The Equalizer is a darn nice off-hand weapon as well, thanks to the glitchy codes making the passives work on the main-hand. Plus after all that work and time making it...
I usually don't use either of the +attack/r weapons because I find them boring. There are so many great and interesting weapons (especially in ToB), that using the same weapon throughout the entire game (you can get either as soon as you bust out of the dungeon, pretty much), just feels... wrong.
@pantalion +4 damage to your main weapon is worth less than any of the 3 weapons that grant a full extra attack (which is worth more than extra damage thanks to status effects, spell interuption, increased chance to hit). Extra strength is also probably worth less than the resistance from the defender of easthaven for most warriors, and its worse than the zerth blade for fighter/mages.
So that leaves it 6th best I think? A damage boost just isn't good enough to really be top tier.
It's also +3 to hit, however by the time you have Grand Mastery (The current +1 APR version), the +1/2 Attack from the gauntlets, 2 attacks for being a Fighter, and +1 Attack from Two-Weapon Fighting you're half an attack away from the maximum # of attacks per round anyway, and the cost of using Kundane or Belm for half an extra attack of your primary weapon is losing you a decent attack with your offhand, accuracy (unless you autohit on a 2 anyway, more accuracy is always nice).
On top of this, as mentioned, it frees up your belt slot from the belt of giant strength that most fighter classes end up using, the most useful girdle after which is the Belt of Inertial Barrier, so using the Crom Faeyr basically means you get its save bonus and damage resistances.
@Pantalion I'm guessing the +1 Strength given from "Unleashing the Wrath" is the stat boost from choosing the evil path to receive the Wrath tear in hell. Latronis spells out the details in this post
Vecna, though if SCSII is taken in account, it'd be hard to decide between this and Carsomyr. The Dispel procc melts a bunch of your worst foes (imp clerics & mages mostly).
Else Vecna with Timestop & Imp. Alacrity lets you truly unleash hell. And having most of your spells set to very low casting speed is just epic
@pantalion I didn't realise true grandmastery was integrated now...nonetheless, four objections. First, still would prefer DOE or Zerth to Crom. Second, that only works if you are a pure or dualed fighter with grandmastery, which obviously not everyone will be. Third, in a party context if I have any warriors using a two handed weapon, they are getting the gauntlets over a dual wielder. Finally, under improved haste (and why wouldn't I be under improved haste?) that half attack becomes a full attack, which is pretty worthwhile.
Even ignoring all that, I'm still not certain it would work out better just on an attack basis.
@valky How effective is the SCSII nerfed version? Finally getting towards doing an SCSII run with that in, been quite a while.
I didn't know that "Cloak of Balduran" existed until now. Wow, it is a nice item. 10 years and still there are things I haven't seen, things that shout "I am awesome. Find me." You are an eye opener. 10x
Vote other. Without a doubt Staff of the Magi. Nothing beats being able to go invisible whenever you want and how much you want. Grab a cloak of non-detection to go with it and you're set.
Staff of the Magi, I'd say. At will invisibility that works with non-detection plus spell trap that lasts a whole day? And still other goodies on top of that?That's just ridiculous.
Robe of Vecna is second in my book even though improved alacrity is needed for it to get completely broken. Still, being the first to fire off a spell means winning the battle most of the times. Also spell interruption becomes extremely difficult.
Carsomyr is a bit overrated in my book. Protection from magical weapons stops it completely and the dispel effect is often annoying when it dispels all those nice status effects you have layed on an enemy before.
The silliest item, if not one of the most powerful overall, is the Shield of Balduran. It just invalidates a whole cathegory of otherwise dangerous enemies without having any other use. I'm kinda offended that it even exists.
During the wrath test he gives you an option to unleash your wrath which grants you an immediate +1 str and turns you into the slayer. Then when you turn in the tear for the evil path it gives an additional +2 str for taking the evil path, for a total of 3.
@Tinter Good question, am just about to kill that dragon, but currently doing the Paladin Stronghold quests first (have unlocked all, so it takes a while) and re-rolled out of boredom a Skald in BGEE.
I guess it brings it bit more in line with other weapons, cause it was quite a bit OP. And cause it was just posted, doesn't behave the dispel procc not similar like other proccs, even if the weapon does not do damage? (ie prot magical weapons) Am sure it's the same like ie Celestial, but it's quite some time ago since I played BG2 and currently only in chapt 2/3 and I might be wrong with that.
@DjKajuu And could kick even more ass with the FoA or a number of other weapons, since all clerics or non-inquisitor paladins can hit 25 str effortlessly through DUHM...that they'll have up anyway due to it being a REALLY awesome buff (and most other 2nd level divine spells aren't worth crap anyway).
Shadowkeeper - with this insanely powerful tool I was able to combat numerous annoyances such as customization of paper dolls/ avatars and customization of npcs weapon proficiencies lol
Robe of Vecna. This thing not only is very powerful, even in ToB standards, but you can also buy it at pretty early part of the game. It alows you to do deadly time stop + acceleration combo. In fact, this item is so overpowered, it is boring to me - I stopped using it years ago.
Exactly...and the Robe of Vecna requires a wild mage or epic levels to be more then a novelty item. The fact it requires on another ability to actually be useful, is a huge minus against it. Anyone that played SoA, pre-ToB, it was definitely the most powerful mage robe (everything Archimagi did, + spell cast speed bonus)...but...that was it, there are a lot more powerful items. All it lets you do is cast spells faster...it doesn't by itself remove the 1 spell round limit.
@Freche Because higher-level spells should take time to cast. With Vecna, this weakness is utterly ignored, especially when combined with Amulet of Power
Staff of Magi! Combine it with Cloak of Mirroring, Robe of Vecna, and you have the most powerful character in-game! (ofc only if that character is a wizard especially if a sorcerer )
Comments
In BG1 alone, Boots of Speed are by far the best item available though
I usually don't use either of the +attack/r weapons because I find them boring. There are so many great and interesting weapons (especially in ToB), that using the same weapon throughout the entire game (you can get either as soon as you bust out of the dungeon, pretty much), just feels... wrong.
On top of this, as mentioned, it frees up your belt slot from the belt of giant strength that most fighter classes end up using, the most useful girdle after which is the Belt of Inertial Barrier, so using the Crom Faeyr basically means you get its save bonus and damage resistances.
@ZanathKarashi
Ah yes, forgot about the deck (I usually end up with Intelligence). What, if I may, is "Unleashing Wrath"?
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/258273-baldurs-gate-ii-shadows-of-amn/52341509
Else Vecna with Timestop & Imp. Alacrity lets you truly unleash hell. And having most of your spells set to very low casting speed is just epic
First, still would prefer DOE or Zerth to Crom.
Second, that only works if you are a pure or dualed fighter with grandmastery, which obviously not everyone will be.
Third, in a party context if I have any warriors using a two handed weapon, they are getting the gauntlets over a dual wielder.
Finally, under improved haste (and why wouldn't I be under improved haste?) that half attack becomes a full attack, which is pretty worthwhile.
Even ignoring all that, I'm still not certain it would work out better just on an attack basis.
@valky How effective is the SCSII nerfed version? Finally getting towards doing an SCSII run with that in, been quite a while.
Without a doubt Staff of the Magi. Nothing beats being able to go invisible whenever you want and how much you want. Grab a cloak of non-detection to go with it and you're set.
Robe of Vecna is second in my book even though improved alacrity is needed for it to get completely broken. Still, being the first to fire off a spell means winning the battle most of the times. Also spell interruption becomes extremely difficult.
Carsomyr is a bit overrated in my book. Protection from magical weapons stops it completely and the dispel effect is often annoying when it dispels all those nice status effects you have layed on an enemy before.
The silliest item, if not one of the most powerful overall, is the Shield of Balduran. It just invalidates a whole cathegory of otherwise dangerous enemies without having any other use. I'm kinda offended that it even exists.
During the wrath test he gives you an option to unleash your wrath which grants you an immediate +1 str and turns you into the slayer. Then when you turn in the tear for the evil path it gives an additional +2 str for taking the evil path, for a total of 3.
Good question, am just about to kill that dragon, but currently doing the Paladin Stronghold quests first (have unlocked all, so it takes a while) and re-rolled out of boredom a Skald in BGEE.
I guess it brings it bit more in line with other weapons, cause it was quite a bit OP. And cause it was just posted, doesn't behave the dispel procc not similar like other proccs, even if the weapon does not do damage? (ie prot magical weapons)
Am sure it's the same like ie Celestial, but it's quite some time ago since I played BG2 and currently only in chapt 2/3 and I might be wrong with that.
/End Thread
Don't get why people think Vecna. By the time you get TS the game have already turned into a hack n' slash.
Because higher-level spells should take time to cast. With Vecna, this weakness is utterly ignored, especially when combined with Amulet of Power
Combine it with Cloak of Mirroring, Robe of Vecna, and you have the most powerful character in-game!