Single weapon style

Nachtwache

hey folks, i just wondered if single weapon style is any good? some time ago i played as a skald, because i liked the idea of fighting just with one weapon. But the skald did not convince me. Now I wonder if single weapon style is a reasonable option for some kind of fighter.

And if not, perhaps the enhanced edition will improve this talent. So have you guys any thought about that?

Dee

It's useful for a Kensai at low levels, or for a thief or bard. The extra boost to your AC is always nice, but if you're using any class that can use shields, the benefit from the weapon style is never going to be as good as the benefit from using a shield.

Even a Kensai will end up not needing it at higher levels, at which point you're better off taking Two Weapon Style. But it makes for a good first-level investment.

Edvin

It´s easy.
If you can´t use dual weapon style and don´t have ( or can´t use ) any good shields, use single weapon style. Actually single weapon style will be very effective in BG:EE. ( Not much good shields in BG1 )

Nachtwache

so a duelist like fighter isn't a good idea ... ^^

Dee

Well, not necessarily. A Kensai can make a very good duelist in BG:EE. Kensais can't use shields, and you'll want the extra two points of AC in the early game to keep yourself alive until later levels when your THAC0 is high enough to end fights quickly. The Two-Weapon Style will most likely become useful in BG2, since that's when you'll have already mastered your chosen weapon and have three slots left over for a new weapon style.

Tanthalas

Monks can also make good use of single weapon style until their fists start doing more damage than long swords.

Nachtwache

surely nice and useful things, but i wished there would be a more single weapon centered build

Silence

Single weapon style is best for bards and thieves (backstab)!

Nachtwache

but wouldn't it be better to backstab with two weapons (=more damage), especially because you don't need the AC bonus for backstabbing (= no open skirmish)

Edvin

Yes, is it better but ( normal ) thieves and bards are not good with two weapons.
They have too big penalty.

MatteoTurini

Let's take a comparison between a long sword, a long sword+shield and a 2-handed sword.

Long sword - 1d8 dmg, 5 to initiative
* - 1d8 dmg, 5 init, -1 CA, crit 19-20
** - 1d8 dmg, 5 init, -2 CA, crit 19-20

Long sword + shield - 1d8 dmg, 5 init, -1/-2 CA (large shield)
* - 1d8 dmg, 5 init, -1/-4 CA
** 1d8 dmg, 5 init, -1/-6 CA

2-handed sword - 1d10 dmg, 10 init
* - 1d10+1 dmg, 8 init (-2)
** - 1d10+1 dmg, 6 init (-4), crit 19-20

So, single weapon style is not that completely useless, the difference is minimal. Single weapon tends to be a little more offensive than weapon+shield, while significantly more defensive than 2-handed weapons.

Magical shields kind of throw off the balance, because they grant higher defense bonuses while maintaining a comparable offensive potential (I don't think that making the crit also happen with 19 is such a huge bonus), but the bonuses granted by the style are risible.

If compared to 2 weapon style, every other style kind of blushes away, so that's mainly a choice based on taste.

I would slightly improve the second slot on single weapon, because it feels a little undepowered (just getting a -1 CA bonus isn't that great achievement, especially at higher levels and if compared with the bonuses granted by the 2-handed fighiting style). Something small, but perceivable... I'd probably add a 2 point bonus to initiative, like for 2-handed weapon style, so that the progression would become this:

Long sword - 1d8 dmg, 5 to initiative
* - 1d8 dmg, 5 init, -1 CA, crit 19-20
** - 1d8 dmg, 3 init (-2), -2 CA, crit 19-20

Not so massively important, but a slight improvement nonetheless, that would rebalance it against weapon+shield, make it comparable to 2-handed style and not suck that much against 2 weapon style.