Staff-saint? Thoughts?
lunar
Member Posts: 3,460
I've had this character concept for some time, a kensai using quarterstaff exclusively. At lvl 1, quarterstaff++ two handed weapon++, and another pip to quarterstaves at lvl 3, 6, 9.
I find the idea of a skilled character only equipped with a staff laying down beating on baddies and monsters of all sorts, FUN!
Pros:
+Quarterstaff has a reach, so a kensai can inflict pain just behind a full-plate mail armored tank.
+Crushing type is the best damage type, resisted by few enemies and armor types.
+Aule's staff+3 is easy to obtain and can hit anything in BG:EE
+Two handed weapon style gives critical hit bonus:a kensai with more criticals is always good
+Staves are fast enough, with two handed style and kensai bonuses, it becomes shockingly fast!
Cons:
-Low base damage, 1d6+3 of Aule's staff versus 1d10+2 of Spider's Bane.
-No dual-wielding so no extra attack. But grand mastery may compensate.
-No single-weapon style for extra AC bonus. (which a kensai always needs)
Do you think it is feasible or fun? Any thoughts? ^_^
I find the idea of a skilled character only equipped with a staff laying down beating on baddies and monsters of all sorts, FUN!
Pros:
+Quarterstaff has a reach, so a kensai can inflict pain just behind a full-plate mail armored tank.
+Crushing type is the best damage type, resisted by few enemies and armor types.
+Aule's staff+3 is easy to obtain and can hit anything in BG:EE
+Two handed weapon style gives critical hit bonus:a kensai with more criticals is always good
+Staves are fast enough, with two handed style and kensai bonuses, it becomes shockingly fast!
Cons:
-Low base damage, 1d6+3 of Aule's staff versus 1d10+2 of Spider's Bane.
-No dual-wielding so no extra attack. But grand mastery may compensate.
-No single-weapon style for extra AC bonus. (which a kensai always needs)
Do you think it is feasible or fun? Any thoughts? ^_^
Post edited by lunar on
6
Comments
I will make a test party with one right now
Bah, Kensai don't need AC, they need speed. While it's rough till you get your hands on boots of speed (potions of speed and haste spells can help), after that, everything dies before it becomes a threat, and the increased movement speed, range of 2, and 0 weapon speed mean you can kill strong melee enemies while staying out of reach the whole fight, mages and archers are just dead if you get within melee range.
However, with 20 STR, 19 DEX and 20 CON plus a Quarter Staff +3, blood was spilled quickly and often!
Oh, and 3 words for you: Staff of Striking. Sarevok doesn't stand a chance!
I'm curious: how/why do you list dual weapons as an advantage of Kensai, and also say the Kensai needs Single Weapon bonus?
I don't know why everybody gets so hard about GM... The bonuses aren't really that great, since the BG2 engine nerfed GM.
This can't end well
BG:EE uses Corrected TRUE Grandmastery....BG1's grandmastery had the correct chart, but was applying the bonus attacks wrong. GM is supposed to grant 1 total attack extra, but someone misread the chart and was giving it 1 1/2 attacks instead.
And don't get me started on just how wrong proficiency system is...oh too late...
Putting additional pips is part of class advancement, not a class feature. Therefore if you dual-away from a warrior class, you can only place a maximum of * in a weapon. (BG 1 (Vanilla) actually did this part correctly).
(When a multiclass levels up, he's only supposed to be able to specialize with pips gained from his fighter levels only...his other classes' pips can only be used to make things proficient).
But it goes further. GM is supposed to exclusive to single class, kitless fighters. (if you aren't using the GM rules, fighter kits, paladin/rangers, and multiclasses can't specialize AT ALL, since specialization becomes the fighter exclusive instead)
X>Fighter duals, multiclasses, Kitted fighters, and non-fighter warriors are limited to specialization (**), unless a kit specifically says otherwise.
And the archer is the only kit I've found that does (It's pretty much identical to the one in BG, except it's a fighter kit that rangers can optionally use, but keeps the same rules regardless). It allows putting up to *** in bows, instead of just **, but can only be proficient in other weapon types. They also do not gain additional base attacks when leveling.
(In PnP Bows and X-Bows do not benefit from bonus attacks from specialization or from warrior levels, but can benefit from magical bonus attacks from speed enchanted weapons or haste spells or effects).
(Specialization also works differently in PnP for bows/X-bows then it does for other weapons. 1. *** (Mastery) is the MAXIMUM, not even GM eligible fighters can go over ***. 2. Specialization (**) doesn't give extra attacks, it just removes the penalty for firing at targets less then 10 ft away or targets in engaged in melee with allies (*** removes the bonus an attacker gets when striking at a bow wielding character with melee), and 3. The bonus damage only applies to targets within 15 ft.).
Instead of gaining a general 1/2 attack at 7 and 13, archers gain a full attack at just 7, but it only applies to attacks with bows (JUST bows). They also gain the ability to get an additional attack (4 total base) by prepping themselves for rapid fire (takes 1 round), that lasts until they move (again only works with bows). And their extra attacks + hit/damage require them to wear armor with no better then 6 base AC, since it's otherwise too bulky to fire as quickly or precisely as needed.
The Kensai sort of does...they're limited to specialization, but choose one of their specialized weapons at creation (they're required to specialize in at least 1 weapon at creation) to be their favored weapon, which gains a free 3rd pip (Mastery). And their kai and hit/damage bonuses only apply to attacks made with their mastered weapon type, and only when they're unarmored (bracers that provide armor however ARE allowed (and are specifically mentioned as a good idea for an aspiring kensai to pick up) as the magic field doesn't interfere with their combat style which is heavily reliant on precise movements and strikes).
It's not bad. The feeling is quite cool. Bashing in everyone's skull with a stick can be entertaining...
In ToB you will even get Staff of the Ram, which is insanly powerful. Until then, yeah, you do a bit less dmg than other kensai, but that's still a LOT. If it's not about powergaming, and you like the picture in your mind, then don't give a rat's ass about what others might say and just do it!
EDIT:
Oh yeah, in BGEE: Aule' staff is cool too, or if you would like to have a bit more dmg, there's Staff Spear from Durlag's Tower: 1d8+3 with +2 to hit. One less to hit, but a bigger damage die. I think it might be preferable when using Kai ability. And as it has been said before me: Staff of Striking... I don't even have to start elaborating that, do I? Charges on it can even be recharged in shops I believe.
It won't break on you.
Because of how random breakage is this may or may not be an issue for you. But not having to carry around half a dozen swords til you find magic copies can be handy. Especially for new players. I know where to go pretty much to outfit my whole group in non-breaking weapons. Someone new to the game would have a hard time with that even following a guide.
Still, I tried this with a fighter in PnP, and it was fun to visualize. I say go for it, though the animations may not cooperate with your concept.