Single Weapon Style

Permidion_Stark

I should know this . . . but I don't.

I'm going to play BG1 as a vanilla Thief. I was going to put a pip in swords of some type (haven't decided which yet), a pip in Short Bows and a pip in Single Weapon Style. If my Thief uses a buckler when using his sword will that negate the advantages conferred by Single Weapon Style?

Also does Single Weapon Style give you any advantages when using a bow (I'm guessing not)?

Grond0

You only get the advantages when wielding a single handed melee weapon. Two points in Single Weapon Style would give a bonus of 2 to AC, which is the same as with a buckler +1. However, such a buckler would reduce piercing and missile resistance by 2 (so that it's giving no net benefit against piercing/missiles), while the weapon style bonus applies to all attack forms.

Edit: post amended to correct errors.

Permidion_Stark

Thanks @Grond0 . I guess I won't be buying that buckler then.

Aerakar

@Grond0 is this true for BGEE, SoD, and Bg2EE as well?

I have never noticed this before and often use bucklers (on thieves) with other items like Elves Bane and the Cloak of Displacement. The character sheet seems to correctly reflect the proper +/- based on damage type, or at least seems that way to me.

Or do you mean this only applies if the charname uses a buckler with SWS?

Grond0

@Aerakar thanks for pointing this out. I thought I remembered testing this, but that was a long time ago and perhaps things have changed. I agree that in the EE the buckler is acting according to its description, i.e. it gives an AC bonus against slashing and crushing attacks, but not against missile and piercing ones. I've changed the incorrect information in my earlier post.

Aerakar

@Permidion_Stark , the best reason in my opinion to take SWS for a thief (or kitted thief except for swashbuckler) is for strong backstabs with the doubled critical range and since SWS does not work with bucklers/shields there is no reason to use them over SWS or with SWS. The +1 AC for one SWS pip - which is the maximum pips a thief can obtain - is also nice and better than most of the bucklers in any of the vanilla games regardless, as pointed out above (except for situational bucklers like Buckley's or Kiel's but you probably won't use those except rarely). Basically, in vanilla BGEE bucklers are only worth it during the first few levels before you take SWS or if you choose not to take SWS.

If you plan on taking your thief into further chapters, in Siege of Dragonspear the buckler selection is a bit better but still not a winner versus SWS for a backstabbing thief. In SoA/ToB the buckler selection is again poor (unless you play a modded game) so SWS prevails once again if using a single-handed weapon.

Really I think the only time bucklers make sense for a thief is in a modded game, e.g. Rogue Rebalancing mod adds some really great bucklers for thieves in both BG1 and BG2, amongst other thiefly items. They are very good and in my opinion better than SWS. In both games the added bucklers may be purchased at the thieves' guilds.

If you play a mod that allows 3 TWF pips for thieves - again RR mod or the Song & Silence mod - in this case I would probably skip SWS also so as to get the first 2 TWF pips earlier (and use a mod buckler until you obtain 2 TWF pips). Some people suggest to tale both SWS and TWF in that case, but I find the constant weapon switching annoying, or I forget to do it, so personally I would pass and focus on one or the other. But to each their own.

Have fun with your pure thief!

DevardKrown

Darts /Longbow / Shortbow / Crossbow /Slings /Throwing- Hammers/Daggers/Axes will NEVER benefit from any weapon style.
(exception are MAGICAL , RETURNING throwing weapons turned into their melee-mode aka Hammers/Daggers/Axes)

Bucklers of note.

-Buckly's Buckler (+1con) + Con Book = Free Health Regen during map travel and resting (as a half orc/Dwarf the buckler OR the book will do) (20con for all but elfs , haha pointy eared suckers)
-Kiel's Buckler = +1 Dex , thats 5% on all thief skills and a possible AC dex modifier if its high enough.
-(BG2) Buckler +3 = 4AC bonus (only 2 against missiles weapons if you use Sword and Shield style , nothing about piercing in the actual stats ?)

if you plan on using Buckler's permanent you want to invest in Sword and Shield , missiles are the killer in BG1....they and random low level spells to the face...

versus.

1AC and crits on 19+20 rolls.

since your pure thief should not take the heath anyhow SWS and its possible higher dmg output are preferable. so use your Buckler as a Frisbee.

that does not mean you cant store Kiel's and Buckly's in your backpack and quickly strap them on if you need +1dex or +1con for a short moment.