Swashbuckler specializing

[mad=dog]

Hello everybody,

I am thinking about a solo Swashbuckler(10)->Mage, but have encountered a weird problem. A Swashbuckler can specialize, but doesn't recieve anything for it save a little bonus in TH and damage. This seems overly odd and unfair considering the meager proficiency points available to this class. Who would ever take advantage of it then? I think it must be a slight bug, but I have not been able to find any fixes on my own. Are there anyone out there who can point me in the correct direction?
If my old and failing brain is still working I recall Swashbucklers specialize in one weapon only and are treated as warriors with that weapon (proficiency and THAC0 wise). I must presume that this was too difficult to implement and they chose this way instead, but forgot about the extra attacks.
Also how does HLA's work for dual classes?

[shamrock_uk]

As you would expect from my own experiences. You gain HLA's with your first character if you reach a high enough level when you dual. Lose them until your dualled class reaches the same level, then you get them back and can start gaining HLA's relevent to your new class. Can't help with the first one though, sorry.

[mad=dog]

Thank you. Since I plan to dual at level 10 I must do without UAI. Shouldn't be too difficult I guess.
I really want to know about the first part though. Perhaps Swashbuckler aren't used much...

[ 04-26-2004, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: mad=dog ]

[Imrahil]

A Swashbuckler's fighting abilities aren't really represented by their weapon proficiencies (although slightly better than a normal Thief, of course). The bonuses they get are -

- Bonus -1 to AC , with an additional -1 to AC every 5 levels
- +1 to hit & +1 to damage for every 5 levels
- can put 3 *'s in Two Weapon Style

So, they can be just as good (or better at really high levels) as a Fighter and can Dual wield with the best of them. At level 10, you'll get decent bonuses, but you probably couldn't go toe-to-toe with a level 10 Fighter.

- Imrahil

[JrKASperov]

A second star in any weapon DOES give you a bonus of +1 to thac0 and +2 to damage! That will aid you when you are a thief.

[Xen]

Also when dual wielding a Thief gets 1 extra ApR.

[Armen]

yeh - the main *-related bonus is being able to put 2 or 3 in the weapon style to get effective dual wielding

[mad=dog]

Dualwielding gives 2 attacks to any character - even a mage. And sorry to say so, but a thief doesn't get that many proficiency slots altogether. A level 10 thief would have 4 or 5 (can't remember) stars to place for instance. Thus specialization is a MAJOR weapon commitment and should with all due respect give the extra ½ attack such a specialization is entitled to. +1 TH and +2 dam is NOTHING. As a swashbuckler you give up Backstabbing and Assasination (as a logical consequence) and that is +4 TH and x4 dam. Nonono something is wrong here. I cannot imagine they would create the posibility of specialization with almost nothing to gain from it.
Regardless it sounds like this is intended or that the engine cannot handle extra attacks for non-warrior classes. I don't think anyone would waste precious proficiency points on it as it is now so perhaps it would be best to remove it or replace it with something useful.

[Dundee Slaytern]

IIRC, the Fixpack fixes this.

[mad=dog]

I downloaded the Weapon Proficiency fix from Baldurdash, but it fails to solve the problem.