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Dorn might be a better archer than Kivan or Coran.

DebaserDebaser Member Posts: 669
in Archive (General Discussion)
This is a repost because...I'm finding this to be true. (Originally it was in the can Dorn tank thread, yadda yadda)

DORN IS AN ARCHER FIRST! OFF TANK SECOND!

Dorn should really have Proficiencies like this by level 6 to be effective:

++Two-Handed Sword
++Two-Handed Weapon Style
++Longbow (For composite Longbows for the bonus to hit)

Poison weapon works for Bows, so with the multiple attacks of being proficient combined with his strength bonus at 19...he's a vicious archer who can poison when he hits you...then swap to two-handed swords to finish you off.

He's more of a ranged / off-tank character because of the low Constitution of 14, but he's not total glass cannon. You can give him the Con Tomb for a slight health bonus..and he can wear the heaviest armor without restrictions so he's hard to hit. And he gets D10 health rolls as a Blackguard.

Give him one of the better enchanted longbows and honestly I think he's better than Minsc, Kivan and Coran at the end of the day as an archer due to the poison attack.

Comments

  • DeucetipherDeucetipher Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013
    19 str doesn't help his archery, and he'd need the dex gaunts to challenge either of the two archers, which means no yeslick/kagain. If he was in BG1 back when the eagle bow randomly let count your STR bonus, I'd agree. I'd rather take coran or kivan and be able to get a top tank out of the dex gaunts. The poison is nice, admittedly, but arrows of biting can be had.
  • DebaserDebaser Member Posts: 669
    @Deucetipher Hrmn...I see your point.

    I need more Dex buffing items! =P
  • DebaserDebaser Member Posts: 669
    @Deucetipher What if you gave him ++ in slings?
  • DeucetipherDeucetipher Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013
    He's probably better with a sling, but then he loses the bonus apr that bows get, so you might as well plunk him in melee at that point. I'm not saying there isn't utility to be had in giving him a ranged weapon, I just don't see him as a top ranged choice.

    His best choice is probably throwing daggers, despite their slightly more limited range, since they get two apr and str bonus. I'm not sure If I like that EE has given throwing daggers STR bonus (doesn't seem as though they have enough mass to benefit), but there you go.
  • DebaserDebaser Member Posts: 669
    edited January 2013
    Deucetipher said:

    He's probably better with a sling, but then he loses the bonus apr that bows get, so you might as well plunk him in melee at that point. I'm not saying there isn't utility to be had in giving him a ranged weapon, I just don't see him as a top ranged choice.

    His best choice is probably throwing daggers, despite their slightly more limited range, since they get two apr and str bonus. I'm not sure If I like that EE has given throwing daggers STR bonus (doesn't seem as though they have enough mass to benefit), but there you go.

    That's a really cool thought, it gives him a ranged weapon that makes sense for his stats that he can poison (See I see him interrupting casters then charging in while they can't cast)
  • mjsmjs Member Posts: 742
    potions of fortitude+dorn=tank

    BG2, give him the girdle of fortitude for free once per day tanking
  • DebaserDebaser Member Posts: 669
    EXACTLY!
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    I'm picturing, now, a bow that can only be used by orcs and half-orcs and that grants the Strength bonus to damage (instead of the longbow's normal bonus).
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Deucetipher said:

    He's probably better with a sling, but then he loses the bonus apr that bows get, so you might as well plunk him in melee at that point. I'm not saying there isn't utility to be had in giving him a ranged weapon, I just don't see him as a top ranged choice.

    His best choice is probably throwing daggers, despite their slightly more limited range, since they get two apr and str bonus. I'm not sure If I like that EE has given throwing daggers STR bonus (doesn't seem as though they have enough mass to benefit), but there you go.

    Although there are no magic throwing daggers in BGEE, so some enemies would be immune and there is no funky ammo for daggers, unlike even slings now to an extent in BGEE.

    BTW I think the OP wasn't trying to say that he'd get any Str damage bonus for using a composite bow, just that:

    a) he has a high enough strength to use one and no class restrictions (unlike an assassin)

    b) he can poison all the arrows (and the poison gets stronger after level 5), though bear in mind this will only be 1-2 times/day for BGEE
  • FlashburnFlashburn Member Posts: 1,847
    Just throw a strength spell on Coran to make him use composite longbows and he'll still be the best damn archer in the game. You just can't argue with 20 DEX and illegal Mastery (+++) for a multiclass.

    Nor can you argue with elves.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    BTW any ranged character with >1APR is particularly nasty under Skald song +2 THAC0/+2 damage for *each* attack...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
    edited January 2013
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • SirK8SirK8 Member Posts: 527
    Oh man, another tvtropes link, once you click that you'll be stuck for hours! :)
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    @SirK8
    Seriously. That stuff could be weaponized.
  • SirK8SirK8 Member Posts: 527
    Hmmm what... yeah I'm still there...
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Flashburn said:

    Just throw a strength spell on Coran to make him use composite longbows and he'll still be the best damn archer in the game. You just can't argue with 20 DEX and illegal Mastery (+++) for a multiclass.

    Nor can you argue with elves.

    Even without the ability to use Composites, the Composite Long Bow +1 = +3 Damage +2 THAC0, Long Bow of Marksmanship = +2 Damage +3 THAC0, you're only really missing out on *one* more damage point, that's hardly the end of the world. Coran is definitely the best archer. I prefer Kivan for his versatility (he's much better with melee, only sacrificing a little ranged ability)
  • DazzuDazzu Member Posts: 950
    Everyone forgets Khalid is a better archer than Kivan.

    Khalid can get +++ with bows and has 17 dex, same as Kivan. Am I the only one who knows this?
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Dazzu said:

    Everyone forgets Khalid is a better archer than Kivan.

    Khalid can get +++ with bows and has 17 dex, same as Kivan. Am I the only one who knows this?

    1. Khalid's Dexterity is 16. That said, I really enjoy Dex toming Khalid. 15->16 and 16->17 are significant Dexterity upgrades (resulting in better ranged THAC0 *and* Armor Class), as opposed to anything lower or higher.
    2. That doesn't make him better than Kivan. That said, Khalid is definitely a pretty decent archer. Also, third pips for the win. x3
  • leeho730leeho730 Member Posts: 285
    *Yawn* why does one have to say one's better than the other...
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Kivan - 2 Bow Pips - Elf Bonus - Strength Requirement for Composites - 17 Dex

    Coran - 3 Bow Pips - Elf Bonus - 20 Dex

    Shar-Teel - (You can get her up to) 2 Bow Pips - Strength Requirement for Composites - 17 Dex

    Khalid - (You can get him up to) 3 Bow Pips - 16 Dex

    Dorn - (You can get him up to) 2 Bow Pips - Strength Requirement for Composites - 16 Dex + Poison Weapon Ability
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