Backstabbing Quarterstaves

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It would appear that the Staff of the Ram may be the best backstabbing weapon in the game depending on how the damage is applied. Is the +12 crushing damage added to the end, or is it pre-multiplier (which would easily make it the most damaging backstabbing weapon in the game). Even if that 12 isn't factored in, if you're a F/T, and have two points in two-handed weapon fighting style, the extra 5% chance of scoring a critical hit still would likely put it over the top.

One more question - if you have a M/T, or a F/M/T, can the Staff of the Magi be used for backstabbing (or no because it's listed as a mage only weapon)?

I'm nearly done with my playthrough, and I'm already thinking on the next one, which is going to be some combination of F/M/T - either all three or some combination of the two.

For the first time ever, I sealed Demogorgon in Watcher's Keep. After the Helmite ghost, Keldorn, and Saerilith all encouraged that course of action, I gave in. (It's really Saerilith's fault - I can't believe my character is humping a 15-year old.) I was pleasantly surprised to see that sealing him in gives a 80,000 XP reward to all characters, and since I don't think you get any items from the fight itself, it seems like the XPs are the same either way.

One question - while I'm assuming you can't do this - and I admit to never trying - what happens if you do end up reading the original scroll? Or can you not read the scroll despite having dialogue options that suggests you could? Is it just game over? Hosed?

 

http://baldur.cob-bg.pl/bg2?pg=3,1,9
explicitly states that Staff of the Magi can't be used for backstabbing.

If you're to be cheesy, you can both kill Demogorgon and seal him up because the scroll disappears with a slight delay, or so they say, I never tried it.

Mhm? I don't know the option NOT to read the scroll at all. As far as I remember it is that you talk with a Demogorgon, then the talk is over, you have no option but to read the scroll and you end up sealed. Then you talk to the Demogorgon again and he opens a small passage for you.

 

I have never opted to read the scroll. There are distinct dialogue options to avoiding this path. Demogorgon is so well concealed that Keldorn doesn't even know what he is - he states that while he feels the presence, he does not think the presence is evil (obviously, he's wrong). There are dialogue options that Demogorgon tells you he was wrongfully imprisoned, that the false Helmites are trying to trick you into using the scroll and imprison both you and him, and offers you a portal up to confront the false Helmites about the plan, and to send them down so he can have his revenge.

Like I said - I didn't even know you COULD read the scroll, so I was already certain that there were means of not doing so. I just figured that there were so many opportunities in the dialogue options of NOT reading the scroll, that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to do so... and I still have the original scroll in my inventory, so they don't make you read it.

 

I believe the damage bonuses are multiplied -- IIRC only strength is taken out prior to the multiplicative factor. Staff of the Ram is the most powerful backstab weapon (even better than the assassin dagger in a mod ... can't remember what it was called).

I thought I was able to backstab with the Staff of the Magi, but then I already had UAI at that point with my cleric/thief. I wholeheartedly recommend a cleric/thief -- especially solo. I really only had the Staff of the Magi in a quick slot so I could turn invisible, shift to stealth, and switch to a better weapon.

 

You can't backstab with the Staff of Magi. Believe me, I tried. UAI doesn't help either, nor does being a M/T combo. I don't know if the Staff of the Ram is the best you can do as far as backstabbing weapons go, but it's certainly one of my favorites. As I recall from a Kensai/Thief dual classed char that I played a long time back, damage was between 70 and 130 on a non-critical hit, and I've seen 300+ on a critical. I'm too lazy to do the math, and anyway I don't know which of the 1.5 multiplier for two handed weapons, 5 stars proficiency with the grandmastery patch and strength bonuses (girdle of fire giant strength) get added into the multiplier calculation.

I've started a Half-Orc F/Ass who will specialize in quarterstaffs who should be even more awesome, but he's still at the beginning of BGTutu, so it'll be a while yet before he gets to the end of ToB.

As I recall, you can either seal Demogorgon from the outside, or you could fight him from the inside. Fighting him you can do without even reading the scroll, if I remember right, or you can read the scroll and Demogorgon will let you out, at which point you can either trick the knight of Ni, I mean Helm, to go in after him, you can leave him to rot, or you can go in after the knights and fight him anyway. Or you take the ghost that appears after the knights have left up on his offer and read another scroll from the outside to seal them all in. With Helm's approval.

Frankly, I either cheese him with a few spike traps or I just ignore it completely. XP is usually plentiful enough and there's no loot to be had anyway (and loot is the only reason I do the WK).