Weapon proficiencies

[Kel'Thuzad]

Just feeling a bit lost with the proficiency system and wondering if anyone can give some brief clarification?

I was levelling up Wenduag and noticed the game recommends Weapon Focus with finesse weapons (rapier, shortsword). Is this because her Dex is so high that it's better to use dex weapons?
Does a fighter even get to use their dex instead of strength? I thought that was more of a Rogue thing.

Is there anywhere on the character sheet that clearly shows what proficiencies they have?

[dataseer21]

This isn't dnd 5e. So you need feats to be able to use SOME weapons with dexterity. Also you need another feat to be able to use dexterity for damage. So it is two feats to get into it. So for most 2 feats is an investment so strength would be better. Ranged uses dexterity for the most part(not sure about throwing axes). I would take such weapon finesse feats for dual wielding light weapons through.

Typically the reason why people pay for the feats is that there are only so many places that your attributes can go. So sometimes it makes sense.

EDIT: Also for weapon proficiencies there is usually something for the class at level 1 that tells you what the class gives you in weapon proficiencies. Stuff like rapiers, shortswords, kukris, and daggers can use weapon finesse. It says so in the weapon but I don't know how you would know beforehand.

[Ishan451]

Weapon finesse feat allows to use dex instead of str for attack mod. Mythic Weapon finesse allows to add dex mod instead of str for damage. There is also a feat for CMD that trades dex for str.

The weapon also needs to be a finesse weapon. Has nothing to do with class but some classes can get the finesse feats as bonus feats.

[Immortal Reaver]

Weapon proficiency is telling you whenever you can use weapon or not (in videogame only, in PnP you get penalities).

For using DEX on melee attacks.
IF you use light weapon, elven curve blade, estoc or rapier, (or melee touch spell) and have Weapon Finesse feat and DEX is higher than STR you use DEX for attack roll, but NOT damage. Rogue (other than Rowdy) gets it for free at 1st level.
Fighter class can choose Advanced Weapon Training - Fighter's Finesse to make Weapon Finesse feat (you need that feat too) work for all weapons in category that he chooses (even heavy).

To use DEX for damage with weapons you need one of these
- Slashing/Fencing Grace feat that requires you to have second hand free or have buckler. These also work only on weapons in description of Slashing/Fencing Grace. You need to have Weapon Focuse in the weapon you want to choose.
-Mythic Weapon Finesse that works on all weapons that work with Weapon Finesse feat always, so you can use shield, or dualwield.
- Finesse Training, is Rogue ability you gain at lvl 3, it works on choosen 1 weapon always.

Note Ranged weapons use STR for Damage and DEX for attack bonus, exceptions are crossbows that gain no bonus nor penality, and non-composite bows that gain only penality if STR is under 10.

TLDR: Yes if you give Wenduag Weapon Finesse feat she will use DEX for attack roll with specific weapons. Not for damage though.

[Kel'Thuzad]

Ok thanks. So the game is leading me astray a bit with suggesting Weapon Focus for finesse weapons.
Obviously she needs 1-2 other feats first before she will use Dex instead of Str.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by Kel'Thuzad:

Obviously she needs 1-2 other feats first before she will use Dex instead of Str.

She only needs it if you plan to send her into melee. If she is using throwing weapons like Darts she is using Dex. Since its a ranged attack it uses Dex modifier.

If you plan to use her in melee i am not sure going Dex is worthwhile with Wendug. Then again, i prefer to use her dual wielding throwing axes.

[Kel'Thuzad]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

Originally posted by Kel'Thuzad:

Obviously she needs 1-2 other feats first before she will use Dex instead of Str.

She only needs it if you plan to send her into melee. If she is using throwing weapons like Darts she is using Dex. Since its a ranged attack it uses Dex modifier.

If you plan to use her in melee i am not sure going Dex is worthwhile with Wendug. Then again, i prefer to use her dual wielding throwing axes.

My PC is a sorcerer, so I need someone up front in melee. My only other tanky character is Seelah, and I might lose her at some stage because I'm playing evil.

[Ishan451]

Camilia is a great tank, if you ask me. Her Ice<whatever> hex gives her inherent +2 AC... she isn't to great at doing damage until you get your mystic ranks in... but she is definitely a great replacement for Seelah if you plan to replace her.

But going melee with Wendug isn't a bad option either.

[Immortal Reaver]

Camelia is good tank+support for evíl runs. Iceplant Hex + Icy Protector, gives her +4 AC. In Estrod Tower get key from Custodian and loot the +2 Light Armor that gives +6AC + up to 6DEX AC.
Also you can lose party members in act 5 depending on Mythic.

[Kel'Thuzad]

Originally posted by Immortal Reaver:

Camelia is good tank+support for evíl runs. Iceplant Hex + Icy Protector, gives her +4 AC. In Estrod Tower get key from Custodian and loot the +2 Light Armor that gives +6AC + up to 6DEX AC.
Also you can lose party members in act 5 depending on Mythic.

True, I'm in Act 1 and she already has 26 AC without Iceplant and the ring.

Planning to go Lich eventually. I hear you can get undead companions but I guess that's a long way off.

[dataseer21]

Originally posted by Kel'Thuzad:

Originally posted by Immortal Reaver:

Camelia is good tank+support for evíl runs. Iceplant Hex + Icy Protector, gives her +4 AC. In Estrod Tower get key from Custodian and loot the +2 Light Armor that gives +6AC + up to 6DEX AC.
Also you can lose party members in act 5 depending on Mythic.

True, I'm in Act 1 and she already has 26 AC without Iceplant and the ring.

Planning to go Lich eventually. I hear you can get undead companions but I guess that's a long way off.

Kel thuzad is going lich...

[Kel'Thuzad]

Originally posted by dataseer21:

Originally posted by Kel'Thuzad:

True, I'm in Act 1 and she already has 26 AC without Iceplant and the ring.

Planning to go Lich eventually. I hear you can get undead companions but I guess that's a long way off.

Kel thuzad is going lich...

Exactly

[AlexMBrennan]

I was levelling up Wenduag and noticed the game recommends Weapon Focus with finesse weapons (rapier, shortsword). Is this because her Dex is so high that it's better to use dex weapons?

No, that's because the builds recommended by the game are absolutely garbage and should be ignored completely (e.g. the developers recommend that Daeran waste spellbook slots on learning spells which he automatically gets from life mystery).

The option to auto-level companions was put in the game purely to troll noobs who will be forced to go through the annoyingly long respec process later.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by AlexMBrennan:

The option to auto-level companions was put in the game purely to troll noobs who will be forced to go through the annoyingly long respec process later.

Unless they don't care about Minmaxing, in which case they won't even notice.

[Yannir]

Originally posted by Kel'Thuzad:

Ok thanks. So the game is leading me astray a bit with suggesting Weapon Focus for finesse weapons.
Obviously she needs 1-2 other feats first before she will use Dex instead of Str.

Not necessarily. You can still use Str for Finesse Weapons, using Dex is just an option. You only use them as Finesse Weapons if you have the Weapon Finesse feat. If you don't, they will use Str. But there are usually better options.

[Kel'Thuzad]

I took over levelling companions myself almost immediately, as I could tell some of the suggestions were pretty sketchy.
But it still puts the green thumb for recommendations even after you've disabled auto-levelling.