Dang n' bloody blast it, this thread contains a wealth of knowledge. I'm like twice as good player as i used to be after reading this. I kinda wanna play the first game with this knowledge and play a crossbow wielding blade
Personally I can't imagine playing the series without playing BG1 first. Call me a completiotionist/perfectionist/masocist what have you, but I'd rather get the tomes and get them legitly. I also feel it'll make my BG2 learning curve using my own blade and Haer'dalis a lot easier.
Baldur's Gate I just seems so empty after playing II for so long. I would only play it again if the NPC Project finally comes out. I beat BGEE twice (I actually never beat BG1 vanilla before... always crashed when I reached the city)
I have an archer and a sorceress... i have no interest in playing my archer through tOB. My sorceress might be the character i use for the Dorn romance.
Plus I gave my intelligence tome to Imoen... I think I'll cheat one in bg2ee just to keep with consistency if i do bring in my archer.
I'm looking at an evil blade run(ner lol). To accompany Korgan, Edwin, Viconia, Hexxat & Dorn in BG2. What would be a good similar party in BG1? I don't really know BG1 very well.
I generally play my Blade by rolling Fighter/Mage/Thief, but lemme just throw in a few things.
If you're playing melee, consider a sling, rather than a crossbow, an extra attack from a crossbow is ~1D8 damage. An extra attack from a 19 Strength Bhaalspawn with a mundane sling is 9-12 damage, and Slings can get +4 and +5 ammo, whilst Throwing Daggers, sadly, only get +3, which is a tad limiting. Blades also get Whirlwind Attack, and ten attacks of Sling damage is generally superior to ten attacks of any other ranged weapon except other strength bonus ones.
I'll just add on top of the Belm/Kundane suggestion that you source, and keep, the Scarlet Ninjato. You will be getting UAI, and a +3 poisoning version of Belm is not to underestimated.
As a bard, your job is to roll out the attack spells that other, better mages don't do as well. Spook, Acid Arrow, Skulltrap... Bards can play artillery like nobody's business, but remember that the standard mage tactics of Save-or-Suck still work perfectly well. Emotioning enemies saves a lot more hits to you than Stoneskin does.
There're a lot of good advises here already but I hope it's never late to help:)
1. First of all, l'd like to quote our beloved @elminster and give his tips regarding Haer'Dalis changing them a bit so that your charname can live up to his potential.
A blade is an effective character in combat because of spell buffs and his special abilities. A few spells that you may want to consider having him memorize include Blur (level 2), Mirror Image (level 2), Ghost Armor (level 3), Stoneskin (level 4), Improved Invisibility (level 4), Mislead (level 6), Continguency (level 6), and Tenser's Transformation (level 6).
Of these Tenser's Transformation probably deserves the most mention. Next to perhaps Wraithform (Wraithform currently isn't in BG2EE) Tenser's is the ultimate bard spell. It will set your blade's Thac0 to that of a fighter of his current level (bard's level up fast so this means you'll have the Thac0 of a high level fighter), gives him bonuses to Thac0 and damage, doubles his hit points, and lowers his armour class. The downside is he loses the ability to cast spells while it is active.
Mislead can be good for a number of reasons but one of them is that you can use the decoy to use a bard song. The normal bard song will only give you basically a remove fear and protection from fear. However, its useful for the enhanced bard song (HLA) because you can have it active while your blade is fighting.*
You can also pick up Improved Haste (level 6) particularly if you are using weapons like Belm or Kundane that increase the number of attacks you do per round. Just remember that like Haste (level 3) Improved Haste can't be active at the same time as Offensive Spin.
Otherwise you may want to consider Polymorph Self (level 4). As someone with access to mage spells levels 1-6 you can get some interesting combinations going with it, especially when you have access to both Continguency and Minor Sequencer. If you use the Minor Sequencer for instance you can actually use it while transformed. For the two spells you pick (as one example) you could go with both Ghoul Touch (level 2) and Strength (level 2). Once you are transformed into a spider you can then activate the sequencer, which would then set your spider's strength to 18/50 and give you the chance to paralyze an enemy on hit. You would however have 5 attacks per round and you'd be immune to Web (meaning you could cast Web on enemies beforehand and then proceed to attack them in your spider form). The other good thing about the Ghoul Touch/Sequencer example is that once Ghoul Touch expires you'll revert to your old weapons but you will stay with 5 attacks per round. Abilities.
Your blade gets two special abilities; Offensive Spin and Defensive Spin. Offensive Spin is great because it will increase your attacks per round by 1, increase your damage and hit rolls, and guarantees that for its duration when your blade hits an enemy it will do maximum damage. Basically when combined with either Kundane or Belm he will become a very effective melee damage dealer.
An alternative to Offensive Spin (you can't have both active at the same time) is Defensive Spin. Defensive Spin gives him -10 to his AC and grounds him in that spot. Its a fantastic ability if you need him to hold off enemies in a doorway or other area where enemies can't just walk around him. Defensive Spin however will not work if your blade has a Free Action spell active on him (or an item that gives him it). You can however have either Haste or Improved Haste active on him when you are using it.
As a bard your blade also can use a wide variety of wands. The Wand of Cloudkill is probably going to be the best purely because the wand's cloudkill effect will last longer than the Cloudkill mage spell. If its low on charges you'll want to sell it and then buy it back so that it is at full charge. The Wand of Cloudkill is a good option to have around if you are in need of a ranged item (other than say a bow) for dealing with enemies.
Finally your blade will get the chance to pick a number of higher level abilities that are useful in their own way. Of these Use Any Item, Set Spike Trap, Set Time Trap, Avoid Death, and Greater Evasion (you'll have to pick Evasion first) are all good choices.
The Enhanced Bard Song is very good ability that can serve as an alternative to the higher level abilities that are already listed. You can't be singing while you are fighting so you may want to consider what your priorities are for.
2. I encourage you to read and use this guide that is about a blade kit. Personally I find it amazingly useful.
I'm looking at an evil blade run(ner lol). To accompany Korgan, Edwin, Viconia, Hexxat & Dorn in BG2. What would be a good similar party in BG1? I don't really know BG1 very well.
Kagain, Edwin, Viconia, Shar-Teel dualled to a Thief as soon as you get her & Dorn.
I just ran through with the party that @Maylander suggested. The only issue you should be aware of is a possible clash in weapon proficiencies with shar teel. She starts with + longsword and + dagger as well as ++ two weapon fighting.
My advice that I wish I had followed?
Dont dual her till 6 and put both extra points in daggers (so pick her up early). Grab short bow and x when you dual class. After that save your lvl 4 proficiency until you get your fighter levels back. You can now be a grand Master in dagger or longsword.
Also if you wanted more spells in bg1 you could go xzar montaron viconia Edwin dorn. Dorn will need a lot of backup though or else he will become chunks instead of making them.
I just give her a bow as soon as I dual her. With her high Dex and THAC0 she makes a very good archer. With a Blade, Kagain and Dorn present, I find an Archer more useful than yet another melee character.
I'm looking at an evil blade run(ner lol). To accompany Korgan, Edwin, Viconia, Hexxat & Dorn in BG2. What would be a good similar party in BG1? I don't really know BG1 very well.
Kagain, Edwin, Viconia, Shar-Teel dualled to a Thief as soon as you get her & Dorn.
Works like a charm.
Personal preference: Too much melee, not enough ranged. (And range shines in BG1).
I'd take Montaron over Shar-Teel; Dorn over Kagain. Kagain's only real advantage was his 20 CON, which allowed him massive regen while traveling between screens. This was helpful as the original game had no "rest until healed" option.
I've never quite seen the advantage in dualing Shar-teel, unless you're really into backstabbing. Especially since Montaron is so effective and you don't have to make trade offs with him.
With BG:EE, consider swapping Neera for Edwin (she's Chaotic Neutral). Edwin is the best mage in the game, but in my last evil run I got a little tired of him.
Since we're talking Bards, Eldoth is largely redundant. Otherwise he's a good match for an evil party, if for nothing else than the super-nasty poison arrows he can craft once per day.
If @abacus wants to have fun with banters, he should grab Kivan (loathes Viconia) and Yeslick (loathes Kagain). I've never had Kivan and Viconia come to blows, but Kagain and Yeslick might.
If you do go with a melee heavy party, consider rolling a Skald. Their song would match up nicely with all the close, one-on-one fighting.
Here's a question: If I was to dual wield Kundane and Belm, would i be getting five attacks per round after offensive spin?
BTW I'm using the Rogue Rebalancing mod so I got a free *** in two-weapon fighting (I know, its op and i still suck!) My bard is basically proficient in a million weapons.
Yes, you'll have 5 APR, aka OP. And that makes me even more interested in the RR mod
Also agreed that ranged really shines in BG1/BGEE. My party was regularly getting the snot kicked outta it due to having 4 melee. Even by the point where I had 3 people with free action of some sort, still not enough to go around and make web viable. It's another of many reasons why I will be playing the game all over again with my blade.
And ya I wish I'd put points in bows for Shar-Teel. Unfortunately now I need to decide on longbows or crossbows for my own blade when I remake her. =/ I was torn last night, completely neglecting that I screwed up Shar-teel's proficiency in my game. I think I might go with Crossbows for flavor.
@Thrasymachus (btw, I love your name) I was actually thinking of doing that exact build, but with a Skald instead. I kinda hope they make a barbarian npc so my skald could romance them, which would work really well roleplaying-wise
The problem with the Skald (IMO) is that it makes sense for him/her to sing pretty much all of the time during combat, in order to provide the other party members with those great bonuses. This means that the skald actually will be attacking relatively rarely (at least if you want to use the class to its best advantage).
In contrast, the Blade's song is usually useless. It can remove fear when necessary, which is great but not needed 99% of the time. Combined with the OS, the Blade actually has a good reason to engage in combat regularly.
Currently got Edwin, Dorn & Kagain. Dragging round Monty & his nutty mate until I grab Viconia and a thief. I figure a NE rogue would have no problem keeping them around for as long as they're useful (same reason I possied up with K&J until I met Dorn). Is Shar-teel the best option for thieving then? How long will I have to wait until her dungeon crawling (traps&locks) is up to speed? Do I need to invest a Dex tome on her? I'd rather use it on charname tbh. (Charname is currently level 4 and just left Nash.Mines FYI)
@abacus You don't need to use the tome, she can dual class all by herself (she has 17 dexterity) If I was you I'd wait to do all the "go and fetch me a book" quests until you dual her. That's a fast way to get her back up to a decent level so she can be an effective thief.
@abacus She can be a good thief the moment you get her. That's why I like her. The first few levels for a thief are so fast you'll be able to take her dungeon crawling pretty much right away as long as you invest all her points in find trap and open lock.
And be sure to make her a ranged character. Her Con is so low she'll never be very tanky.
For my blade, I played a LOOOOOOONG game. I rolled a 96 for my blade, to have ideal stats (18 str, dex, int, 16 con, the minimum chr requirement and 10 wis) and I started in BG1 with points in 2h swords and 2h weapon style. I got the manuals, particularly the one to up my str to 19 (making a massive difference from 18) and imported to BG2EE. Did the bard stronghold unlock quest quickly to get the melodic chain so I could cast while armored, then I patiently waited for my first HLA and took Use Any Item, and now I have Carsomyr.
I go into battle by first casting mirror image, stone skin, globe of invulnerability and protection from magic weapons, and I'm nearly invulnerable to even really strong opponents (Demogorgon and his Mariliths couldn't hurt me at all, except for Demogorgon's occasional Implosion cast.) Add to that the fact that the globe makes me immune to level 4 and lower spells, and I can bombard my blade with skull traps and fireballs from my other spellcasters without taking any damage.
God my blade is awesome. So much fun. I'm running a Blade, a Sorcerer, and Avenger and a Ranger/Cleric, but the Blade is by far the most enjoyable.
There is just so much to do! Plus with Rogue Re-balancing giving him an automatic 2 pips in dual wielding, he is proficient in almost every weapon in the game, making for interesting switches when the situation calls for it. The spins make him a good damage soaker when I need one, and also a good damage dealer when I need to hurt some baddies. He now has Melodic Chain and can hold his own in any fight no problem.
Plus... I gave him some Potions of Master Thievery and he robbed MaeVar's guild blind. I pickpocket every thief successfully after drinking four potions, then stole right from under the merchants nose a +2 mace, +2 shortbow, ring of princes and some other stuff. Then went back and sold it all to the Shadow Thief chick in Arin Linvails place... then showed the shadow thieves how to do their job. I pickpocketed Renal Bloodscalp right after he rewarded me .
Then I leveled up and he now knows mislead. His skull trap does absurd damage due to him being levels above Neera and Nalia. His buffs make him pretty damn fun, with the immunities plus stoneskin + mirror image + blur making him almost untouchable.
Truly a jack of all trades. An activity for every occasion. Never bored!
I considered trying blade again with RRB, but I want to wait until wraithform is fixed and I run my current blade through BG2EE before I do it. (And yes I know I COULD just fix wraithform myself. Ok ok, I wasn't happy with how my first BGEE run with a blade turned out and I want to run that party again with the information I know now. There will scrolls I gave Edwin that my Blade didn't know (damnit I should know ALL the spells), and I wish I'd used more ranged combat in the early game.
I'm thinking of doing my proficiency spread like this, for my next run. (remember no RRB)
Start:
Longsword and Xbow (not an elf so I won't get the bow bonus. And Shar-teel is going to be the official party machinegun(TM)).
Level 4: Single Weapon Fighting
Level 8: Short Sword
Level 12: Two Weapon Fighting +
Level 16: Two Weapon Fighting ++
And then probably Katana at 20. This will A. allow me to compare to the Elven Fighter/Mage I'm running (also in an evil party, but that will be EITHER Korgan or Dorn, Montaron, Xzar, Edwin, Viconia, versus my blade party of Korgan AND Dorn, Shar-teel, Edwin (Maybe Baeloth), and Viconia). The downside is my Elven Fighter mage will be dual wielding from the start (She started with TWF ++, Longsword +, Short Sword +), but with fewer proficiency points I felt I need to be a little pickier about my Blade. Am sorta tempted to keeper my next blade to be an elf though =/
Comments
Personally I can't imagine playing the series without playing BG1 first. Call me a completiotionist/perfectionist/masocist what have you, but I'd rather get the tomes and get them legitly. I also feel it'll make my BG2 learning curve using my own blade and Haer'dalis a lot easier.
I have an archer and a sorceress... i have no interest in playing my archer through tOB. My sorceress might be the character i use for the Dorn romance.
Plus I gave my intelligence tome to Imoen... I think I'll cheat one in bg2ee just to keep with consistency if i do bring in my archer.
What would be a good similar party in BG1? I don't really know BG1 very well.
If you're playing melee, consider a sling, rather than a crossbow, an extra attack from a crossbow is ~1D8 damage. An extra attack from a 19 Strength Bhaalspawn with a mundane sling is 9-12 damage, and Slings can get +4 and +5 ammo, whilst Throwing Daggers, sadly, only get +3, which is a tad limiting. Blades also get Whirlwind Attack, and ten attacks of Sling damage is generally superior to ten attacks of any other ranged weapon except other strength bonus ones.
I'll just add on top of the Belm/Kundane suggestion that you source, and keep, the Scarlet Ninjato. You will be getting UAI, and a +3 poisoning version of Belm is not to underestimated.
As a bard, your job is to roll out the attack spells that other, better mages don't do as well. Spook, Acid Arrow, Skulltrap... Bards can play artillery like nobody's business, but remember that the standard mage tactics of Save-or-Suck still work perfectly well. Emotioning enemies saves a lot more hits to you than Stoneskin does.
There're a lot of good advises here already but I hope it's never late to help:)
1. First of all, l'd like to quote our beloved @elminster and give his tips regarding Haer'Dalis changing them a bit so that your charname can live up to his potential.
A blade is an effective character in combat because of spell buffs and his special abilities. A few spells that you may want to consider having him memorize include Blur (level 2), Mirror Image (level 2), Ghost Armor (level 3), Stoneskin (level 4), Improved Invisibility (level 4), Mislead (level 6), Continguency (level 6), and Tenser's Transformation (level 6).
Of these Tenser's Transformation probably deserves the most mention. Next to perhaps Wraithform (Wraithform currently isn't in BG2EE) Tenser's is the ultimate bard spell. It will set your blade's Thac0 to that of a fighter of his current level (bard's level up fast so this means you'll have the Thac0 of a high level fighter), gives him bonuses to Thac0 and damage, doubles his hit points, and lowers his armour class. The downside is he loses the ability to cast spells while it is active.
Mislead can be good for a number of reasons but one of them is that you can use the decoy to use a bard song. The normal bard song will only give you basically a remove fear and protection from fear. However, its useful for the enhanced bard song (HLA) because you can have it active while your blade is fighting.*
You can also pick up Improved Haste (level 6) particularly if you are using weapons like Belm or Kundane that increase the number of attacks you do per round. Just remember that like Haste (level 3) Improved Haste can't be active at the same time as Offensive Spin.
Otherwise you may want to consider Polymorph Self (level 4). As someone with access to mage spells levels 1-6 you can get some interesting combinations going with it, especially when you have access to both Continguency and Minor Sequencer. If you use the Minor Sequencer for instance you can actually use it while transformed. For the two spells you pick (as one example) you could go with both Ghoul Touch (level 2) and Strength (level 2). Once you are transformed into a spider you can then activate the sequencer, which would then set your spider's strength to 18/50 and give you the chance to paralyze an enemy on hit. You would however have 5 attacks per round and you'd be immune to Web (meaning you could cast Web on enemies beforehand and then proceed to attack them in your spider form). The other good thing about the Ghoul Touch/Sequencer example is that once Ghoul Touch expires you'll revert to your old weapons but you will stay with 5 attacks per round.
Abilities.
Your blade gets two special abilities; Offensive Spin and Defensive Spin. Offensive Spin is great because it will increase your attacks per round by 1, increase your damage and hit rolls, and guarantees that for its duration when your blade hits an enemy it will do maximum damage. Basically when combined with either Kundane or Belm he will become a very effective melee damage dealer.
An alternative to Offensive Spin (you can't have both active at the same time) is Defensive Spin. Defensive Spin gives him -10 to his AC and grounds him in that spot. Its a fantastic ability if you need him to hold off enemies in a doorway or other area where enemies can't just walk around him. Defensive Spin however will not work if your blade has a Free Action spell active on him (or an item that gives him it). You can however have either Haste or Improved Haste active on him when you are using it.
As a bard your blade also can use a wide variety of wands. The Wand of Cloudkill is probably going to be the best purely because the wand's cloudkill effect will last longer than the Cloudkill mage spell. If its low on charges you'll want to sell it and then buy it back so that it is at full charge. The Wand of Cloudkill is a good option to have around if you are in need of a ranged item (other than say a bow) for dealing with enemies.
Finally your blade will get the chance to pick a number of higher level abilities that are useful in their own way. Of these Use Any Item, Set Spike Trap, Set Time Trap, Avoid Death, and Greater Evasion (you'll have to pick Evasion first) are all good choices.
The Enhanced Bard Song is very good ability that can serve as an alternative to the higher level abilities that are already listed. You can't be singing while you are fighting so you may want to consider what your priorities are for.
2. I encourage you to read and use this guide that is about a blade kit. Personally I find it amazingly useful.
http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/dl.php?s=BG2&f=BG2/Scythesongs_Guide_to_Blades.zip
Of course, some tips are out of date (for i.e. , the Free action and Defensive Spin) but the guide is so detailed that you'll find something for you.
3. l've searched through the forum and finally have found a good thread with blade tips.
https://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/15901/calling-all-bard-experts-blades-in-particular
Hope this will help you;)
Works like a charm.
I just ran through with the party that @Maylander suggested. The only issue you should be aware of is a possible clash in weapon proficiencies with shar teel. She starts with + longsword and + dagger as well as ++ two weapon fighting.
My advice that I wish I had followed?
Dont dual her till 6 and put both extra points in daggers (so pick her up early). Grab short bow and x when you dual class. After that save your lvl 4 proficiency until you get your fighter levels back. You can now be a grand Master in dagger or longsword.
Also if you wanted more spells in bg1 you could go xzar montaron viconia Edwin dorn. Dorn will need a lot of backup though or else he will become chunks instead of making them.
I'd take Montaron over Shar-Teel; Dorn over Kagain. Kagain's only real advantage was his 20 CON, which allowed him massive regen while traveling between screens. This was helpful as the original game had no "rest until healed" option.
I've never quite seen the advantage in dualing Shar-teel, unless you're really into backstabbing. Especially since Montaron is so effective and you don't have to make trade offs with him.
With BG:EE, consider swapping Neera for Edwin (she's Chaotic Neutral). Edwin is the best mage in the game, but in my last evil run I got a little tired of him.
Since we're talking Bards, Eldoth is largely redundant. Otherwise he's a good match for an evil party, if for nothing else than the super-nasty poison arrows he can craft once per day.
If @abacus wants to have fun with banters, he should grab Kivan (loathes Viconia) and Yeslick (loathes Kagain). I've never had Kivan and Viconia come to blows, but Kagain and Yeslick might.
If you do go with a melee heavy party, consider rolling a Skald. Their song would match up nicely with all the close, one-on-one fighting.
Thanks guys, plenty of food for thought.
And that makes me even more interested in the RR mod
And ya I wish I'd put points in bows for Shar-Teel. Unfortunately now I need to decide on longbows or crossbows for my own blade when I remake her. =/ I was torn last night, completely neglecting that I screwed up Shar-teel's proficiency in my game. I think I might go with Crossbows for flavor.
They can be thrown (and there are returning axes in both BG1 and BG2), and the strength bonus applies.
Plus there are some great axes in the game.
A good blade PC with Azuredge + OS = serious undead killer.
I was actually thinking of doing that exact build, but with a Skald instead. I kinda hope they make a barbarian npc so my skald could romance them, which would work really well roleplaying-wise
In contrast, the Blade's song is usually useless. It can remove fear when necessary, which is great but not needed 99% of the time. Combined with the OS, the Blade actually has a good reason to engage in combat regularly. Thanks!
Is Shar-teel the best option for thieving then? How long will I have to wait until her dungeon crawling (traps&locks) is up to speed? Do I need to invest a Dex tome on her? I'd rather use it on charname tbh. (Charname is currently level 4 and just left Nash.Mines FYI)
You don't need to use the tome, she can dual class all by herself (she has 17 dexterity)
If I was you I'd wait to do all the "go and fetch me a book" quests until you dual her. That's a fast way to get her back up to a decent level so she can be an effective thief.
She can be a good thief the moment you get her. That's why I like her. The first few levels for a thief are so fast you'll be able to take her dungeon crawling pretty much right away as long as you invest all her points in find trap and open lock.
And be sure to make her a ranged character. Her Con is so low she'll never be very tanky.
I go into battle by first casting mirror image, stone skin, globe of invulnerability and protection from magic weapons, and I'm nearly invulnerable to even really strong opponents (Demogorgon and his Mariliths couldn't hurt me at all, except for Demogorgon's occasional Implosion cast.) Add to that the fact that the globe makes me immune to level 4 and lower spells, and I can bombard my blade with skull traps and fireballs from my other spellcasters without taking any damage.
So basically, I use my blade as a utility tank.
What was your other PC?
I got about one-third of the way into Ch.2 of SoA before I restarted with my Blade (I had completed BGEE with both characters).
There is just so much to do! Plus with Rogue Re-balancing giving him an automatic 2 pips in dual wielding, he is proficient in almost every weapon in the game, making for interesting switches when the situation calls for it. The spins make him a good damage soaker when I need one, and also a good damage dealer when I need to hurt some baddies. He now has Melodic Chain and can hold his own in any fight no problem.
Plus... I gave him some Potions of Master Thievery and he robbed MaeVar's guild blind. I pickpocket every thief successfully after drinking four potions, then stole right from under the merchants nose a +2 mace, +2 shortbow, ring of princes and some other stuff.
Then I leveled up and he now knows mislead. His skull trap does absurd damage due to him being levels above Neera and Nalia. His buffs make him pretty damn fun, with the immunities plus stoneskin + mirror image + blur making him almost untouchable.
Truly a jack of all trades. An activity for every occasion. Never bored!
I considered trying blade again with RRB, but I want to wait until wraithform is fixed and I run my current blade through BG2EE before I do it. (And yes I know I COULD just fix wraithform myself. Ok ok, I wasn't happy with how my first BGEE run with a blade turned out and I want to run that party again with the information I know now. There will scrolls I gave Edwin that my Blade didn't know (damnit I should know ALL the spells), and I wish I'd used more ranged combat in the early game.
I'm thinking of doing my proficiency spread like this, for my next run. (remember no RRB)
Start:
Longsword and Xbow (not an elf so I won't get the bow bonus. And Shar-teel is going to be the official party machinegun(TM)).
Level 4: Single Weapon Fighting
Level 8: Short Sword
Level 12: Two Weapon Fighting +
Level 16: Two Weapon Fighting ++
And then probably Katana at 20. This will A. allow me to compare to the Elven Fighter/Mage I'm running (also in an evil party, but that will be EITHER Korgan or Dorn, Montaron, Xzar, Edwin, Viconia, versus my blade party of Korgan AND Dorn, Shar-teel, Edwin (Maybe Baeloth), and Viconia). The downside is my Elven Fighter mage will be dual wielding from the start (She started with TWF ++, Longsword +, Short Sword +), but with fewer proficiency points I felt I need to be a little pickier about my Blade. Am sorta tempted to keeper my next blade to be an elf though =/