Extra dmg versus unarmed

lunar

In original BG, when attacking an unarmed creature (or one with a ranged weapon equipped) with a melee weapon, you got +4 to hit and damage. In BG:EE however there was only +4 to hit. There was no damage bonus. But with this patch it seems they have brought back the +4 damage, I try and test and when I attack an unarmed character I seem to do more than normal damage. Can some one confirm this? It will make for cruel backstab damage, for that +4 damage used to get multiplied too. That's why I always went for enemies with a bow when backstabbing, you got +8 to hit (+4 from stealth, +4 from enemy having no melee weapon equipped) and did a lot more damage (with x5 backstab that 4 extra damage was +20!)

Neonfisk

I never knew about the ekstra damage. I can't test myself right now, but you could try it with a dagger (or other low damage weapon) on a partymember. Should be easy to see.

Neonfisk

btw does backstap really multiply bonus damage? I have heard that it's not the case for strength bonuses.

Nifft

Neonfisk said:

btw does backstap really multiply bonus damage? I have heard that it's not the case for strength bonuses.

It seems to multiply some bonus damage, like the Assassin +1 damage bonus, or a weapon's damage bonus.

Strength is an exception, and I bet there are other exceptions (like some bonuses provided by spells).

lunar

Neonfisk said:

I never knew about the ekstra damage. I can't test myself right now, but you could try it with a dagger (or other low damage weapon) on a partymember. Should be easy to see.

I tested. Attacked an unarmed party member with a dagger, no str or specialisation bonus, core difficulty. On the first two tries I did 5 and 7 damage. It works.

I am fairly sure it is multiplied by backstab. That's the best tip in the game: never have a ranged weapon equipped when some one is attacking you in melee, even switching to a puny dagger can save your life as it negates +4 damage bonus. Especialy when there is a backstabber around, its downright deadly.

Neonfisk

That's awesome!

I think you get the same +4 to hit on helpless targets too (held, stunned, sleeping). That would mean you get the extra damage on that too!

Makes "Command" really great...

bbear

for helpless targets, you dont get +4 to hit because you always auto hit the target. There is no dice roll for helpless targets either, so no critical hit or miss.

Neonfisk

Aww, I was getting all excited...

lunar

Ahh, did more testing and it seems only unarmed targets get +4 bonus to damage. A creature armed with a ranged weapon (even a dart) is attacked with +4 to hit but no damage bonus. Truly unarmed creatures are attacked with +4 to hit and damage. In-game this is very useless as you really never keep a character totally unarmed. (Unless you have a monk, a monk is never unarmed) and there are not enemies without a weapon equipped. If you go on a killing spree on commoners and nobles you will get +4 to hit and damage so a stab from a dagger WILL kill them. That's why you can chunk the tutors in Candlekeep more easily, heh.

I wish damage bonus was there for creatures equipped with ranged weapons too. I do miss insta chunking hobgob elites with backstab.

Neonfisk

Cloak of Fear has a chance of making enemies drop their weapon. That's the only aplication I can think of. Even polymorphed enemies have "paws" or whatever...

Wanderon

Semi-related side note - IIRC in vanilla BG1 there was a - 8 penalty to hit if you were using a ranged weapon to target an enemy that was within melee range of you - not sure if this was carried over to BGEE but I sort of suspect it was (can't think of any reason why they might remove it)

lunar

Wanderon said:

Semi-related side note - IIRC in vanilla BG1 there was a - 8 penalty to hit if you were using a ranged weapon to target an enemy that was within melee range of you - not sure if this was carried over to BGEE but I sort of suspect it was (can't think of any reason why they might remove it)

It is there allright. All the more reason to avoid melee range or switch to a melee weapon.