How are you gearing up Hexxat? (minor spoilers)

Madhax

Just out of curiosity, what sort of thief have you guys built Hexxat to be? She is, after all, the first permanent single-class thief party member of BG2, not including mods.

My first two proficiency points for her went into Shortbows and Katanas. I had been using Kundane for a while, but I didn't like only having +2 to hit, especially in daylight. My Hexxat now alternates between Tuigan and Celestial Fury.

I'm thinking my next point will go into Dual Wield. I already have to mess with her inventory every time it shifts from day to night, so my usual policy of not having archers dual-wield isn't as applicable. Dualling CF and Kundane at night with her amazing strength should be effective, and I can have her as a simple archer during the daytime.

Eudaemonium

I'm using Rogue Rebalancing, which means I'm aiming to give her 3 pips in DW eventually (off-handing Scarlet Ninja-to, emphasis on the eventually =P). The first two I spent similarly to you, though, in Katana and Shortbow, with the same weapon setup

DetectiveMittens

I had her going through SoA with Tuigan and a Short Sword (usually the one Linvail gives you) seeing as Hexxat outright refuses to wield the daystar. Now in ToB she is the only one in my party would can wield Carosmyr. So she is wielding that and I believe I have Geisen Bow on her atm too.

Madhax

Yeah, I liked the touch of her refusing to equip Daystar... but wow, she's okay with Carsomyr? Seems legit.

Eudaemonium

She also refuses to equip the Bone Club. Carsomyr isn't an anti-undead weapon, so I guess that might be why she's okay with it. Or it might be an oversight.

Akuratheunseen

Rather then an oversight seeing as how she's equipping it through hla and not by her normal equips It wouldn't trigger?

[Deleted User]

I put an early emphasis on hide and move silently for backstabbing, and am now branching out into trap setting. I put her first point into shortbows, and I'll probably put her next into scimitars. She'll use Usuno's Blade until she gets UAI, at which point I'll probably give her the Scarlet Ninja-to. Haven't decided where I'll go after that, but I might give her quarterstaff and two-handed style for backstabbing with the Staff of the Ram for fun and games.

[Deleted User]

She also refuses to wield the Mace of Disruption - go figure!

I've had her using a shortbow (mostly Tansheron's, but switching to Tuigan Shortbow for fights where special ammo is helpful) for routine combat, dagger or shortsword for backstabbage depending on what was available (just picked up the Dagger of the Star so she's using that now).

Mortianna

@Madhax I gave her a point in Short Bows for the Tuigan Bow and then Katanas for Celestial Fury later on. I modded the Short Sword of Backstabbing/Shadow's Blade to give +1 to the backstab multiplier (it's an Assassin's sword, isn't it?) so it could be something other than just a plain +3 Short Sword. After getting CF, I found it does more damage with her x5 multiplier, so I've retired the Shadow's Blade.

As for Armor, I have her wearing the Shadow Dragon Scale, which seems to be working out well. I usually have Korgan and Dorn (and sometimes Viconia) in melee while she, Edwin, and my PC hang back and use missiles/cast spells, so I probably won't give her dual-wield until she hits higher levels.

Mathsorcerer

You can blame her amulet--it uses Disallow Item (180). If that is getting in the way of how you think she should be equipped then just edit the item to remove those effects.

Mortianna said:

I modded the Short Sword of Backstabbing/Shadow's Blade to give +1 to the backstab multiplier (it's an Assassin's sword, isn't it?) so it could be something other than just a plain +3 Short Sword.

Good--this means I am not the only person to have done that.

Eudaemonium

Mathsorcerer said:

You can blame her amulet--it uses Disallow Item (180). If that is getting in the way of how you think she should be equipped then just edit the item to remove those effects.

Mortianna said:

I modded the Short Sword of Backstabbing/Shadow's Blade to give +1 to the backstab multiplier (it's an Assassin's sword, isn't it?) so it could be something other than just a plain +3 Short Sword.

Good--this means I am not the only person to have done that.

Rogue Rebalancing does this anyway, so anyone who uses that has it with this effect. Its a logical addition, though.

Schneidend

Currently have her using the +2 club that does extra piercing damage after the fact. She also has the Boomerang Dagger +2, various darts, and poisoned daggers for ranged rituations. My Blackguard with his crossbow, Dorn with a bow, and Hexxat all flinging poisonous bits at the enemy is ruthlessly effective.

Hexxat will likely use either the Dagger of Venom or Neb's Nasty Cutter for the rest of SoA, once I get one or the other.

Lathlaer

Currently I'm running her with Shadow armor and Celestial Fury. Also, I changed her kit to Assassin. It's fun to one-hit enemy wizards and I even managed to stun an Iron Golem with her

Eudaemonium

Schneidend said:

Hexxat will likely use either the Dagger of Venom or Neb's Nasty Cutter for the rest of SoA, once I get one or the other.

Okay, this is a weird random question. I remember for ages people used to bring up periodic laments that the Dagger of Venom wasn't in BG2. Obviously they add it in Neera's quest, but Neb's Nasty Cutter is just a better weapon. DoV does 1 poison damage per second for 10 seconds, and NNC does 2 per second for 10 seconds. Both are +2, and both have a poison save to negate the damage.

Basically I'm really confused as to why people used to complain that the DoV wasn't in the game.

Mathsorcerer

Eudaemonium said:

Rogue Rebalancing does this anyway, so anyone who uses that has it with this effect. Its a logical addition, though.

I was unaware of that--an unfortunate side-effect of not using mods that other people create.

Madhax

My Hexxie just dinged 20 in the Underdark. She dual-wields like a champ when it isn't light out. Poor accuracy with the off-hand Kundane, but two APR with Celestial Fury at only -2 THAC0 is really good.

By the way, this is my first time playing with a thief that actually hit 100 Detect Illusions. That move is REALLY good. Auto-dispelling invisibility, mirror image, and mislead in mage fights is extremely powerful. I'd go so far as to say that, between her amazing physical stats and her nigh-infinite supply of thief ability points, she fills a similar role as Keldorn, but with backstabs and traps as gravy.

Schneidend

Eudaemonium said:

Okay, this is a weird random question. I remember for ages people used to bring up periodic laments that the Dagger of Venom wasn't in BG2. Obviously they add it in Neera's quest, but Neb's Nasty Cutter is just a better weapon. DoV does 1 poison damage per second for 10 seconds, and NNC does 2 per second for 10 seconds. Both are +2, and both have a poison save to negate the damage.

Basically I'm really confused as to why people used to complain that the DoV wasn't in the game.

I dunno. Before EE, I never thought much of the daggers, even the awesome ones. It may be because Neb's Nasty Cutter can only be acquired via the more time-consuming path of a minor quest one could easily miss.

superliminaldude

I think Neb's Nasty Cutter does less poison damage, is restricted to evil characters, and in the item description it says the poison runs out, but I haven't actually played with the knife to confirm that. Needless to say my Hexxat is using the Dagger of Venom and backstabbing/poisoning defenseless mages.

Eudaemonium

Aha! @superliminaldude is right. I just checked it out in DLTCEP and the dagger is both restricted to Evil-aligned characters and only has 10 non-rechargable charges of poison in it. Dagger of Venom is better in the long run.

Wigginns

Maybe not really the right place for it but is there a general summary of what the rogue rebalancing mod does somewhere someone would be willing to link? I like using mods but last time I looked I could find a good all in one summary of it.

Eudaemonium

Why don't you go to the website and look at the readme? I think it's on Gibberlings3

ambrennan

I dunno. Before EE, I never thought much of the daggers, even the awesome ones. It may be because Neb's Nasty Cutter can only be acquired via the more time-consuming path of a minor quest one could easily miss.

Which just so happens to be the fastest way to acquire a +5 weapon unless you are a paladin, so I'd imagine that a number of players would be doing the quest just for the mace.

Eudaemonium

Query about said mace (presuming Mace of Disruption+2, which strikes as +5). Is there any actual benefit to giving the Illithium to the artist? I gave him the fake stuff, and he got all hissy, but then the Temple of Helm was all like 'this imperfect stuff is great, here have an awesome helm'.

jackjack

I think it changes the mace so that it also protects the wielder from level drain.

Edit: I should learn to read! Not sure if you get anything for giving away the illithium.

Eudaemonium

Its just odd, because I'd have expected you to get rewarded by the temple for actually giving him the ore, but you get rewarded anyway in addition to getting a sweet-ass mace.

mylegbig

Eudaemonium said:

I'm using Rogue Rebalancing, which means I'm aiming to give her 3 pips in DW eventually (off-handing Scarlet Ninja-to, emphasis on the eventually =P). The first two I spent similarly to you, though, in Katana and Shortbow, with the same weapon setup

This is probably optimal considering her insane strength. For anyone without RR though, I'd recommend using the melee component of the Firetooth Dagger if you want to melee with her. It sets her apr to 2 and does more damage and has a higher enchantment than either Belm or Kundane (and those two are probably better off with someone who can properly dual wield).

Eudaemonium said:

Query about said mace (presuming Mace of Disruption+2, which strikes as +5). Is there any actual benefit to giving the Illithium to the artist? I gave him the fake stuff, and he got all hissy, but then the Temple of Helm was all like 'this imperfect stuff is great, here have an awesome helm'.

I believe the only benefit is more exp and some gold. You're definitely better off with the mace.

Ryofu

How do you gear hexxat if you want her to go melee? i equipped her with the human skin armor to maintain her thief skills unchanged but if i send her into melee she usually gets destroyed by enemy front line fighters

Madhax

My Hexxie is using the black dragon scale armor. Not gonna lie, she chugs her fair share of potions when enemies decide to attack her, but I also have Korgan and Dorn in the melee soaking up hits. I'm using both the Sandthief Ring and Ring of Air Control, so she can easily go invisible as needed, and since she has Celestial Fury her targets are often stunned. Plus, I use a lot of crowd control spells.