What are the worst proficiencies?

I would pick sword and shield style. Talk about utterly useless. You don't gain a chance to hit, or a chance to critical, nor do you even add additional AC--all you add is AC vs. missile weapons. Most enemies that attack with missiles have poor THACOs and would hit you no matter what your AC is on a 20. Let's not forget that large shields already have a missile bonus, and there's a shield that is +4 vs. missiles!

Next, would be club. Talk about worthless weapons! Quarterstaves put them to shame! And Jaheria puts two profs on this!

Third would be bastard swords. This category doesn't exist in Icewind Dale. So you'd think there'd at least be a decent number, right? WRONG! The worst thing in the game is the fact they discourage you from using katanas and then say nothing about bastard swords being ultrarare.

My vote goes to Whasasushi/Ninja-to or what ever it is. But I have a grudge against ALL of the oriental weapons stats. Katana = 1d10 why? 'Cause their super sharp and well made', give me a break. The two handed sword (in this mileu) should be much more potent than any johny come lately super ninja sword. Who made it? ah, Cromwell the Dwarf.

While there are no super hot clubs in the game there are some good ones and seeing as how she has sword & shield style.

I think bastard sword also deserves a dishonorable mention, as implimented in BGII they suck. - Curdis

[turbovee]

The Blackblood club is pretty decent.

[Accord]

I totally agree with you regarding "sword and shield" style G.W., like you mentioned....most monsters that use bow are gobins, kua-toas, and a couple of odd thieves, unlike BGI, most of them die with a couple of good hits.
As for the clubs, I must admit I always give Jaheria the blackblood club as soon as I obtain it, and she is doing very well with it so far.
For the bastard swords, not only they are rare in the game......I don't think they are that useful either due to their damage potential and speed. But this is just my opinion......

Darts! why have them, has anyone ever bothered to use them. they do little damage and when you get bows that don't need arrows, axes, hammers and daggers that come back to you, why, they are pointless. and you can't even put them in a quvier.
.
As for clubs you can get one when doing something with a troll head, it works very well on undead, but i can't recall the name.

[turbovee]

Alright I'll add one more, Spears! Why use any of the useless spears when there are Two handed weapons like halberds and staves that are much better than any spear in the game?

Nah Turbovee, I think spears are the best weapon Jaheria can wield. Sure, there are some good staves, but the Impaler (+3 spear, 1-6+3 damage, +10 piercing damage) is probably better than all the two handed swords except the Holy Avenger. I'd rather have that +10 damage guaranteed than a 25% chance of a kill that will likely be resisted.

Sword and shield is actually quite good for a specialized party.
Minsc and aerie are equipped with mace of disruption and shield of balloran and celestial fury and harmony shield. they take point when it comes to handling beholders and mind flayers.
the shields are the weapon for those two.
that +4 spear in the underdark, that poisons with every hit is an excellent weapon.

My question is, what good does having proficiencies in sword+shield do against beholders? If you have the balduran shield, you'll never be hit by a beholder ray. I don't think mindflayers count as having missile weapons either, those projectiles are just spells.

[Draggor]

At least Sword and shield skill does something. It's better than putting that proficiency in a slot for a weapon that you're not even going to use. It's a useful skill for someone like Aerie that can't wear armour and stands back out of combat. Agreed spears are probably the best weapon for Jahiera but I always give her club so she can use a shield. The most useless I think is bastard sword. There are no great examples, there aren't many of them and they're not really any better than long swords. Every other single handed weapon has better ones than bastard swords, except maybe short swords.