Long-ago D&D player needs some advice for Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance!
01-02-02, 09:51 AM
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Long-ago D&D player needs some advice for Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance!
Ok, I played D&D way back in 6th grade, but we're talking almost 20 years ago. Even then, I wasn't an expert, but I knew enough to enjoy the game quite a bit.
After Christmas, I picked up Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance along with a few other PS2 titles. After 3 solid days of gaming, I finished BGDA on the easiest setting using the Dwarf character. I had a lot of fun with the game, and I plan to return to it at a higher difficulty setting.
My question is this: having been away from D&D lore so much, I have a big hunch that I was not using the right weapons in the right situations. For example, are blunt weapons better than swords for some creatures? What's a weapon of "disruption" do? Is it worth having a "keen" weapon if it does a lot less damage than another weapon? How about fire, ice, or shock weapons? Finally, here's one that really threw me--I'd look at the list of items I could buy, and I'd see a weapon that did a nice range of damage (say, 21-27), but another weapon that was, say, +2 or +3, would cost significantly more but yet the range of damage was a lot less. Where exactly does a "+2" or a "+3" fit in? Is this a plus to your chance to hit? A plus to the damage you do when you hit?
I know this is a lot of questions, but I feel like if I could get a quick crash course in D&D, I'd be able to get a lot more out of BGDA.
Thanks much!
After Christmas, I picked up Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance along with a few other PS2 titles. After 3 solid days of gaming, I finished BGDA on the easiest setting using the Dwarf character. I had a lot of fun with the game, and I plan to return to it at a higher difficulty setting.
My question is this: having been away from D&D lore so much, I have a big hunch that I was not using the right weapons in the right situations. For example, are blunt weapons better than swords for some creatures? What's a weapon of "disruption" do? Is it worth having a "keen" weapon if it does a lot less damage than another weapon? How about fire, ice, or shock weapons? Finally, here's one that really threw me--I'd look at the list of items I could buy, and I'd see a weapon that did a nice range of damage (say, 21-27), but another weapon that was, say, +2 or +3, would cost significantly more but yet the range of damage was a lot less. Where exactly does a "+2" or a "+3" fit in? Is this a plus to your chance to hit? A plus to the damage you do when you hit?
I know this is a lot of questions, but I feel like if I could get a quick crash course in D&D, I'd be able to get a lot more out of BGDA.
Thanks much!
01-02-02, 10:37 AM
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Been a long time since I played D&D proper as well. I have played numerous PC games based on D&D though. I believe Dark Alliance uses the 3rd Generation of rules. Neverwinter Nights was supposed to be the first proper game to use those rules, but we're still waiting release of that game.
Anyway, I would go out and get the rulebook to answer your questions if someone cannot answer them for you. I could be wrong on the number generation we are on and that DA is actually the first to use that generation of rules. Hope someone answers you.
Anyway, I would go out and get the rulebook to answer your questions if someone cannot answer them for you. I could be wrong on the number generation we are on and that DA is actually the first to use that generation of rules. Hope someone answers you.
01-02-02, 11:03 AM
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Re: Long-ago D&D player needs some advice for Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance!
Haven't played the game yet (although I've heard good things!), but I'll try and help.
I guess it depends on how "deep" the game's engine was. Typically, against creatures made of bone, stone, or any other extremely dense material (skeletons, stone golems, etc.), blunt weapons such as hammers and maces work best. But it depends on how much detail the game creators wanted to put into their engine. I'm not sure if certain types of weapons work better against creatures with soft skin... I'd think bladed, cutting weapons and blunt, crushing weapons would do equally well.
I think that, when it hits, it dispels (or has a chance to dispel) magical spells that are cast on the target. For instance, if the target has a "stoneskin" spell on it that reduces the damage the target takes from attacks, when the weapon of disruption hit, it would dispel the "stoneskin." Not for sure, though.
Not sure about the keen thing, but with fire and ice damage, they work better on creatures made of opposite stuff... like, using a fire weapon against a creature composed of ice, or vice versa. Shock weapons... hm... maybe work against water creatures? Not sure. Again, it depends on how "deep" the game designers wanted to get with their engine.
Were they entirely different weapons? Like, a +2 dagger vs. a regular two-handed sword, which does much more damage regularly than a dagger? That'd be weird if they were the same weapon, and the pricing scheme you were talking about existed. Most D&D-type games will break the + stats into different categories... like, a weapon will be +2 to hit, +3 damage... but if it just says +2 or whatever without signifying where that bonus is applied to, I have no idea.
I'm thinking there are some forums online for this game, since it seems to be a pretty popular one. Do some nosing around, and I bet you could find somewhere with a lot of BGDA resources. Happy dungeon-diving! 
Originally posted by DavePack
My question is this: having been away from D&D lore so much, I have a big hunch that I was not using the right weapons in the right situations. For example, are blunt weapons better than swords for some creatures?
My question is this: having been away from D&D lore so much, I have a big hunch that I was not using the right weapons in the right situations. For example, are blunt weapons better than swords for some creatures?
What's a weapon of "disruption" do?
Is it worth having a "keen" weapon if it does a lot less damage than another weapon? How about fire, ice, or shock weapons?
Finally, here's one that really threw me--I'd look at the list of items I could buy, and I'd see a weapon that did a nice range of damage (say, 21-27), but another weapon that was, say, +2 or +3, would cost significantly more but yet the range of damage was a lot less. Where exactly does a "+2" or a "+3" fit in? Is this a plus to your chance to hit? A plus to the damage you do when you hit?
I know this is a lot of questions, but I feel like if I could get a quick crash course in D&D, I'd be able to get a lot more out of BGDA. Thanks much!
01-02-02, 01:17 PM
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Hi,
I've played and finished BGDA.
The "keen" weapons I believe just means that it is worth more when you sell it. I don't think it improves damage.
When looking at the damage, I usually look 1st for the damage before the +2,+3 modifier. Yes, its strange that a weapon with less damage might cost more that 1 with more damage. Also keep in mind that some weapons are slower than others.
blunt weapons are good against skeletons and zombies.
They were especially effective in one section of Act 1.
I've played and finished BGDA.
The "keen" weapons I believe just means that it is worth more when you sell it. I don't think it improves damage.
When looking at the damage, I usually look 1st for the damage before the +2,+3 modifier. Yes, its strange that a weapon with less damage might cost more that 1 with more damage. Also keep in mind that some weapons are slower than others.
blunt weapons are good against skeletons and zombies.
They were especially effective in one section of Act 1.
