Fighter/mage single weapon or two handed this time ?

Danacm

Hi folks!

I play a lots of time, but rarely do another weapon style than dual wield. But now i try something different, and wanna play a new fighter/mage (keepering to fighter/invoker) with either single weapon oe two handed.

What should be better ?
Use long sword, bastard sword etc
Or two handed, staffs halberds ?

Give me advise!

dunbar

I often play f/m types and I always play right through to the end of ToB so for me it depends on which main weapon I want my f/m to be using in ToB - which in turn depends on which weapons my frontliner(s) will be using.
Also I don't like having more than one frontliner without a shield up (too much buffing and healing) so for me it depends on whether I want my f/m as secondary frontliner (sword and shield) or as an opportunistic damage dealer that darts in from behind the tank(s) (two-handed or dual wield).

Permidion_Stark

I would go two-handed so you can use two-handed swords and staves and use the Gibberlings 3 tweak pack to enable you to wield bastard swords two-handed as well. https://www.gibberlings3.net/subpages/tweaks/rules/

velehal

Halberds are very strong. There are two + 2 halberds in BG1, one can be imported to BG2. This will be sufficient until Underdark, where is Dragon´s Breath. And in ToB there is Ravager.

ilduderino

I think you can get the +3 Dragonsbane in the unseeing eye quest line to see you through until you get Dragons Breath

gorgonzola

a multi can get at best specialization, so imo there is no need at all to chose if to set it up for 1H or2H weapon, that is a choice that is very important for the dual class version where you probably want to go for GM, so you can focus on less weapons.

that told i think that 1H weapons have some advantages:
1. using a shield (sword and shield pip is not needed as it protect only more against ranged attacks that in bg2 are not an issue and there are 2 shields that are perfect to counter them). a shield give more ac when you want to tank better, but mainly some shields, like the shield of harmony or the one you get in the firkraag dungeon, give protections against nasty things, like mind effects and fire.
2. you can DW and the more apr give a better damage output then the more damage from a 2H weapon in most cases. exceptions can be the staff of the ram, the impaler and the end game halberd, but you should have 2 pips for it anyway at the point of the game you will finally get it as is in end TOB.
3. while DW you can equip an OH weapon that gives some protection or other benefit, like the sword that make immune to fear, a speed weapon, or the equalizer for some enemies. if you decide to build crom it is an other perfect OH weapon, but imo is worth only for some party builds, as it cost 3 str items and in some cases you get more from less str, but more toons with enhanced str. ie in a party with anomen and aerie that can boost str and maybe with a F9->M charname i would probably do it as the clerics van boost str with spells, in a party with mazzi, valygar, jaheira and a frontliner charname i would probably opt for more str items.

the advantages of the 2H weapon are:
1. you can fight behind a tank as you have a longer reach, if that is your intended style.
2. when you use GWW is better to use the most damaging weapon possible.
3. when you use that halberd, vorpal effect with no save, and GWW you have a great chance that the vorpal effect happens in that 10 attacks (if ever an enemy survives to 10 attacks anyway.

as the points 2 and 3 of the 2H weapon analysis are late game issues, you need more then 3M xp to have the first GWW and the vorpal halberd comes even later, i suggest you to focus on single hand weapon and put at least 2 pips in DW, choosing at least a couple of weapon styles, then start to put pips in halberd, as there are very good ones even before the vorpal one, so you have 2 pips in it by the moment you have enough GWW/day in your pocket.

very good weapons to specialize in are flail (foa, with a very powerful slowing effect and elemental damges and defender), axe, so you have also a returning ranged weapon that get str bonus, dagger (returning ones ranged give you +1 apr, both ranged and mlee in MH, that gives +2apr if you have OH kundane or belm for 10 apr when improved hasted), and long sword.
i would not invest in bastard sword as a good one comes only late in the game and for soa you would be stuck with an inferior weapon compared to the alternatives, the first good bastard swords are found in the underdark and many players don't know how to get the good one and miss it.

EDIT: as this thread is in the bg2 section i have assumed that you start in bg2, starting in bg changes the things, but, not so much, you possibly have only to invest points in halberd early and then go for the route i suggest with just 2 pips delay.

Danacm

Yes, now i play only bg2, maybe tob, but in the last year i rarely do tob.

So considering your answers, and because i dont want to use shields with my f/m so i think the two handed will be my way.
Two handed sword or halberd better for flanking ? I know the options available but really never used two handers other than carsomyr.

gorgonzola

if you go for two handers you will have plenty of pips to use both swords (the talking one at the beginning and to avoid mind effects) and halberds. and you will have also pips for staves (ryn at the beginning to deal with a certain demi lich, later ram that is the best 2 hander damage wise and on a FM does not sound wrong even from a RP point of view). also the sotm will be really useful for his dispel on hit, get rid of every stoneskin and protection, mantle line and pfmw excluded, with a single hit.

they all have the same reach so they all are good for flanking or fighting from behind a tank.
you have enough pips to use the best weapon in every situation, ie you can prefer added elemental damage for disruption, protection from mind effects or just go for the most damaging one depending on the enemies that you are fighting, why to self limit yourself to a weapon type only?

Khyron

Currently got a Blackguard game going and using two handed swords and halberds for the most part, this using weapons I've never bothered with before.

Gotta say I am having a lot of fun with them.. currently using Silver Sword and Dragons Breath (bugged? Doesn't kill trolls despite element damage)

Getting ravager next time I play, as that's where I'm at.. and also spending pips on axe to get the vorpal axe as well.. so gonna run around with 3 vorpal weapons.. though I guess silver sword will be retired once I get ravager.

In any case, they're fun to use.. and certainly not bad.

jsaving

Fighter/mages need a shield less than any other melee character, so if you don't want to dual-wield then two-handers would be the way to go. Staff of the magi would be my choice for that kind of character, though the nice thing about two-handers is you only need a single pip in THF which leaves plenty for staff (magi/ram), spear (impaler), two handed swords (silver) and halberds too.

gorgonzola

when ravager is obtained there is no reason to use other vorpal weapons as its vorpal does not allow saving throws, like with the slow effect of foa is only matter to apply enough attacks and it will happen, within a round 99% of the times if gww is used.
the problem is that it comes so late in the game that does not really change the things, as at that point a character is so strong that winning easier few battles does not make the difference.

ithildurnew

Since you don't want to dual wield it sounds like you want to try something different without regard to Ultimate Power (TM). Stylisticly I always thought single weapon style was rather cool and flavorful, even though mechanically the weakest option. Flail of Ages is pretty much the 1handed weapon of choice, or else Celestial Fury, for SoA.

gorgonzola

if i am not wrong he want to follow the 2H weapon route, not the single weapon, but i agree on your 1H weapon choice anyway.

ithildurnew

OP, is your character an Elf? Sounds like multiclass since you don't mention a kit for the Fighter side. If so... someone needs to make a Bladesinger mod that makes sense flavorwise and makes choosing single weapon style as viable long term as dual wielding or swinging the nasty 2handers. There's a couple out there currently but only one of them seemed worth the effort; Subtledoctor has one as part of Might and Guile but it's a rather weird amalgamation based on 3rd edition Bard and nothing like 2e Bladesinger Fighter/Mage kit.

[grumble to self] I've no idea why people think turning Bladesinger into a Bard is a good idea; aside from the fact it's clearly a fighter/mage kit in 2e, it messes up vanilla Bards. Somebody make a proper Bladesinger kit for once please...

Danacm

For rp reason my character is ee keepered human. I dont like elves at all. I saw the bladesinger mod, but now i only use scs.
And i think the two handers will be my way, because when i used dual wield i always use the one handed weapons, but now i can use the never used staffs, halberds