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Minsc weapon

Discussion in 'Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition' started by Vhailor, Aug 14, 2019.

  1. Vhailor

    Vhailor Justice is not blind, for I am her eyes Veteran

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    I'm planning to have my paladin wield two handed swords, so should I have Minsc use two handed swords or try to dual wield? Which would be best to dual wield in both games (I and II)
     
  2. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Minsc comes preset to specialize in 2 handed swords and maces, but in my last game I moved him over to axes (with the goal of the Axe of the Unyielding) and that worked out fine as well. There's something about having him use Lilarcor that tickles me though (maybe because I am not sure who is running the show, Minsc or the sword), but whatever. Also, there are more than enough good 2 handed swords for two characters (especially because your paladin is mostly going to use Carsomyr, right).

    If you want to have him dual wield (which I am not a fan of, as I think a shield helps more through most of the game), then you need to figure out what stat boosting and/or protection bearing weapon you want for the off-hand). Other than Crom Faeyr (hammer, obviously) with its awesome strength boost and the upgraded Runehammer (negative plane protection), I think most of the decent stat boosting weapons are swords of some sort. Long Swords - Angurvadal, when upgraded, does 22 strength and protects from level drain. Scimitar - upgraded spectral brand protects from level drains. Katana - Hindo's Doom - immune to death spells and 10% MR.

    Again, unless you are using either Crom Faeyr or Angurvadal, I think most dual wielding isn't worth it and you are better off with a good shield that protects from some nasty effects that Minsc tends to fall prey to. I like to give him the Shield of Harmony if he is not using Lilarcor.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2019
  3. Yoshimo's Heart Gems: 13/31
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    The "nice" part about being restricted to only specialized is that you are forced to spread the points around so getting a number of weapons at two points is fairly easy. Personally for Minsc I would have him wield lilacor since it is a nice +3 weapon early in the game and have him keep using it until you get the other weapon prof in the weapon you want ready and by then you should have the high end weapons that make it work that are better than lilacor.

    For me late game I like the ax of the unyielding and crom feyr or the flail of ages depending on what you like best and what your other characters are suing.

    As an additional alternative if you want to keep him two handed fighting get him specialized in halberds. Let him use lilacor until he gets a better halberd and then go to town. In ToB there is a sick +6 one and even in SoA there are some nice ones int he game.
     
  4. Vhailor

    Vhailor Justice is not blind, for I am her eyes Veteran

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    Thanks for the input guys but I asked for the first game as well. War hammer or axes sound nice. I might go the halberd route.
     
  5. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    First game is irrelevant. You can find most weapons in +1 format in that game somewhere along the way. Also, the THACO hit for dual wielding actually matters in that game so I seriously would not recommend dual wielding. (Plus, the AC bonus from the shield also matters.)

    You would be perfectly fine starting up with maces and then adding axes along the way in BG1.
     
  6. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    How dare you! :p
     
  7. Yoshimo's Heart Gems: 13/31
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    Honestly in BG1 I would just have minsc use two handed swords there are at least two very nice swords (one +3 and the other is spider's bane).
     
  8. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    @Keneth - for purposes of weapons. Jeez.

    And Yoshimo's Heart is sorta correct, in that there are certainly a couple of decent 2 handed swords. However, your PC is a paladin, so you are reserving the best one or two for that character. I don't see a reason not to start developing whatever you want Minsc to wind up using in early BG1, so if axes are your thing, as they were mine, you can start right away. If you are going from BGEE to BG2EE, though, you are going to need to edit his character sheet to conform with what you did as, IIRC, BG2EE starts him with proficiencies that are not based on what you did in BGEE.
     
  9. xosmi Gems: 20/31
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    For BG 1, Keep in mind that while you can pick up a Two-handed Swoprd +1 pretty much immediately in the area east of Nashkel, you won't get access to the +2 spider's bane until you can enter the cloakwood, and the +3 version can only be gotten from the chess board battle in durlag's tower so you're likely to be picking that up quite late.

    If you do decide to go with halberds and are playing the enhanced edition - consider visiting dryad falls just to the east of the gnoll stronghold - you can find a wandering gnoll called Ingot - if you insult him and get him to attack you can grab the Chesley Crusher halberd +2 from him.
    While it sets attacks to 1, it has a whopping +6 to damage and does piercing/slashing damage depending on which is better.
     
  10. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    +6 to damage seems like a good amount, but once you get to 2 (or more) attacks per round, even if we assume a lower hit rate (like a 50/50 chance), having a standard +1 halberd results in higher damage per round on average. It's an excellent starting weapon though.
     
  11. henkie

    henkie Hammertime Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    There are not that many weapons in BG1 that have special properties that you'd want to lay Minsc's development out for that. As mentioned, just decide what you'd want to have Minsc use in BG2, then find whatever matches that in BG1. Dual wielding is OK for BG2, there are enough one handed weapons that give nice bonuses to be used in the off hand. Cromm Faeyr, of course, but weapons that give negative plane protection or protection against charm are good choices as well, i.e. Mace of Disruption +2, Spectral Brand +5, Blackrazor, The Equalizer, so many choices, really. In BG1 it'd make a lot more sense to use a shield, though, the AC actually helps a lot.

    But there are plenty of two-handed weapons as well, more than enough for both a palladin and Minsc. Carsomyr for the palladin, add the ravager later, maybe Lilarcor to start with, depending on which kit you choose, and all the rest can be given to Minsc.
     
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