Skip to content

Anyone using Single-Weapon Proficiency?

I've never created a character with Single WeaponStyle. I just don't get it, why should I fight with single weapon and nothing in off-hand? We all know drawbacks of single weapon fighting.We miss an extra attack with off-hand weapon (even two with Belm and Kundane) and theese bonuses provided by weapons held in off-hand. We miss raw power compared to Two Handers, as they tend to be more powerful (1D12 dmg, 25% chance to instant kill, or 50%MR) than one hand weapons. We miss extra protection from shields as they can provide+5AC and some useful bonuses and resistances. What we can get? Up to +2AC and +5% critical chance. Is there some character build I could use without sacrificing so much potential? [Low level Monk?] If anyone is convinced to using Single-Weapon Style please encourage me to start using it.
«1

Comments

  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    The appeal of single weapon style is to use a single weapon in one hand, with a 2H ranged weapon in the other. Its a strong choice for Archers if they need to swap to melee, and for assassins for the increased critical range.

    2 points in single weapon style will also bring an 18 dex Kensai down to 2 AC. In BG1 2 weapon fighting is weak, a lot of BG2 kits like the ones I mentioned here will benefit greatly from single weapon style instead.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Single weapon style is good for Thieves and Assassins, it doubles the critical chance for backstabs and thives can only use bucklers, which don't give priercing or missile defence, and there is (currently, might change in BGEE/BG2EE) only one magic buckler in BG1 and none in BG2, so the AC bonus can help. I even sometimes take it for fighter/thieves, but mainly use it just for backstabs, reverting to sword and shield (not the sword and shield style, though) or dual-wielding for straight-up melee.
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    I usually put a point in single-weapon style when I use a Monk too.
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    Well, I'm not sure if I can convince, but what I use Single Weapon Style to improve AC for my mages. I love my mages to have decent AC even if spells have run out or are dispelled. Especially in the early game Single Weapon Style's AC bonus is helpful, when there's not so many other ways to boost base AC. Of course mages should buff themselves, but I don't want them to be completely vulnerable when an enemy caster succesfully casts remove magic.

    They can't use a shield anyway, and the other available option would be dual-wielding, but then you'd have to get inside their inventory everytime you want to switch them to ranged. For a mage, it's much safer to have a ranged weapon equiped when they're in the back casting spells than to accidentaly have them rush into melee.

    Finally, when I everyone joins in to finish off minor monsters in melee, as I don't want to waste spells on goblins or whatever (and for most of my mages it's quite safe as they're well-protected most of the time), I have them use their single-wielded weapons to help finishing them off quick.

    Besides, a 19 or 20 is a critical with single weapon style, so it gives them twice at much chance to do reasonable damage. And to those who say 'a mage should always be casting spells' I say 'there's only an x number of spells to be memorized a day and sometimes it's better to save your spells for more useful situations. Often a buff or party control spell is all my mages need do to be useful and there's not many useful spells for the particular occasion, I'd rather have them adding to the melee damage than idling or wasting spells that will be more useful in other situations.
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    Mages can't spend proficiencies in any weapon style so I assume you're talking about a dual or multi-class mage.
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    Single weapon style also doubles the shapeshifter's werewolf form chance to crit, so another use there.
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    Tanthalas said:

    Mages can't spend proficiencies in any weapon style so I assume you're talking about a dual or multi-class mage.

    Oops, I didn't even know that. I was talking about Nalia, Imoen and Jan, so yeah, those are multi-classed.

  • PantalionPantalion Member Posts: 2,137
    Single Weapon Style is fairly neat for any class that can't wield two handers, a crit on 19+ means you have a 10% chance of automatically hitting for double damage, you get a better AC. If your target has an AC you cannot hit unless you crit, then Single Weapon will literally double your chances of hitting them. Since the vast majority of the benefits only require a single proficiency point, it's cheap and cheerful for any character who doesn't get Fighter proficiencies with a decent payoff.

    Dual-wielding essentially means you gain +1 attack and get an extra slot for equipment bonuses, as well as costing at least two pips to eliminate penalties with your primary hand, which is a big investment for most classes.
  • GloktaGlokta Member Posts: 97
    I tend to use singel weapon style for the majority of my thief and archer playthroughs atleast.
    Thinking short bow / short sword / singel weapon style for the first EE, but that is yet to be decided 100% :-)
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729

    Tanthalas said:

    Mages can't spend proficiencies in any weapon style so I assume you're talking about a dual or multi-class mage.

    Oops, I didn't even know that. I was talking about Nalia, Imoen and Jan, so yeah, those are multi-classed.

    Imoen is a single class thief in BG1, though is often dualed
  • IchigoRXCIchigoRXC Member Posts: 1,001
    I find it useful for mages, but I still think it lags behind 2 weapon style and sword n board. I reckon it could do with a third level to it perhaps. Make it more worth while.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Pantalion said:

    Dual-wielding essentially means you gain +1 attack and get an extra slot for equipment bonuses, as well as costing at least two pips to eliminate penalties with your primary hand, which is a big investment for most classes.

    It's not such a big deal for fighter multis, as they can't put more than two points into a single weapon style, so usually have points to spare by BG2
  • StovichStovich Member Posts: 15
    When the Bhaalspawn has a cookout, it will be in his best interest to come prepared with two proficiency points in Single-Weapon Style. Exotic burger flipping performances with a one handed spatula will help please those in attendance.

    Also, if said cookout is crashed by an angry flumph, the Bhaalspawn need only flip it upside-down with a critical hit from his trusty one-handed spatula.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    @Son_of_Imoen if you want to save spells and have your mages still fighting, memorize a single polymorph self. No need to melee while in Wizard form, become one with the sword spider!
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,316
    edited November 2012

    Single weapon style is good for Thieves and Assassins, it doubles the critical chance for backstabs and thives can only use bucklers, which don't give priercing or missile defence, and there is (currently, might change in BGEE/BG2EE) only one magic buckler in BG1 and none in BG2, so the AC bonus can help. I even sometimes take it for fighter/thieves, but mainly use it just for backstabs, reverting to sword and shield (not the sword and shield style, though) or dual-wielding for straight-up melee.

    I read online that there is one buckler +1 in Maevar's guild. Different online places (gamebanshee and sorcerers.net) are suggesting that this is the case, though I can't say I can recall this myself.
  • AscerionAscerion Member Posts: 271
    Stovich said:

    When the Bhaalspawn has a cookout, it will be in his best interest to come prepared with two proficiency points in Single-Weapon Style. Exotic burger flipping performances with a one handed spatula will help please those in attendance.

    Also, if said cookout is crashed by an angry flumph, the Bhaalspawn need only flip it upside-down with a critical hit from his trusty one-handed spatula.

    lolwut?

    But having points in Two Weapon fighting allow the Bhaalspawn to dual wield Tongs AND Spatula.

    Your argument is invalid. =D

  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    I think it may actually be more valuable in BG1. From what I remember, for a long while the best shield you can get is a large shield +1 (2 AC bonus). If you instead use single weapon style you gain the same AC bonus as well as doubling your chance of a critical hit, and all you lose is the additional +1 bonus vs missiles that a large shield gives.
  • AscerionAscerion Member Posts: 271
    @TJ_Hooker

    Doubling chance for a critical hit sounds really good until you realize that it goes from 5%-10%, heh.

    Although, you also don't have to tote around a heavy (10-15 pounds?) offhand. So there is that.
  • styggastygga Member Posts: 467
    @elminster it's in one of the trapped wall hangings on the second floor, it comes identified, so unless you scroll over it, or right click it and read the item summary you won't notice it.
  • CaptRoryCaptRory Member Posts: 1,660
    Well, there's the Large Shield +1, +4 vs Missiles. That's very nice. But there's isn't exactly a lack of characters that can use shields.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,316
    stygga said:

    @elminster it's in one of the trapped wall hangings on the second floor, it comes identified, so unless you scroll over it, or right click it and read the item summary you won't notice it.

    Ahh that explains a lot.
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    I always use one-handed on Thieves and Archers and the like.
  • JariahxSynnJariahxSynn Member Posts: 67
    I usually put a couple points in single weapon style since the monk is more of fist to face guy anyway. Meanwhile i throw in equipment that makes him harder to hit.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Another minor gameplay benefit is that when swapping from bow to sword, you don't need to go into the inventory to equip a shield, though the promised BGEE post-launch "weapon sets" feature may negate that benefit.
  • zwadekzwadek Member Posts: 156
    I didn't realized backstabbing issue - that is something worth trying, especially with aVenger's Rougue Rebalancing mod, which among all features restores short sword of backstabbing to its p&p version (+5% to critical, +1backstab multiplier) so it would be 18-20 natural roll to get critical. But when i'm doubling my critical chance I lose half of power (going from two attacks per round to just one), so I have to enter inventory and give my char an off-hand weapon or let him having just one attack. Ok, in BG1 AC from shields isn't so much attractive, but we should remember that in BG1 there was no fighting styles. it was in BG2 where fighting styles were introduced. I was writing havin in mind rather whole picture, not just bg1. in bg2 there are some good shields with good AC, but we all know that in some moment AC isn't very crucial, but having just one single attack will make surviving and killing things much more harder.
    As for the mages I never let them going for melee (unless it is F/M) so if mage isn't shooting spells he use his ranged weapon (sling, throwing fire dagger or bow in case of Imoen)
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Yoshimo is up for it.
  • PantalionPantalion Member Posts: 2,137
    DJKajuru said:

    Yoshimo is up for it.

    There are more than enough shipping threads out there without making this another.
  • DinsdalePiranhaDinsdalePiranha Member Posts: 419
    edited November 2012
    in BGEE, it could be pretty damn nice - at least I don't remember BG having any shield higher than +1 (might be wrong), and 2 stars give the same AC benefit, so the extra crit (vs missile protection of shield/sword and board style) could be worthwhile.

    though generally two weapon style still wins big time, it's hard to beat an extra attack.
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    edited November 2012

    Tanthalas said:

    Mages can't spend proficiencies in any weapon style so I assume you're talking about a dual or multi-class mage.

    Oops, I didn't even know that. I was talking about Nalia, Imoen and Jan, so yeah, those are multi-classed.

    Imoen is a single class thief in BG1, though is often dualed
    Indeed, my wording was imperfect. Had been suffering from stress about the big day of my organisation last week for clients, policy makers, mental health care workers, and now from the aftermath (it was a big succes, but i'm damn tired now and got flu on top of it). It hampers my precise formulating (if i'm ever precise?).

    Talking about Imoen: I mostly dual here, but give her the first pip in single-weapon style already when she's still a thief. Usually for me it's: * in short sword * in bow, first extra pip in single weapon and then darts when she duals to mage. *edit: talking Tutu here.

  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    @elminster & for the lovers of bucklers: there's more bucklers for your choosing (up to +2) with the 'additional items for thieves and bards' tweak from Rogue Rebalancing.
Sign In or Register to comment.