Two Weapon style

Sed

I just found this little text by acceident, I would like to have this confirmed for BG:EE

Dual-wielding with no points invested in Two-Weapon Style gives THAC0 penalties of +4 in your on-hand (right) and +8 in your offhand (left). An explanation of Dual-Wielding: Carrying a second weapon in your offhand automatically gives you an additional Attack per Round, but you only swing your offhand weapon once per round. For instance, if you had an ApR of 3 while holding a Mace, and you picked up a Dagger in your offhand, your ApR would jump to 4, and every round your attacks would be Mace, Mace, Mace, Dagger. If you were Improved Hasted, your ApR would double, and you would now attack Mace, Mace, Mace, Dagger, Mace, Mace, Mace, Dagger, every round. Your overall Speed Factor is determined by the weapon in your on-hand, not your offhand; the number of proficiency points invested in your offhand is actually irrelevant, the game only uses your proficiency with your on-hand weapon when determining combat bonuses. (You should still have at least 1 proficiency point in your offhand weapon, though, even if just for the sake of realism.)

Is it true that the game doesn't look to your proficiency for offhand weapon at all?

Dee

Huh.

Where did you find that text?

Sed

I read it here
http://www.pocketplane.net/volothamp/chap4.htm#profs

Dee

Ah.

No, it's not true.

Or if it was in the vanilla game, it's no longer true for BG:EE.

Sed

Should have been true for BG2, since dual wield didn't exist for BG1.
So someone must have intentionally fixed this then.. almost a shame

Oxford_Guy

I think you still get the to hit, damage and (not sure about any speed benefits, though) weapon profiency might give your for the off-hand weapon, but not any extra attacks granted by proficiency

CaptRory

The general consensus is that the best offhand weapons are those with special abilities or effects that don't require hitting. The 25 Str Hammer of Smashing Locks, the weapons that give extra attacks, the flail of not getting damaged as much.

You only get to make one attack roll with your offhand, and at a penalty, so actually hitting with it is a secondary concern.

There aren't really any good offhand weapons in the first game, so just doubling down on whatever you wield in your main hand is a good choice. Like, my dad's half-orc fighter dual wields longswords. He only has to work on two proficiencies (Longsword and Two Weapon). In BG2 I'll probably get him to work on Flails or Axes so he can take advantage of a wider variety of weapons. He'd probably appreciate that Flail of Defense, or whatever it is called, in his offhand since he's on the front line getting smacking around.

Oxford_Guy

CaptRory said:

The general consensus is that the best offhand weapons are those with special abilities or effects that don't require hitting. The 25 Str Hammer of Smashing Locks, the weapons that give extra attacks, the flail of not getting damaged as much.

and the Katana of extra spells... :-) Nice for Fighter/Mages and Bards...

DinsdalePiranha

Sed said:

I just found this little text by acceident, I would like to have this confirmed for BG:EE

Dual-wielding with no points invested in Two-Weapon Style gives THAC0 penalties of +4 in your on-hand (right) and +8 in your offhand (left). An explanation of Dual-Wielding: Carrying a second weapon in your offhand automatically gives you an additional Attack per Round, but you only swing your offhand weapon once per round. For instance, if you had an ApR of 3 while holding a Mace, and you picked up a Dagger in your offhand, your ApR would jump to 4, and every round your attacks would be Mace, Mace, Mace, Dagger. If you were Improved Hasted, your ApR would double, and you would now attack Mace, Mace, Mace, Dagger, Mace, Mace, Mace, Dagger, every round. Your overall Speed Factor is determined by the weapon in your on-hand, not your offhand; the number of proficiency points invested in your offhand is actually irrelevant, the game only uses your proficiency with your on-hand weapon when determining combat bonuses. (You should still have at least 1 proficiency point in your offhand weapon, though, even if just for the sake of realism.)

Is it true that the game doesn't look to your proficiency for offhand weapon at all?

nope, it does. at least BG2 always did, including the sweet, sweet damage bonuses from proficiency on offhand. however, afaik, you can never attack more than once with your offhand, so even with 10 APR, it would be 9 main hand - 1 offhand. not sure about that last part though, but who cares? you will neither have 10 apr in BGEE, and neither would it matter which weapon attacks and how often when you're hitting something ten times a round - it'll die, and very, very quickly.

Sed

Good to have it crushed, even though I almost had my hopes up for some low lvl cheese :-p