Martial Arts: Does anyone know...

[Nightowl2]

Whether the Dual Weapons and Powerstrike skills affect martial arts? I've played this game so much, I ought to know everything by now, but...I don't

Nightowl2

[Pyrates]

I don't think dual weapons affects it. Don't know about Powerstrike, but I'd guess it's affected...

Cheers
Philipp

[ 01-05-2004, 02:12 PM: Message edited by: Pyrates ]

[dplax]

In my experience power strike affected it.

[Holywhippet]

Powerstrike should affect any melee combat attack including martial arts. Dual weapons do nothing though and there is a simple proof : take a look at your dual weapon skill, notice how it doesn't rise no matter how much martial arts you perform? If the skill was relevant to martial arts it would be used and it would improve.

agreed. powerstrike: yes. dual weapons: no.

however, i discovered an interesting thing over the break. if you equip a one-handed weapon in the off-hand slot, your monk will do martial arts primary-hand attack and weapon off-hand. that combination, i would assume, would require dual weapon skill to pull off.

unfortunately, the monk/ninja wont do this with a one-handed weapon equipped in their primary-hand; their secondary hand will sit idle rather than doing martial arts.

[Nightowl2]

Thanks, guys. I'll pass that info along to a friend of mine who asked. Sultan, very interesting about the weapon in the offhand. Did you find that it improved the monk's combat abilities in any way?

Nightowl2

[Scatter]

I like to put sticks in my Monks' off hands early on so they can use Zato as alternate weapon later. It does slow down your Martial Arts development, as half your attacks are with the weapon. So, as far as Martial Arts is concerned, no help from a secondary weapon. And if you plan on using ranged weapons in the alternate slot, there's no point in training for Zato--your Martial Arts will develop about twice as fast without a secondary.

i didnt try it for long, so i'd go with scatter's advice, which makes sense as well.

one thought: by going martial arts and staff, you might also help learn dual weapons, which could help dual-throwing, if that's in your alternate slot. but seeing as how the monk gets quick access to ego whip and that fire cone spell, it seems silly to gimp MA at the expense of dual for throwing.

[dplax]

You could of course stll use throwing weapons when the enemy is far away, like the boomerang shuriken and something else and that could take up your dual wield, and then in close combat go for martial arts, but sultan's advice is also good. Depends on your preferences.