What should a Swashbuckler do?

[La_Anarquista]

I'm level 9 or 10. I kind of just play the game naturally and follow the side quests as they come up. But are there any items, special weapons or armor i should try to acquire? I use two-shorswords or a bow & arrow. I'm not really asking for character creation or combat advice. Mainly wondering if there are quests I should prioritize in any major way.

[Caethyril]

Swashbuckle! =D

They're technically a thief, so I guess you could hunt around Athkatla for like-minded folks. If at some point you meet some actors entertaining the patrons of a tavern (with greater or lesser degrees of success), you may find it worthwhile to help them out, too. And visiting the Copper Coronet applies to most character types: there's quite a variety of stuff to do (and find) there, but beware of getting mobbed with quest requests! =P

Nice short swords aren't easily sought in BG2; they tend to either be dropped by enemies in the course of the main quest, or for sale (often for quite a high price, as you'd expect). There's a good bow for sale in a certain market town, once you've solved their troubles. In terms of other gear, you may want to check out what's on offer at the Adventurer Mart in Waukeen's Promenade (just west of the circus tent).

[Toha]

Originally posted by Caethyril:

If at some point you meet some actors entertaining the patrons of a tavern (with greater or lesser degrees of success), you may find it worthwhile to help them out, too.

This. Kundane is worth getting ASAP.

[La_Anarquista]

Ah, I think I've met the group of which y'all speak. I rescued that actor and found the stone to open the portal, but I didn't follow through on the quest yet. I just finished "Animals in Trademeet" and will probably do the Actor's stuff next.

[kaiyl_kariashi]

you'll want to acquire Belm (+2 speed scimitar) and Kuudane (+2 speed shortsword) ASAP. (speed weapons add +1 apr each)

Since you can't backstab your offensive ability is crap until you can compensate by raising your APR to fighter levels. 4 APR is still less than 5x backstab but it's close enough that the reduced micromanagement makes up for it. (and combined with Improved haste you can really tear stuff apart).

Kuudane is pretty difficult to get, as once you're committed to the Planar Prison, you have to finish it, but Belm you can just walk in and grab. Which can then help you get Kuudane. (you get it right at the beginning of the Prison (along with some boots of speed), so you'll probably tear through the rest of it, outside of the two demons who you'll need some magic defenses to beat).

Once you get Use Any Item you can start using the Scarlet Ninja-to (+3 Speed Scimitar with a chance on hit to poison, Monk only normally ) and Belm, since Scimitars have 2 extra maximum damage and slashing is MUCH less resisted than piercing.


You'll want to pack a +4 or higher weapon for dealing with a handful of enemies immune to that, but since Swashbucklers can take Whirlwind Attack, you'll get 10 APR per round with any weapon you wield, so tossing on FOA+5 or Staff of the Ram +6 will rip apart anything you can't hit with your normal normal dual-wield scimitars.


2 scimitar, 2 short sword, 2 two-weapon style (raise to 3 once you can spare a point).

Then stick some points into staves and two-handed style, since end-game you'll probably want to use Staff of the Ram for mashing the faces in of stuff that needs to die in 1 round.

(FoA+5 is stronger but you can actually specialize in staves, and two-handed style doubles your crit chance it can come out about the same or slightly ahead depending on crits).

[La_Anarquista]

These Bounty Hunter lizard spellcasters are frustrating. Right when I go into the portal and go into the first fight. I kill everything typically and have won the battle but reloaded cuz i didn't want to use my rod of res (i should have used it). Now somehow the battle usually ends up with one lizard left who is in a globe of some spell. My weapons can't hit him. Sometimes he hits me with the deathfinger. On the last try I accidently led some enemies from the next room in and I had to reload when I was almost done.

[La_Anarquista]

I just whooped them on my next try. I've cleared out most of the rest. I was just told to go look for an orb to destroy to free teh thralls than its off to the Warden.

[wendigo211]

Originally posted by kaiyl_kariashi:

Since you can't backstab your offensive ability is crap until you can compensate by raising your APR to fighter levels. 4 APR is still less than 5x backstab but it's close enough that the reduced micromanagement makes up for it. (and combined with Improved haste you can really tear stuff apart).

Even a Shadowdancer can't backstab every round (repositioning, cooldown on stealth mode, etc.) so it's more like two rounds of 4 APR vs. one 5x backstab, which tends to favor staying put and fighting unless you're soloing or hit and run is a better strategy to avoid damage.

You can also use the thrown daggers as melee weapons in your main hand for a bonus APR (I guess Bioware/Beamdog couldn't code the weapon as 2 APR when thrown, 1 APR when in melee). The +3 fire damage weapon from the Drow City is a pretty good one. There's a +2 Boomerang dagger as well but I can't remember where you get that one.

If you didn't play through BG and pick up the strength tome, get the Belt of Giant strength from the Adventurer's Mart as well. The +7 to damage and -3 THAC0 modifier from a 19 strength makes a big difference to your damage output as well.

Lastly don't forget to set traps. They aren't worth much at level 10, but as you level up you can one shot some bosses with them. You can also have mages cast Skull Traps and Delayed Blast Fireballs, but their triggers are a little wonky.

(FoA+5 is stronger but you can actually specialize in staves, and two-handed style doubles your crit chance it can come out about the same or slightly ahead depending on crits).

One-handed style also doubles your crit chance. However, even with the style bonus, the probability of getting n critical hits with whirlwind is:
p(n)=10!/(n!*(10-n)!)*(0.1)^n*(0.9)^(10-n)
Or the average number of critical hits you would get is 1 vs. 0.5 without the style bonus.

Staff of the Ram is 1d6+12+1d4 peircing. Adding in the +2 from specialization and +1 from Two-Weapon Style, brings the damage to 21 per hit on average before adding in strength and Swashbuckler bonuses. Flail of Ages is 1D6 +6 +10 elemental or 19.5 on average. Which means the Staff of the Ram will be ahead.

What can put FoA ahead is if you don't have a 25 strength and dual wield the Flail of Ages with Crom Faeyr, since going from a 22 strength (Belt of Fire Giant Strength) to a 25 strength is a 4 point damage bonus. You lose 2.5 damage on the one off hand attack made with Crom Faeyr, but pick up the +4 strength damage to all your other attacks.

If you can get a 25 strength from other sources, then the Staff of the Ram will be your best choice for end game.

[Caethyril]

Originally posted by La_Anarquista:

Now somehow the battle usually ends up with one lizard left who is in a globe of some spell. My weapons can't hit him.

Just for reference, the Yuan-Ti mages cast [minor?] globe of protection, which protects them from level 1-3 [level 4 as well, if not minor] spells. The "weapons can't hit" thing is due to them also casting stoneskin, which absorbs several physical hits before expiring. =)

[La_Anarquista]

Wow, well I'm back in Waukeen selling stuff.

I've gotten the urge to go play Pillars of Eternity now since I've seen video on the upcoming sequel.

[kaiyl_kariashi]

weapon can't hit is Protection from Normal/Magical Weapons (or mantles if they're really advanced). Or because the creature has an innate minimum hit requirement or is immune to attacks of that damage type.

THough the yuan-ti mages can cast PfMW.

Stoneskin simply absorbs the attacks with no message since you are hitting, you just aren't causing damage (though if your weapon has some bonus elemental damage those will penetrate since stone skin only blocks physical damage).

[La_Anarquista]

I just finished Cernd's quest. I like all his corny metaphors. I got Anomen, Jaheira, Minsc, Cernd, and Aerie. I'm using the portriat of the sleazy looking human with his eyes half open and smirking. I'm starting to burn out on the game a little though. I might take a break.