Kensai - really that good?

Remove all ads!

Having some issues with the Kensai right now. Currently despite having the same strength and higher proficiency with my weapons than Minsc, I have a lower THAC0 (-4 with a +3 weapon at level 12). Is this a bug? I would've thought it much higher at this point. The part that really bugs me is I can't anything. I get 3.5 attacks a round and only 1 hits every 10 attacks.

I'm thinking maybe the Berserker and vanilla fighter are the only true fighters.

 

Um, your thaco is supposed to be lower than Minsc's. Lower = better. -4 is somewhat ungodly. Korgan has about 0 at level 12, with a +3 axe.

 

What I mean, is Minsc's is -6 and mine is -4.

 

Well, -4 THAC0 should be enough to hit most of the things in the vanilla game. I heard a bug about a Minsc though, his THAC0 was 2 lower (thus better) than it originally should be. Whether this is a special ability or bug, or is it even true, is beyond me!

 

Did you use a blade? I remember Kesai only gains attack bonus with a blade. If you use a hammer or a flail, you won't gain the bonus.

 

And when you say you both have the same strength, what exact strength do you both have? For example if you have strength 18/05 and Minsc has 18/95, while both seem strength 18 he is going to get a bonus to hit and damage over you, this may seem obvious so sorry if I'm patronising you.

 

You can't count on any NPCs being correct. By correct I mean be correct in terms of the rule set.

 

If you really hit only once every 10 attacks and didn't mod your game to change enemy AC this is a bug. (or a very rare coincidence, it's probably more likely that the nuclear plant in the neighborhood blows up, you can enable the hit roll display to check if you are rolling natural 1 90 percent of the time)

-4 thac0 is already perfect against monsters with AC -6 or worse, you should hit 95 percent of the time.
Dragons should be the only monsters at the moment which are harder to hit, and even against them you should succeed with most attacks.

Your natural thac0 will improve by 12 until level 21, it will be so good that you wouldn't even realize if it was 10 more or less. Even with thac0 -100 you'll still miss at a critical.

More important is the damage bonus, kensais gets +1 every 3 levels until level 39, my kensai usually killed enemy mages so fast that they were already dead when their stoneskin trigger got up.

3.5 attacks/round sound pretty odd for a level 12 kensai, it's only possible if you are hasted or dualwielding while not specialized in your main hand weapon or cheating (or experiencing a bug).

 

Uhh, are you sure that kensais do not gain to hit and damage bonuses with non-blade weapons? I never heard about that!

You are so very very right!

 

The only mods I'm using don't change the difficulty of any encounters 'til TOB (Illasera, Gromnir, etc.), but I was using warhammers/flails before I dual-classed into a cleric.

I don't hit very often though and that's why I made the post, because Iknow I should be hitting most of the time, but for some reason, I'm not. Jaheira with a THAC0 of 4 hits almost every time and me when I had a Thac0 of -4 missed most of the time. Possible maybe during the install of mods I screwed up the engine and -4 is the magic number to suck? lol... I guess I'll find out when I regain Kensai abilities as a cleric and turn on righteous might.

EDIT: Me and Minsc both have anatural 19 str (Book from BG1 for me and Minsc's unfinished business quest when he gets Boo back gives him 19 str instead of 18/95). I know how the mechanics of the game work and I'm not really focused so much on Minsc having better Thac0 so much as me missing all the time with a -4.

 

To answer your original question, no, a kensai isn't really all that good. If you're going to dual your fighter sub-class, go for a berserker - they don't have the no-armour, no-ranged weapon penalties, and with rage they get a bonus to hit and to damage anyway...

 

Kensais are weak at low levels, but their damage bonus increases until the end of game, while the berserker bonusses don't improve any more after the start.

 

Berserker is immune to imprisonment and other really bad effects throughout the whole game though .

As a Kensai/Cleric I should be weilding more damage than most people might think considering crom feyr(SP) 1 handed with a 19-20 crit and +5 to hit and damage will be niiiice. Of course I have to get passed this issue where a -6 thac0 isn't hitting anything while Jaheira's 3 is hitting 80%.

 

But a berserkers immunity to imprisonment is only active when his rage is active right?

Thats why I like Kensais - no micro management, always good.

Their bonus should apply to non bladed weapons, I've used hammers before, but didnt bother to check how good my thaco was. seem to remember it being where it is supposed to be.

Perfect fighter? I decided to play the game solo, with a fighter mage thief. But was worried about going up against monsters like dragons liches and the like single handed, which are difficult enough with a party of 6.

So I cheated. I created a new kit that combines all the abilities of the kensai, wizard slayer and inquisitor with none of the disadvantages. Thats my fighter kit.

He also wears elven chain mail +7 that gives him immunity to backstab and timestop, permanent improved alacrity and an extra spell from levels 1 - 7.

For role playing reasons I also wanted to create someone that was a more credibly opponent to Irenicus, and one that could cast spells like he could, ie all the time.

Yes its overpowered, but I dont think ridiculously so. Those more skilled than me would find it a joke.

I know this doesnt really concerned kensais, sorry for my off topicness, just thought it concerned fighter kits.

Basically, if you want the perfect dualling material, create your own kit. It isnt even that hard.

 

Well Proteus, let's say you've created a monster.. Is game challenging anymore for you? But it's your game, if you find it better with that way go ahead and enjoy.

 

No I'll admit it isnt very challenging. The build and the armor are way overpowered. They have no weaknesses at all.

But it can be fun just decimating your opponents.

I might weaken it a bit, the guys AC is so good not much can hit him, and he does 25-30 damage wielding CF +5. which is absurdly high for a single handed weapon, but I suppose a normal kensai could get that with the same stuff (wearing a girdle of some or other giant strength, strength 21).

 

My Kensai/Cleric is doing around 20-25 damage with the CF +5 as well, and there are no overpowered classes involved besides cleric... .

EDIT:

Actually I'm doing around 34 damage a hit without crits using the CF+5. I'm a Kensai 13, Cleric 17. Yea... woot woot eh? thac0 -11 now.

Also, I've found that going single weapon style as a Kensai is nice for the extra 2 AC and 19-20 crit range. With a potion of (sets AC to 0) my AC actually gets down to -8 or -9, which is almost as good as a sword'n'board fighter.

I guess the only real issue is hits aren't registering or something, I odn't hit often but I have near 5 attacks a round so I definately desimate stuff.

[ December 23, 2006, 23:25: Message edited by: omnigodly ]

 

I don't know where the myth of kensai only getting bonuses when using edged weapons came from, but it isn't true. They are monsters of melee with any melee weapon in which they're trained with proficiency points. More points spent = even more insanely damaging. Grandmastery in a 1H weapon + dual wielding two of that particular 1H weapon = monster puree.

 

Sarevok critted for 200 damage with the soul reaver +4...

 

Are you counting for everytime your model attacks? because that thing lies