advice for me: dual or SS

[Bad Hair Day]

I am an experienced D&D�er (3.5 and Pathfinder). I�ve played lots of computer RPG games in the last three decades (or so).

I understand that there is no single �ideal build� for sword and shield or dual wielding. It�s a matter of preference, but I still can�t figure it out. So I thought I�d ask for advice.

Here is where my character is at right now:

Standing in front of Fayvara trying to figure out which armor skill to take.

Level 23
AP 10
Att 189%
Dam 17-29
Crit skill 17
Crit X 2.0
ECC 13%
Block 71%

Base stats:
HP 48
AP 10
Move 6
Attack 4
Att chance 110%
Dam 8
Block 12%

SKILLS
Weapon accuracy 1
Hard hit 1
Dodge 1
Increased Fort 1
Regeneration 1
One handed sword prof 1

GEAR
Leather cap 6%
Lightweight chainmail 10, 1, 6, 13, 7
Jewel of F. -1AP
Flagstone Pride
Strong wooden tower shield 14% block
Heave plated gloves -2, 2-4, 9%, +3
Woodcutters boots 3, 8, 1

RINGS
Shadow embrace 10, 2, +20HP
Villain�s ring 25%, 3-6, +4
A second Villain�s ring

POTIONS:
I buy batches of Bonemeal potions in batches of 30 or 50.
I also hunt down meat and antidote potions like, well, crazy.

I am not a big fan of grinding, though. I only do it for the meat supply. I never seem to do it for XP or gold. I just look for quests for that.

I have 11,000 gold on me right now.

I just finished the Charnwood quest where I freed the 4 prisoners. I went in the first time with about 30 BoneMeal potions. I was almost done but I had to go back out to get more potions (so I bought all 50 this time).

Things I like:

Having a sword that gives me 3 attacks per round.
I look forward to getting my AP (via skills) up to 12 at level 30 so I can make 4 attacks per round.

I like having Damage Resistance. It�s fun to see them say �you hit for zero points!�

I also like having Regeneration. Considering what I spend on healing potions, getting some free healing is nice. I�m also guilty of finding a safe spot while in the dungeon, setting the phone down while I go do something, and then coming back to having a full HP count. I don�t do this regularly, though. I normally just keep munching meat to keep up the regeneration (since that adds while I am in combat and I seem to spend an awful lot of time in combat).

I like having about 80 hit points. This allows me to use a Bonemeal potion at around 30 HP so I get the full 40 point benefit without getting low enough that some monster can get lucky on a triple crit and take me out in one round (30 HP seems enough for that these days).

I try to keep my minimum Damage at about 10% of my attack. So if I attack at 180% then I want to do a minimum damage of 18 points of damage. If this is off, I am happy to change it. It�s just a thumb rule for me.

I also try to keep by block percentage between a third and half of my attack percentage. So with 180% attack I want a block between 60% and 90%. Again, if there is a better thumb rule for this, I�d love to hear it. I have no reason other than �it feels about right� for choosing these two thumb rules.


Since I like having Damage Reduction and a fairly strong defense, that makes me think I should stick with S&S (sword and shield). I think this allows me to be more careful in making sure I don�t get too low on HP and I take my potions as needed.

On the other hand, I also like making 3 (and someday 4!) attacks per round. The idea of having two weapons and doing 6 or 8 attacks per round, sounds like it would rock!

Strange preference: when I hear of being able to use two daggers, I am like �meh.� That just doesn�t sound fun to me. But having two swords, that sounds darn dangerous! It�s probably from playing AD&D (wayyyy back in the day) where daggers were just an afterthought tacked on for a Magic User who was still too powerless to use a Fireball and would run out of Magic Missles in about the first two rounds of combat. So while I am impressed with your Dual Wielder two Blackwater Dagger build, it�s just not something I am going to do.

The biggest reasons I stick with the S&S is because:
I think DR is easier to get and stack up with a shield.
I don�t like being too vulnerable to crits and high damage attacks where I can go from half my HP total to dead in one round. I tend to get a little too close to that line, as my 25 Unconscious moments will attest to. I am hoping that is a thing of the past now that I am at higher levels and have more room to play.


So, having said all that, if you are still reading, then I am hoping you can give me some rock solid guidance and advice about which career path is better for me. 2 swords or S&S.

Thanks!

BHD

[Flaming]

Good first? Post! What is that dimand with the? Don't use forum un recognizable symbols.

Are you aiming for a critical armour set, a high block chance or a high damage resistance set?

(by your criteria it seems like high damage resistance)

For damage resistance you don't need to sacrifice much attack chance, critical or block chance.

I recommend using all of the damage resistance gear you can. (with the exception of wolfpacks hide armour)

As for your compatability with dual wielding... You shouldn't have it. The minimum dual wielding ap cost is 4 (two quick strike daggers with morrowtante or jewel of Fallhaven) and you said you want a 3 ap attack cost. Nope.

This leaves sword and shield where you could get a possible 1 Damage resistance and a possible 14 block chance! It fits your categories. You could get a possible attack cost of 2 with the quick strike dagger and jewel of Fallhaven or morrowtante. You could get an attack cost of 3 with a much better sword? Than the quick strike dagger. For critical you could grab a dagger of the shadow phrists or maybe the flagstone pride.

I recommend to use light armour proficiency rather than heavy armour. AP cost is valuable you know.

For damage however you could get the ballenced steel sword which I use in my current build. I recommend to have this for pure damage. 3-7 damage and also 36 atack chance. Use it along a Remgard shield or a wooden defender you will be set.

I recommend using the Remgard shield and using the ballenced steel sword along with jewel of fallhaven.

I currently use pretty much your criteria at level 39 with

Serpents hauberk, jewel of Fallhaven, the dark protector, ring of the protector, ring of the protector, Remgard combat shield, ballenced steel sword, arudir skin gloves, boots of the protector.


Hope this helps. Look on left.

[Piggy the Slayer]

Balanced steel sword is a great choice and would aid you in fighting your way to The Dagger of the Shadow Priests which lets face it is how most of us made it through the Remgard Road?

[rijackson741]

I don�t like being too vulnerable to crits and high damage attacks where I can go from half my HP total to dead in one round. I tend to get a little too close to that line, as my 25 Unconscious moments will attest to. I am hoping that is a thing of the past now that I am at higher levels and have more room to play.

As you get to higher levels, you get to go places where the baddies are badder, so you can hope, but don't count on it

I dual wield either DoSP and BSS or 2 x BSS. I chose this path because I like the variety of mixing and matching weapons. It means I get a lot of AC and AD from my gear, so I put a number of level ups into BC. Mixing a weapon with a shield would also give variety, except that there aren't any really interesting shields in the game right now. That could (and hopefully will) change though. If you go weapon and shield you could put more level ups into AC and AD, in which case the two paths are really not that different. The one that is different is two handed weapons, because you don't get to mix and match anything.

DR is not as useful later in the game, because the monsters hit for a lot more damage, and the weak ones that don't can't do much to you anyway.

Definitely get both levels of combat speed ASAP. It's a big hole in your current skills. Also think about another level of IF, which will double the rate at which you gain HP. Personally, I would avoid WA, HH, or Dodge for now. You can increase AC, AD, and AC using level ups, so why waste very valuable skill points on them (the exception is perhaps to get a skill that depends on having these, such as Cleave)?

If you like sustenance (as I do!), spend some of that gold stash on cooked perch and cooked chicken legs at Charwood cabin. There's no chance of food poisoning and you get 2x the sustenance of meat (although not for as long). I buy out everything that's in stock every time I'm close by.

[Flaming]

The annoying bad baddies ignore DR because of their status affects. Burning, Blistering skin, and poison are all the hard hitters with an only DR build. You can block status affects with block chance however. You can also block critical hits as well which makes a high block chance build better in the tough and slightly unfair late game. Block solves everything. Almost.

Remember to keep your attack chance up with your level ups. Also keep your damage up as well so you can pierce the high dr baddies. You need HIGH attack chance to beat the spiders on the road to Remgard for example. You need HIGH damage for the big arudirs ect.