Swashbuckler weapon choices
![[Deleted User]](https://forums.beamdog.com/applications/dashboard/design/images/defaulticon.png)
[Deleted User]
Posts: 0
The user and all related content has been deleted.
0
[Deleted User]
Posts: 0
Comments
The major drawback of a low level Swashbuckler is scarcity of weapon proficiency points. 2 at creation, 1 at levels 4 and 8. Barely enough to specialise in 1 weapon and 1 style by the end of BG:EE.
It's less of an issue if you're dualling to Mage at 5 or 10 though, for which a pip in shortbows or crossbows goes a long way.
Since Swashbucklers can't backstab, you don't really need to put points into quarterstaff - although Whirlwind Attack with Staff of the Ram+6 can be quite tempting...
Plus as others have said, attacks/round is king and as a swashbuckler you can't really afford to give up any attacks as you don't get the fighter progression or grand mastery and your kit ability adds a flat amount damage to each attack. I say leave the staff wielding to the backstabbing thieves.
Roleplay-wise, I can see a Swashbuckler dual wielding or fencing with a single weapon but quarterstaves don't feature.
2nd pip in scimitars is optional, because it doesn't give you 1/2 APR (that's for figthers classes only) so you'll only get +1 thac0 and +2 damage from it. However if you are happy with scimitars/wakizashis/ninja-tos, go for it.
If you are dualing into Mage, you don't necessarily need a ranged weapon because you can use Melf's Minute Meteors, swashy bonus applies. Daggers are also an option, 2 APR and strength bonus applies plus you can use Mage proficiency points to get them.
It looks like you'll have plenty of skillpoints to spare though, so once you've maxed Find Traps and Open Locks (which gain no benefit past 100) feel free to get trapping! (NB. Stealth skills do benefit from going up to 200 if you intend to use them extensively in daylight, but it's mostly not needed)
Its more useful in BG2 than BG1 but its a skill I tend to focus on once my FT and OL are 100% especially if I dont have an Inquisitor in my party.
We can talk until we're blue in the face about attacks per round and items that will arrive later in BG2. However, that doesn't especially matter in BG1. When I made a swashbuckler, after careful thought I made a female elven swashbuckler.
With 19 Dex, you have excellent thief skills (I like maxxing out lockpicking so you can start with the 1000gp gem upstairs at Winthrop's) and excellent AC and ranged bonuses. Elves get a THAC0 bonus with longswords and bows, so I put my starting proficiencies in Longsword* and Shortbow*. Yes, swashbuckler bonuses DO apply to ranged attacks.
From there, I put my next 2 points into Single-Weapon Style to be a better tank (plus, critical hits are fun). You can end the game with entirely decent AC considering -3 from class and -2 from SWS. Quaff a Potion of Defense to get truly absurd.
This results in a build that is resilient, has ranged options and anything you want to change will have enough proficiency points in BG2 to make those adjustments in the big picture. This build was downright fun and I look forward to playing it in BG2 sometime after my jester runthrough.
I was a little shocked how quickly the idea of a staff wielding swashbuckler was shot down. I actually ran one, and its burst damage was nothing to spit at (and neither was its AC late game).