Why would one use a flail over a morningstar?

[Diaten]

Just picking a weapon for my evil cleric for SoU+HotU.

Both a flail and a morningstar have 1d8 base damage, but it's bludgeoning+piercing for the morningstar and just bludgeoning for the flail, also flails require proficiency in martial weapons. And it seems like variety of options for flails in official modules is not that great.
On top of that even visually morningstar somehow is a chain weapon in NWN1.

What's even the point of using flails, am I missing something?

[jonoliveira12]

Morningstars are better than Light Flails (different to Heavy Flails, a2-handed, and deals MUCH more damage), because some opponents are resistant to Bludgeoning damage, so the more damage types a weapon does, the better.

A Flaming Morningstar, for example, does Fire, Blunt and Piercing Damage, so to fully negate the damage, an opponent would need 3 damage immunities, which just does not happen in the game, regularly.
To a Light Flail, an opponent just needs 2 damage immunities, which is not very rare at all, in this game.

If you can use Martial Weapons, the Morningstar is literally made to replace the Light Flail.
You only use Simple weapons like Light Hammers, Handaxes or Flails, either if you do not have Martial Weapon Proficiency, or you need a Ligh Weapon to offhand with smaller penalties (you cannot, however, offhand a Light Flail).

[Diaten]

Originally posted by jonoliveira12:

If you can use Martial Weapons, the Morningstar is literally made to replace the Light Flail.
You only use Simple weapons like Light Hammers, Handaxes or Flails

I just checked again: Morningstar is a Simple weapon, while a Light Flail is a Martial one.

That's what I find confusing.

Both weapons have 1d8 damage (crit 20, x2) and can't be wielded in the off-hand, but a Light Flail provides less damage types AND requires a Martial Weapon Proficiency.

Looks like a mistake that hasn't been addressed until later DnD editions.

[Tesseract]

In pnp, a flail gets bonuses to disarm and trip attacks. It's also a little lighter, 5 pounds vs 8 for a morningstar.

[Shiroi Ren]

Well, technicaly, NWN Morning Stars are light flails... Because real morning stars are... Subtype of maces?

As for game, I think for evil cleric... Scythe would be more funny as weapon... But, I think light flail can be used for low STR cleric, who want to rely on summons and spells. Just to save some weight.

[Diaten]

Originally posted by Tesseract:

In pnp, a flail gets bonuses to disarm and trip attacks. It's also a little lighter, 5 pounds vs 8 for a morningstar.

Thanks, now things at least make sense. =)

Originally posted by Shiroi Ren:

As for game, I think for evil cleric... Scythe would be more funny as weapon...

I plan to pick Beshaba as my deity, and her favored weapon is a scourge. =)
I guess a whip would be closer to it than a flail, but there're no whips around 'till the HotU, and the Flail is listed as her favored weapon in NWN2.
Since Morningstars are indeed Light Flails in NWN, I wanted to know the difference.

[jonoliveira12]

Originally posted by Diaten:

Originally posted by jonoliveira12:

If you can use Martial Weapons, the Morningstar is literally made to replace the Light Flail.
You only use Simple weapons like Light Hammers, Handaxes or Flails

I just checked again: Morningstar is a Simple weapon, while a Light Flail is a Martial one.

That's what I find confusing.

Both weapons have 1d8 damage (crit 20, x2) and can't be wielded in the off-hand, but a Light Flail provides less damage types AND requires a Martial Weapon Proficiency.

Looks like a mistake that hasn't been addressed until later DnD editions.

Really?

Well, I just checked, and so is the Light Hammer and the Handaxe, which I find strange.

Just ignore Flails then, unless you are roleplaying an egyptian-style character. If you are going for Martial Weapons, the Warhammer is the better blunt weapon anyway, so just use that.

When NWN released, 3rd Edition was not complete, and they were still experimenting with it.
I know that later on, Light Flails, Handaxes and Light Hammers became Simple Weapons.

[jonoliveira12]

Originally posted by Shiroi Ren:

Well, technicaly, NWN Morning Stars are light flails... Because real morning stars are... Subtype of maces?

As for game, I think for evil cleric... Scythe would be more funny as weapon... But, I think light flail can be used for low STR cleric, who want to rely on summons and spells. Just to save some weight.

The Scythe is more of a Neutral, Nature of Good weapon, for a Reaper type character, because the Reaper is a divinely mandated agent, and his role maintains the Order of things.

The Battleaxe or a type of Sword, are more typical of Evil characters, as those are weapons designed specifically for war and destruction.

[jonnin]

as an aside, for a non fighter I would avoid trying to take feats for a weapon type in most of SOU where the best magic weapons are not generally the ones you would feat for. The loot in that one is a little weird for the first 2 chapters.

[Jackie Daytona]

I read this thread n tried out the morning star when i used to use a dagger with my rogue, use seafarer, I have to say it's awesome thanks for the info. it smashes damn near everything eve the werewolves on the server i'm on n those bastards are immune or absorb so much ♥♥♥♥, haha not Mr. Morning star. thx again. what would be some good enchantments to do on one? it's my next plan of action. thx in advance