Sling & Dart Specialist Suggestions

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Hi! So I'm making a party that will consist of the following:

1. Archer using bows
2. Halforc kensai using throwing daggers
3. Halfhorc kensai using throwing axes
4. Dwarf kensai using warhammers (dwarven thrower)
5. One charcter that exclusively uses darts
6. One character that exclusively uses slings

What should I pick for the sling character, keeping in mind that I don't want any casters or multiclasses? Note that I have true grandmastery tweak applied:

Archer: Problem is I can't get grandmastery with slings as an archer. Do archer's missile weapon enchantments apply to a sling user?

Berserker: Can only become proficient in slings, but rage gives me some damage and thac0 (don't consider the immunities... I don't care about those).

Fighter: Can get grandmastery, but other than that is just a vanilla fighter...

Wizard Slayer: Can get grandmastery, but isn't the cumulative spell failure broken? And plus, no magic gear, so I'm not sure if he is better than vanilla fighter.

Also, race? Halflings are "naturally skilled at slings" (what does that even mean in stats terms?), but they suffer a str penalty, versus 19str if I play halforc.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

I've always heard that a Wizard Slayer's spell failure *does* work with ranged weapons.

 

+1 to hit with slings I believe. Why are you worried about strength -- there are numerous items to compensate (only two slings use strength and one is a bug). Archers can specialize in any missile weapon (including slings, but I don't think darts are an option).

The biggest problem I see is the limited 'to hit' bonuses you will have -- many of the boss enemies will be immune to most of your attacks.

 

Are you sure? I tried going ***** with slings as an archer and was unable to do so... maybe a mod-introduced bug?

I'll go melee if I absolutely have to to hit something.

 

I thought I was able to ***** slings, but it's been a long time and I may have adjusted the 2da file to allow it (probably when I cheated in an archer/cleric to experiment with).

Remenber, the bad guys will have true grandmastery as well -- your * in melee won't get you too far against them.

 

I'll rarely have to use melee, and even then, I'm sure finding a way to win will be trivially easy. I don't have any difficulty enhancing mods... winning will be easy no matter what.

I'm just playing this party to see how useful each of these can be relative to the others.

 

I think there's a BG2 Tweaks component that makes Wizard Slayers miscast magic work on ranged hits. I dont think its default behaviour.

Since you are not using either casters or multi class characters, you dont have much in the way of choice. Its either fighter, berserker or wizard slayer.

What about a swashbuckler or other variant of thief for one of the characters?

 

I would think the Swashbuckler would be excellent for either choice, though a vanilla fighter is the best. Their just, well, vanilla! but since you are not using spellcasters, that shouldn't be a big deal.

 

Does assassin poison and/or backstab work with darts? What about thief combat HLAs?

a thief would be vaguely useful for pickpocketing, but I'd like to focus on the ability to do ranged damage.

 

No casters???!!!! The horror! I was going to suggest a Blade for darts. I'm pretty sure the Offensive Spin works with ranged weapons. Maybe you can use a Blade but just don't cast any spells....?

Even though I can just barely get my head around the idea of a game without casters, I still can't fathom a game without at least one rogue. Go for the swashbuckler! 3 attacks per round with darts, plus the +1 to hit/damage every 5 levels would be decent. Then trap setting, UAI.... he/she may outshine your other characters later in the game.

OH.. Assassin poison does work with ranged weapons. Yes!

For slings I would definitely use a warrior class, because 1 attack per round with few other bonuses is kinda sad. Maybe use an Inquisitor? Yeah! No Paladin spells, but you'd have the nifty True Sight and Dispel. So technically not a caster!!

Hmmm... ranged party with both an Assassin and an Inquisitor.