Grand Mastery...foolish perhaps?

Dark Rook · Post by **Dark Rook** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 3:22 pm

Ok.. I expect a ton of people will want to flame me for this post but I`ll continue anyway:

Why bother to put 5 points in weapon specialisation when it augments further your skill from 2 points merely by adding 1 damage,+1 thaco, and a slight increase in speed?

Why not save the other 3 points for specialisation in another weapon.

I only put 2 points into a weapon for one reason...the extra 1/2 attack..thew other benefits are almost reduntant considering my starter kit is a Kensai

Robnark · Post by **Robnark** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 3:32 pm

Personally i draw the line at 3 points, but the 5 point grandmastetry thing drains your avaliable stat points for little benefit, and it can cripple other weapons. If you play through a second time it could make sense (5 points in flail if using the flail of ages, for example), but it doesn't make a very flexible character.

Crosswind · Post by **Crosswind** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 3:47 pm

It really depends...with my berserker, I threw 2 points in hammer and 2 points in axe as fast as I could, along with 2 point in sword and shield.

Then, depending on what I was using, I pumped those 2 up; because, realistically, I will not be using weapons other than hammers and axes. They ain't dwarvish!

-Cross

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 3:49 pm

In you're first game, it isn;t smart to put 5stars in 1 weapon.
But i've finished the game several times, and i know what weapon I'll be wielding when i'm at the end of the game.
So why not place 5stars in that??? When i know i'm not goint to use any other weapons..........

Dark Rook · Post by **Dark Rook** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 3:55 pm

stilgars post is a good one but I I have quite an arsenal of different weapons, many of them see prolongued service in different situations

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 6:40 pm

I think that unless you have a character who you know will be weilding a certain type of weapon throughout the game to the exclusion of all others, Grand Mastery is a waste of proficiency slots. Keldorn and 2-handed swords is a worthwhile use of Grand Mastery (c'mon, once you get Carsomyr, what other kind of weapon does anyone ever equip with Keldorn, excepting maybe a crossbow?).

The only thing I ever spend more than 2 proficiency slots on is two-weapon proficiency.

Curdis · Post by **Curdis** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 7:56 pm

Useful example HLD but I don't think Paladins can actually go above 3 stars. The main benefit of 5 stars is you get to hit first - before the stone skin, before the level drain, - Curdis !

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 8:19 pm

Originally posted by Curdis
Useful example HLD but I don't think Paladins can actually go above 3 stars. The main benefit of 5 stars is you get to hit first - before the stone skin, before the level drain, - Curdis !

I will defer to your expertise; I never play paladins (too goody-goody for me).

If you're afraid of the level drain, just use a weapon that offers Negative Plane Protection (Mace of Disruption +2, et al). If you want to strike first, don't things like the Gauntlets of Weapon Specialisation and Boots of Speed increase initiative "rolls" and lower weapon speed?

Curdis · Post by **Curdis** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 9:15 pm

@HLD, Level drain was just an example, even with any amount of items the extra speed that Grand Mastery gives you is a further addition.

Go on be a paladin I double, double, dares ya. - Curdis !

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 9:51 pm

I'm only on my first time through BG2, but I gave my PC(CG, Half-Elven Archer) 5 points in Long Bows because that's what I had her weild in BG1 and that's what I want her to weild all through BG2. She's also got 3 points in Two-Weapon Style and a point in long swords as well. so she is prepared to go melee dual-weilding the Blade of Roses +3(or whatever it's called)(or whatever I happen to have her carrying at the time) and Daystar.

Fnord · Post by **Fnord** » Sat Feb 09, 2002 10:22 pm

Grand mastery is actually meant to grant an additional attack, as well as its other benefits. This is how things worked in BG1, TotSC, and Icewind Dale. Downloading and installing the Baldurdash bugfix patch will correct this mistake, thus making grand mastery much more appealing for those characters that can acquire it.

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 2:58 am

Yep, use that patch for the GrandMastery.
Your enemies also will benfit from it, and, if you don't get the 5
stars, actually the game will be harder (especially in ToB, there are many fighters in the expansion)

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 4:57 am

Grand mastery is expensive but it gives your fighter one more edge, no matter how small. Having two *** masteries is interesting for dual wield or for melee and range, but in the long run you can achieve 5 star mastery plus one 2-3 star style specialization plus 3 star mastery in a second weapon within SoA.

But in fact you can win the game with or without grand mastery, so it's a question of style in the first place. Some people like their fighter to be specialized to the max and some like the possibility to use more than one or two weapon types with still great effect.

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 7:00 am

Originally posted by Curdis
Go on be a paladin I double, double, dares ya.

I just started a new game (after I downloaded and installed TDD) and I am actually playing a paladin. My disaffection with paladins comes from PnP AD&D because we always had to send the paladin out to get beer while the rest of us "interrogated" prisoners ("I don't know how he got those burns on his feet and palms, nor do I know how he gouged out his own eyes, scraped the skin of his back, and hung himself. Did you see anything, Bob?").

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 7:49 am

i've been wondering this for a long time.
What is PnP????

(Sorry little off topic)

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 8:06 am

PnP = Pen and Paper, the original Ad&D game where you would sit around a big table, armed with miniatures (to symbolize group and NPCs), dice (to roll attacks, damage, saving throws etc.), paper (to keep track of your character and make notes) and books (rules, adventures).

One person is the game master, he kinda represents the whole gaming world and the others are players who play the characters / group.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 8:29 am

I've played the game a few times,
but didn't knew what PnP was!!
Love to play the game again sometime!
Maybe I'll ask some friends to go and play!

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 11:03 am

Grand Mastery was purposefully toned down by BioWare. My guess is that they thought Fighters would leave Paladins, Rangers and Thieves too far behind otherwise. As a result, the Grand Mastery "patch" is actually a "cheat", since it gives you an advantage you were not meant to have.

Dark Rook · Post by **Dark Rook** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 3:25 pm

A good point..but instead of a measely -1 to speed for all them points couldn`t they have added a reasonably signifcant amount of extra damage?

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 3:00 am

You're right Xyx, but I've found that many of the opponents are
grand masters (CTRL-Qed them), and if you have a party with
NO true fighter types, the game is MUCH harder.
When I met Glaicas, still at low level, he killed one of my
team members per round, or more...

And I think that if you have ONE char with a grandmastery,
still the game remains harder with that patch, than it was
without it.
But, if you take two or three true fighters (or dual),
then I agree, you're starting to unbalance things towards you.