Are Katana proficiencies really worth it?

[krunchyfrogg]

I'm just curious, as it seems that there are a lot of nasty monsters requiring +4 or greater to hit them, and the best katana, the Celestial Fury, is a +3 weapon.

Just about every other weapon category has a +5 weapon attached to it (the best being the Axe of the Unyeilding, or Carsomyr), and can therefore hit all the baddies.

[untouchable]

There are +4 katanas available in TOB. One can even be upgraded to be +5. And yes, katana profs. are worth while as most enemies can be hit by CFury, and will be stunned for an easy kill.
Not to mention they have the highest base dice damage of any one handed weapond (1d10).

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Hindo's Doom! Can you say it? Hindo's doooooooooooooooooom...

That's only +4, though, and no others come to mind. I do believe that there is a mod that can upgrade CF, but in the game? I don't think there are any +5 katanas.
I could be wrong, of course.

[Dundee Slaytern]

You need mods to get a +5 Katana, but Hindo's Doom is more than sufficient.

[LennonCook]

Originally posted by krunchyfrogg: I'm just curious, as it seems that there are a lot of nasty monsters requiring +4 or greater to hit them

The Demi-Liches, the thing at the bottom of Watcher's Keep, a werewolf that it seems quite rare to fight, possibly the TOB final boss (but I don't think so). Total of 4 definates, one possible, and of those, only the possible is a necesary fight. Two of the definates can be hit with Hindo's Doom, as can (more than probably) the TOB final boss. Two fights, neither of which you actually need to get into. You'll survive.

[Lord]

There's not too many guys that need +4 or better to hit (unless they've got a spell protection up, like mantle). Hindo's Doom works fine, and CF works great too throughout ToB.

[Jezzrian]

I used the CF all the way through ToB, dual wielded with Hido's Doom when I got it, and never regretted it. That swashbuckler/mage was lethal. Could kill most things with a few well placed spells and then carve the rest up into chutney.

Jezz

[Malavon's Rage]

IMO Celestial Fury shouldn't have been "gettable" so early in the game, make it a +4 weapon and give it to you later...Ah well. As for the prof. for Katana are worth it, YES...which brings a question to mind, katanas have a "1" in weapon speed, how does this affect your hits/round?

[krunchyfrogg]

It doesn't affect your number of attacks at all. What Speed Factor does is determine when you'll attack.

In AD&D 2nd edition (what the BG series is based on), you act in initiative order. Initiative is determined as follows:

1) All participants roll 1d20.
2) Your Speed Factor (or Casting Time, when casting a spell) is added to this number.
3) Your Dexterity Bonus is subtracted from this number.
4) All participants then go in order, from lowest to highest.

This means that weapons with a lower speed factor will be swung faster, and you'll hit your enemies (hopefully) sooner than they'll hit you.

Attacks/round are determined by your Fighter (or Paladin/Ranger) level. Otherwise, you get only one attack per round (unless using a weapon that grants you more attacks).