Favourite weapon style

[Montresor]

What is your favourite weapon style?

I'm a sucker for dual-wielding. One weapon good, two weapons twice as good!

[Fred the archer]

Ranged weapons are my flavour, put a tank upfront to hold the baddies away while my archers pumps them full of arrows.

My present party consists of:
PC, Dwarfen fighter with shield, war hammer and Azuredge. - Main tank, that can put in a good throw with Azuredge to soften them up before they get a taste of the war hammer. If he needs any help Anomen and Minsc drops their Sling/Long bow.

My back line is: Jahira Dual Archer/Cleric - Tansheron bow
Immy Dual Bounty Hunter/Mage - Light crossbow of speed.
Nalia Sorcerer - Tuigan Bow

Not many foes stands for more than a few rounds, then I get back to assemble the Gesen bow, then .....

[Kieran]

I like sword and shield. Shields can give you a few good bonuses to your defence even if it's not quite as damaging as 2-handed weapons.

I find dual-wielding is a bit of a pain as you have to put quite a few proficiency points in 2 weapon style to make the off-hand decent.

Ranged weapons are good but I generally save them for my rogues, priests and mages while the warriors handle the melee.

[T2Bruno]

The two-handed weapons are the best in the game -- only they have +6 enchantment. I've had the easiest time with:

Sarevok -- Halberd (Deathbringer assault plus insta-kill of Ravager ...)
Paladin -- Two-handed Sword (especially with the Carsomyr bug-fix)
Jaheira -- Spear or Staff

For a thief, having staff is quite devastating.

[Splunge]

Dual-wielding for anyone who can put more than 1* in the style.

[Blades of Vanatar]

I prefer Sword & Shield. My envisionment of the true hero is the Plate-Armoured Knight wielding his sword in one hand and fending off the Dragon's fiery breath with his shield in the other. Then smiting his foe down and raising both sword & shield above his head, roaring in victory!

[Saber]

Dual wielding, definitely. It sucks how much the off-hand suffers though, so I usually wait until later in the game, when I can have multiple* in two-weapon proficiency. Plus, the shield at the beginning of the game helps prolong my usually minuscule life.

[Pseudospawn]

Two Handed all the way.

Ravager & Silver Sword make quick work of minions, Soul Reaver makes bosses ineffectual, Holy Avenger turns a paladin into a tank, Staff of the Ram allows thieves to backstab for ludicrous damage.

Plus there are good two-handed weapons from the start and throughout the game:
Staff of Rhynn & a Halberd +2 @ adventurers mart, Sword of Chaos in Chez Irenicus and Lilarcor in the sewers.

[Sir Rechet]

Minor nitpick - Holy Avenger doesn't turn your pally into a TANK but a whirlwind of berserking ultimate destruction. I know, I know - any beefy melee guy has traditionally been a tank but "tanking" has actually not much to do with the damage you put out, it's about the damage you prevent for the rest of your party.

[Morthond]

Single Weapon Style. I know it's going to be just me. I like the way it looks After that, Sword and Shield and the rest can all go together. I used to like Dual Wielding but for some reason I only use it on Xan nowadays.

[8people]

An excellent question which has actually left me in quite a dilemma

I simply cannot decide! I guess I shall vote for sword and shield as that is the most common configuration I use.

In real life I tend to be a single weapon kinda of gal, but then again we're talking about a game

[Déise]

Dual wielding is easily the coolest imo. That's what matters, right?

[Caradhras]

Really depends on the character. But I've used Dual Wielding with characters who were barely proficient. Getting bonuses from two weapons can be a boon as well.

[pplr]

You're right, really depends on the character. Mazzy (for example) should use ranged & 2-handed weapons.

I often have a dual-weapon using main character due to a liking for bastard swords and axes. But like you said it really depends on the character and how you want him/her.

[Saber]

Mazzy should only use short bows and short swords, as she already has *** in both; it would take a while to get her *** in anything else.

[pplr]

Originally Posted by Saber

Mazzy should only use short bows and short swords, as she already has *** in both; it would take a while to get her *** in anything else.

Actually, when I pick her up in SoA she often only has 1 in short swords, she is skilled with short bows but not short swords earlier in the game. As I consider that a waste for a fighter (which can use larger swords, spears, halberds, and axes) I often increase her proficiencies in other types of weapons.

The other types of weapons are often better.



I noticed someone picked ranged weapons, not my usual method but I noticed that when over half the party is using them it can actually work pretty well.

[Mordokai]

Two handed all the way. While dual wielding has the coolnes factor, for me a guy with a sword almost as big as himself is just something that can't be competed with

And since in RL I mostly play DnD 3.5 I know that two handed weapons dish out the most damage. I often apply this to BG as well, even if it's not totally true. But the point stands. Most of my tanks put heavy stars into two handed weapons and style.

[Saber]

Actually, when I pick her up in SoA she often only has 1 in short swords, she is skilled with short bows but not short swords earlier in the game. As I consider that a waste for a fighter (which can use larger swords, spears, halberds, and axes) I often increase her proficiencies in other types of weapons.

I think I have a mod installed that makes her more paladin-like -- sorry!

[pplr]

Actually, if Keldorn is an example short swords aren't used by paladins that much either (he has 2-handed sword in both SoA and ToB, plus 2 each in long sword and bastard sword in ToB).

It could be a mod or, if you are picking up Mazzy later rather than earlier in your game, that your party is high enough level that when you add Mazzy to the party the game levels her up a bit to better match your party. The problem with this is that when a computer levels up an NPC the computer may not pick the proficiencies (and maybe spells for mages) that you would had you.

Anyway it could be mod or something else. Don't forget that the game starts her with a short bow and short sword. Thus it makes storyline sense for her to be skilled in these 2 weapon types even if it is more sensible to give her skills in a more impressive type of weapon.

Alot of storylines act like short halflings should use smaller weapons (thus things labelled "short"), but the effect of this is arming perfectly capable fighters as if they were thieves. Tall or short it isn't hard to figure out how to use a spear.

[Scythesong Immortal]

There are some really powerful short swords and short bows in BG2, at any rate. Gesen Bow, Tuigan Bow, Kundane the sword of quickness, the Sword of Mask... these are more than a match for a lot of the bigger weapons.

[Pseudospawn]

While 'To Hit' and 'Damage' are important factors with weapons, most every weapon category has +4/+5 weapons - What makes a weapon stand out to me is its additional effects.

When i think uber-weapons in bg2 i look to those that can have a crippling effect on the enemy and/or give a huge boost to the wielder.
Soul Reaver - cumulative -2 to enemy thaco on hit (no save).
Silver Sword - chance to insta-kill non-bosses (no save).
Ravager - chance to insta-kill non-bosses (allows save)
Staff of the magi - huge defensive bonuses to mages.
Staff of the woodlands - huge defensive bonuses to druids.
Holy Avenger - huge defensive bonuses to paladins and awesome damage.
The Answerer - cumulative -2ac & -10%mr on hit (no save).
Flail of ages - 5to33% chance to slow enemy (no save), elemental damage.
Crom Fayer - constant 25str
Belm - +1 attack per round.

Almost all of them are 2handed, sure there are more weapons out there with nice effects but they allow saves and are generally less useful in my opinion (especially if you use difficulty increasing mods).

[Scythesong Immortal]

From the short swords family Kundane has a hidden +1 attack per round. The short sword of mask has an irresistible entangle effect (forgot if it granted a save). Arbane's Sword has a permanent freedom of movement effect (includes stuns and psionics) yet allows you to be hasted. Llbratha allows warriors to use Mirror Image.

Weapons like these are what makes dual-wielding so powerful.

[Phearlock]

Depends I guess, I really like the 2 handers for most classes for sure. But I like the stat versatility dual wielding gives you as well. (Especially since I usually play with a F/M in my party, although 2 handers work lovely for them as well)