may i know which is better? two-handed swords or halberds?
and single wield with shield better or double wield better?
just wanted to know what are your opinions...

Id say 2 handed swords, but my main character is a mage soo...but look at this way none of the party members are proficient using the halberd,

Welcome to IW, Ghostalker.
I prefer Halberds, unless I'm playing a paladin.
Dragon's Breath deals great damage even through Stoneskins.

My advice, when I've got ToB installed, is to get them both! But if I had to choose in SoA only I'd go for halberds, just cause I like the Wave better than the Vorpal Sword.
I like dual wielding better, unless that character has <13 DEX, in which cause sword+shield is better.

[ 09-30-2002, 11:22 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

I rarly use Halberds. IMO there is to many good two handed swords out there. And you get one of them so early in the game and it is a good sword to use through out the game. Don't get me wrong there is some nice halberds out there but it is just not my playing style.

My char is specialized in two handed style, so i use two swords at the same time. Wouldn't wanna have it any other way. :D

<font color="gold">I say Two-Handed Swords, because there are a big selecton of highly enchanted, plus that they have a bigger speed factor (IIRC). ;)

And I find Dual Wielding better then Sword and Shield, because I like to do most damage, instead of having th ebest defense. [img]smile.gif[/img] </font>

Hmmmm... IIRC, there are three +4 enchanted Halberds in SoA alone. Come ToB, there is a +6 enchanted one.

Item Spoilers, +3 enchanted and above
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Dragon's Bane +3
Dragon's Breath +4
The Wave +4
Blackmist +4
The Ravager +5(6), ToB only( place this in the right hands and MuWahHAHAHAHA!)

Lilarcor +3
Silver Sword +3
Soulreaver +4
Warblade +4
Gram's Sword of Grief +5
Psion Blade +5
Carsomyr +5(6), +6 in ToB only

There might be more, but these are the ones I can remember now.

You might change your tune when you play ToB. True enough, most of the enemies in SoA lack killing power, but come ToB, you will appreciate that additional +5 AC bonus a good shield gives you, in addition to any other properties the shield might have.

I prefer dual-wielding rather than sword and shield style. As it has been said before, giving out more damage is better than having a bonus to AC (even +3 or whatever). And you can use the cool abilities of both blades at once. My berserker, wielding Daystar and Celestian Fury, was an ultimate bane to every monster he encountered, and still he had -9 AC, going to -11 while enraged. What is the use of a shield in such situation?

From the RP point of view, I would choose Two Handed Swords. My char had to look beatiful with that Sword Of Chaos. And I would hate him wielding a halbert. IMO, halberts are only for cityguards, and usable only to keep charging crowd at bay ;)

[ 10-01-2002, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: TaSSaDaR ]

-10 AC is considered weak in ToB. My solo Cavalier had -18 AC, and it helped tremandously( -20 AC is of course the best). A dead man, is a harmless man. The only time I can see the benefits of dualwielding is to use the Defender of Easthaven. This is from the solo perspective of couse, where survival is key, as opposed to a raw offensive( unless you are talking about Mages/Sorcerers).

Maybe it is because I play on Insane Difficulty, but most people do nowadays anyway, thus I would want to avoid getting hit at any point of time. When an enemy can hit for 40+ damage and attacks 4-5 times per round with fantastic THACO, damage will not seem so important after all and you will want to look into ways on how to improve your AC/Defense.

How did you manage that??? :eek:

How did you manage that??? :eek: </font>[/QUOTE]A lot of good equipment and spells. Not the best I have achieved though. Blades can reach the AC cap. :D

Really? My assassin with AC -8 never had any problems. I find anything under -10 sufficient. Maybe just me though ;) I guess it all depends how much damage you're comfortable taking.
PS-Back you up on the blade. First time I fought my friend's lvl 40 blade with my fighter/mage maxed out xp, I though he was full of...well, you know :D But then he promptly "took it to me" ;)

It is considered weak if you play on Insane Difficulty. I like it when my enemy has to score a critical hit in order to hit me. :D

erm so what did your cavalier wield? coz i wanted to gather enough information on weapons as so i won't put on the wrong proficiencies... i m currently soloing on berserker/cleric.. dual wielding.. but sometimes when i come across good weapons i feel kinda of upset that i had to sell it or leave it as i can't use them. I m using flail of the ages and defender of easthaven with insane difficulty(not that difficult in SoA, have not gone to ToB yet).

i intend to start a solo cavalier on my next game so.. pls help.. :D

Berserker/cleric
- Go for flails, hammers and two weapon style. Trust me ;)

Paladin
- Go for either 2handed swords or
- Bastard swords and either flails or hammers and two weapon style. Again, trust me ;)

Dundee - Yah, my assassin was on insane. Course he went through an absolute ****load of potions and spells :(

[ 10-02-2002, 11:34 PM: Message edited by: True_Moose ]

yeah.. thnx for the advice..
but i don't seem to come across any good bastard swords... and i don't intend to dual-wield flails and hammers.. as i feel its too powerful..
i think i will try halberds and two-handed swords....
and thnx you all again...

If you're soloin you can never get enough power, though I understand. I got bored of the combo too.
The reason I say bastard swords is (spoiler?)
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1) There are two excellent bastard swords in the Underdark
2) You'll find a great pally only bastard sword on the 3rd level of Watcher's Keep

ToB Spoiler
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My Cavalier started off with 2* in the following,

1) Two-Handed Sword
2) Axe
3) Two-Handed Weapon Style

By the time he reached level 34, he had specialised in the following as well,

4) Warhammer
5) Sword and Shield Style
6) Bastard Sword
7) Long Sword( on hindsight, Flail would have been better)
8) Mace( proficient only)

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</font>

1. The reason for Two-Handed Swords is because in the beginning, enemies are not really dangerous so you can afford to go for damage and greater range. You will get the Sword of Chaos +2 from Jon Irenicus' Dungeon and it will serve you well until you do the Copper Coronet Sewers and obtain Lilarcor +3. Lilarcor will be your main weapon until you slay Firkragg and gain the powers of Carsomyr +5. Come ToB, you will also get to use the Sword of Grief +5, a very powerful sword.
   
   In SoA, using Two-Handed Swords will be very common as not much will pose a threat to you. In ToB however, a shield will help prevent untimely deaths and Two-Handed Swords are best used for boss fights where the boss practically ignores your AC.
   
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2. Axes are wanted because it is the only reliable range weapon a Cavalier can use. Azuredge +3 is an excellent Undead killer in the beginning and in ToB, you can buy the K'loragath +4.
   
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3. Two-Handed Weapon Style means faster swings, more critical hits and more damage. Important when you want to kill the target as fast as possible.
   
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4. Crom Faeyr +5 for bashing open locks in ToB and dealing with pesky Golems.
   
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5. For better AC versus ranged attackers while you deal with the melee guys.
   
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6. For the Paladin-Only Bastard Sword in Watcher's Keep. It can be upgraded to become a +5 enchanted sword of butt-kicking goodness.
   
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7. Flails will be better because of the Defender of Easthaven +3 and Flail of Ages +5.
   
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8. Mace of Disruption +2, for all your really mean Undead killing.</font>

Heh, heh, play your cards well and the only time you will need to drink health potions is during boss fights.

For all your really mean Undead killing, you could just use Azuredge set to its melee ability, and save yourself a point or two in Mace. And, personally, I've never met an Undead monster that I couldn't dispatch quickly by normal methods--although it is a lot of fun to watch them die instantly, I'll admit. Of course, if you're a Cavalier, it's a lot MORE fun to just Turn Undead and watch them all go kablooie. Wow, pretty!

Spoiler
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Aduzedge versus Demi-Liches equals much angst.
MoD +2 versus Demi-Liches equals mucho cheesiness.

MoD +2 also grants Negative Plane Protection. Perfect for mass Vampire killing until the Cavalier gains a high enough level in Turn Undead to vapourise them.

Hey where/how do you upgrade the MAce Of Disruption +1 anyway?

<font color="gold">Spoilers
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First you must do the Unseeing Eye-quest. When that is finished, one of the Priests in the Temple of Helm will ask you to make Sir Sarles make a statue for the Temple. When you talk to him, you will be told to get pure Illitium for his work. When you then talk to the woman who might have the Illithium, she will say that you can get some false Illitium from her. Take this, plus go see the Dwarf in the Copper Coronet to get some real Illitium. Give the false Illithium to Sir Sarles, and keep the real one for yourself. This can be used to upgrade MoD +1. ;) </font>

I would say two-handed sword as well (I love Gram the sword of grief with that level drain!) But unless I'm playing a character that can't I prefer to dual-weild...I love experimenting with the different combinations of weapons. My favourite duals so far are:
Crom Fayer + defender of Easthaven
Fflar's sword+Angwudavyl
Spectral brand+Hindo's doom
(I mix and match these weapons when the need takes me, usually the more powerfully enchanted goes in the off-hand to make up for the THAC0 penalty.
Flail of ages (5)+Crom fayer
Axe of the unyeilding+Mace of disruption
This is just to name but a few, there are hundreds of great weapons out there!

It's a little bit silly to judge weapons based on their uses on just TWO of the game's enemies, especially when those enemies are so easy and there are plenty of other weapons that will work just as well. Besides, with the Cromwell/Cespenar upgrades, Azuredge has exactly the same qualities that make us love the MoD+2. (And what level of enchantment does the MoD+1 strike as?)

You forget, SixOfSpades, I do not consider the ItemsUpgrade as legitimate. ;) Besides, Vampires are plentiful, the darn game is practically filled with them. People play Undead Hunters because of them. Heck, there is already a vampire in Jon Irenicus' dungeon( nice 8000 Xp I must admit), and that is just the game prologue.

MoD+1 has a hidden +4 enchantment.

wow.. good analysis... thnx...

Umm...does this mean if i did the Sir sarles quest Fair & Square, that i wont be able to upgrade the Mace of Disruption to a +2 ??

yeah.. i'm afraid so...

Oh the Joys of being fair & honest, *cries*