen - staff of Magi

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:35 pm

A three foot gnome wielding a 6 foot sword, now that I've got to see!

You do realise you can't backstab with Carsomyr don't you?

If you use the Item upgrade mod in BG2, then celestial fury does pretty well in ToB. The same mod makes the Backstabbing short sword live up to it's name too. In BG1/ee have they gone for the BG2 weapon proficiencies or stuck with small swords, large swords etc.? If they've gone the original, small sword route, then when you get into SoA just convert your proficiency to short sword, there are a few good ones to be had.

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:39 pm

Yeah I know about Carsomyr not backstabbing. I was going to spec Carsomyr for fights I could use it better than others such as needing the magic resistance.

Yes indeed a 3 foot gnome shouldn't wield such a sword. If later additions of DnD were used a gnome would wield a smaller version of a two-hander.

in enhanced edition (ee) they use the SToA proficiencies. It's infinity engine.

Edit: I hunted around on SToA site of Gamebanshee and blackrazor looks good. Angurvadal is not bad either, but I'll already have 19 STR. Still..

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 10:05 pm

You can get the Sword of Mask very early in SoA, but it is expensive, you can get a very good crossbow from the same source.

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:47 am

Im sorry but what is the question, didnt you just named the weapons? xD I would use flails on that guy, because jans armor+DoE+hardiness all stack, and he'll need the defence w/o access to magic. Plus some backstabbing weapon, and if you arent gonna do that, just use FoA. xD Short bows are good too, because there is one which shoots str boosted arrows. Most likely a bug, but considering how buggy bg1ee currently is im sure its still there, in fact i recall them calling it a "design decision" anyway.

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:13 am

Thanks roller..

Here is what I have so far and I am in BG1 right now

1: longbow ** dagger **
3: one handed style (for crit)

Minsc is going to use flails in BG2, but otherwise I'd agree on flails

Eventually I want to wield Carsomyr in certain situations where I need magic resistance. Otherwise dagger of stars.

So really I just need another weapon pick. It would be good to have something better than a dagger for SToA, though in ToB the dagger of stars looks good.

So it would be cool to find a good early SToA weapon to backstab with and then later go with dagger of stars:
I think I am going longswords which I can buy blade of roses +3 early on in the copper coronet.
Later that unlocks blackrazor and sword of angurvadal.

Soooo

6: longsword*
9: longsword**
12: two handed sword
15: two handed sword
18:?
21:?

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:58 am

While many people don't like the staff for roleplaying reasons, it still remains the best backstab weapon in the game - available in Durlag's Tower as the Staff of Striking (1d6+9). This is also available early on in SoA.

Personally, I don't use bows and use darts instead - you have 3 attacks per round right at the start - what's not to like?

My favorite weapons to go with (since you're playing EE) are scimitars - you can't get any better than the ones that Drizzt uses, and if you don't want to kill him, you can always steal one. In BG2, I always use the scimitar proficiency for the entire game, as you can get two weapons that add and additional attack per round at the very start of the game - that's so incredibly good that I usually end up using them through the entirety of ToB.

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 4:07 pm

Thanks for the advice, Crenshinibon. Unfortunately I already met with drizzt. I think I am going to give Jaheira staffs. Is there another scimitar that adds attacks per round other than belm?

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 6:55 pm

The difference between a dagger and a shortsword is 1 damage. With increased quality weapon type matters less and less so even a plain dagger will do. Daggerwise in SoA there is the firetooth dagger. Its so powerful that some mods nerf it. Firetooth is a +3 weapon( enough for pretty much everything) and does 2d4 +1d2fire damage, extra attack(!), stoneskin piercing, troll killer, ranged mode with unlimited ammunition which actually damages stuff, being +3, unlike other ranged weapons which need +3 ammo (expensive). This dagger is so good my fighter/mage used it until late tob where he got that throwing axe. But, i think it doesnt use strength damage bonus. Upgraded angurvadal is pretty late game weapon, blackrazor i dont remember, but there was something wrong about that weapon.. cant remember.

That said, it doesnt really matter, so i would go for quaterstaves

6: quaterstaff*
9: quaterstaff**
12: th style *
15: th style **
18: two handed sword *
21: two handed sword **

this way both the Carsomyr and the stuff are boosted, can use later the Stuff of the Magi( imoen doesnt really need it), get a BLUNT weapon, good against lots of nasties, most powerful backstab weapons in both bg1 and bg2, reach and availability, since Ribald sells a +4 stuff, thats even earlier than Copper Coronet. Can go straight for Kangaxx ( well not really xD ). Synergies well with longbows. Also f/t's get only 2 weapon slots, so youll have to choose. and between all these cool weapons, longswords will simply not fit it. Youll most likely end with Rynn's staff +4 for melee and firetooth for ranged.

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:25 pm

The two other weapons that I use are the Scarlet Ninja-To +3 (you'll need UAI for that) and as well as the shortsword Kundane +2.

Personally, I don't use the Dagger of the Stars +5 at all, because the abilities have fairly low chance of triggering, and when I play a thief, I generally rely on hit and run tactics for backstabbing.

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:54 pm

That char doesnt have dual wield profiencies though. Not sure why he wants the Carsomyr.

NocturneN · Post by **NocturneN** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:20 am

roller1234 wrote: 6: quaterstaff*
9: quaterstaff**
12: th style *
15: th style **
18: two handed sword *
21: two handed sword **

Is there really any point to go 2/2 in Twohanded Weapon Style? All you get from the 2nd slot is -2 speed factor...I'd atleast wait with the 2nd slot.

roller1234 · Post by **roller1234** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:14 am

Speed is quite cool for a hit&run backstab character allowing for all 3 actions to be performed sooner. Granted most staves already have low speed, but the basic Carsomyr has 5 speed and that could be the difference between him dispelling and disrupting or the mage getting that Hold Person spell off or something of similar nastinesses. But honestly its just a filler. can play through the game with daggers alone and OP has enough time to figure out the his preferred playstyle. Maybe he will not even like backstab, although it rules in bg1.

NocturneN · Post by **NocturneN** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 12:43 pm

Aye, I see.

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 12:58 pm

That looks cool with a quarterstaff +6. I was thinking of making a magic resistant magekilling mode for him with Carsomyr. Glad to hear about the fire-tooth dagger.

If my char is using staffs then what should Jaheira use? Also staves or dual wield club and belm? Spears? I'm not sure how the enhanced edition will handle NPCs regarding whether their picks in BG1 will be carried to BG2. That is presuming there will be BG2:ee.

koz-ivan · Post by **koz-ivan** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 7:36 am

gnasher or blackblood re very underrated weapons.

the cool thing w/ gnasher, is the splinter effect is similar to the flail of ages in that it busts through protections - and it persists for 4 rounds. it can and will interupt a mages casting even when they are in a timestop.

jaheira is very flexible, i've used her with shields, dual wield, or 2 handers,

spears could be really good for her, but you also need the backup plan of a blunt weapon when facing stuff like clay golems.

NocturneN · Post by **NocturneN** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:16 pm

When it comes to BG1 I honestly have no idea, so I'll leave that up to other posters to reply.

koz-ivan wrote:gnasher or blackblood re very underrated weapons.

the cool thing w/ gnasher, is the splinter effect is similar to the flail of ages in that it busts through protections - and it persists for 4 rounds. it can and will interupt a mages casting even when they are in a timestop.

jaheira is very flexible, i've used her with shields, dual wield, or 2 handers,

spears could be really good for her, but you also need the backup plan of a blunt weapon when facing stuff like clay golems.

I completely agree. My next good/neutral party will feature Jaheira, and I plan to have her using clubs throughout SoA, then switch to spears in ToB. Or maybe earlier, The Impaler is a very good spear you can get about halfway through SoA.

Gnasher is indeed a very good weapon! I had Jaheria in my party for a good portion of SoA, and she did tons of damage with that club, not to mention the splinter effect is pure awesomeness. Gnasher MH and Belm OH wouldn't be a bad idea at all; I once had her dual those weps in my current party and she kicked major butt.

As for ToB it's abit scarce with Clubs in the vanilla version, but the Club of Detonation +5 is definately not a bad wep, imo. Furthermore the Ixil's Nail +6 is a fairly good spear - it does low damage, but the "on-hit" effect is utterly devastating. Not like a Vorpal hit ofc, but still very good (and more balanced...).