Insta-kill weapons

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I'm talking about things like the Vorpal Sword, Ravager, and Axe of the Unyielding. (And I think that's a comprehensive list.)

What are the general opinions on weapons like this? What do you base your weapon selection on? Generally there are three factors people take into account: Instant-kill ability, + to hit (i.e., determining what it can hit), and damage potential.

My personal thought is I pick weapons based on what they can hit, not the chance of getting an instant kill, as all the really tough enemies are immune to this affect anyway. So I generally pick weapons with the highest + to hit number. In this regard, my favorite weapons include things like the Ravager, Carsomyr (upgraded) and Staff of the Ram. These can all get to +6.

The Axe of the Unyielding due to it's many bonuses is also a very useful weapon. To me,the Vorpal Sword is next to worthless, with a paltry +3 to hit, so many enemies are immune. It's fine for SoA, but the downside of that is you don't have the sword for that long in SoA, as you can't even forge it prior to Chapter 6.

I also don't pick weapons based on damage potential much. The reason for this is that with a strength-enhancing item, the majority of damage comes from your strength bonus, and not the weapon itself. Things like Celstial Fury are nice and all, but unless you have the item upgrade mod that enchances it to a +5 weapon, to me it just doesn't make the grade...

So what are the thoughts?

 

I have another aspect as well: the special abilities. You asked about insta-kill weapons, but since you mentioned Celestial Fury as well, I felt telling my addition, which is a general aspect of choosing for me (applied to all weapons) Example: During the game, practically I never used Daystay in real combat, but its SunRay ability against undead was tremendously effective... go to the "lair" of Vampires, and enjoy the effect.
As far as choosing between high damage and insta-kill chance is concerned, I use weapons of both type. As you have written, insta-kill weapons are actually useless against great enemies, so in this case, high damage wins (and special damage, like the electricity damage against Melissan in final battle - Crom Faeyr, Flail of Ages). However, the choice of insta-kill weapons against a lot of common enemies or weak individuals is unambiguous...

 

The Silversword actually slays most enemies. Dragons, Giants, Demons, almost any humanoid, etc. As long as you are hitting the whatever, it can die, no matter if the enchantment is too low. I don't know how many foes I've put down using Korgan and Sarevok go in whirlwind with Axe of the Unyielding and Silversword. Tremendous.

Anyway, it varies very much about abilites. I ToB for example, I didn't use the Celestial Fury since it has too low enchantment. Big mistake, since it has the Booming Thunder stun ability. I don't care too much about THAC0 increasment when I'm equipping fighter-types, since they usally hit most things with a +3 weapon. I mean, +3 or +5 ain't that much of a diffrence, atleast I don't notice it - good enough for me

Instant-kill abilites are amongst the most powerful things in the game, so I usally wield those weapons in one way or another.

 

I don't use the Silver Sword much, but the others I use almost every time because they're two of the most powerful weapons in the game.

And about Celestial Fury, I end up swapping it for the Flail of Ages +4 when I get it because 1 out 3 hits will slow an opponent, which is almost as good as stunning him (and it will happen way more). My usual tactic is to have the Answerer in my other slot, so that when I slow my foe I can switch over and wittle down his AC and MR.

 

I don't generally bother with the insta-kill weapons because of the fact that the enemies you *really* need to insta-kill are immune to their effects. Sure, they're handy for mopping up the lower level enemies but most of them can be dealt with far easier with Greater Deathblow and Whirlwind Attacks anyway.

Celestial Fury I tend to keep with me for quite a way into TOB providing I've got a character with a few points in katanas. Why? The +3 might not work against the real baddies in the game - Melissan, Demogorgon, a few others - but it works against 90% of the others. I don't have any figures or anything like that, but I'm pretty sure that the majority of TOB's enemies can be harmed with +3 weapons. The boss monsters might me immune and probably a few others as well but for these fights I bring out the +5's and +6's.

 

The only insta-kill weapon I work with is the Mace of Distruption +1/+2, and that is just because I hate vampires.

 

I also like weapons that do damage for an extended time period (e.g., Gnasher, Jhor). They're great for disrupting spell casters, and often times their additional damage will hurt those who are immune to the initial damage.

For example, let's say you're up against a dragon who can heal himself, and who can even turn invisible first. Whirlwind with Gnasher hurts him badly enough that he wants to run and heal. But he can't. The constant damage prevents him from getting off a spell, and will finish him off in a couple rounds even if you can't see him anymore.

 

When you hit someone with Celestial Fury, they must take save vs. spell (dunno at what penalty) or be stunned. Flail of Ages slows on 33% of the hits. Hard to compare IMO, since I like Katanas way better, and I always have a Cleric wielding the FoA and they're only second choice fighters for me. Hard to say.

 

The first thing i look for is normally + to hit. I do use insta-kill weapons, my lead char. always picks up the crom fayer, but thats not the reason i use it. By the end, i find insta-kill to not be worthwhile, because a high level fighter, with a powerful waepon will turn anything into mush pretty quick without them. Also, most inst-kill doesn't happen for me on high level opponents. I used to have minsc wield the vorpal sword, and i never killed a dragon or anything with it, so i go for something with high + to hit, and other special bonuses

 

i dont go for powergaming that much.

every time i play i try different weapon types and such.

i used jhor the bleeder a long time once, and have also made use of the flame of the north.

i like to use different weapons, makes the game more interesting. most players would perhaps give scarlet and belm to a thief, and why not its a excellent choice, especially when soloing.
(+2 to attacks per round, downside is that belm is +2 and scarlet is monk only which means you have to wait until u get uai to use it and its "only" +3)

anyways, try various weapons and you'll have much more fun.

 

I find im usually swayed by the + of a weapon rather than special abilitys (though Celestial fury is an exception just becuase its too good to let go of) but I still leave the Silver Sword in the hands of someone like Minsc and completely forget about it until instant-kill comes into play and kills someone.

 

I usually first look at what it can hit ( +2, +3 etc) then who can use it, then probably damage potential and speed factor. And special abilities are a bonus. I hardly ever use "insta-kill" weapons. If I do, it's Sarevok who uses them. He usually uses either the Ascension-upgraded Sword of Chaos, a good crossbow, or the Ravager (upgraded).

I carry the Celestial Fury all the way through ToB most of the time. I think it's one of the best one-hand blades there is. I like it dual-weilded with the Flail of the Ages *grins*

 

Ideally what you need is an insta-kill weapon that's also an amazing weapon in its own right. The Ravager +6 is an amazing weapon, its insta-kill ability just an added bonus. The Silver Sword +3 is a pretty decent weapon but I'd sooner take Liracor with its mind protection or Celestial Fury with its special abilities. And given the choice between Crom Faeyr and practically any other weapon in the game, Crom Faeyr wins hands down.

 

Of course, there's always the killsword, if you're into cheating. Almost as good as importing your character into a new SoA game after killing Melissan.

 

Someone had said that there is a upgrade mod for the Celestial Fury. What kind of bonuses other than the orginal do you get, and is that mod available here?

 

Yes, it's available here. Check the mods list (the first message on this list). You're looking for the Item Upgrade Mod. I don't remember exactly what it does, but I am certain that at the very least it changes it from a +3 to a +5 weapon. If it adds any other abilities, I don't know.

 

It doesn't add any new abilities, just makes Celestial Fury a +5 weapon so well worth getting for those enemies only harmed by +4 weapons or better.

 

Hoestly, changing it to +5 is probably enough, given the fact that CF already HAS a whole bunch of extra abilities anyway.

 

Agreed. The only problem with the original Celestial Fury was that its +3 enchantment made it less and less effective the further into TOB you got. And as Melissan requires +4 to hit it was an ineffective weapon at a time when you needed it most.

But upgrading to +5 takes care of that little problem.

 

Melissan can be hit with +3 if you can get rid of her protections.

The best weapon in the game should not be attainable in SoA, so I don't really see the big attraction of this CF +5.