Best class for Duel Wielding

[SportyHeadShot]

In a previous game I manged to grab two very powerful katanas, however I noted that my character build was definatly not suited to duel weilding, What would be one of the best builds to utalize this?

[.O.]

i dunno about best, but from personal experience fighter/thief, thief and bard all work well enough for regular playthroughs. For powergaming playthroughs I can't answer

[wendigo211]

Really any class that can put three pips (Mastery) in dual wielding. So Swashbuckler, Blade, Fighter, Ranger or Paladin and of course any multi or dual class characters containing those classes. Paladins will probably want to go two-handed for Carsomyr instead, although there is also a holy avenger hand-and-a-half sword in ToB. Rangers get two pips in dual wield for free. Fighters can get Grand Mastery so single classed and dual classed Fighters will make the best dual-wielders over all. The Kensai kit will have the highest DPS when dual wielding, and with the bonus attack weapons (scimitars, shortswords and daggers that can be both thrown and/or used in melee) the Swashbuckler will come in second.

[ÄmJii]

Originally posted by wendigo211:

Really any class that can put three pips (Mastery) in dual wielding...

I have to mention, third pip is bit of a waste as it only reduces your off-hand penalty by 2. By the time you get 3rd pip your THAC0 should be sufficient to offset that minor penalty.
The bigger reason why I consider it as a wasted point is because you're only getting one attack with off-hand, regardless of your character's APR (off-hand Belm/Kundane applies to main-hand attack, not off-hand).

[wendigo211]

It depends on when you're taking that third pip and the class you're using.

If you're not taking a Fighter, you aren't getting better than specialization in the weapon you're using and +10% chance to hit on one APR is still useful. You'll have enough proficiency points, and how many weapons are going to specialize in anyway?

If you are taking a Fighter then I like to go for mastery on my weapon, then mastery in dual wielding and finally go for grandmastery. Why? At BG levels, low THAC0 gives you a better DPS boost than the damage bonus and High and Grand Mastery only offer a +1 to damage bonus over mastery. While Grand Mastery does give me an extra 1/2 APR, That bonus APR means I would have 3.5 instead of 3 attacks. If I buff with Haste, I'll have 4 APR either way, and by the time the level 13 1/2 APR, or improved haste, come into play, I'll have Grand Mastery. The +10% chance to hit won't be much of a factor at level 20+, but It will help when I'm fighting Sarevok, Doom Guards or Belhifet at level 7-9.

If I'm dualing to a Thief or a Mage, my THAC0 needs all the help it can get since their THAC0 progression stops at 10 and 13 respectively. So that third pip is definitely not a waste for those characters.

[Ghoul Hunter]

Any fighting character will benefit greatly from dual-wielding. It's arguably the best specialty.

You get an extra attack per round and the magical bonuses of your offhand weapon. The other specialties don't offer anything close to this. If you're wanting to tank, you can just throw on a shield for the battle.

[Hoop]

Fighter and then class him into a Mage. It can be kinda rough going but once you get enough levels in both classes he will be really strong.

[anferFFmax]

Originally posted by SportyHeadShot:

In a previous game I manged to grab two very powerful katanas, however I noted that my character build was definatly not suited to duel weilding, What would be one of the best builds to utalize this?

The thing is that "best," in this case, is very subjective. Here are three awesome "builds" for dual wielding your katanas.

Wizard Slayer Half-Orc. This guy would be powerhouse with its natural 19 STR and Con. Dishing out massive damage with those katanas. Stopping casters in within seconds of engaging them, while still being super deadly to everybody else. Give the guy some proficiency with blunt weapons as a second so that it can fight slashing damage immune foes, like Golems.

Half-Elf Fighter-Mage. You can't go wrong with this guy. Dual wielding katanas with a fighter's thaco and damage while being able to use Mage protections. WOW! Just effing WOW!

Half-Orc Bezerker. There's no arguments against this one. Zerkers are a powerhouse in BG. And one that dual wields katanas is just bad news for the baddies. It's also the easiest to use of the three. My top choice for beginners, and for people that don't want to micro-manage their toons too much.