Weapon for Fighter/Bard/RDD

[Master Goodheart]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post here, haven't needed to post so-far, but I'm going to start a new character soon and need advice.

I'm going to play a Figher 8, Bard 2, RDD 30 and need to know which weapon to use. I currently have a lvl 35 rare longsword from a trade and was thinking of using that, but I talked to some people in-game who said to use a greatsword or sythe, so I'm not quite sure what to do. And would I be able to trade my sword for the equivilent greatsword/sythe if need be?

Thanks a lot,
MG

[bkelowna]

Well I have a RDD with Greatsword and wish I had taken warhammer or scythe. Even better would be the ability switch between those 2 weapons imo.

[chainlink]

Scythe for infrequent massive damage bursts (low critical chance) or rapier or kukri for much more frequent criticals but lower damage output. My original Bard/Ftr/RDD (2/8/50) uses a scythe and is pretty effective and I have him switch to some other random blunt weapon when the scythe is proving ineffective. I've used longswords before as they were one of my favorite weapons in D&D but unfortunately they lack any significant benefits in the NWN engine.

[tl]

Hej bkelowna

Why do you prefer a Scythe in stead of a Greatsword?

I newer tryed S or G, but doesn't G have a better overall battle-matrix than S?

Gohr Økseklang (DW Waraxe)

[bkelowna]

Yes in theory the Greatsword stacks up great. However, in reality, HG reality that is, it pales.

For instance, and this is a very limited example, let's just say that your weapon does about 100 damage on a hit, well frequently on the server the baddies can soak up almost all 100 of the damage. So, with Greatsword a crit does 200 damage less 100 damage reductions gives you a hit of 100, yet the scythe does a crit of 400 less 100 damage reductions nets you a hit of 300. Many times, in areas where baddies can take heals the guy with the scythe kills them before they can ever take the heal.

I have yet to see any reason to be happy using a greatsword on that lvl 60 RDD char. So, now usually choose weapons based on the crit multiplier and base damage types.

[FunkySwerve]

The highest possible damage resistance is 50/-, and Im not aware of any creatures that have that. Damage immunity can go up to 100%, however, but that subtracts a percent of total damage rather than a set amount - meaning your GS/Scythe comparison is skewed.
Funky

[bkelowna]

Didn't specify a single damage type.

[cathedralmaster]

tl said:

I newer tryed S or G, but doesn't G have a better overall battle-matrix than S?

Greatswords have criticals of 19–20/×2.
Scythes have criticals of ×4.

IMO, it depends on the build which is better for you. If you don't have the ab (or whatever is required) to score critical hits with a scythe with any regularity, then the x4 is pretty meaningless. However, if you have ab points coming out the kazoo then going with greatswords is a mistake as you aren't utilizing your abilities to the greatest effect.

However, greatsword has something extra working against it - it's slashing damage, supposedly the most common type of dmg resistance on the server. The best critical bludgeoning weapon if I am not mistaken is the war hammer with a x3 (most are x2) - you thus have no bludgeoning alternative to the scythe. However, the heavy flail has the same critical properties as the great sword so it's arguably a better choice as your less likely to encounter resistance to it (or so I've heard). The rapier has better criticals than either the greatsword or the heavy flail being 18-20/x2, is piercing dmg, but is harder to aquire.

Just something to think about.

[chainlink]

Unfortunately Scythe has both slashing and piercing damage types and your "victims" get to use the option for which they have the best resistance (I'd hoped it would be the other way round). It hasn't stopped me using it on both my RDD builds to fairly decent effect though. 16-20 Crits and x5 damage (on the WM one) usually sorts the men from the boys.
FYI I believe the Dustbone heavy flail does not currently exist but is planned for the future.
I tend to keep a blunt weapon around for specific resistant mobs but obviously at a lower final ab.

[FunkySwerve]

bkelowna said:

Didn't specify a single damage type.

Didn't say you did. Of course, the scythe loses out there as well, being affected by two of three types rather than just one, as chainlink points out.
Funky

[Ironfang]

chainlink said:

Unfortunately Scythe has both slashing and piercing damage types and your "victims" get to use the the option for which they have the best resistance (I'd hoped it would be the other way round).

According to D&D rules and common sense the above would be true, have multiple damage types on your weapon should be a good thing. I thought Bioware addressed this on a patch a little while ago?

[Ironfang]

Neverwinter Nights v1.66 Patch

* Fixed Damage Immunities against weapons with more than one damage type
(e.g. Halberds with slashing/piercing damage) to work correctly.

[bkelowna]

hehe, ya with the defenses your trying to penetrate with weapons that have 6 or more types of damage including elemental and exotic types, the crit multiplier is a fairly important concideration. ;D