Fighter Thiefs

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Long sword is a good overall choice. You want to use a thief weapon for the backstab (long sword, short sword, dagger, katana, club, staff) but it really depends on how you play and who you choose as companions.

The best backstabs come from the katana and staff (especially the staff of the ram). However, speed is really an ally in backstabs and a short sword or dagger will almost always allow you the first strike (i.e., before the protective spells come up).

The Short Sword of Backstabbing is great early in the game, followed by Cutthroat, then the Short Sword of Mask. If you dual wield get the Scarlett Ninja-To (after uai).

 

Light armour just because of its ease of use - I really don't think i could cope with changing armour every time i need to pick a lock. When I last played Kensai/Thief (in my last IA game) I ended up going with just a single longsword. With a +3 sword, the one weapon bonus and kensai thac0 progression he ended with pretty crazy thac0 at an early stage of the game.

 

Agreed. It is not very often that your F/T should have to be holding the front line anyway, so his AC is not absolutely vital. Useful, certainly, and with the armour T2Bruno mentioned, it is easily possible to get his AC fairly close to what he would have with Plate.

 

They have those in Tutu?!!? Wow!



Personally, I prefer light armor all of the time. Go and kill Drizzt for the best armor a thief can get in tutu.

 

What's wrong with the shadow armor in Tutu? It's +3 and saves you some points in hiding in shadows. I thought Boots of Stealth and Shadow armor were standard fare for F/T in BG1/Tutu. I've never even considered outfitting my F/T in heavy armor and switching it from time to time, and F/T are one of my favorite classes to play.

Also, once you hit SoA, then there certainly is no need for heavy armor. There's so many good light armors that T2B pointed out, and AC wise they aren't that much of a step down from the heavy armors.

 

There are several ways to change the Avatar to a thief avatar. There is a mod that adds an avatar changing script, or you can always just use Gate Keeper (I think that's what the trainer is called, drawing a blank atm). So, when I play a multi F/T, I make sure that I'm using a thief avatar. But even when doing this you don't get the hooded look when your F/T is wearing heavy armor.

 

I think you are confusing Shadow Armor with Shadow Scale Armor. Shadow Scale Armor is only in BG2. You get it from Cromwell after you kill the Shadow Dragon.
Personally, dwarf fighter/thief is one of my favorite thief character I use. Especially in IWD1, where you can get Black Dragon Scale for him.

 

No he's not, he's talking about the Shadow Armour:


Shadow armor is studded leather armor created for use by the Shadowmasters of Amn. The Shadowmasters are of the highest order within the Shadow Thief hiearchy. It is +3 studded leather armor that melds into shadows.

STATISTICS:
Armor Class: 4
Special: +15% Hide in Shadows
Weight: 8
Requires: 6 Strength
Only Usable By:
Thief (single, multi and dual class)

 

EDIT: olimikrig beat me to it.

Light armor for me also. I save the heavies for other party members.

 

My point exactly. That armor is in BG1 Tutu. Shadow Scale Armor is not.

 

I'm talking about the Studded Leather Armor +3 available for purchase from Thunderhammer in Beregost. I was pretty sure it was called Shadow Armor, but I stand to be corrected. I am NOT talking about the Studded Leather Armor (it's not scale armor, despite the fact that it is made from shadow dragon scales - your thief couldn't wear it and still use thief abilities if it was) that can be crafted by Cromwell.

 

Yes, the Shadow Armor is the +3 studded leather armor (AC4) sold in Beregost. It also grants +15% to Hide in shadows as noted earlier. The armor also exists in SoA, but you have to kill Mae'Var to get it -- The Night Gift is better (AC3 +20% to Hide in Shadows). But by the time you get the Night Gift, you may already have the Shadow Dragon Scale (AC1, 50% resistance to acid).

 

Just to throw it back in there: You can stealth in Drizzt's armor, and it's AC1 (IIRC)

 

Between the Shadow Armor and Drizzt's armor if you're into that, there's not really a point in carrying two sets of armor around.

 

Yes, you can stealth in Drizzt's armor, but role playing reasons aside, I prefer not to do that with my F/Ts, especially if my F/T is the only thief of the party. With skill points being tight, I actually LIKE the stealth bonuses granted from the shadow armor and boots of stealth, as that saves me points to put into other skills. Generally speaking I throw all of my early points into find/disarm traps and pick locks. My racial and dexterity bonus, combined with the above equipment is usually adequate for stealth purposes, and I generally don't worry about picking pockets (there are potions available that would help with that if I had to).

 

I suppose this is a decent place to ask: how good is human skin armor compared with the other stuff available to thiefs?

 

The +5 version of human skin provides the same protection as Aeger's Hide and Night's Gift, but also gives +4 to saves and 20% magic resistance, which are nice.

But otherwise... you only get it after Underdark, so I'm not really sure it's worth it, unless you've given the Shadow Scale armor to someone else.

 

I've done both with F/Ts, depending on their role. In original BG (although it's less of an issue in Tutu) you don't always have the skills for one thief or F/T to handle everything. If I have an F/T just handling traps and locks - as I have done with Montaron before - then heavy armour is fine as it won't stop them detecting traps. O.K, you have to take it off to disarm or pick a lock, but that's not so bad. For a scout/sniper/backstabber, it would be an unbelievable hassle.