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Roleplaying your weapon choice

Discussion in 'BG2: Throne of Bhaal (Classic)' started by Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Dec 6, 2011.

  1. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    Hmmm... I still haven't decided if my next run through will be with a F/T, a M/T, or a F/M/T. However, the one common component in all three examples is the thief. I also am thinking about using quarterstaves as my weapon of choice. I'll eventually graduate to Staff of the Ram, but I'll have powerful weapon choices all the way through. Heck, the Staff of Rynn is available at the Adventurer's Mart from as soon as you can afford it. Even in BG1, a quarterstaff +1 is one of the first magic weapons you'll find, and I believe Ulgoth's Beard has a "Martial Staff" (which looks suspiciously like a quarterstaff) as the only purchasable +3 weapon in the game.

    But that got me to thinking - what race would use a quarterstaff? It's not really a hallmark weapon for thieves in general, nor any race in particular. And I like to go with some roleplaying in my weapon choices.

    For example, one of the reasons I rarely play a dwarven F/T is the only weapon one can backstab with that a dwarf would be caught dead using is a club. (And there's no way you can use a bow - even a crossbow is iffy.) On the other hand, if I'm playing an elven F/T or M/T, then I'm almost certainly going to use long swords or short swords. With halflings and gnomes, I go with daggers. I've never done a half-elf as a thief, although I think I would probably go with swords again if I did. And I also have never played a half-orc thief, nor do I have any desire to. IMO, if you're a half-orc, you almost have to play a barbarian or berserker (although they do represent the only option beyond the gnome for a C/T, so at least that's something).

    Still, to the question at hand - what race would be the most appropriate choice for using a quarterstaff as a thief weapon?
     
  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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    I don't know exactly how deep your RP is, but I would think that a human makes sense, where the thief is in disguise and pretends to be older than he is. Thus, needs the walking stick.

    That's my attempt at justification for you. I don't think it holds up with other races because of either the height or the lack of aging issues.
     
  3. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    And therein lies the problem, as I'm playing a multi-class. So human is the one race I definitely won't pick.

    I think the reason why it's difficult to categorize the weapon is because it's the only weapon in the game that EVERYONE no matter your class or race, can use. At least I think it's the only one. A sling is near-universal, but cavaliers and kensais would be prohibited from using it, and I guess a monk typically wouldn't use any weapon, but he could use a quarterstaff he wanted to - in that he wouldn't be prohibited from equipping one.
     
  4. Voy Gems: 5/31
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    quarterstaff seems like a lame powergamey choice for a thief tbh :p
    unless it is a mage/thief - and a tall race I can't really picture Gnome with a staff :S
    otherwise daggers and one handed swords would be my role-playing choice; as natural weapon selection for rogues
     
  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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    For RP purposes, I think you could go with a half-elf or full elf M/T and RP it OK. He dresses like a mage, carries a big stick like a mage, acts like a mage, etc., but if anyone gets too close, then -wham- he lays down the smackage with his staff because they don't expect that from a mage.
     
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