Under Appreciated Weapons

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There are many weapons in the game that are under-used or just unappreciated, typically because of their lower enchantment. However, some of them can actually be pretty useful. I'd like this thread to give suggestions on some of these types of weapons. As we are talking about under appreciated weapons, you really should limit your choices to weapons with +1 or +2 enchantment, as weapons of +3 or better are rarely unappreciated. And yes, in case you're wondering, I do see future poll potential in this topic, but I want to get some ideas first because under appreiciated weapons have the habit of being forgotten, which is where you, the wonderful SPers of the world could help me out.

My two personal nominations are Mauler's Arm and Navarra. Both +2 weapons.

Mauler's Arm is a mace that raises a character's strength to 18. It can be purchased at the Copper Coronet. As a mace, it can only be used by clerics and fighters, and since many of these characters have exceptional strength scores to begin with, the strength enhancement provides little to no benefit. At best, it means a difference of maybe a couple of points of damage and an additional +1 to hit, meaning it's not much better than a measly +2 mace, and at worse, it's actually a disadvantage. However, there are two characters in the game that can make great use of this weapon, specifically Viconia and Aerie. I'll focus on Viconia, but a lot of what I say would apply to Aerie as well. First of all, Viconia's strength is a worthless 9, meaning she can't use heavy armor, most of the heavy weapons and anything bigger than a small shield. These severe restrictions effectively eliminate Viconia as a front line character, unless you enhance her strength. Sure, there are tons of strength enhancing belts in the game, but most of them aren't available early on, and can probably be more useful to other characters. Not only that, but Viconia's Constitution is also a problem, and the only item that can fix that is also a belt, and you can't use two. Mauler's Arm is an excellent weapon for Viconia to use, especially if you give her a proficiency point in flails, so she can use FotA in her main hand and MA in her off hand. She can still raise her constitution with the belt, and all the items that greatly enhance strength are still available to the top end fighters in your party.

The other nomination is Navarra. As most long swords in the game, Navarra is really a special purpose weapon. While only a +2 in enchantment, it posesses the ability to cast Silence 15' Radius, and thus is very useful against spell casters. The great thing about it is you don't even have to be using the weapon to activate it's powers. As long as it is in one of your weapon quick slots, even if it's not the active weapon, you can use the Silence ability. So you don't even need a character to be proficient in long swords to make use of this weapon. It's great for someone to be carrying around this sword even if you never take a single swing with it.

[ December 07, 2005, 19:40: Message edited by: Aldeth the Foppish Idiot ]

 

Mauler's Arm raises strength to 18/00, not 18.

Gnasher's club +2 adds splinter damage when it hits and those splinters help get rid of annoying protections like Faldorn's Ironskins.

Flametongue has 4 different enchantments: +1 vs. normal, +2 vs. regenerating creatures, +3 vs. fire and cold creatures, +4 vs. undead, which I find quite handy. I like it as an alternative when my PC is dual-wielding with long swords. It's especially good in the pit of the faithless' zombie town. It takes planning to remember to use it.

 

But that still doesn't negate my point about it's usefulness. Editing initial post.

 

No, it sets it to 18; I'm using it on my Quayle PC (pretending it's a staff), and he only gets up to 18. (He was up to 18/00 with the GoOP at one point, but then I gave them to Mazzy and he's back down to 14 or 18.)

 

Double My initial post is getting whiplash. Can we get a final ruling here?

 

I AM a final ruling.
[/Scar]

BLUN19.ITM has an effect to set STR to 18, but does not have the extra effect to set STRExtra to 100 like the GoOP (BRAC06.ITM) do; look it up if you don't believe me.

BTW, Korgan's been carrying Navarra for a little while, and it frees up a 2nd-level priest spell for Quayle.

 

It is not Navarra but Namarra +2(at least in my game).

I like Ilbratha, Short Sword +1. Wearer can cast Mirror Image once per day, useful especially for pure fighters.

 

Arbane's Sword +2. Immunity to hold and stun, plus can haste the character once per day for 12 seconds. Really easy to acquire, and a fine off-hand weapon that's actually believable. (Context will fill you in on what I thnk about famous combos like Fury/Feyr). Its not a bad option to simply keep in a quick-item slot just for its haste power, either.

I fully agree about the utilty of the Mauler's Arm - I always buy it for Aerie.

A related point is something I started a thread on a while back. All the monsters that require at least +x to hit really detract from the game in my opinion. There are a lot of weapons I'd use just for variety, except that there's nothing I hate worse than hearing Jaheira shout: "Weapon has no effect!"

 

Namarra and Arbane are excellent items. Although I never used them as weapons, I always carry them around for their special abilities, both of which are priceless at the beginning of the game (particularly since Mirror Image can only be cast on self by a mage.

I like Water's Edge for its extra attack. I always give this weapon to Jaheira early in the game, and that improves her quite a bit as a fighter.

Sarevok's sword is also the first +2 weapon you get, and probably the only one you have for a long time. But even later on its draining ability is still pretty good to have.

 

Staff of curing's +2AC is useful early on when sheilds only provide +1AC. It's found in the graveyard district.

Flame Tongue only has different damages, its enchantment remains the same afaik.

Shazzellim, the scimitar found with the mages whome you murder for the Harpers, is one of the first enchanted weapons I get for Jaheira. That it vocalises when held helps too.

Not to take it off topic but one sword I really don't like is Dak'kon's Zerth Blade. Only a Kensai/Mage can make any decent use of it in the off-hand. And there are other weapons that might be better.

 

Dak'kon's Zerth blade is a bonus, and in my opinion, designed to help balance out good weapons to bards, as it boosts low level spells (such as a bard would have) and many people use katana's with a bard.

BTW, isn't this more of a SoA thread?

 

Total brain fart. I swear it was 18/00. Oh well.

As for Flametongue, doesn't the altering enchantments apply to what it can hit and damage? Like The Equalizer?

 

I remember a blade I once used called Blade of Roses.. or something.. I forget now what it does, but I sure did like it.. I wonder why!

 

Blade of Roses adds charisma... +3 charisma, i think? I used to love it cause of how it looked.

 

raises cha by 2 & does 2d4+3 damage

 

If I remember correctly Mauler's Arm is +3... But then again I'm not 100% sure

 

"Blade of Roses" is a +3 long sword which increases charisma if I remember correctly. Pretty useful.

Kundane (short sword +2) is an underrated weapon, especially because they omitted the given extra attack in the description.
It was the best off-hand weapon choice for my kensai since Jaheira used belm.

The Boomerang Dagger is also underated. Jan Jansen defeated my throwing axe +2 throwing, 19 STR&CON kensai in a duel using it.

 

The Mauler's arm is indeed +2.

One I think I have to add to the list is:

Stiletto of Demarchess. It's only a +2 and it's in the Planer sphere but if you get it early. With it's 20% chance and the saving throws are still with you you can take down harder enemies surprisingly easy when it kicks in and holds a person. It's a weapon I do enjoy in the earlier parts of the game.

 

Correct if I'm wrong, but I thought that belt of constitution boosts CON by casting a spell? Which means you can wear the belt, cast it, and switch belts. Not to take away from your argument on the Mauler's Arm though - I had purchased it the first time through the game because I saw its usefullness and I didn't know what other maces were in the game.

I like darts +0. They are plentiful, cheap, and with 3 shots per round, they do decent damage to held / stunned / webbed enemies. Beats sling stones.

 

Darts are generally underestimated by everybody. If you have an assassin, they're damn useful for stacking poison damage (especially with poisoned darts o' wounding ). The only drawbacks are the ridiculously short range and that the Tuigan Bow +1 does the same job, is available early on and has better range. Otherwise the relative abundance of Wounding Darts would make 'em the pros choice, imo.

I'm glad someone mentioned the enchanted throwing daggers, too - the damage they do so far outstrips a bow that it's just obscene. 2D4 +2 +STR, and +1 attack/round? That's mental, no bow in unmodded SoA can compare to that! Imoen with a STR belt can lay down some serious beatings from a distance with Boomerang +2, much more so that with either of the 2 unlimited ammo shortbows. Those are only useful for higher +enchantment or elemental damage and then only until your dig up Firetooth +3, which ticks both of those boxes.

For my nomination to the pantheon of underrated items, though, I'd like to elect Valygar's blade, as my own stalker's been using it on my latest run-through. Most people let this rust as soon as they get CF, but that's a shame. The poison damage is nice (especially vs. trolls) and a 2 AC bonus vs. slashing weapons isn't half bad. If only CF weren't so overpowered... *sigh*