The points you acquire when leveling up, where do you put most of these points? I myself am a Berserker, and have no need to specialize in a bow. I like Sword & Shield style, and focus mostly on helping those attributes.

yeah you can go sword and shiled cuz theres some pretty good long swords/bastard swords & shields, but personally i prefer 2-handed swords with fighters and leave the sword/shield style to the clerics

beserker + 2 handed sword = ass kicker

Yep, pure Kensai fighter here. I'm in chapter 3, already grandmaster in two handed sword with max picks in single weopon specialty. I'm using Lilacor +3 sword and usually dishes out 25 to 35 damage each hit. I have had him kill characters with one blow when he gets a critical, doing 60 points in damage with a single blow.

I play a lvl 20 fighter (no kit), equipped with boots of speed, girdle of frost giant strength (21, I think), Celestial Fury Katana, Fire Shield and Helm(from Firkrag's Lair), Hell I'm even wearing what's left of Firkrag (Red Dragon Armor), and the highly debated Cloak of Mirroring. With a pendant of 10% magic resist. Seems to be a good combination of stuff. I didn't even cheat to get all, except the lvl 20 (XP cap remover). Just starting my 2nd time through, also with out the help of too many NPC's.

Thanks for your input and advice, however what about lowering the AC of the two-handers. Don't they get pounded in the front without a shield?

I'm using Minsc as a NPC with an armor AC of -7 weilding a 2 handed sword. He is wearing some kind of plate mail +4, with Helm of Balduran (+1 AC), Ring of earth elemental (+1 AC), and the Cloak of the Sewers (+1 AC). Throw in the Gaunlets of Dexterity, which will also raise your AC.

Well I got a fighter/mage wearing the bracers of defence ac3, fortress sheild, helm of balduran, knaves robe, ring o wizardry, and boots of speed. Using on and off the flail of ages and that wump ass axe I picked up in the golem room at the keep. 2 in both flail and axe with 2 in sword/sheild. ac -6 with 19 dex bonus thaco of 5 too only level 10 fighter 11 mage

Heh, that was one thing that put me off on the Kensai kit in the first place. The guy can't wear armor or bracers. But rolling along with A Half-Orc fighter with Constitution and Strength of 19 each was just too easy, so I thought what the heck, give Kensai a shot. As I mentioned the dude gets major combat bonuses, regular AC decreases with level ups. He has the ring of protection +2, cloak +1, at level 12 his AC is 0, which wouldn't impress an armor wearer. I too have the boots of speed on him, plust the girdle of missile protection and a ring of missile protection. With all the missile protection and speed boots he's so danged fast he rarely gets hit by archers or slingers, and with the combat bonuses and awesome damage he usually gets in the first hit or two often killing before even being hit. The other benefit I have is that I specialized the Minscter in dual wield with Maces. He has the +3 and a +2 mace, and he usually and he usually dishes out 25 to 35 damage each hit. The combo of heavy piercing and crushing damage has worked well so far.
But when he does get hit by a powerful enemy he gets hurt. He has the majority of major healing potions.
Damage ability aside, I am having more fun with the Kensai and haven't even gone back to the ugly, no woman wants him, Half Orc, boy toy.

I've got mastery in two-handed swords and specialisation with katanas; also specialised in two- and one-handed fighting styles.