Scimitars, Wakizashis, Ninja-tos

DuckRacer86

Is there any point in using a non-magical scimitar or ninja-to instead of a wakizashi? The latter does the same damage but has higher speed. For that matter, why use a dagger in melee when a wakizashi does more damage? I am talking about BGEE.

Blackraven

Apart from any cosmetic/style considerations, mundane wakizashi > mundane scimitar/ninja-to.

DuckRacer86

Thanks. It seems like this proficiency was just cobbled together as an afterthought. Statistically, they have little to distinguish themselves from each other. All about roleplay I suppose, although it is culturally confused roleplay.

SharGuidesMyHand

DuckRacer86 said:

It seems like this proficiency was just cobbled together as an afterthought.

Basically, it was.

Ninja-tos and wazi-whatevers didn't exist in the original BG1, and scimitars were only introduced by the TOTSC expansion, primarily as a means to give more weapon options to druids. They were originally part of the much broader "large sword" weapon category, which also included long swords, bastard swords, and 2-handed swords. In BG2, the weapon categories became divided, and it was only at this point that ninja-tos and wazi-whatevers (I hate their name) were introduced and added to the scimitar group.

Because BG:EE uses BG2 rules (and therefore, BG2 weapon categories), the devs added ninja-tos and wazis to the game to give players with profs in scimitars more weapon options. Obviously, this has made the scimitars basically redundant and inferior, but that's just the way things played out over time.

Incidentally, to answer your original question, I would point out that the different swords do different types of damage, and you may encounter different enemies who are more resistant or altogether immune to certain types of damage.

CrevsDaak

Ninja-tos and scimitars do slashing, while wakizashis do piercing (which is the worst damage of all).
There are some magical scimitars, Rashad's Talon. In the EE you can get two copies, one in the top of Durlag's and the other in the Spider-Cloakwood area (it is on the ground so you need to pick it up the first time).
I think scimitars are much better, but you get magical wakizashis earlier.

TJ_Hooker

CrevsDaak said:

Ninja-tos and scimitars do slashing, while wakizashis do piercing (which is the worst damage of all).

Slashing isn't all that much better. In fact, when fighting humanoid opponents I'd say slashing is actually worse, as nearly every type of armour has an additional AC bonus vs slashing.

jackjack

One thing I've noticed is that, during the iron crisis, Scimitars will break, while Ninja-tos and Wakizashis won't.

SionIV

jackjack said:

One thing I've noticed is that, during the iron crisis, Scimitars will break, while Ninja-tos and Wakizashis won't.

I've had Scimitars break on me but i don't think I've ever had a Wakizashi, Ninja-to or Katana break on me.

SharGuidesMyHand

SionIV said:

jackjack said:

One thing I've noticed is that, during the iron crisis, Scimitars will break, while Ninja-tos and Wakizashis won't.

I've had Scimitars break on me but i don't think I've ever had a Wakizashi, Ninja-to or Katana break on me.

Katanas, ninja-tos, and wazakashiwakas don't break because they're imported from outside the Sword Coast (from Kara-Tur probably), so they're not made from the materials that are being poisoned by Sarevok and his crew.

Scimitars are apparently manufactured on the Sword Coast, even though they're inspired by the designs of foreign swords according to their descriptions.

TJ_Hooker

SharGuidesMyHand said:

SionIV said:

jackjack said:

One thing I've noticed is that, during the iron crisis, Scimitars will break, while Ninja-tos and Wakizashis won't.

I've had Scimitars break on me but i don't think I've ever had a Wakizashi, Ninja-to or Katana break on me.

Katanas, ninja-tos, and wazakashiwakas don't break because they're imported from outside the Sword Coast (from Kara-Tur probably), so they're not made from the materials that are being poisoned by Sarevok and his crew.

Scimitars are apparently manufactured on the Sword Coast, even though they're inspired by the designs of foreign swords according to their descriptions.

The mineral poison is described as being 'contagious', so the fact that they are imported doesn't really matter. The reason they don't break is likely just because the items were cut and pasted from BG2, and in BG2 weapons don't break.

Twani

You would think the scimitars would be imported from Calimshan. Not far away, they constantly use the weapons, and it fits the whole image. But apparently not.

Gallowglass

But there's a key distinction between Scimitars on the one hand and Wakizashis and Ninja-tos on the other: even though they're all covered by the same weapon proficiency, a Druid (or Fighter/Druid) can use a Scimitar, but can't use a Wakizashi or a Ninja-to. (So far as I'm aware, however, no class except Druid or Fighter/Druid is affected by this distinction.)