Ranged Kensai is awesome
Arunsun
Member Posts: 1,592
Being really bored a week or two ago, I decided to carry out a playthrough with classes I have never played before. My choice was Kensai (I had never played a non-dualed Kensai before). Quickly analyzing its pros and cons, I figured out he was going to be most squishy due to bad AC. Then I thought, let's play something else I have never played with, it is to say throwing daggers.
Kensai cannot wield standard ranged weapons (namely Bows, darts and slings) but nothing prevents him from wielding weapons meant to be melee with a couple of exception. I did a bit of research and found that there were quite a few interesting weapons that matched my criteria.
Here they are:
Boomerang dagger+2
Dwarven Thrower+3
Hangard's Axe+2
Azuredge
All of them are available as soon as chapter 2 after a small quest/fight and are very reliable through most of SoA, at least until you get the OP ranged dagger that is firetooth. I advice you to pick pip in daggers and go for Boomy dagger, because the extra attack per round from throwing daggers will best use your innate damage boost. Throwing daggers also benefit from STR whereas Hangard's axe does not (it should get it though if I am not mistaken). Overall Boomy Dagger is the one that will provide you the best damage, and it should be your main weapon. Its only downside is that it is only +2 which means some enemies will be immune to it. But you will encounter not so many of them before you get firetooth (Only some liches come to mind, but you have Azuredge for them).
The two other noticeable ranged weapons are Klogarath+4, mainly because it is +4 which makes it the weapon to hit the few enemies immune to +3 and less weapon, and firetooth of course, for its insane damage. These two are obtainable later in the game but both should be your choice weapon when lategame comes.
What else could I had ...
A warrior gets a total of 17 pips. I would advice picking 5 pips in dagger ASAP, as these are your main weapon, then two pips in axes, two pips in two-weapon style (just because sometimes you gotta go melee. You are still a melee beast as long as you do not get focused), then 3 last pips in axes.
Five are left to you but you will get these quite late. I haven't been that far so far with my ranged Kensai.
There are a couple of items you might want to get, most notably the ring of duplication (just because you will get hit every time due to bad AC, mirror image will come handy).
Do not forget to use barkskin if you bring a druid along, as it will get your AC to a decent, yet not so fabulous AC.
As for the question that WILL be asked:
Why would you do a ranged Kensai rather than an archer?
Archer and Kensai supposedly get the same damage and thac0 bonuses according to their class description. However, archers get less levels (rangers need more experience per level) and its bonus does not increase linearly at later levels. In the end, an archer has +10 to thac0 and damage, Kensai has +13.
Kensai has access to more interesting races, namely half orc (19 STR and CON) and dwarf (19 con+ Shorty bonus to Saving throws).
Kensai still is a beast in melee if need be.
STR bonuses are much bigger than DEX when you achieve 19 or more.
Kensai's Grandmastery also works for melee weapons.
The only saddening point is that Archer gets something Kensai would love: Armor of Faith. But this is not so much of a problem if you are playing ranged.
Kensai cannot wield standard ranged weapons (namely Bows, darts and slings) but nothing prevents him from wielding weapons meant to be melee with a couple of exception. I did a bit of research and found that there were quite a few interesting weapons that matched my criteria.
Here they are:
Boomerang dagger+2
Dwarven Thrower+3
Hangard's Axe+2
Azuredge
All of them are available as soon as chapter 2 after a small quest/fight and are very reliable through most of SoA, at least until you get the OP ranged dagger that is firetooth. I advice you to pick pip in daggers and go for Boomy dagger, because the extra attack per round from throwing daggers will best use your innate damage boost. Throwing daggers also benefit from STR whereas Hangard's axe does not (it should get it though if I am not mistaken). Overall Boomy Dagger is the one that will provide you the best damage, and it should be your main weapon. Its only downside is that it is only +2 which means some enemies will be immune to it. But you will encounter not so many of them before you get firetooth (Only some liches come to mind, but you have Azuredge for them).
The two other noticeable ranged weapons are Klogarath+4, mainly because it is +4 which makes it the weapon to hit the few enemies immune to +3 and less weapon, and firetooth of course, for its insane damage. These two are obtainable later in the game but both should be your choice weapon when lategame comes.
What else could I had ...
A warrior gets a total of 17 pips. I would advice picking 5 pips in dagger ASAP, as these are your main weapon, then two pips in axes, two pips in two-weapon style (just because sometimes you gotta go melee. You are still a melee beast as long as you do not get focused), then 3 last pips in axes.
Five are left to you but you will get these quite late. I haven't been that far so far with my ranged Kensai.
There are a couple of items you might want to get, most notably the ring of duplication (just because you will get hit every time due to bad AC, mirror image will come handy).
Do not forget to use barkskin if you bring a druid along, as it will get your AC to a decent, yet not so fabulous AC.
As for the question that WILL be asked:
Why would you do a ranged Kensai rather than an archer?
Archer and Kensai supposedly get the same damage and thac0 bonuses according to their class description. However, archers get less levels (rangers need more experience per level) and its bonus does not increase linearly at later levels. In the end, an archer has +10 to thac0 and damage, Kensai has +13.
Kensai has access to more interesting races, namely half orc (19 STR and CON) and dwarf (19 con+ Shorty bonus to Saving throws).
Kensai still is a beast in melee if need be.
STR bonuses are much bigger than DEX when you achieve 19 or more.
Kensai's Grandmastery also works for melee weapons.
The only saddening point is that Archer gets something Kensai would love: Armor of Faith. But this is not so much of a problem if you are playing ranged.
Post edited by Arunsun on
13
Comments
I have to mention that there're throwing axes in BGEE as well:
Beruel's retort (Throwing axes +1) - Blacksmith in Beregost
Throwing Axe +2 (returning) as a loot from Prat in the Candlekeep catacombs.
Plus there're always throwing daggers for sale that can hit harder than arrows because of STR bonuses.
Edit: Re-read and realized you are way too far into the game for this particular advice.
Also, you have to remember that Azuredge, although it doesn't have a damage and a THAC0 bonuses, actually counts as a +3 weapon.
It was totally badass.
FU*K YEAH
How's the actual damage output compared to a similar level Archer?
The true advantage of the kensai is that he can turn any weapon into a tool of mass destruction. You don't have to search for that One Epic Sword of Killerness. Just use Neb's Nasty Cutter, if you happen to fancy its particular shape. If the weapon CAN hit that enemy, it WILL slaughter it.
They DO have a much, much harder time getting to those high levels though, and have less tools other than pure damage compared to an archer. The Archer will be vastly more durable at high levels though, AoF.
I just did the math. With maxed-out everything, an Archer with a Simulacrum does more damage than a Kensai alone.
Kensai level 40, Ranger level 34
Maxed proficiencies
Flail of Ages +5, Firetooth +5
Greater Whirlwind Attack
Kai (10 seconds), Called Shot (12 seconds)
24 STR from Hell bonus and Girdle of Fire Giant Strength (Kensai only)
Gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization (Archer only)
+13 kit bonus on the Kensai, +8 on the Archer, +6 on the clone
With a pre-cast Kai and Called Shot, a Kensai does just under 490 damage per round. An Archer and its simulacrum together do 510 damage per round. If we use Ixil's Spike and assume a 1/3 chance of pinning the target (average save vs. death for big enemies in ToB is 6), then the Archer gains the advantage, but if the Archer uses Bolts of Lightning, it regains the advantage, even if the enemy always makes its saving throw.
At lower levels, with SoA items, the damage is more even. The Archer can match a Flail of Ages+Belm dual-wield with Darts +5 from the Cloak of Stars (which unfortunately can no longer be made permanent in EE) or with Bolts of Lightning and either Firetooth or the Light Crossbow of Speed.
Therefore the analysis needs to focus more on the hardest situations, such as the final battle. For example, there's the conventional wisdom, supported by sound math, that Critical Strike is better than Greater Whirlwind. This may hold true for 99% of the game, except for that one complicated battle, where the enemy is immune to criticals and likes to dispel your Improved Haste. That's the point where you prefer having a steady stock of no-questions-asked 10 APR giving skill to use it with your best weapon at hand.
I think the kensai has a major advantage over the archer for its versatility. He has a much wider selection of weapons to pick from. The kit bonuses (and GM) can make ANY weapon lethal. How about a chance to insta-kill enemies? Give him GWW and a Silver Sword.
I didn't want to address whether the Kensai or the Archer is more effective overall. That would become a much more complicated affair, bringing in a lot more factors:
Kensai: Celestial Fury
Archer: Arrows of Dispelling
Kensai: Vorpal Sword
Archer: STR drain
Kensai: FoA slow effect
Archer: Called Shot save penalties
Kensai: Gnasher
Archer: Darts +5
Kensai: AC bonus
Archer: Ranger stealth
Kensai: Dual-classing options
Archer: Range
But the Kensai damage advantage can be overcome with Vhailor's Helm. Whether that makes the Archer better than the Kensai is a much longer question.