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Who is your favorite ranged dmg dealing NPC

SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
edited February 2015 in Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
Hey guys just wondering if you have a party slot dedicated to a ranged dmg dealer, if so who and why?
  1. Who is your favorite ranged dmg dealing NPC53 votes
    1. Minsc
        3.77%
    2. Keldorn
        1.89%
    3. Valygar
        0.00%
    4. Mazzy
      54.72%
    5. Jaheira
        1.89%
    6. Anomen
        7.55%
    7. Korgan
        3.77%
    8. Dorn Il-Khan
        3.77%
    9. You think a fully ranged dmg dealer is a wasted slot, therefore the back line is for casters and casters only
      22.64%
«1

Comments

  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    This is for Baldur's Gate 2 only?

    Then my favorite would have to be Keldorn. I always give him the gloves of dexterity so he gets 18 dexterity. He comes with proficiency in crossbows so i give him firetooth which is just awesome. He uses Carsomyr which is a two handed weapon so it's very quick and easy for me to change him to ranged, no need to inventory manage his gear so he can equip his ranged weapon.

    In Baldur's Gate 1 it would be Alora without question.
  • SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
    edited February 2015
    Right il start off by going for Korgan, I mean 5 points in axes, plus Korgan in the backline is just so so good. Protecting those squishy mages from those silly assassins, assassin pops up, Korgan switches to a melee axe and splits the random backstabbing rogue in twain.
    One caveat, in baldurs 2 not all throwing axes and hammers get a str bonus. This is not so in BG1, there is a "fix" for this somewhere on the forum.
    Post edited by SmilingSword on
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,724
    With the Tuigan Bow Mazzy is literally quick. 5 shots per round!
  • abacusabacus Member Posts: 1,307
    I haven't wasted all those XP points and gold for you to lurk at the back Mazzy... strap on your gear and get your wee self up front!
  • mylegbigmylegbig Member Posts: 292
    Mazzy is the only real dedicated ranged damage dealing NPC in the game.
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    mylegbig said:

    Mazzy is the only real dedicated ranged damage dealing NPC in the game.

    Which really shows how poor the ranged options are in BG2. I love Mazzy to death and she can become quite the powerhouse, in melee.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew.

    or (with improved haste)

    Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew.

    = Me with Mazzy in my group (after level 13 I suppose).
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    While he isn't a fighter, Haer'dalis is pretty awesome with a ranged weapon too. His offensive spin will boost his damage and Thac0, but that's not the awesome part, it's the maximum damage that is. Haer'dalis using a crossbow will always deal 8 damage from the bolt (1-8). He might not have the highest damage out there per bolt, but he'll deal a high damage constantly with no low rolls.
  • SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
    mylegbig said:

    Mazzy is the only real dedicated ranged damage dealing NPC in the game.

    Nope Korgan, I mean i love mazzy but she cant turn a attack on ur squishy backline mages till pretty late game. Mazzy lvl 10 or so switching to sword swords = instant fail. Otherwise yes she does do the most dmg.
  • sarevok57sarevok57 Member Posts: 5,975
    anomen with 5 stars in sling, give him righteous magic and draw upon holy might and at level 12 he will have 25 str dealing maximum damage, even more than sarevok in @Tresset picture up there ( granted they were both using the same weapon of coarse) :)
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    sarevok57 said:

    anomen with 5 stars in sling, give him righteous magic and draw upon holy might and at level 12 he will have 25 str dealing maximum damage, even more than sarevok in @Tresset picture up there ( granted they were both using the same weapon of coarse) :)

    Remember that Sarevok will have more APR so at the end of the day he will out damage Anomen.
  • JarrakulJarrakul Member Posts: 2,029
    Unless my main character is an archer, I don't use dedicated ranged characters in BG2. I just don't find them that good. *shrug*
  • SionIVSionIV Member Posts: 2,689
    edited February 2015
    Black Isle learnt from their mistakes with the original games. In BG1 ranged weapons were your main weapons and you would only change to melee weapons as a secondary option IF they got close. Now in BG2 it feels a bit like your melee weapon is your main weapon and any ranged weapon is secondary.
  • YupImMadBroYupImMadBro Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 347
    Always saved ranged weapons for my thieves and casters.
  • mumumomomumumomo Member Posts: 635
    Dorn.
    no question about it. Poison weapon beats everything else in terms of damage.
  • OllmerOllmer Member Posts: 73
    Mazzy with Gesen almost feels like cheating. Almost.
  • dunbardunbar Member Posts: 1,603
    edited February 2015
    I've chosen the 'wasted slot' option despite the fact that I don't think any slot that the player has put thought into is "wasted" as such. I simply prefer to give as many of my NPCs as possible dual roles, so I give the good two-handed ranged weapons to dual or two-handed weapon wielders (Dorn or Korgan for example) which avoids messing around in the inventory during combat and helps to clarify armour distribution (i.e. "Do I give Dorn a top notch shield and longsword to resort to when he's taking too many hits? No, just give him Firetooth instead for the times when he doesn't want to get up close and personal.").
  • kcwisekcwise Member Posts: 2,287
    I like Mazzy because she's so cute! But I'd never tell her that, obviously...
    Yoshimo: Brave halfling lass! With the scurrying of little feet you throw yourself into the fray. It is so cute to see the little ones fight. Like a fearless samurai you are, Mazzy.
    Mazzy: Honestly, Yoshimo, I am sick and tired of humans and large folk calling me cute!
    Yoshimo: I cannot help it! You are like a miniature prophet of doom.
    Mazzy: Oh, shut up! I won't seem so cute if I break your legs.
    Yoshimo: I meant no offense, Mazzy. You should be flattered! I don't think you're ugly...
    Mazzy: If you wish to end this conversation without bruises, you will silence yourself now!
    Yoshimo: Yes mistress.
    Mazzy: And don't call me mistress!
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    Unless it's Viconia using a sling, I don't use party members that must use ranged attacks from the rear all the time. Hexxat will occasionally throw daggers or darts, but usually I have her in the thick of things.
  • GrumGrum Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,100
    I always liked having Mazzy with a shortbow. 5 proficiency points, weapon with unlimited ammo. Good dexterity, haste...it's a good combination. I prefer to have 1 arcane caster, 1 divine caster, 1 thief, 2 close combat, and a 6th to taste. Having her go ranged is not bad that bad so long as the rest of the positions are filled.
  • DreadKhanDreadKhan Member Posts: 3,857
    edited February 2015
    Fighter types that are willing to use GWW with a str bonus ranged weapon can do horrendous damage very, very quickly in a fight. Imp Haste on a high strength slinger with high apr is also sickening to behold. To say nothing of how absurd it would look! :p
  • CrevsDaakCrevsDaak Member Posts: 7,155
    edited February 2015
    Mazzy's one of the best ranged damage dealer, but I tend to keep her in melee since she would be a waste if kept as a ranged-only fighter. She's definitely my favorite, but Anomen, Sarevok and Dorn are better in powergaming terms.

    Edit: typos.
  • AnduinAnduin Member Posts: 5,745
    I regularly put Anomen next to a wall and line up my team and let leash with my ranged weapons.

    So he is my favourite NPC I like to do ranged damage to.

    ...

    I really approve this thread. My kinda evil.
  • WindfootWindfoot Member Posts: 11
    Other than a ranger/archer PC, Mazzy does the most damage. 5* in shortbows + Tuigan bow is tons of damage with the high APR. And you can get Darkfire or Tansheron when you have harder to hit monsters
  • recklessheartrecklessheart Member Posts: 692
    Jaheira, Valygar, or Keldorn in the back row? Blasphemy - utter blasphemy I say!

    Nalia can use some pretty good bows though. And she has plenty of spells, to boot. Is it too obvious that I want a Nalia option? *sigh* Mazzy's great though.
  • DreadKhanDreadKhan Member Posts: 3,857
    Windfoot said:

    Other than a ranger/archer PC, Mazzy does the most damage. 5* in shortbows + Tuigan bow is tons of damage with the high APR. And you can get Darkfire or Tansheron when you have harder to hit monsters

    Try using a sling on a high strength warrior, or throwing weapons. Korgan and the ToB throwing axe can do good damage, if his THAC0 is low, guntlets of dexterity will fix you up. He can get 5 ranks in axes too, and a good girdle lets him surpass Mazzy for ranged damage almost certainly.
  • NonnahswriterNonnahswriter Member Posts: 2,520
    I ran Korgan in my first ever evil run of Baldur's Gate 2, gave him a throwing axe, and never looked back.

    By the time everyone else gets up-front, Korgan's already cleared the field...
  • WindfootWindfoot Member Posts: 11
    I stand corrected, I forgot the str damage bonus to thrown weapons/slings. With that in mind, firetooth+3 (2d4+3) would do more damage from a fighter than the axe.

    The Rate of Fire (ROF) of the axe is 1 but a dagger has a ROF of 2. Both weapons would get +1APR from 5*, +1APR from level 13 and +1 from the gauntlets of extrordinary specialization. Assuming a 22 Str belt bonus of +10 damage then the firetooth damage would be 2d4+3 + 10 (str) + 5 (specialization) + 2(guantlets) => 25 x 5APR = 125 damage/rd.

    In TOB you can get the K'ogorath axe that does 1d6+4 with a chance at another 2d6. But in SoA you can use the rifthome axe that does 2d6+3. So for the Rifthome axe you can do 2d6+3 +10(str) + 5(specialization) + 2(gauntlets) => 27 x 4APR = 108 damage/rd.

    So, is this true? The dagger is better than a bow or an axe with high str? Any errors in my math or reasoning?
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