Oh, I'm not sure if Kensai bonus still applies once the weapon gets switched to thrown mode... For example, on thrown mode, weapons do not give style bonuses... Can anybody confirm this?
The bonuses apply to all physical damage (same with Assassins and Skalds)...if you cheat and force them to use a bow with shadow keeper, they still get their full bonus damage.
"Clerics are a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional." They don't run around with a warhammer flailing, most people in the church wear a bible. Im just pointing out that the BG cleric really doesn't know what it is, its not really very good at anything, and nowhere as versatile as it should be. I would call pope Benedictus an annoying old man, not a cleric, not according to BG anyways. And he is the ultimate priest/preacher.
In the Middle Ages (which most people would agree is the basis for Western fantasy), priests would preach and pray, yes, but also tend to the sick and dying (i.e. heal) and fight in battle.
For both rangers and clerics, I'm sure you can come up with dozens of reasons why the D&D class doesn't fit what you want it to be, but to act like it's objectively wrong based on one very specific modern example doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
Actually no, the basis for fantasy with Elves, Dwarfs, wizards etc. lies mostly in old Norse and Germanic religion and myths that go back thousands of years ago. You should look it up it is really interesting actually. Most of what Tolkien wrote originates from it.'
Even Baldur is a god in Norse mythology.
Edit: oh and on my previous post, you don't really get sarcasm, do you?
In summary : Rangers are fighter-types who can go stealth and focus on a specific type of enemy.
In a roleplaying view : You're Aragorn, man! He was no bloody thief!
Remember that in the Return of the King, Aragorn becomes more of a Paladin (wearing heavy armor, laying on hands to cure the wounded and accepting his royal heritage) ^^
Well, laying on hands had nothing to do with him being a Ranger - it was connected to the fact he had elven ancestors. And I find it excessive to refer to the abilities of the fellowship - all of them were uniqie;) The point is the thieves' abilities (pick-pocket, disarm traps) are not suited for rangers.
Well I finally beat BG1 first time ever, did it as an archer, getting archery to 4 pips was pretty awesome, now I'm playing through as a stalker, its much more interesting because you are not powerful at anything but you can approach situations more than one way. I take back some of my rant about rangers, the kits are much better than the vanilla ranger
Archer can get 5 in longbows, fighters or archers don't get enough points to master till level 9 I think... Archers get called shot which I never once used. And archers get +1dmg to missle weapons every 3 levels, swashbucklers every 5 levels, to all rogue weapons. Don't forget an archer uses the hit die of a fighter, gains the hp of a fighter, thac0 and gets the STR bonuses.
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Even Baldur is a god in Norse mythology.
Edit: oh and on my previous post, you don't really get sarcasm, do you?
Remember that in the Return of the King, Aragorn becomes more of a Paladin (wearing heavy armor, laying on hands to cure the wounded and accepting his royal heritage) ^^
The point is the thieves' abilities (pick-pocket, disarm traps) are not suited for rangers.
A link that also speak of this subject tolkien/real world god and healing powers :
http://www.grijalvo.com/Hfz000/hfz000_2002_J_D_Cofield_Hands_of_a_King.htm
Swashbuckler gets +1 att/dam right to mostly make up the missing +'s that archer kit gives?