Best weapons by type and where to find them

[Knight]

I made this list for BG2 and it was a pretty interesting list with differing opinions.

I'll make the same for this game. Let me know what you think.

Axe:
Battle Axe+2 in Northwest BG
Bala's Axe (exceptional against mages but otherwise somewhat unremarkable) Found in Durlags Tower
Golden axe found in W baldur's gate locked area is worth mentioning though.

Club:
Mighty Oak from shadow druid leader inside treehouse at cloakwood 3.
Night Club Entar silvershield's garden

Dagger:
Dagger of Venom in Beregost Smithy (6 poison damage per round is insane for this stage of the saga)
Dagger +2 Longtooth from Krystin in chapter 7

Flail:
Thrasher in Sorcs sundries (Thanks Hopper)
Flail+1 found in bear cave west of nashkel

Mace:
Mace+2 in Durlags tower (4th floor)
Stupifier Burning Wizard inn
Mace+1 Beregost Smithy AND burning wizard inn

Morning Star:
Morning Star+1 from Drasus in the Cloakwood mines
Kiel's Morning Star in Durlag's Tower is an unreliable superior weapon though.

Halberd:
Halberd+2 from Zhalimar Iron throne South BG.
Halberd+1 SW Nashkel cave
Chelsey Crusher (weird weapon) East of knoll stronghold on Ingot.


Staff:
Staff of striking. Durlags tower 4th level. (besides the chelsey crusher) This staff does the highest raw damage IN THE GAME. (Unlike crusher it can attack more than 1 time per round.) Enchanted as a +3 to hit, yet deals 10-15 damage per strike. Has a charge of 25. Can be recharged by selling then buying, but it'll cost you thousands each time. Only weakness is it's a temporary weapon unless you recharge it. Even then, you'll need to do this consistently rather than gradually.
Staff Spear+2 (Kirinhale, Durlag's Tower) slightly outdamages Quarterstaff+3 (Ulgoth's beard)

Bastard Sword:
Bastard Sword +1, +3 vs Shapeshifters from Aldeth is the best available.
Albruin near quayle at Wyrm's crossing
I should mention Sword of Balduran only beats them if you're fighting lycanthropes

Long Sword:
Long Sword+1 Flame Tongue (4th level durlag's tower) is incredibly reliable. So much so I'd place it over long sword +2, JUST BARELY.
Long Sword+2 from Greywolf via nashkel mines is still a solid pick though.
Moonblade deserves a mention, but it's from Xan and only usable by Xan so... no. Would be at the top if you could use it though.
Harrower deserves a mention against undead, off Zeela near nashkel mines

Short Sword:
Short sword of backstabbing from Sylth in the undercellar is simply the best, but offers no backstabbing bonus.
Short sword +2 from Zrgal SW Beregost will serve you until ch7.

Katana
Katana+1 3rd floor cloakwood mines.

Scimitar:
Drizzt's Frostband and Defender are arguably the best weapons in this game. But if you don't wanna kill Drizzt there's a Scimitar+2 on top of Durlag's tower and +1 dropped by an ogre mage in the bg sewers.

War Hammer:
War Hammer +2 from Bassilus SW Beregost is the ideal pick
Hammer of Dawn from Brathlan
Ashideena +1 +3 electrical is good since very few have any resistance to electric. Sold by magda.
War Hammer +1, +4 vs Giant Humanoids from hurgan at Ulgoth's Beard is a close second (unless you're facing a giant of course)

Spear:
Spear+1 from Poe by firewine bridge.
Backbiter. Can be stolen from undead knight in firewine ruins. Although it does 2 more damage than Spear+1, it does 3 damage to the weilder making it a poor pick.

2H Sword:
Gold Digger. A PLUS 4 SWORD! 5-14 damage per hit. Costs you 10 gold a hit but it's probably worth.
The Phantom Blade acts as a superior World's Edge, but only available via the spell. Does +10 damage against undead.
World's Edge. 1 less damage in exchange for a slightly better speed factor and less gold loss. From the King in chess area of Durlag's tower.


Long bow:
Longbow of Marksmanship from Hakt in bandit camp has a better THACO and thus I like it more.
Composite Longbow+1 does more damage though, Feldpost's inn in Beregost.

Short Bow:
Eagle Bow from Marek, Blushing Mermaid
Short Bow+1 from the smithy in Beregost

Sling:
Melf's Minute meteor spell, insane potential. It might not have enough raw damage, but hits faster and against any protection
Sling+3 4th level Durlag's tower
Sling of unerring accuracy thieves guld purchase
Sling+1 Beregost Smithy

Heavy Crossbow:
Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy +2 from Dabron if you killed Aldeth
That's it.

Light Crossbow:
Light Crossbow of Speed from smithy at beregost is FAST and acts as a +1
Light Crossbow+1 is found on Taxek in SE BG house

Throwing Axe:
Throwing Axe+2 from Prat is a solid pick.




Other Notes:

The best raw damage from a projectile is bolts. Bolt+2 will deal 3-10 damage. Sling's get Bullet +2 which deals 4-7. Arrows+2 get 3-8. Arrows do retain utility in the lategame though.

Arrows of Dispelling are going to be effective throughout the game. 6-36 arrow of detonation can be insane. Bullets get no utility, but Melf's Minute Meteors blow most projectile weapons away with it's easy availability and exceptional reliable damage output.

Club+1, +3 vs unnatural creatures WOULD exist here but... it's not obtainable in game. You can get it with the unfinished business mod. Even then I have no idea really what it does. Other than that Clubs are hot garbage. EDIT: EE added magical clubs.

The strangest weapon is the longsword Vampire's Revenge. You can get this sword from Ulcaster by trading in the idol of Kohza from the lighthouse excavation area and Ancient Armor from firewine ruins. It literally drains your life and gives it to the person you're attacking. You can, weirdly enough, turn an attacker into a healer, yet it's cursed, so you can't exploit it well. It's janky and incredibly difficult to obtain. Better off just buying potions tbh.

Bolt of shapeshifting is another rare find. It transforms targets into squirrels if they fail a save vs plymorph check. It's exceptionally rare in drops, and insanely expensive at sorcerers sundries.



EDIT: forgot some of the EE weapons added them, thanks alex.

[Knight]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Voroff:

Diposting pertama kali oleh Knight:

A user can share their opinion without being condescending and passive aggressive, much like you have been and continue to be.

I would ask you not participate in this discussion any more.

Dude, you DO realize that you are something like 15 years late to the battle ? The internet is filled to the brim with lists written in good format - even excel is better than here.

Then, you really forgot the Aule +3 Staff, as you forgot the mace-staff that is amazing for some builds. The sling getting str bonuses in the "other notes" ? And so on. So, please, stop being condescending, coz you are that and snazzy on your own made topic. Accept criticizm and git good. At least, better, critics helps in that way.

But, why this topic ? You wanted to help us ? To make your own sticky note accessible everywhere on the internet ? Or what ? (im curious)

I actually did not forget either of those staffs. Read carefully for Aule's staff. How many +3 staffs are in the game? Specifically at ulgoth's beard? It was originally called Quarterstaff+3 in the original saga but had the description Aule's staff, hence why my notes said QS+3. Staff mace is alright, just not as good as the +3 or striking. I can't see any build situation that item is superior. 4-10 damage vs 4-9 damage, but +3 has better thaco and speed factor. The proficiency doesn't even change either. I can't think of a build I would ever take staff mace over +3 or striking+5.

Also, I don't dl random excel sheets. I made it for myself for future playthroughs and getting to hear other opinions.

How am I being condescending? That's clearly what you're being right now. If you can't keep that attitude respectful and mature I'd ask you also not participate in this discussion anymore.

Also, what about the slings are you referring to? I said bolts have the highest raw damage. What are you talking about?

[dt Walter Robinson]

Thanks for this list! I appreciate the effort you put in.

[Voroff]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Knight:

Staff mace is alright, just not as good as the +3 or striking. I can't see any build situation that item is superior. 4-10 damage vs 4-9 damage, but +3 has better thaco and speed factor. The proficiency doesn't even change either. I can't think of a build I would ever take staff mace over +3 or striking+5.

Cleric/thief for one, equiping Jaheira for second, works with a shield, and so on.


Still dont understand why this effort. You dont seem to have added that mace staff, so you dont making an inventory of the game cause you pick and choose. Seriously, why not post in the guide section ?

On the raw damages : one is raw, the other can be loaded with additionnal damages; your citation is about the best raw, i point that the best period will be the bullet from sling with the right setup.

[Knight]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Pvt. 1st Class Daniel Spunkmeyer:

Thanks for this list! I appreciate the effort you put in.

Hey np, glad you like it.

Diposting pertama kali oleh Voroff:

Diposting pertama kali oleh Knight:

Staff mace is alright, just not as good as the +3 or striking. I can't see any build situation that item is superior. 4-10 damage vs 4-9 damage, but +3 has better thaco and speed factor. The proficiency doesn't even change either. I can't think of a build I would ever take staff mace over +3 or striking+5.

Cleric/thief for one, equiping Jaheira for second, works with a shield, and so on.


Still dont understand why this effort. You dont seem to have added that mace staff, so you dont making an inventory of the game cause you pick and choose. Seriously, why not post in the guide section ?

On the raw damages : one is raw, the other can be loaded with additionnal damages; your citation is about the best raw, i point that the best period will be the bullet from sling with the right setup.

Ok, how is that setup superior? Every time I stumble across that weapon I almost always end up putting it in the modded bag of holding for junk I collect. If I had a sword and shield proficiency, why would I want proficiency in staff and not just mace? If I'm some kind of backstab thief/cleric wouldn't it be better to use striking? Heck, even staff spear will average more damage. I'm just wondering what circumstance I'd prefer it to the +3 or spear, that's all.

I don't see why I would post in the guide section. This isn't a list of virtually all magical items in the game. It's a list of my personal picks.

OK, and are you asking me to add to that? Or are you just upset at me for not mentioning anything past raw set up? What exactly do you want here? Slings get the bonus damage from strength, but they have the lowest APR.

All bows get 2APR, slings and crossbows get 1apr,

The exceptions are magical ones. In EE Melf's Meteors gets 5APR! Army scythe crossbow gets 2 APR. Tuigan gets 3.

Things get even more complicated if we're looking at range. Shortbows have a range of 75ft, Longbows and all crossbows 100. Slings only have a range of 40ft (although MMM has a 270ft range, which is bafflingly insane.)

It doesn't even stop there if we wanna discuss speed factor. Or heck throwing daggers and axes.

It gets even worse on race. Elves get bonuses with bows, halflings get bonuses with slings.

I didn't want my other notes to declare a "this is the best after we account for abc." No. I just wanted to keep it simple and post a couple notes from memory, that's all.

[red255]

I seem to recall a topic like this but it certainly was earlier than Sept 15th.

Axe.
just to mention two axes, theres a throwing axe that doesnt use ammo, and a wizard slayer axe that you keep in you weapon quickslot which a fighter has like 4 of, and you can cast dispel once per day (doesn't require mastery, just hold it, free daily dispel)
Club. Just to note Siege of dragonspear has a nature's club +3 vs unnatural things which can hit the final boss.
dagger.... I mean the skeletons near beregost at that wizard tower west of beregost are throwing weapons with 0 weight, useful for keeping your mages out of trouble early on.
flail/morning star is the same proficency. I think theres some kinda secret +3 weapon can't remember if its a flail or a mace at the end of siege of dragonspear for saving mizena's (the priests) father. before you enter dragonspear castle for the first time.

staff pretty sure theres a +3 staff you can buy in Uthgart's beard. from the inn merchant

Two handed swords... if you include siege of dragonspear theres the dragon blade which is a really good weapon for a beserker, used it till the end of throne of bhaal.

you might also want to consider launcher ammo for weapons, like the arrows of detonation with anything with a decent attack speed is rapid launching fireballs its just embarrassing.