Best of Everything?

Sirxeko

This might be a silly question, and one that might take a bit of effort to answer, but... what are the best possible weapons for each weapon proficiency? What about armors or accessories? I'm looking for the best of every category! What makes each of these items the best of their particular item type? I'm sorta expecting this to be a long drawn out conversation, building the ultimate list of the ultimate weapons... but then again, I'm not really an experienced player, and for all I know, there may already be an established consensus that I just don't know about. Either way, I want to know what you guys think.

...For those unfamiliar (so mostly for my own reference) the weapon types are...

Bastard Sword
Long Sword
Short Sword
Axe
Two-Handed Sword
Katana
Scimitar/Wakizashi/Ninjato
Dagger
War Hammer
Club
Spear
Halberd
Flail/Morning Star
Mace
Quarterstaff
Crossbow
Longbow
Shortbow
Dart
Sling

...And the body armor types are...

Hide Armor
Mail Armor
Plate Armor
Robes

...I'm also looking for ammunition...

Arrows
Bolts
Bullets

...And accessories...

Boots
Rings
Cloaks
Helmets
Amulets
Gauntlets/Bracers
Belts
Shields

I'm looking for specifically the best available in BG:EE, and am MOSTLY asking out of curiosity, and because I think it'd spark a good conversation... but I also think I may end up making a party and attempt to collect the full list in a single play-through, if possible! With that in mind, though I am asking about BG1, I wouldn't mind knowing the same information for BGII:EE as well (and may end up making another thread on the subject, when I am ready to move from one game to the next). So, whatcha think? Whats the best of the best of everything?

wubble

I won't go through the whole list but in my opinion some of the best items are:
Long sword - varscona+2
two handed sword- spider's bane+2
Plate - Plate + 3
robe - robe of the archmagi
boots- boots of speed
ring- ring of wizadry
cloak- cloak of balduran
helmet- helm of balduran
gauntlets- gauntlets of weapon expertise
shield- pellan's shield +2

meagloth

Bg1, right?
Probably....
weapons:
Kondar(sp) +3 v shapeshifters
Varscona +2 +1 cold damage
Shadows blade +3
That +2 returning throwing axe.... Dunno about Melee axes.
Worlds edge +3(I think that's what it's called)
I think there's a +2 katana in the cloakwood mines.
Iceingdeath and/or twinkle +3
Dagger of venom +2
The electricity one from the crazy cleric by beregost. Someone else will know.
I think there's a maic club in baldurs gate.
Back biter is +3, but....
I think it's called syrus' blade +2.... The fastest dart thrower in the west's friend has it. (or was it a gnoll? Hmmm)
Legit no idea
There's one called skull rusher or something somewhere in beregost. Never found it but I think it supposed to be ok.
Oooh, lots of choices. Probably the one with charges in durlags tower.
Army scythe +1
The one the hobgoblin in the banding camp has.
Are there any special short bows in bg1? Generic +1, then.
Well darts.... Debatable. You kinda buy them situationally. I like the elemental damage ones. Don't these go in ammo?
Sling... I should know this. Black Lilly sells a nice one. Don't remember what it does. +1 apr or something.

armor:
Hide armor is dumb and no one cares.
Mithril chain +3
Splint +2.... Is probably in bg1. (Is mail of the dead splint of chain?)
That gold +3 plate in durlags.
Full plate +1( I think)
Definitely archmagi robes.

Ammo:
This is pretty situational.

Technically darts go here. Like I said I like the elemental ones from high hedge but the poison ones are nice(though not magical)
Probably biting, but electricity is nice.
Bullets... I would just go with +2.

other stuff:
Well these don't all do just one thing so it doesn't really work, does it? Whatever.

Boots: worn whispers, but only thieves can use. Alright, boots of speed it is. Hrmph.
Evermemory. Oh, For everyone? The invisibility ring.
Cloak of balduran.
helm of balduran
The one that gives mages an extra 2nd level spell. Or the shield amulet, if I must.
Gauntlets of dexterity unless you have 18+ dex. The strength ones unless you have 18+ strength. Those damage +1 thac0 +2 ones are real good though.
I think there's a strength belt in bg1 now. Definitely that. Otherwise girdle of masculinity/femininity.
Shield of falling stars +whatever it is.

Chnapy

meagloth said:

Things

Also

Katana - The best is indeed in cloakwood mines, but is only +1
Club - +2 club on the leader of the shadow druids in cloakwood 3
Halberd - The chesley crusher : (+1, +6 damage, only 1 apr) on a gnoll east of the fortress, or a +2 halberd - in the Iron Throne building battle.
Flail/Morning Star - The +3 morning star of cursed cursingness in durlag's tower (near kiel's body) or a +2 flail at the sorcerous sundries
Mace - the +1 stunning in some inn in beregost. Also a +2 in durlag's
Quarterstaff - Also the +3 one sold by the innkeeper of ulgoth's beard
Longbow - the same bow can also be pickpocketed on the bow wielding ghost knight under Gullykin
Shortbow - The protector of the dryads (+2) on marek in baldur's gate NE
Sling - Also a nice +3 one at the bottom of durlag's basement

Hide Armor - no enchanted hide armor in the bgs but plenty of great leather. +3 studded (rogue only) at taerom's and +2 studded south of nashkel. Never wear normal leather though, even a +2 isn't better than a regular studded
Mail Armor - also a +3 sadly not made of mithril (but that can replace mail of the dead in bg2 if you have it on your imported char) at the end of werewolfland
Plate Armor - regular full plate is the way to go in 1st bg if you're strong enough to carry it. Not many rings are avalaible anyway so you can wear a ring of the prince that will give you the same ac as the +1 would give and a bonus to saves.

Shields - Greatshield +1+5against missiles in baldur's gate W or Greatshield +2 in durlag's tower (again, pretty deep)

macomeau

BSword: Alduin +1 (but also immunity to poison and detect invisiblity 1/day)
LSword: Varscona +2
SSword: The Shadow's Blade +3
2Sword: Spider's Bane +2 (and Free Action) over The World's Edge +3
Katana: Katana +1 (There's a +2 that you can EEKeep yourself, but I don't think it's in the game)
Scimitar: Twinkle +3 (or Rashad's Talon +2 if you don't want to kill Drizzt or cheat)
Wakizashi: Wakizashi +1
Ninjato: Ninjato +1
Axe: Throwing Axe +2 (just ahead of the Golden Axe +1 and 10% chance to dispel magic)
Dagger: Dagger of Venom +2 (and poisoned)

Hammer: Ashideena +2 (and 1 electrical damage)
Flail: Thresher +2
Mace: Stupefier +1 (and 25% chance to stun)
Morning Star: Morning Star +1 (again, there's a +2 in the files, but I don't think you can get it)
Club: Mighty Oak +2 (There's a joke item "Chanserv's Fish", but again probably not available)
Spear: Spear +1 (again there's a hidden +2)
Halberd: The Chesley Crusher +2
QStaff: Aule's Staff +3

Xbow: The Army Scythe +1 (+1 APR)
Lbow: The Dead Shot +2 (faster and and more usable than Comp LBow +1)
Sbow: Protector of the Dryads +2
Sling: Arla's Dragonbane +3
Dart: Dart of Stunning

Arrow: Acid Arrow +1
Bolt: Bolt of Lightning
Bullet: Any of Fire/Ice/Electricity

Leather: Shadow Armor +3 (or Telbar's Studded Leather +2 for non-thieves)
Chain: Mithral Chain +4 (Mail of the Dead if Drizzt is a problem, special mention of Elven Chain)
Plate: The Practical Defense +3
Shield: Shield of the Falling Stars (+1, +4 vs Missiles) or Pellan's Shield +2 (there are a dozen badass shields in the game files though)
Helmet: Helm of Balduran

Boots: Worn Whispers (Boots of Stealth)
Cloak: Cloak of Balduran
Belt: Girdle of Stone Giant Strength
Gauntlets: Legacy of the Masters
Ring: Evermemory
Amulet: I dunno... Wolfsbane Charm...

Sirxeko

Okay, so did some research, and looked into the items you guys mentioned, and here's what I've got so far...

Weapons
--Bastard Sword: Kondar +1, +3 vs Shapeshifters or Albruin +1 if you have Dorn in party
--Long Sword: Vascona +2, +1 Cold damage or The Burning Earth +1, +2 vs Regeneration, +3 vs Ice creatures, +4 vs Undead (Vascona is probably the better choice, because of how early in the game you can get it)
--Short Sword: Short Sword of Backstabbing +3 (The Shadow's Blade)
--Axe: Throwing Axe +2 (couldn't find anything in regards to the golden axe macomeau mentioned)
--Two-Handed Sword: Spider's Bane +2 or The World's Edge +3 (depending on the player's reliance on Haste, as Free Movement negates it)
--Katana: Katana +1 (No fancy name or special effect? Laaaaame)
--Scimitar/Wakizashi/Ninjato: Twinkle +3, or Rashad's Talon +2 (I have never heard of Iceingdeath)
--Dagger: Dagger of Venom +2
--War Hammer: Ashideena +2 (the lightning hammer meagloth was talking about) or The Capper +1, +4 vs Giants
--Club: The Mighty Oak +2
--Spear: Spear +1 (Backbiter +3 is better, but also cursed, so....)
--Halberd: The Chesley Crusher +2 (that 1 attack per round, though... )
--Flail/Morning Star: Thresher +2 or Kiel's Morningstar +3 (but that one's cursed)
--Mace: Stupifier +1, or Krotan's Skullcrusher +2 (the one in Durlag's Tower that Chnapy mentioned)
--Quarterstaff: Staff of Striking +3 (in Durlag's) or Aule's Staff +3 (bought in Ulgoth's Beard)
--Crossbow: The Army Scythe or The Guide (Players choice, Rate of Fire vs Damage per Shot, without having tried them, I'd say Army Scythe is better)
--Longbow: Deadshot +2 (Seems to be a consensus here, as all of you have mentioned the same bow)
--Shortbow: Protector of the Dryads +2
--Dart: Various elemental darts... or Darts of Wounding (Also, I listed Darts as a weapon type, instead of ammunition, because it has a weapon proficiency associated with it)
--Sling: Arla's Dragonbane +3

Armor
--Hide Armor: Shadow Armor +3 or Studded Leather +2
--Mail Armor: Mithril Chain Mail +4, Mail of the Dead, or Elven Mail (Elven Mail is only listed as consideration to multi- or dual-class characters)
--Plate Armor: A Practical Defense +3 or Plate of the Dark +1 (same defense, but Plate of the Dark has better modifiers, though is gotten much later in the game)
--Robes: Robe of The XXXXX Archmagi (three different versions based on characters' alignment)

Accessories
--Boots: Worn Whispers or Boots of Speed (depending on class)
--Rings: Evermemory or Sandthief's Ring (again, depending on class)
--Cloaks: The Spirit Shield (twice as powerful as the Cloak of Balduran)
--Helmets: Helm of Balduran
--Amulets: Amulet of Spell Warding if you do Dorn's quest, Amulet of Power if you do the Black Pits, or Amulet of Protection +1 otherwise (yeah, kinda sucks if you only play the base game)
--Gauntlets/Bracers: Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Gauntlets of Dexterity (Depending on if you prioritize strength, dexterity, or raw damage)
--Belts: Girdle of Hill Giant Strength in the Black Pits, otherwise, I dunno, Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity?
--Shields: Large Shield +2 or Shield of the Fallen Stars

Ammunition
--Arrows: Situational, or Arrow +2
--Bolts: Situational, or Bolt +2
--Bullets: Situational, or Bullet +2 Yeah, nothing spectacular here.


I actually sorta feel like that's a complete-ish list. Is there anything else missing, or arguably better than what's listed here?

macomeau

Icingdeath is Drizzt's other scimitar. Does +3 like Twinkle (PnP 2nd edition Twinkle is supposed to be +5, but that would be a bit overpowered for BG), and also gives you 50% fire resistance. The Golden Axe is on Fenten in Baldur's Gate. It's new, but I believe you have to kill him to get it.

TJ_Hooker

Sirxeko said:

--Two-Handed Sword: Spider's Bane +2 or The World's Edge +3 (depending on the player's reliance on Haste, as Free Movement negates it)

Spider's Bane's version of Free Action is special, it doesn't block haste.

Sirxeko said:

--Axe: Throwing Axe +2 (couldn't find anything in regards to the golden axe macomeau mentioned)

There's an axe +2 that would be better, assuming you want it for melee.

Sirxeko said:

--Longbow: Deadshot +2 (Seems to be a consensus here, as all of you have mentioned the same bow)

It's a toss up with the composite longbow +1. You trade +1 to hit for +1 to damage.

Sirxeko said:

--Scimitar/Wakizashi/Ninjato: Twinkle +3, or Rashad's Talon +2 (I have never heard of Iceingdeath)

Icingdeath is Drizzt's other scimitar (scimitar +3, 50% fire resistance).

Sirxeko said:

--Mail Armor: Mithril Chain Mail +4, Mail of the Dead, or Elven Mail (Elven Mail is only listed as consideration to multi- or dual-class characters)

There is chain mail +3 which is better than Mail of the Dead.

Sirxeko said:

--Plate Armor: A Practical Defense +3 or Plate of the Dark +1 (same defense, but Plate of the Dark has better modifiers, though is gotten much later in the game)

You're actually better off wearing mundane full plate with an item of protection. If the character isn't strong enough for full plate, ankheg plate with an item of protection is still superior to plate +3

Sirxeko said:

--Belts: Girdle of Hill Giant Strength in the Black Pits, otherwise, I dunno, Girdle of Masculinity/Femininity?

You can find a pseudo-"Girdle of Hill Giant Strength" during Rasaad's quest.