Flame Blade proficiency - short sword

Ligg

Hi
Flame blade has it's weapon proficiency as short sword. Druids can't gain proficency in short sword. So Thac0 increases due to penalties. In the original BG1 is was classed as 'short swords' - druids could choose this and use daggers.
I think the flame blade should classed as either be a dagger or, better, a scimitar. It is a bit odd to conjour weapons you can't use.

Avenger_teambg

Yes, flame blades should have their proficiency set to 0 (no proficiency needed).

Avenger_teambg

I wonder what should be done about spiritual hammers

mister_ennui

Since a proficiency was required to use flame blade without penalty in vanilla Baldur's Gate, one should also be required in BG:EE. However, the proficiency needed should be consistent with the actual spell desciption, which says:

"With this spell, the caster causes a blazing ray of red-hot fire to spring forth from his hand. This blade-like ray is wielded as if it were a scimitar."

Scimitar proficiency should be required to wield a flame blade without penalty in my view.

CamDawg

BGEE uses the BG2 spell system though, which sensibly changed it to be prof-less. Making it require a proficiency just makes a marginally useful even more marginal.

I'm not too worried about spiritual hammer requiring a prof, though. It's actually described as a hammer, not some amorphous ray of fire.

mister_ennui

I didn't realise the BG2 dropped the proficiency requirement for flame blade. If that is the case, it should be left that way in BG:EE (since it is using the BG2 engine).

Ligg

Well if it is prof-less it's a bit of a bummer to have Thac0 go from 16 to 19 when using a flame-blade. It is flagged as weapon type - short sword

Avenger_teambg

It will be flagged prof-less in next patch.

Dalryk

I thought the whole purpose of allowing Druids to use Scimitars was to get the proficiency to use Flame Blade....

Majoca

Is flame blade even that good?