Weapon Proficiencies and NPCs: Do You Know What Your Allies Are Wielding?

SCARY_WIZARD

So! We've got lots of neat, new question threads here, so why not this question...

How do you assign weapon proficiencies to your NPCs?
-Do you data-mine their "official" proficiencies by level, and go from there?
-Do you go by the newest weapon you get?
-Do you metagame, possibly games in advance?
-Do you use tools like the decision decider, relying on chaos and probability to train your party members?
-Do you go by what you think would be cool?

I use tools to decide. This has resulted in Garrick learning how to wield axes, Shar-Teel learning how to wield spears (quiet, you, I topped off her swords at mastery before I did anything), and Yoshimo learning how to wield quarter staves. At least in one of those playthroughs, Garrick had the potential to join Lordi.

ChildofBhaal599

I try to get a ranged and a melee, as well as the fighting style the melee uses. from there I get something like blunts weapons (if they don't have it already) for stuff like golems that require them.

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AstroBryGuy

In the original BG1, you could take the weapon proficiencies "as is" since proficiencies covered classes of weapons (e.g., large swords, bows, etc..). Using the BG2 engine, I do micro-manage proficiencies so that not every fighter has proficiencies in long swords.

I'd like the proficiency system to use BG1 weapon classes for basic proficiency, but then specific weapons for specialization/mastery. So, for example, a fighter can pick up any large sword and use it without penalty, but he's only specialized in long swords. But, I think that would be a major revision, so I'm pretty sure it wouldn't ever happen.

SCARY_WIZARD

AstroBryGuy said:

In the original BG1, you could take the weapon proficiencies "as is" since proficiencies covered classes of weapons (e.g., large swords, bows, etc..). Using the BG2 engine, I do micro-manage proficiencies so that not every fighter has proficiencies in long swords.

I'd like the proficiency system to use BG1 weapon classes for basic proficiency, but then specific weapons for specialization/mastery. So, for example, a fighter can pick up any large sword and use it without penalty, but he's only specialized in long swords. But, I think that would be a major revision, so I'm pretty sure it wouldn't ever happen.

I think one of the 2nd Edition splatbooks actually did exactly what you say, with Variant Rules. And let me tell you, that makes soooo much more sense. ! ... I mean, yeah, some swords are a bit different from others, and a morning star and flail are not wielded like each other at all, but a quarter staff and a spear? Really?

ZanathKariashi

Yeah, it's actually valid to buy weapon proficiency by broad groups (BG1 uses a variation of broad groups technically (but gives normal cost and allows specialization and beyond), but due to limited weapon choices is barely better then a sub group would be in PnP) and sub groups. Costs 2 proficiency for sub, 3 for broad, but you are considered proficient with all weapons in that group. Only catch is, if you can specialize/expertise you have to pay the full cost separately, since weapon groups are completely separate from individual weapons and are only proficient or not.

So if you bought broad group Large swords for 3 points, but wanted to specialize in Longswords, you'd still have to spend 2 points in longswords to get the benefit.


@SCARY_WIZARD
Actually flails and morningstars are used exactly the same way. Flails are just superior (which is strange since in BG they're weaker then morning stars for base damage). The fact the flail is on a chain allows it to be swung with even greater force then a morning star could ever hope to achieve, and is otherwise identical in construction and use (spinning a flail has nothing to do with fighting and was used for intimidation purposes exclusively).


Also even in core rules, having proficiency in a weapon halved the non-proficiency penalty for using other weapons in their sub group, due to similar design and use.

Ascerion

@Scary_Wizard

This could have been a poll. I go by what magical items I like/think are cool.

I could really see Shar-Teel wielding a spear. Considering she hates men, and probably has a traumatic experience or two involving them, it would be poetic justice to...

Well, I think we all get the idea.

~Ascerion

SCARY_WIZARD

I'm well aware it could have been a poll, but I'm a terrible person. I just don't have a moustache, because then people are lured into a false sense of security -- "He doesn't have a moustache! Bad guys have moustaches. He must be a good guy!". ...but yeah, in all seriousness, I decided to just not make it a poll. I could request a thread close, and make a new thread that's all polly, if you guys wanted~

@ZanathKariashi I forgot where I saw it, but there was this discussion about how flails were used by an army that allegedly used quite a few of them. The answer was "downward swings". Swing horizontally when you're elbow-to-elbow with your buddies, you're going to risk hurting somebody!

Banex

Usually in a playthrough of either BG1(BGEE) or BG2 i only take a party of four including the charname.So i usually make my mind up at the start,who i'll be taking and what they'll be wielding later on.Once everyone's kitted out everything else is just sold.My charnames quite selfish also he gets the pick of stuff before anyone.

Ascerion

@ZanathKariashi

About the flails, I really believe that they were wound up before swinging, thus adding centrifugal force to the blow. Stepping forward and putting body weight into the attack would also increase the force of the connection. Add to the equation that most flails had spikes, and it's easy to see why the impact would pierce most rigid armor when the connection is on a very small surface area.

It's like a sling, you wind it up to add momentum, and then step forward and strike. The centrifugal force increases the velocity of the head, far past any speed attainable by a simple swing.

~Ascerion