Elven Berserker weapons?

toanwrath

Hello all!
Based on an earlier thread, I have decided to make an Elven Berserker (of all things). Here we're my exact words:

"I think I might do an Elf Berserker...he is bitter that he can't do magic, but accepts it and trains to be a Mage bodyguard. Something like that, and he really feels bad that he couldn't protect Gorion so he tries to be a better guard. Not quite Minsc, but similar (except no hamster, no annoying catchphrases, and I won't protect Aerie or Dynaheir.)

Sort of like a non-human Thayan Knight (their combat and Mage-guarding tendencies rather than their human and evil tendencies"

So I only have three choices to make, one being ultra important.
1.) Alignment? I can't be Lawful Neutral as I am a berserker, but since this character has a sense of loyalty I feel Chaotic anything is kind of ehh. True neutral? Neutral good/evil?
2.) Portrait/Name? I am playing this character on my iPad, so no custom portraits :-( probably Khalid's portrait since he won't need it where he is going (straight into Silke's lightning)
3.) Weapon Selection? Basically I am deciding between fighting with two long swords or a two-handed sword. Both get me the bonus THAC0 from being an Elf, and both have decent weapon options in BG:EE (and even more in BG:2, hence why I ruled out Bastard Swords). Unsure if elves get the bonus THAC0 for Katanas but they suck in BG:EE anyways.

So, big sword or two swords for this elven whirling fury? Other suggestions are appreciated, welcome, and sometimes worshipped.

Thanks!

PS: if I start a new character every three days or so does that mean I play BG:EE too much? I'm just trying to find the most enjoyable one.

Nifft

You want to protect someone? Sounds fairly GOOD to me.

Have you ever tried single-weapon style with a Longsword? Probably less powerful than sword and shield style, since missile weapons can hurt, but might be interesting.

Aristillius

IMO two handed weapons look good on elves. Also, it might fit the guard and berserker mix better than Dual wielding? Also, two handed weapon style rocks

Nice character idea!

toanwrath

Nifft said:

You want to protect someone? Sounds fairly GOOD to me.

Have you ever tried single-weapon style with a Longsword? Probably less powerful than sword and shield style, since missile weapons can hurt, but might be interesting.

I have tried single weapon style before with a Kensai, it can be fun. I just think the attack animation looks fairly silly with the other hand just sort of dangling there. If it increased speed factor like Two-handed style I would definitely take it, and possibly go bastard sword.

And I decided against evil, but I might still go neutral.

Nifft

I re-read your first post and saw the part about being a non-Thayan Thayan Knight.

Those guys used tower shields, if I recall correctly. They were all about forming a shield wall and keeping their Wizard behind it. So... shield + sword & shield style + longsword?

Too bad you can't be Lawful Neutral, that's a good alignment for a bodyguard.

toanwrath

@Aristillius
Thanks! I am definitely leaning away from dual wielding at this point, so big sword has a good chance of being the one I use.
@Nifft
Ugh I know I want Lawful Neutral so bad! I'm not sure if I will go shield unfortunately. If there were some way to shield bash, as in later editions of DnD, I would totally do that. As it is, the sword and shield style does not interest me much and two-handed looks a bit more interesting. Though I will always change the target of my attack and move position to protect the Mage/sorcerer, I think I will shy away from shields.

Both of you, thanks for the ideas :-)

reedmilfam

I'm not sure you need to be LN to be a good bodyguard. In fact, I would think that you'd be more N - in that you don't care about the law, but only about protecting your charge.

Corvino

I'm going to be a bit cliche here and suggest scimitars as worth a look. I'm not a Drizzt fanboy, far from it. I'm also not suggesting that you pickpocket or kill him.

There are 2 +2 scimitars ingame, which is relatively uncommon. Only Staves, 2-handed swords, daggers, shortswords and scimitars have 2 2+ or higher weapons ingame normally. Of these Scimitars have highest base damage for a dual-wield weapon.

Elves still get +1 THAC0 using scimitars as far as I'm aware.

Quartz

Elves get +1 THAC0 for Long Swords, Katanas, Scimitars, Bastard Swords, and Two-Handed Swords. I am unsure about Wakazashis and Ninja-Tos.

toanwrath

@Corvino
Although there are good scimitars in Bg:EE (and I certainly considered it as a weapon choice) I am leaning away from them with this character for two reasons. 1) I always use scimitars with every other character I can, and I'd like to try something slightly different. 2) I am considering Bg2:EE as well. While there are some good scimitars/ninjataos in BG2, I prefer the huge amount of various great swords and long swords. I can think of at least 4 awesome two-handed swords, and two of them can be acquired within 30 minutes of playing.

@reedmilfam
I like an interpretation of Lawful Neutral that means you stick to a certain code and never stray from it, not necessarily "the law" as those are someone else's beliefs and not necessarily my character's. I stick to a law, but it is a strict code I have imposed upon myself rather than following the general rules of society. Odd maybe, but I like it and it makes Lawful Neutral a much more interesting alignment to me.

@Quartz
That's gotta be a bug right? Right? It makes sense for long sword, as it is an elven style weapon like the long bow, and two handed sword can even be seen as elves using the elven curve blade (in Pathfinder aka DnD 3.75 Ed elves get proficiency with long swords and long bows and curve blades are easier for them to use.) Kara-Tur weapons and short swords and Scimitars don't really make sense to me as something elves would be better with if they aren't in areas elves are primarily raised in. Unless all swords elves use are used in one universal style that ignores the shape of the blade, or all elves have a mystic connection to all swords, or it is just innate that sword like weapons function better in the hands of an elf for some other odd reason, it seems weird to me that these weapons get the THAC0 bonus.

Quartz

@toanwrath It is in fact a bug/oversight/whatever. It's only supposed to be Long Swords. Not even Bastard Swords.

toanwrath

@Quartz
My guess is possibly because they all used to be in the Large Swords category? Or is this a new bug to BG:EE (was it present in BG2/ToB?)

Edit: just tested, elves do get the bonus with Wakizashis, unsure about ninjatos however.

Quartz

@toanwrath Your first guess is correct. It's been around since the very beginning. Yes, since unpatched BG1.

toanwrath

Well, I started my guy. He uses Two-Handed swords, and his stats aren't too shabby.



This was originally in a solo "multiplayer" game where I had a half-Orc bounty hunter (after reading a recent thread I suddenly wish he was dwarf or human) and an elf sorcerer. He went through Nashkel mines practically by himself, I just wish Rancor actually gave the THAC0 bonus to other people :-(

I will use him in an actual solo game at some point, or in some online multiplayer game if I can get mine working.

Dino

True Neutral doesnt really fit a bodyguard. Switching sides when the odds pick up in your favor...

But if there ever was one, on the other hand, Im sure it would make for a very interesting story

toanwrath

Dino said:

True Neutral doesnt really fit a bodyguard. Switching sides when the odds pick up in your favor...

But if there ever was one, on the other hand, Im sure it would make for a very interesting story

@Dino

Lawful Neutral isn't allowed for berserkers, otherwise he would be.

The neutrality that this bodyguard values is that good and evil are irrelevant but protecting his charge is what is important--not balancing both good and evil but disregarding them.

True neutral still fits this thought, but not as well as Lawful Neutral (as close as I could get).

Fenghoang

Quartz said:

Elves get +1 THAC0 for Long Swords, Katanas, Scimitars, Bastard Swords, and Two-Handed Swords. I am unsure about Wakazashis and Ninja-Tos.

Yep, Elves get the THAC0 bonus with Wakizashi and Ninja-to, as well as Short Swords. Daggers are probably the only bladed weapons that don't get the bonus.

Corvino

@Dino Have you ever seen Yojimbo (which translates as "Bodyguard", or something close)? It's a classic Akira Kurosawa film in which a ronin plays two crimelord off against each other by appearing to switch allegiances. It got remade as A Fistful of Dollars with Clint Eastwood and later as Last Man Standing with Bruce Willis in more western settings.

Not what the OP was going for though in terms of motivation. It does make for an interesting story though.

Quartz

Fenghoang said:

Quartz said:

Elves get +1 THAC0 for Long Swords, Katanas, Scimitars, Bastard Swords, and Two-Handed Swords. I am unsure about Wakazashis and Ninja-Tos.

Yep, Elves get the THAC0 bonus with Wakizashi and Ninja-to, as well as Short Swords. Daggers are probably the only bladed weapons that don't get the bonus.

Correct. Otherwise Xan would get a bonus with his Moonblade. =P

toanwrath

Quartz said:

Fenghoang said:

Quartz said:

Elves get +1 THAC0 for Long Swords, Katanas, Scimitars, Bastard Swords, and Two-Handed Swords. I am unsure about Wakazashis and Ninja-Tos.

Yep, Elves get the THAC0 bonus with Wakizashi and Ninja-to, as well as Short Swords. Daggers are probably the only bladed weapons that don't get the bonus.

Correct. Otherwise Xan would get a bonus with his Moonblade. =P

That would make the Moonblade look even more delicious. And promote using Dagger of venom for him when he sleeps/disables opponents (not that he can't, but the bonus to attack would make it just a bit better).