BG2EE Added Item Selection
HandofTyr
Member Posts: 106
Does anybody else find the selection of new items to be fairly weak? Originally I was planning to make a new item wishlist thread now that the new BG2EE stuff is known, but then I realized that virtually nothing on my own wishlist changed, and I doubt that much changed for others. Most of the new stuff is either peripheral +1 or +2 items that might find a little play in the early game if they're lucky or class specific (ie: all of Neera's wildmage stuff). Nothing added really improves the itemization from basic BG2 (ex: early-mid game decent bastard sword); we also didn't get a slew of new high end items to ogle.
Here's hoping that the first add-on is a WK style delve crammed to the gills with cool stuff I suppose.
I have a huge number of wants, because for me BG is all about the lootz, but I would put my number one as high end shields. They actually added one that isn't bad (though I don't know if anybody knows how to find it yet), but to me there is a problem when there's even a hint of a question that off-handing a shield isn't the best option for a tank. Currently, most late game shields add mostly AC, which is generally considered not-so-useful in ToB, and very small amounts of resists. It's not uncommon for people to recommend the defender of easthaven as a superior item for a tank, and frankly I think the MR on Carsomyr/Purifier is better defensively than the shield options (though this sort of approximates a class feature).
Here's hoping that the first add-on is a WK style delve crammed to the gills with cool stuff I suppose.
I have a huge number of wants, because for me BG is all about the lootz, but I would put my number one as high end shields. They actually added one that isn't bad (though I don't know if anybody knows how to find it yet), but to me there is a problem when there's even a hint of a question that off-handing a shield isn't the best option for a tank. Currently, most late game shields add mostly AC, which is generally considered not-so-useful in ToB, and very small amounts of resists. It's not uncommon for people to recommend the defender of easthaven as a superior item for a tank, and frankly I think the MR on Carsomyr/Purifier is better defensively than the shield options (though this sort of approximates a class feature).
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I think currently, shields are fine the way they are in SoA. The extra AC helps you to avoid more damage and some of them ones confer protections against various disables. Not to mention that there is one shield which renders you immune to the effect of one of the more challenging type of enemies. As you said though, these are moot points in ToB.
I do wish that they would change the proficiency bonuses for sword and shield style to make it more useful. As of currently, there is no reason whatsoever to invest in that particular weapon style in SoA or ToB.
I always thought bastard sword was a reward me later proposition where you gimp yourself most of the game on purpose
I'm going aces this time around because they progress well throughout and I always used to go katana > ls or flail.
There're already masses of powerful items in the game, especially if we take Joluv and Deidre into consideration. The number, variety and quality of them is enough to make even all 6 members of your party demi-gods. In BG1 it was another story (there're not so many good alternatives for certain kind of weapons in BG1), so the addition of the Stupifier mace was a good one.
Indeed I like the new items are not OP. They can be just pleasant alternatives to some older ones. The items you can find during Rasaad's quest, for i.e., are sweet and handy. And items for wild mages are essential, thanks for them.
I'd better take the existing new items than face a situation when we suddenly have 2 alternatives for Carsomyr, 3 alternatives for Celestial Fury, several new Robes of Vecna etc.
It was fun to find the dagger of Venom in BG2 at last - just for the RP aspects of playing as an Assassin. A nice touch here and there.
And in regards to shields, I find the existing Shield of Harmony to be a VERY powerful and useful item. It's immunities more than make up for a not big AC boost, especially if we take in consideration later stages of the game.
The only one item I think is missing is a good long bow for later stages of the game but I can live without it. And we can always use mods if we feel that something is missing.
Moreover, maybe it's just me, but I feel quests and stories are bigger than NPCs while NPCs are bigger than items. From this point of view, I love the Enhanced version of BG2 a lot.
In some cases this would be an issue as the current most powerful is pretty strong (FoA, though free action helps balance it) so making a viable alternative might risk unbalancing that item class- not that they're currently really balanced anyway. Unfortunately I think rebalancing existing items is beyond their ability (contract), and I'm not sure the community really wants that anyway. The fact remains that a few items classes could really use some support as certain stages of the game. Personally I love having so many options that it hurts to choose.
Curiously, they added a decent mid game 2H sword and maybe 2 decent-ish late game 2H swords. This is the weapon class I'd say needed the least help.
In regard to shields, the shield of harmony is kind of my point. The late game shields (ToB) don't do anything like that, which is really what they need to be doing at the point when you find them to be useful. Immunities, large value resistances, and defensive spell abilities (either castable or permanent) are all the sorts of things that shields would need to offer to offset the superior offense of 2-handing or dual wielding, especially when options like the defend of easthaven exist that not only offer a little bit of the damage pie, but also provide an arguably superior defensive trait compared to late game shields.
Random observation- in 3.5 katanas were just masterwork bastard swords (to the consternation of a certain subpopulation of players). As katanas lack a decent late game option and bastard swords lack options outside of late game, if the proficiencies were fused it would "fix" both types in terms of item progression.
@Real It's a decent item, but not game changing. +10% elemental resists, +5% magic resist to the party, and 1/day spell turning (that is I think slightly stronger than the castable spell). In terms of AC I think it's -3 (medium +2), but I'm not sure. Nobody is sure where it is, to my knowledge; it might be BP2 only or something.
I'd still like a little more, but there's a greater risk of large power creep in some slots. For example, it would be neat to have more belts that are competitive with strength belts so it's not always assumed that an NPC is wearing one, but those would have to be fairly powerful to compete for the slot on low str NPCs who melee. In the cases where a character doesn't need a strength belt- PC or casters mainly- this could create a significant power jump compared to the +3 AC vs. weapon class stuff that exists now. Whether power creep is worth having a belt a non-melee character would actually be excited to equip is another matter.
robe of mage witch increas your speed with boots of speed and the spell and nera is fast as light i lakie that too.
Rassad item quest are usfull helmet with domination withaut casting time assom.
But you right this item can be usfull in earli and mideal gaming in SoA. In ToB there is nothing speciall
Especially the fun new wild surge items. It would be great though if they had ToB upgrades for them.