Where to buy +2 weapons?

[IvanLeTerrible]

Hi guys, Im having trouble with golems and vampires, need +2 weapons but dont know where to buy them.

[voehringer_nitron]

You should find a few by adventuring around town, like Arbane's Sword, the Staff Spear. Others will come from various side quests. The Adventurer's Mart and Copper Coronet have several for sale. If you drove out the genies, the stores in Trademeet, as well.

There's also the Guarded Compound in the Temple District, but that is not an easy fight by any means.

[frdnwsm]

There are a few for sale in the adventurer's mart in Waukeen's Promenade. Another way is to buy two Magic Weapon spell scrolls from the scroll seller there. 4th level mage spell. Let Aerie learn one and Nalia the other [assuming that these are the two mages you pick up first]. This spell lets a mage create a +3 weapon [only one handers, alas ... mace, axe, short and long swords] that lasts for 16 hours. You can even rest and memorize a different spell; the weapons you created will have 8 more hours to go. Very useful until you get more cash and better permanent weapons.

You should get a +2 weapon right off the bat from the Genie in Irenicus' Prison. The slaver quest nets you the +3 two handed sword Lilarcor if you can solve the puzzle in the tunnels. Nalia's Keep quest gets you the +3 Flail of Ages as well as a couple of other items. Some NPCs come with magical weapons; Keldorn has a +2 sword, for example, as does Dorn if you like the Dark Side.

Vampires are an extreme pain early in the game; the best way to deal with these is just to not encounter them until you are more powerful. Don't go outside after dark! Also watch out for casting spells outdoors, until you can raise the 5G needed for a mage license. Cast all buff spells indoors until then.

[frdnwsm]

The Guarded Compound, mentioned above, is actually the tail end of the Slaver quest, and nets you, among other things, the fairly powerful +3 katana Celestial Fury. It is NOT an easy fight; you face a whole pack of strong and well armed foes. Not for those just off the Irenicus Prison Express.

If you are looking for combats, there are some adventurers on the second floor of the Seven Veils Tavern who are spoiling for a fight, and there's a bunch of thugs in the NE part of the sewers who will try to mug you for your lunch money. Both encounters are moderately difficult for an early party. There's also a Raksasha accompanied by a couple of kobold commandos in the center of the sewers map.

[IvanLeTerrible]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I went to the stores and found some weapons, but my chars are proficient only in long swords and axes. That tip of the Magical Weapon spell is very useful, though. Gonna use it to wreck some vampires. The main problem with vampires is the energy drain attack, which might kill your char outright. There is a cleric 4th level spell that protects against it, though. You better prepare yourself to fight vampires.

[frdnwsm]

Again, vampires are easily avoided by simply staying indoors at night. SoA portion of BG series is FULL of vampres, with a major campaign against Bhodi's vampire thieve's guild. Any character fully drained by a vampire cannot be raised, they are just gone. Yes, negative plane protection spell is useful, but if they ambush you on the street you may not have time to cast it. A hunting pack of 3 vamps can wreck your party in half a minute.

Having said that, there are other ways to fight these suckers. You could run around with an escort of Skeletal warriors [animate dead spell]. These guys can't really hit the vampires but they can't be drained either; they can distract the vamps by closing with them while you cast haste and either flee or magic missile their butts. Another way is to recruit Korgan and give him a +2 or better axe. Haste him and have him go berserk. Berserkers while in the Rage state are immune to both level drain and dire charm.

[SanSwaggerif]

Mostly they can be found in the Waukeen's Promenade - Adventurer's Mart and Bernard from the Copper Coronet (some additional weapons and accessories may be available after you free Hendak). You'll also end up meeting some miscellaneous merchants on the way who sell +2 items. Most of the weapons can be found as loot through quests, however,

In my recent playthrough I purchased some nifty items from Joluv in the Coronet: A sling that fires +5 bullets when no bullets are equipped . You'll be able to purchase the +2 sling of seeking (fires +2 bullets in the absence of bullets).

You'll start up with some +2 weapons early in Irenicus' lair depending on your proficiency. My proficient-in-daggers Sorc received the Grave Binder +2 from the genie, my friend with 2handed proficiency received a Sword of Chaos +2 (2h sword) and a MP game I joined (host was proficient with Quarterstaffs) received a Staff Spear +2. If the genie doesn't give you a Sword of Chaos +2, killing the cambion below the genie grants you that sword.

Eventually, towards the middle of Chapter 2 or the game in case you decided to head to Spellhold early, you'll end up with +4 or +5 loot. Note that some +2 or +3 weapons actually do additional damage towards undead/demons, or have additional properties making the battle easier.

Some of these are:
-Daystar +2 : +4 against evil creatures, does double damage against undead (long sword)
-Mace of Disruption +2: kills undead immediately if undead fails Save (mace)
-Foebane +3: +5 damage vs. demons, devils and undead (bastard sword)
-Celestial Fury +3: chance to stun or additional damage (katana)
-Flail of Ages +3: chance to slow or additional damage from each flail
-Flame of the North +2: +4 damage against chaotic evil opponents (2h sword)
-Jerrod's Mace +2: +5 damage against demons
-Adjatha the Drinker +2: Immunity to Charm and domination (long sword)
-Jade Fang +3: heals wielder for 1 HP/hit, 5% chance of stunning target for 10secs (dagger)
-Arbane's Sword +2: immunity to hold and paralysis (short sword)
-Peridan +2: Immunity to fear, regen 1HP per turn, double damage vs dragons (longsword)
-Dragon's Bane +3: +6 vs dragons (Halberd)
-Kachiko's Wazikashi: Drains 2 WIS per hit for 2 rounds per hit if enemy fails Save vs. Death. (Scimitar/Wazikashi)
-Belm +2: 1 extra attack/round (suitable for thieves!) - (Scimitar/Wazikashi)

[SanSwaggerif]

Originally posted by IvanLeTerrible:

Thanks for the tips, guys. I went to the stores and found some weapons, but my chars are proficient only in long swords and axes. That tip of the Magical Weapon spell is very useful, though. Gonna use it to wreck some vampires. The main problem with vampires is the energy drain attack, which might kill your char outright. There is a cleric 4th level spell that protects against it, though. You better prepare yourself to fight vampires.

Some of the weapons I mentioned earlier are longswords.
You can buy axes in the Copper Coronet as well, the game doesn't have many though (I recall a Hangard's Axe +2 and Frostreaver +3 you can get early in the game). I have Korgan in my party who has a five-point proficiency in axes.

The game has a good abundancy of long swords, though. Warhammers would be a good additional proficiency, in my opinion as you get a good warhammer by the middle towards the end of SoA. You can, however, get the unupgraded version in Chapter 2/3.

[SanSwaggerif]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

The Guarded Compound, mentioned above, is actually the tail end of the Slaver quest, and nets you, among other things, the fairly powerful +3 katana Celestial Fury. It is NOT an easy fight; you face a whole pack of strong and well armed foes. Not for those just off the Irenicus Prison Express.

If you are looking for combats, there are some adventurers on the second floor of the Seven Veils Tavern who are spoiling for a fight, and there's a bunch of thugs in the NE part of the sewers who will try to mug you for your lunch money. Both encounters are moderately difficult for an early party. There's also a Raksasha accompanied by a couple of kobold commandos in the center of the sewers map.

The adventurers can be beaten early in the game (presumably after the Slavers quest) if you have six members in your party (say 2 melees and a cleric required). Of course, you can tell them you're leaving then spell buff and summon. Note the thief flees if injured. The Guarded Compound, however, is a tougher fight. I think I did that around 13-14 level. The thugs, who ask for 1k, can be harder - I recall I couldn't beat them in my first playthrough (vanilla BG2) due to low levels and ended up losing all my money, which luckily I earned back.

I'm not sure if the mercenaries led by Captain Dennis in the Bridge district give good loot, though, but they are an option for a middle-game party.

[frdnwsm]

"you get a good warhammer by the middle towards the end of SoA. "

If you're talking about Crom Feyr, I have never bothered to construct it. IMO, you give up too much to make it. Opinions vary, of course. It depends on your main character's professional skills.

"'m not sure if the mercenaries led by Captain Dennis in the Bridge district give good loot,"

Isn't Dennis part of the Limited Wish quest? You may not want to kill him off.

[SanSwaggerif]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

"you get a good warhammer by the middle towards the end of SoA. "

If you're talking about Crom Feyr, I have never bothered to construct it. IMO, you give up too much to make it. Opinions vary, of course. It depends on your main character's professional skills.

You can still use the Hammer of Thunderbolts. Actually, I realized there so many new loot in EE that you can bypass that one. Was the Unholy Reaver part of BG2 vanilla?

[frdnwsm]

Never played BG original, just EE version. No idea.

[SanSwaggerif]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

Never played BG original, just EE version. No idea.

I played Vanilla BG2 8-9 years ago during my college days, I am new to EE. ^^
Anyway, there's really so many new loot that you probably won't need the Crom Faeyr, but I do want that str boost! :)

Also I realized the Mauler's Arm +2 raises the strength of the wielder to 18. This you can get early in the game. Suitable for.. maybe Viconia?

[frdnwsm]

Yes, Viconia needs the strength boost to wear decent armor. Give her something like red dragon plate and a decent shield, and a MR item and she becomes hard to hit. I had her pumped up to AC -10 and 5O% MR fairly early in SoA. Hands of Takkok is even better, then she can wield things like the Flail of Ages.

[SanSwaggerif]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

"

"'m not sure if the mercenaries led by Captain Dennis in the Bridge district give good loot,"

Isn't Dennis part of the Limited Wish quest? You may not want to kill him off.

You can still complete the quest then surround and force-attack him for experience and loot. But imo, there's nothing special about the loot he drops. I don't see anything special about this quest either: Edwin complains about playing run and fetch (but he doesn't leave) and you waste money buying the scroll and the gong... You lose a Wand of Frost. Plus, you have to go around different areas just to get some exp and a +2 weapon, which I sold. Not actually worth the time. If you do it early, though, the experience given might be considerable, but other than that, nothing much.

[SanSwaggerif]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

Yes, Viconia needs the strength boost to wear decent armor. Give her something like red dragon plate and a decent shield, and a MR item and she becomes hard to hit. I had her pumped up to AC -10 and 5O% MR fairly early in SoA.

I have her now on AC -8 (Full Plate and Spirit Shield +2). I just reached the underdark so I'm considering getting her the Drow Full Plate +5 which raises her AC to -11 without the cloak.