For a fighter with significant +dmg due to strength, you can do some serious damage. The biggest problem with the sling is the lack of special ammo.
There's only *one* sling in the whole Baldur's Gate series (and that's a magic one in BG2) that adds your Strength damage. Strings are still good, especially in BG2, as they're (currently, anyway, the might change this in BG2EE, hopefully) the only missile weapon that adds the +x magic value for both the launcher (the sling) and for +x magic bullets. [EDIT: in BG2 crossbows add the +x damage for the launcher, but not for bolts, bows add neither]
Unless BGEE changes things, the only missile weapons (apart from a very select few magic ones in BG2) that adds bonus Strength damage are throwing axes.
I will have to try this... Normally I prefer crossbows for ranged, but I had never before considered dart spam...
It's actually fairly effective as long as you keep someone else in front of you so you don't have to switch tasks at all. Darts are only 1d3, but give you 3 attacks per round ... now if we're talking about a warrior, 3 1/2 if you have two pips. Get to Level 7 and you have 4 attacks per round ... dart spam is indeed the right word haha!
Darts would be very nasty in the hands of a Blackguard, actually, think of all those poison attacks! :-)
Except you can't, in BGEE you won't be able to put more than two pips into a single weapon/style at character creation
There may be an exception for that kit in particular, if you think about it ... it would make sense for them to allow you to put 3 pips in a ranged weapon at character creation and 1 pip in something else, considering archers cannot specialize in melee weapons. Not gonna hold my breath though. We shall have to see.
It's possible. I like darts alot, actually, especially with Assassins...
For a fighter with significant +dmg due to strength, you can do some serious damage. The biggest problem with the sling is the lack of special ammo.
They're removing Sling strength damage in BG:EE unfortunately. I think it's total BS, but yeah. Hopefully they will add the Sling of Seeking (it was in BGII when they removed sling strength damage; it added the strength bonus) in BG1 to make up for it or something.
BTW the new BGEE manual states that throwing axes *and* daggers get the strength bonus for damage, but I think its probably an error, as it also implies they use the Strength THAC0 bonus instead of Dex, which is plainly wrong
For a fighter with significant +dmg due to strength, you can do some serious damage. The biggest problem with the sling is the lack of special ammo.
There's only *one* sling in the whole Baldur's Gate series (and that's a magic one in BG2) that adds your Strength damage. Strings are still good, especially in BG2, as they're (currently, anyway, the might change this in BG2EE, hopefully) the only missile weapon that adds the +x magic value for both the launcher (the sling) and for +x magic bullets. [EDIT: in BG2 crossbows add the +x damage for the launcher, but not for bolts, bows add neither]
Unless BGEE changes things, the only missile weapons (apart from a very select few magic ones in BG2) that adds bonus Strength damage are throwing axes.
BTW I edited this post to add: in BG2 crossbows add the +x damage for the launcher, but not for bolts, bows add neither
@Oxford_Guy Yes, yes it is but I wasn't saying do both. I'd only do that with an Archer. I was just stating the fact. But since I'm used to BG1V, importing my character into BG2 would allow me to change my pips anyway.
They're removing Sling strength damage in BG:EE unfortunately. I think it's total BS, but yeah. Hopefully they will add the Sling of Seeking (it was in BGII when they removed sling strength damage; it added the strength bonus) in BG1 to make up for it or something.
Ahh man, that's such a shame. I saw in the combat manual, they specify throwing daggers and axes as the only 'hurled' weapons getting that strength damage. Too bad!
Pretty simple in my opinion. For BG1 Longbow, for BG2 Shortbow (so many good shortbows). However, if playing BG2 and you wanted some flavour, then the opinions here are all awesome. Throwing axes are wonderful, especially one specific one. Dwarves get a wonderful throwing hammer. Darts can be a blast. There is even a wonderful throwing dagger.
However, in BG1 it is a lot more straight forward. Longbows are king with the exception of one certain crossbow.
@Oxford_Guy Yes, yes it is but I wasn't saying do both. I'd only do that with an Archer. I was just stating the fact. But since I'm used to BG1V, importing my character into BG2 would allow me to change my pips anyway.
Ah, I see. I prefer to keep my PC's pips the same, even when it's not optimal for BG2, as want to keep that feeling of continuity. This does require more planning ahead in BG1, though.
They're removing Sling strength damage in BG:EE unfortunately. I think it's total BS, but yeah. Hopefully they will add the Sling of Seeking (it was in BGII when they removed sling strength damage; it added the strength bonus) in BG1 to make up for it or something.
Ahh man, that's such a shame. I saw in the combat manual, they specify throwing daggers and axes as the only 'hurled' weapons getting that strength damage. Too bad!
In fact I think the manual is wrong, only axes give throwing damage, not daggers, unless they've changed this for BGEE
I love my quiver of plenty +2 I know its cheating since you cant get it until baldurs gate 2 TOB but still awesome when you get it lol.
The quiver of plenty +2 is actually an example of one of the problems with bows in BG2, by the time you get it you're starting to face enemies that are immune to +2 and lower weapons...
Comments
Unless BGEE changes things, the only missile weapons (apart from a very select few magic ones in BG2) that adds bonus Strength damage are throwing axes.
It's possible. I like darts alot, actually, especially with Assassins...
However, in BG1 it is a lot more straight forward. Longbows are king with the exception of one certain crossbow.
Happy is me.