Best throwing weapon for a BG2 Mage?

Tresset

So I am doing BG2 with my wild mage and he is good in staff, dagger, and dart. I currently have the boomerang dagger and the crimson dart. Which of those is the better throwing weapon? Also, once I get the firetooth dagger, which would be the best of those three throwing weapons for my mage? Assume strength bonus to damage is not a factor. Would getting a sling ever be worth it?

elminster

I'd just go with the crimson dart. Hopefully though you shouldn't need to use it much given the variety of spells, wands, and other items you could be using instead.

Tresset

elminster said:

I'd just go with the crimson dart. Hopefully though you shouldn't need to use it much given the variety of spells, wands, and other items you could be using instead.

Yes, well, my play style is a bit... I use it a lot actually. Most of the time I'm saving my spells in case I need them for something nasty. Something nasty usually doesn't show up though and I just never use my spells. I'm a spell hoarder... I need therapy or something...

ZanathKariashi

Crimson until firetooth. Firetooth just deals so much damage base, and a str bonus, and only 1 less apr, it's worth it.

If you REALLY need to bash enemy with a bunch of strong ranged attacks...that's what energy blades is for.

Nero

Just set your caster's AI to wizard aggressive, you won't have too many extra spells left.

sarevok57

str bonus doesn't have any effect on throwing daggers in SoA/ToB unfortunately

FFG

Melf's Minute Meteors, Energy Blades after that.

smeagolheart

FFG said:

Melf's Minute Meteors, Energy Blades after that.

That's what I was going to say. for those times when you can't cast, I normally use the magic throwing dagger.

ChildofBhaal599

Tresset said:

elminster said:

I'd just go with the crimson dart. Hopefully though you shouldn't need to use it much given the variety of spells, wands, and other items you could be using instead.

Yes, well, my play style is a bit... I use it a lot actually. Most of the time I'm saving my spells in case I need them for something nasty. Something nasty usually doesn't show up though and I just never use my spells. I'm a spell hoarder... I need therapy or something...

i am there with you. "but what if I need this spell later and I don't have it? I don't want to wait when we should be kicking butts for justice!" i play very minimal reloads. i guess that is why i appreciate mages less, and why I am surprised that some people spend a year in game to get to the end. I just don't think my party wants to spend weeks inside a dungeon.

Durenas

I believe Firetooth attacks once per round. Crimson dart attacks 3 times per round.

EvilSchmevil

Boo.

EvilSchmevil

GamingFreak

Best throwing Weapon? Melf's Minute Meteors. And late in the game? Energy Blades. Magic is a mage's best weapon in all forms, especially in long range "pokes" from 'weapons'.

Darts are decent and you can get a cloak that can produce good darts per day. There's a +3 throwing dagger of fire that returns to you each time you can get late in Chapter 6, and slings are an option too, though not as great since other characters need them more than you (like Viconia!)

[Deleted User]

Amberion said:

I believe Firetooth attacks once per round. Crimson dart attacks 3 times per round.

Firetooth is 2 attacks per round baseline.

@Tresset I understand completely. I hoard spells too, and I get irritated when an encounter has the nerve to kick my butt for it. Then I unleash everything, and surprise myself with how truly destructive my group can be. My PC is a sorcerer named Zoroaster, and I mentioned in another thread this neat trick of wearing the Robe of Vecna and casting Improved Alacrity followed by 3 or 4 effectively instantaneous Comets...I call it Zoroaster's Comet Swarm! There is definitely satisfaction in being frugal and still winning, but it can also be a lot of fun to let the dogs out and turn a tough opponent into a smoking crater.

Skaffen

Stop hoarding darts as well... . Seriously, thu number of darts of stunning and poison the game throws at you is incredible. If you only use them as attack by a mage I don't think you will ever run out.

booinyoureyes

EvilSchmevil said:

Boo.

Yes Boo, I agree. @EvilSchmevil could do with a swift kick in the morals

[Deleted User]

Fire Tooth beats the Crimson Dart in damage, but not by a huge margin without strength bonus. Fire Tooth has bonus elemental damage that can pierce stone skins, while Crimson Dart has three attacks which is more opportunities to interrupt. A sling would only be worth it with a really good strength score. To my knowledge, the best sling in the game is a +5/+5, which with +2 bullets would do 8-11 damage with no strength bonus, compared to the Crimson Dart's 4-6 with three attacks. Now, if you throw in Gauntlets of Ogre Power (or better), then the sling pulls ahead.

Real

I remember slowly beating a lich to death with a +5 sling when both of us ran out of spells to cast. Sold by the Jolouv in copper coronoet I think.

Pantalion

The Crimson Dart. Because you can give daggers and slings to people with Strength scores (irrelevant to your purposes) and the THAC0 to hit with them (highly relevant to everything ever).

With 3x dart attacks, you at worst have three chances to roll a 20, and for everything with higher immunities than +3, that's what Melf's are for.

CrevsDaak

Just go to the first level of Watchers Keep at the start of Chapter 2 and you should be able to get the Crimson Dart+3, which is VERY OP.