@Debaser - Yay! Many thanks sir, I now know where my fighter/druid is going after acquiring belm.
Edit - I'm actually planning on using Usuno's on a fighter/thief, fighter/druid *and* fighter/mage in playthroughs once BG2:EE is out. It'll be a stopgap until Spectral brand is available most likely, but nonetheless it is a worthy and underrated weapon.
To me Usano's seems pretty underwhelming compared to the alternative weapons available. It's not bad as such, just there are better alternatives.
Flail of ages - 33% chance of slow on hit (no save), more damage and adds three types of elemental damage. In ToB thats up to 5 types of elemental damage plus free action.
Carsomyr - dispel on hit is brutal. Even if you tweak that out its still a very powerful +5 sword with 50% magic resist.
Axe of the unyielding - the +3 version in SoA is decent with 1AC and 1hp/round regen. Upgraded to +5 with 10% vorpal and more regen it's amazing.
Celestial Fury is very powerful in SoA with how often it stuns things. It becomes a lot less effective in ToB however.
Mace of disruption is awesome against undead. Tho pretty lackluster otherwise.
Quickness weapons make better offhands due to the fact that the extra attack is added to the main hand.
Sorry to break it to you but there is nothing special about this weapon which is why it's overlooked. As Kaigan said its only real value is its early availability.
There are extremely few enemies requiring +4 or greater: Demiliches, hive mothers, the Death Shade (unlikely to fight), the Ravager, Demogorgan, Melissan (it's been too long and I think her Divine Mantle requires +6 but I'm not sure once its down).
If your character can only use scimitars then use Spectral Brand. If your character is a druid then Blackblood is better.
Yeah, I'm not getting how this item is underrated either. That proc is really meh for damage (1.1 extra damage per attack on average), can be saved for half of that (at the level you get it, it's very likely), and don't really have any utility.
And like @ryuken87 said, there's not that many times you HAVE to use a +4, and when you do, there's better options IMO.
In just the Scimitar class, Spectral Brand+4 is easily better, is upgradable, and is only found one level higher in Watcher's Keep.
In other weapon classes, you have Flail of Ages, Angurvadal, Club of Detonation, Staff of the Ram, Celestial Fury (when you don't need the +4), Impaler, Carsomyr, Ravager, Ixil's Spike, Blackrazor, Axe of the Unyielding, Crom Faeyr (it has a +5 elec dmg on hit that isn't documented), and Storm Star all have either A. better damage, B. higher enchant, C. better utility procs, or D. two or more of the above.
If you don't like Ixil's Spike or FoA+5's Free Action because it prevents haste, just swap weapons before you haste. Swapping back doesn't remove it.
Comments
Edit - I'm actually planning on using Usuno's on a fighter/thief, fighter/druid *and* fighter/mage in playthroughs once BG2:EE is out. It'll be a stopgap until Spectral brand is available most likely, but nonetheless it is a worthy and underrated weapon.
Flail of ages - 33% chance of slow on hit (no save), more damage and adds three types of elemental damage. In ToB thats up to 5 types of elemental damage plus free action.
Carsomyr - dispel on hit is brutal. Even if you tweak that out its still a very powerful +5 sword with 50% magic resist.
Axe of the unyielding - the +3 version in SoA is decent with 1AC and 1hp/round regen. Upgraded to +5 with 10% vorpal and more regen it's amazing.
Celestial Fury is very powerful in SoA with how often it stuns things. It becomes a lot less effective in ToB however.
Mace of disruption is awesome against undead. Tho pretty lackluster otherwise.
Quickness weapons make better offhands due to the fact that the extra attack is added to the main hand.
There are extremely few enemies requiring +4 or greater: Demiliches, hive mothers, the Death Shade (unlikely to fight), the Ravager, Demogorgan, Melissan (it's been too long and I think her Divine Mantle requires +6 but I'm not sure once its down).
If your character can only use scimitars then use Spectral Brand. If your character is a druid then Blackblood is better.
And like @ryuken87 said, there's not that many times you HAVE to use a +4, and when you do, there's better options IMO.
In just the Scimitar class, Spectral Brand+4 is easily better, is upgradable, and is only found one level higher in Watcher's Keep.
In other weapon classes, you have Flail of Ages, Angurvadal, Club of Detonation, Staff of the Ram, Celestial Fury (when you don't need the +4), Impaler, Carsomyr, Ravager, Ixil's Spike, Blackrazor, Axe of the Unyielding, Crom Faeyr (it has a +5 elec dmg on hit that isn't documented), and Storm Star all have either A. better damage, B. higher enchant, C. better utility procs, or D. two or more of the above.
If you don't like Ixil's Spike or FoA+5's Free Action because it prevents haste, just swap weapons before you haste. Swapping back doesn't remove it.