Does the wizard slayer bonuses work while using a range weapon? I feel like a wizard slayer using a fast shortbow or a light crossbow could be deadly against a mage.
Yes they do! That could make them decent ranged fighters, especially if they get multiple APR and take out mages' casting abilities! This is something that I'm playing around with, but you could use this as an interesting ability if you could only get rid of that pesky item restriction... If only a class could let a Wizard Slayer do that... 🤔 Completely unrelated note: I'm writing up episodes on Dual-Classing that should come out soon!
The problem with the wizard slayer UAI thief dual class is "Why not play Kensai instead?". Far more consistently useful bonuses and kai strike, whilst generally pretty naff, is fantastic for backstab.
So forgive my ignorance, but what was the chance made to the Wizard Slayer? Was it that the loss of magical items stuck even after UAI? Totally agree with you on Kensai, it's a Fighter that is begging to be dual-classed.
@@Redjoy123 In the original game, the feature Wizard Slayers got for miscast magic was 10% per stack. EE increased it to 25% per stack. It also now works with ranged weapons and will apply a stack as long as the attack hits even if it is blocked by Mirror Images or Stoneskins. I believe that Kensai works better dualled to Mage than Wizard Slayer but Wizard Slayer unironically is better for dualling to anything else. I also believe it's a stronger single class than Kensai as well because the armours available to them allow for a LOT of resistance gear, which is more important than raw AC in BG2, and they can still wear boots and helmets whereas Kensais can not so they can be crit. Berserker is objectively better than both for every aspect of the game, though, admittedly.
@@Jvstm Kai, being very short in duration and only averaging an extra 3.5 damage on a d8 weapon is underwhelming, sure. However, if you have a x5 multiplier, that's now an extra 17.5 damage, and your kensai bonus damage x5. For a level 13 dual class, that's an extra 37.5 damage on a backstab on average and also its being assured of actually doing that damage. The difference between this and the lowest damage possible is a lot more (55). Sometimes killing an enemy immediately matters, most notably mages before sequencers trigger. And honestly, its not a bad damage buff outside of backstabbing, its just the duration is unreasonably low. And I think the wizard slayer is trash anyway you look at it. If you can land hits against a wizard, its not going to last very long and you can easily interrupt them anyway. The MR is far too low to be reliable for the great majority of the game, and will be far to low to be useful if dual classing. The item restrictions prevents them from being good tanks and hinders their offensive capabilities, which is something Kensai at least do well. And if you wanted a dedicated wizard slayer, berserkers with immunities, inquisitors with their incredible dispels and druids with insect plague and creeping doom do the job far better and are effective against divine casters also.
@@notalefty999 Hot take but Inquisitors are trash as well. That's an argument for a different video, though. As far as Wizard Slayer vs Kensai, maybe it's preference. I find the WS has more flexibility and utility than the Kensai pretty much across the board. Furthermore, this PARTICULAR video is a sort of rundown for new players and even among experienced players very few play backstab heavy styles. Most people play Thieves with a bow in the back line and just keep them around for thieving skills. Also, Kai makes for a juicy backstab, I agree. Followed by nothing. You're too squishy to front line and Kai will wear off before you can invis backstab a second time. So. Idk man I just don't see how Kensai is anything higher than trash tier. Both of their shortcomings are made up with through Use Any Item if you go late game dual class but WS stays relevant outside of a one hit opener with or without gear. And single class they're just better period as the stuff they can wear CS the Kensai is more important and relevant late game.
See, I like the idea of that, but you don't get as many hits per round using two-handed weapons. I feel that having two one-handed weapons (dual weapons) doing more attacks per round along with Critical Strike, Improved Haste, and certain off-hand weapons does a lot of collective damage. I feel like one of us should do a few tests on that.
In general, I don't think Kensai are very good as you say. VERY late game (as in, deep TOB), their hit and damage bonuses are rather impressive and honestly, AC tanking is largely a lost cause by that stage anyway, with few classes being able to get AC low enough to be effective against the more dangerous enemies. However, in BG1, they are obviously horrible and in SOA, after factoring in the inability to use gauntlets of weapon specialisation, you are looking at +3 hit and +2 damage over a raging berserker by level 18, with dramatically lower amour class (which is still effective in SOA) and no immunities or other bonuses from a whole variety of items. This is simply not worth it, particularly when most of the game, you have been far weaker than a berserker. For dual classes, you are never realistically going to do this later than level 13, more likely level 9, and again, after factoring in gauntlets of weapon specialisation, you are no better off at all than a berserker when raging offensively, and with the huge defensive drawbacks. The only exception is thief, as UAI completely negates the penalty and Kai strike works very well for backstabs. Even then, there is a case to be made for the berserker immunities over the always actively and moderately stronger hit and damage bonuses and the fact that the class is very solid from the get go, not needing to get to level 24 as a thief to be on par, though I do honestly prefer the kensai thief.
Absolutely, I think that Kensai have to be played a specific way in BG1, especially in the early game, taking away from their versatility and thus taking away from the class as a whole. They open up a bit in BG2 but we're still looking at a class that's behind others in protection and safety.
Hard pass on the vanilla fighter. Berserker and kensai only if dualled like the usual suspects. Barb can be fun but I find them odd in this setting, much more believable in IWD. I love the DD even with the silly 'disadvantage' in weapon skill. Axes and hammers available make this a powerhouse especially going solo. WS is my favorite warrior to play by a long shot, surprising how much loot they can use and BG is so magic heavy it is a pleasure watching spells fizzle and the caster get smashed.
Does the wizard slayer bonuses work while using a range weapon? I feel like a wizard slayer using a fast shortbow or a light crossbow could be deadly against a mage.
Yes they do! That could make them decent ranged fighters, especially if they get multiple APR and take out mages' casting abilities!
This is something that I'm playing around with, but you could use this as an interesting ability if you could only get rid of that pesky item restriction...
If only a class could let a Wizard Slayer do that... 🤔
Completely unrelated note: I'm writing up episodes on Dual-Classing that should come out soon!
The problem with the wizard slayer UAI thief dual class is "Why not play Kensai instead?". Far more consistently useful bonuses and kai strike, whilst generally pretty naff, is fantastic for backstab.
Kai is extremely overrated, as is Kensai. IMO it's arguably the worst Fighter kit in the EE after they fixed Wizard Slayer.
So forgive my ignorance, but what was the chance made to the Wizard Slayer? Was it that the loss of magical items stuck even after UAI?
Totally agree with you on Kensai, it's a Fighter that is begging to be dual-classed.
@@Redjoy123 In the original game, the feature Wizard Slayers got for miscast magic was 10% per stack. EE increased it to 25% per stack. It also now works with ranged weapons and will apply a stack as long as the attack hits even if it is blocked by Mirror Images or Stoneskins.
I believe that Kensai works better dualled to Mage than Wizard Slayer but Wizard Slayer unironically is better for dualling to anything else. I also believe it's a stronger single class than Kensai as well because the armours available to them allow for a LOT of resistance gear, which is more important than raw AC in BG2, and they can still wear boots and helmets whereas Kensais can not so they can be crit.
Berserker is objectively better than both for every aspect of the game, though, admittedly.
@@Jvstm Kai, being very short in duration and only averaging an extra 3.5 damage on a d8 weapon is underwhelming, sure. However, if you have a x5 multiplier, that's now an extra 17.5 damage, and your kensai bonus damage x5. For a level 13 dual class, that's an extra 37.5 damage on a backstab on average and also its being assured of actually doing that damage. The difference between this and the lowest damage possible is a lot more (55). Sometimes killing an enemy immediately matters, most notably mages before sequencers trigger.
And honestly, its not a bad damage buff outside of backstabbing, its just the duration is unreasonably low.
And I think the wizard slayer is trash anyway you look at it. If you can land hits against a wizard, its not going to last very long and you can easily interrupt them anyway. The MR is far too low to be reliable for the great majority of the game, and will be far to low to be useful if dual classing.
The item restrictions prevents them from being good tanks and hinders their offensive capabilities, which is something Kensai at least do well.
And if you wanted a dedicated wizard slayer, berserkers with immunities, inquisitors with their incredible dispels and druids with insect plague and creeping doom do the job far better and are effective against divine casters also.
@@notalefty999 Hot take but Inquisitors are trash as well. That's an argument for a different video, though.
As far as Wizard Slayer vs Kensai, maybe it's preference. I find the WS has more flexibility and utility than the Kensai pretty much across the board. Furthermore, this PARTICULAR video is a sort of rundown for new players and even among experienced players very few play backstab heavy styles. Most people play Thieves with a bow in the back line and just keep them around for thieving skills.
Also, Kai makes for a juicy backstab, I agree. Followed by nothing. You're too squishy to front line and Kai will wear off before you can invis backstab a second time. So. Idk man I just don't see how Kensai is anything higher than trash tier.
Both of their shortcomings are made up with through Use Any Item if you go late game dual class but WS stays relevant outside of a one hit opener with or without gear. And single class they're just better period as the stuff they can wear CS the Kensai is more important and relevant late game.
Yeah beserker two handed specialist is broken just melts enemies even without rage. Not even starting on mage dual class. Busted.
See, I like the idea of that, but you don't get as many hits per round using two-handed weapons. I feel that having two one-handed weapons (dual weapons) doing more attacks per round along with Critical Strike, Improved Haste, and certain off-hand weapons does a lot of collective damage.
I feel like one of us should do a few tests on that.
@@Redjoy123 Will try to test out this. I'll reach out when I get the results.
In general, I don't think Kensai are very good as you say. VERY late game (as in, deep TOB), their hit and damage bonuses are rather impressive and honestly, AC tanking is largely a lost cause by that stage anyway, with few classes being able to get AC low enough to be effective against the more dangerous enemies.
However, in BG1, they are obviously horrible and in SOA, after factoring in the inability to use gauntlets of weapon specialisation, you are looking at +3 hit and +2 damage over a raging berserker by level 18, with dramatically lower amour class (which is still effective in SOA) and no immunities or other bonuses from a whole variety of items. This is simply not worth it, particularly when most of the game, you have been far weaker than a berserker.
For dual classes, you are never realistically going to do this later than level 13, more likely level 9, and again, after factoring in gauntlets of weapon specialisation, you are no better off at all than a berserker when raging offensively, and with the huge defensive drawbacks. The only exception is thief, as UAI completely negates the penalty and Kai strike works very well for backstabs. Even then, there is a case to be made for the berserker immunities over the always actively and moderately stronger hit and damage bonuses and the fact that the class is very solid from the get go, not needing to get to level 24 as a thief to be on par, though I do honestly prefer the kensai thief.
Absolutely, I think that Kensai have to be played a specific way in BG1, especially in the early game, taking away from their versatility and thus taking away from the class as a whole. They open up a bit in BG2 but we're still looking at a class that's behind others in protection and safety.
Hard pass on the vanilla fighter. Berserker and kensai only if dualled like the usual suspects. Barb can be fun but I find them odd in this setting, much more believable in IWD. I love the DD even with the silly 'disadvantage' in weapon skill. Axes and hammers available make this a powerhouse especially going solo. WS is my favorite warrior to play by a long shot, surprising how much loot they can use and BG is so magic heavy it is a pleasure watching spells fizzle and the caster get smashed.
You never played a pure kensai? Dude... Make a dwarf with max physical stats and decent intelligence for Mind Flayers. Pure Kensais are a disaster.