Monk's fist + off hand

[PIKAPPA]

Simple question: is the combo "main hand fist + off hand weapon" considered as dual wielding? Considering that monks don't have access to the dual wielding spec, does it mean I get a penalty to my fist if I equip an off hand?
If there's no penalty, then is it mathematically better to always have any weapon in the off hand? Thanks

[Dragon Master]

I'm currently playing a Dark Moon Monk. Yes, it does count as dual wielding, unfortunately. As you level up, you attack so often that it kind of makes up for it.

The real easy way to solve it is one of the things that make monks so awesome. Consumables. They can use fighter-only potions and even some wands and scrolls.

So one heroism potion, potion of fire breath or an exploding potion and it really won't matter what's in your off hand.

At the end of them getting closer to level 20 it won't even matter as you'll be rolling a d20 for your damage with your barefists while attacking 4 times per round.

[Gustuv Wynd]

Consumables are something that all classes should be using...I always feel silly when I go in to fight Saravok and I look at all the potions and scrolls I have horded. I swear I even try to use them. Appearently we are supposed to use them on every gibberling fight or something.

[Dragon Master]

Originally posted by Gustuv Wynd:

Consumables are something that all classes should be using...I always feel silly when I go in to fight Saravok and I look at all the potions and scrolls I have horded. I swear I even try to use them. Appearently we are supposed to use them on every gibberling fight or something.

HAHAHA. I know the feeling.

I feel part of the issue is is that I forget to read the whole description of an item. My monk uses potions of defense (got three of them for siding with Silkie in Beregost) that reduces my base AC to 0. So with some modifiers from high dexterity and just being a monk my actual AC drops to -5, and it lasts for two hours.Very useful for dungeon crawling and perfect for using at the start of a dungeon.

I know I'll forget to use it if I don't take time to think about it.

It's amazing how much easier the game gets if we take the time to pause and go, "Hey, I can use this wand of magic missiles to interrupt that spellcaster. I can get Viconia to start turning undead, I can take that magic resist potion that makes me immune to 5th tier spells and lower for 5 rounds. Why aren't I doing that?"

[red255]

yeah, never cared for wands of missles. they only shoot like one missile for me.

the ring of the ram does significant damage if I remember to use it. BG1 I carried arrows of detonation and wands of fireball which you can buy by the truckload in baldurs gate. you've also got some rods that do hold person. and terror, for dealing with the guards in the chapter where they want to be annoying.

potions of heroism, defense, fire resistance, uh.... mirror eyes. scrolls of fire resistance. I use things. not super frequently but I use things. oil of speed.

but nowhere near the amount of things that I come across.

in Siege of dragonspear I buy up scrolls of greater restoration I believe. which are amazing. full heal scrolls. look i'd have to look at things.

but potions of explosions, and wands of fireballs are the things I use the most to solve issues in BG.

[Gustuv Wynd]

The thing about magic missile wands is that you can use them on any one (if they have 9 INT). So if your fighter doesn't want to let that mage on the other side of the room get mirror image up, they can fire off a magic missle with a good chance to disrupt their spell and then go running in before they can cast another spell.

[Dragon Master]

Originally posted by Gustuv Wynd:

The thing about magic missile wands is that you can use them on any one (if they have 9 INT). So if your fighter doesn't want to let that mage on the other side of the room get mirror image up, they can fire off a magic missle with a good chance to disrupt their spell and then go running in before they can cast another spell.

It is useless for dealing damage to anything stronger than a kobold, but it is very, very useful as a utility item to keep spellcasters from mirror imaging or casting horror.

[figbyfigbyfigby]

Originally posted by Gustuv Wynd:

The thing about magic missile wands is that you can use them on any one (if they have 9 INT). So if your fighter doesn't want to let that mage on the other side of the room get mirror image up, they can fire off a magic missle with a good chance to disrupt their spell and then go running in before they can cast another spell.

Wand of Sleep too is for every class at 9 INT, the first can be bought from Thalantir at High Hedge.

[Gustuv Wynd]

Yeah wand of sleep is nice...it doesn't have the level restriction that the sleep spell has plus I believe the save verses wand will always be the worst save any enemies have.