Undead Hunter Paladin Weapon Proficiency
Winter_Wolf
Member Posts: 5
Hi guys,
After some time I am getting ready to replay Baldur's Gate EE again. I have question about weapon proficiency points for my class. Some people recommend 2h swords with 2h specialization, other say to go one handed or dual wield and leave Avenger to Keldorn. Since Daystar, Mace of Disruption, Harrower, Azuredge all one handed I can see logic in that. What about one handed and shield or bastard swords (Foebane) ? Any advice is welcome and would like to hear your thoughts about this matter as this remains my final dilemma before I start playing again.
Thank you
After some time I am getting ready to replay Baldur's Gate EE again. I have question about weapon proficiency points for my class. Some people recommend 2h swords with 2h specialization, other say to go one handed or dual wield and leave Avenger to Keldorn. Since Daystar, Mace of Disruption, Harrower, Azuredge all one handed I can see logic in that. What about one handed and shield or bastard swords (Foebane) ? Any advice is welcome and would like to hear your thoughts about this matter as this remains my final dilemma before I start playing again.
Thank you
1
Comments
@Winter_Wolf - Honestly, I'd go with whatever you feel like playing thematically. You can succeed with any weapon. Personally, I find the Mace of Disruption and Azuredge to be extremely overpowered and most of the time I don't use them. Their insta-kill ability allows you to easily waltz through large swaths of the game; enemies that are supposed to be scary and powerful become a joke and the challenge is lost. But they're there if you feel like using them. You can argue that the two-handed Holy Avenger is overpowered, too, with its dispel and magic resistance, but at least it doesn't insta-kill. It's usually my weapon of choice with paladins as I love the aesthetic of two-handers. As Sikorsky mentioned, flails are great. Bastard swords can be great, with Foebane and the Purifier. Of course, it's hard to go wrong with Daystar from a thematic standpoint. Like I said, whatever you feel like thematically is probably best.
As for shields, the Shield of Harmony is particularly wonderful. It grants a nice AC bonus but more importantly a set of great immunities. Use that and your favourite one-hander and you'll be a force of undead-slaying righteousness.
For me, I'd start with 2 pips in Flails, 1 pip in 2 handed style and 1 pip into 2 Handed Swords (start sword and shield with a flail). Then finish out 2H Swords and put a pip into Longswords (You'll have 2 pips in 2H swords long before you get Spiderbane).
uu hit level 9 in BG2 you finish out Longswords, so you'll have 2 in 2 Handed swords, Longswords, and Flails which are all the main things you'll need. Most other stuff will be gravy. This will let you use Daystar, FoA & Carsomyr (sp?) right away, which, IMO, are the main weapons you would want to use IMO.
Daystar is awesome. I *think* the additional damage of the UH kit will apply to Daystars doubling bonus.
Mace of Disruption (Mace +2), Azure Edge (Returning Throwing Axe +3) and Purifier (Bastard Sword +3) all fit the class very well.
In the complete book of paladin's, they're actually supposed to be able to get Purifier itself during the campaign.
Re: Mace of Disruption
As much as I love the weapon, for a Lawful Good character, it represents kind of a quagmire.
Re: Mace of Disruption and Azure Edge
The instant kill effect is nice, but I don't know if I'd call it overpowered. Lesser undead you'd likely blow through anyway, higher level undead are more likely to make their saves and/or have magical defenses that others in your party need to take out first anyway.
That being said, I also like Crossbows and Spears (Spears are as close to a stake as you can get). Blame Buffy.
Of course, even evil parties can use it as long as you don't consider turning undead to your side with Viconia's Turn Undead or using vampire NPCs like Valen, Hexxat (Valen redux) and Miriam. The effects of those can be distasteful (but funny) when you use Sunray ability.
It was both beautiful and boring.
Azuredge is good, either as ranged or melee, but I usually give it to Minsc once he has a couple of points in Axes. His racial bonus against vampires makes him quite deadly with Azuredge. There's also the Rifthome +3 throwing axe if you side with Bodhi ... think of it as INFILTRATING her lair rather than siding with her.
I realise that level drain immunity from the Mace of Disruption is redundant for an Undead Hunter, but it's still a superb tanking weapon against undead (including Kangaxx). Occasionally I'll bring in Minsc as a second tank, then switch weapons giving him the MoD and taking Azuredge (melee).
My level 9 and 12 proficiency points go into Katanas (Celestial Fury), which can easily carry me through to the end of TOB. Flails (Flail of the Ages, Defender of Easthaven) are very good too, but I prefer to give these to Minsc. There aren't many battles where Celestial Fury isn't amazing, and MoD hits as a +5 weapon should the need arise. There's also Storm Star which can be upgraded early in TOB, and Axe of the Unyielding later in the game.
*Of all my proficiencies, Long Swords are probably the least useful, but they take the pressure off the early game so there's no rush to find MoD or Celestial Fury. There are also a lot of fun (if not amazing) long swords throughout the game, so it allows for some flexibility. Daystar I've mentioned, Flame Tongue can hit Kangaxx, Blackrazor is very cool (in the original game you could pickpocket it) and TOB has some nice long swords too. But another option would be to start out Mace, Axe and Katana, and develop into 2H Swords and 2H Style to use Carsomyr.
PS. If you're starting with BGEE, there is a very good Mace in Beregost which you can pick up quite early.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/65700/kit-pack-i-hate-undead-iwd-eet-bgee-bg2ee#latest