Another way to think about Kensai

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I was thinking about a higly regenerating kensai.
In SoA you can get soon that sword that heals you one hp every hit. Then, in ToB you soon find the Bastad sword that cast Larloch minor drain on every hit. And you have the regeneration spell and the regeneration from rings....
I'm thinking about this because i've never used some of these weapons. The bastard sword i've mentioned (cannot remember the name) is hardly used, i think. Anyone can tell me if it's a good weapon to have???
What do you think of this character???

 

There's a long sword that you get right at the end of SoA. It's a VERY good +3 sword I might add. I think it gives immunities too. I don't remember much more about it though ...

 

Yes, Blackrazor....i forgot that one...another must have for this character.
So 5 stars in longswords are set in stone.
But, for another weapon, is it worth it to have bastard sword, or maybe flail (defender of eastheaven)...or what else??Maybe axe for the regeneration from AoU+5??

 

You want Foebane +5 - Foebane from WK and Fflard's scabard from Grom Nir's basement.

Why don't you make a dwarf or halforc Kensai with 20 Con?

 

Your character could also benefit from the ioun stone that gives regeneration, but wether not it stacks with the ring if regeneration is beyond me.

 

How many regeneration things stack?

 

All regeneration things stack. I've verified this by cheating in 2 rings of Gaxx for 6 hp regenerating per round.

And you don't want to know how much I regenerated by having 2 rings of Gaxx, black razor, that Kensai Ioun Stone you get from Sendai, potion of Regeneration and the lvl 7 Cleric spell Regeneration...INSANE I tell you!

 

Well well, that sounds like a good combo

 

Yes, yes....this character is really amazing!!!
@Faraaz: i was thinking something like you said (with only one ring of Gaax)

A question...i've never played an half orc: do they get a bonus to constitution??
If so my character will be an half-orc, if not i'll make him a dwarf.

He'll dual wield longsword and bastard sword (Foebane)\axes.

With all the regeneration and the ability to make damage...it'll be a lot of fun to play!!!!

Any more suggestions???

 

Don't be a Kensai...

That's about all I can say really...IMO Kensai's suck *****...just be ANYTHING other than a Kensai, or even a Cheddar flavored Kensai/Mage...

As for why...look around, there's like a million topics on why Kensai's are crap from a month or so ago still around.

 

I had a high regen character once, it just happens too slowly.

And the minor drain always seemed to be resisted by my MR.

Can't beat good ol' potions!

 

Regeneration from weapons and items stack only when they have the same rate.And the game uses only the highest regeneration rate.

IIRC the only regeneration which will stack with the rest (even if it has a different rate)is the one from high CON.

As for the Foebane +5 it's an excellent weapon for a Kensai.Its Larloch's minor drain:

- Is set to 4 (you don't roll 1D4)
- Ignores stoneskin,mirror image
- If target has 100% MR he will not take the additional +4 damage, BUT you will still gain the +4 HPs to BOTH of your actual and MAX HPs


Use it with GWW attacks or Improved Haste (which will double your regen. rate from items/weapons) and he will be regenerating like crazy

 

WOW!!!!
Thanks a lot thetruth!!!!
I've decided to make my kensai an half orc, with 19 str and 19 con. With the tomes in BG1 these will go to 20 and dex to 19....
my weapons will be:
bastard swords for the main hand

now i don't know for the off hand...suggestions???

 

I would use the Belm if I were you.With Belm in his off-hand and improved hasted your Kensai will have a +2 ApR bonus.
Other excellent off-hand weapons are the Defender of Eastheaven (physical res.) and the Crom Fayer (STR bounus).

 

Well, you can go for power and use the Celestial Fury, which would be better in the main hand now that I think about it.

The Equalizer is a long sword you have to get Cromwell to forge for you after you find all 3 pieces. It gives immunity to charm and confusion and has the following for what it can hit:

If no one else is using it, Flail of the Ages (FoA).

 

You can always go for Crom Faeyr in the offhand as well. While a 20 strength character is very good, there's a significant difference between 20 and 25 granted by Crom. 20 is +3 to hit, +8 to damage, while 25 is +7 to hit and +14 to damage, so you're talking aboutan extra 6 damage with each hit, plus a signficant increase in THAC0 (granted, with any type of fighter class, THAC0 is usually not much of a problem in ToB).

 

Thanks all for the advice....
i don't think i'll use Croem Faeyr, because my strength will grow in the Hell trial (+3) and with the machine in WK (+1) and with the deck of many things (IIRC+1)...so i'll have 25...correct me if i'm wrong
maybe belm or Defender of Eastheaven...is Defender of E a flail??? i'll have to take a look....if yes i'll use flail for the opportunity to use FoA...

 

DoE is most definitely a flail, and since it reduces damage, it's a pretty solid choice for a character that's going to get hit a lot. As far as your math is concerned, the only thing I can see wrong with it is I think you only get +2 to strength taking the evil path in the wrath trial. I thought you get +1 strength no matter what class you were, and then you get an additional +1 to your class's primary stat, which for a kensai would be strength. Still, I agree that the difference between 24 and 25 is marginal.

One more thing - Belm isn't the greatest choice is ToB, because there's so many creatures immune to +2 or less. Even though it grants you an extra attack, you're basically losing the attack from Belm each round. You're much better off going with something that can actually hit things, because the number of attacks that may actually cause damage is the same either way.

 

So i think i'll take flail for the off hand.
DoE and FoA are great weapons that i haven't used a lot in my previous games....

 

I don't think this is right. When you switch out belm for a different off-hand weapon you give up one attack with your main hand weapon to gain an attack with the off-hand weapon. This will only allow you to do more damage if the offhand weapon is BETTER than the main hand weapon. And if it's better why isn't it in your main hand?

In my view the only reason to have a weapon other than belm in the offhand is that it gives good status effects. And these have to be good enough to give up an extra attack with the main hand.

DoE is defintiely good for this. Is 20% damage resistance worth giving up and attack with FoA? Depends how you use the character really.