A Weapon Proficiency is a skill that determines how well a character can handle certain types of weapons, which may add penalties or bonuses to their attack and damage, depending on the skill level. Most non-warrior classes may become proficient (one proficiency slot) in their weapon array; paladins and rangers can specialize (two slots), and only fighters are able to achieve grand mastery (all five slots).
Certain non-humanoid creatures might also be proficient in fighting with their specific weapons, or even master these.
Skill lists[edit | edit source]
| Proficiency | Excluded classes |
|---|---|
| Bow |
|
| Spiked Weapons | |
| Small Sword |
|
| Large Sword |
|
| Axe |
|
| Blunt Weapons | –
|
| Missile Weapons | –
|
| Spear |
|
Baldur's Gate & Tales of the Sword Coast[edit | edit source]
- For Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Siege of Dragonspear, see further below.
The original Baldur's Gate groups certain, "similar" weapons together and offers only a few categories of weapon proficiencies: eight in number.
- See the table to the right for a listing and forbidden classes.
This makes characters more versatile, and they can quickly switch to a different weapon of the same category – e.g. if the one used suddenly breaks – without having to deal with penalties during combat.
Icewind Dale[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Weapon Proficiency on the Icewind Dale Wiki.
Icewind Dale, a "sister" game of Baldur's Gate, which was developed and published between the first and the second part of the Bhaalspawn saga, has a more specialized system of weapon proficiencies, splitting the Baldur's Gate I categories up into many more single weapon types, and keeping only very few weapons within one category.
- See the table below for a listing and comparison with Baldur's Gate I and II.
Class restrictions are also handled slightly different from the Baldur's Gate games:
Baldur's Gate II & Enhanced Editions[edit | edit source]
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn further cuts down the weapon proficiencies and binds most of them to a single weapon, following even closer the underlying Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition ruleset, documented e.g. in the Player's Handbook. Remaining exceptions are:
- the grouping of scimitars, wakizashi and ninjatōs – mostly new weapons in Part II;
- no difference between Flail and Morning Star – formerly the "Spiked Weapons";
- no difference between light and heavy crossbows;
- and throwing variants of otherwise melee weapons – axes, daggers, and hammers – don't need an own proficiency, either.
Also, "fighting styles" are introduced: proficiencies that add bonuses when using a two- or a one-handed weapon, a shield or two weapons simultaneously.
- See the table below for a listing, forbidden classes and the Baldur's Gate I proficiencies for a comparison.
These expansions of the weapon proficiency system were carried over into and are still valid for the Enhanced Editions of the games.
- ↑ Incl. Broad Swords
- ↑ Incl. Throwing Axe
- ↑ Katanas don't exist in the original Baldur's Gate and its Tales of the Sword Coast expansion, but if, they would be assigned to the weapon proficiency "Large Sword".
- ↑ Incl. Wakizashi and Ninjatō
- ↑ Incl. Throwing Dagger
- ↑ Incl. Mauls
- ↑ Incl. Morning Star
- ↑ For Morning Stars, see Maces
- ↑ Incl. Morning Stars
Technical note: The old Baldur's Gate & Tales of the Sword Coast proficiencies are still existent and active in the game files of the newer games. Creatures that haven't the new proficiencies assigned to their code (e.g. ones that were imported into Shadows of Amn from Baldur's Gate or almost any in the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition) do benefit from the old system's bonuses.[1]
Effects[edit | edit source]
| Proficiency (Slots spent) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled (0) | Proficient (1) | Specialized (2) | Master (3) | High Master (4) | Grand Master (5) | ||
| Weapon Type | Weapon APR bonus (warriors only) |
+0.5 | +0.5 | ||||
| +1
| |||||||
| THAC0 Modifier |
+2 (warriors, monks) +3 (priests, most rogues) +5 (wizards, mage/thief, shadowdancer) |
0 | -1 | -3
|
-3
|
-3
| |
| Damage modifier | 0 | 0 | +2 | +3
|
+5
|
+5
| |
| Speed Factor bonus | -1 | -3 | |||||
| Fighting Style | Two-Handed Weapon | +1 damage, -2 Speed Factor, Crit on 19 & 20 roll |
+1 damage, -4 Speed Factor, Crit on 19 & 20 roll |
||||
| Sword and Shield | -2 AC vs. missile | -4 AC vs. missile | |||||
| Single-Weapon | -1 AC, Crit on 19 & 20 roll |
-2 AC, Crit on 19 & 20 roll |
|||||
| Two-Weapon |
-4 THAC0 penalty to main weapon, |
-2 THAC0 penalty to main weapon, -6 THAC0 to offhand weapon |
-4 THAC0 penalty to offhand weapon only |
-2 THAC0 penalty to offhand weapon only |
|||
- Fighting style bonuses apply only when wielding melee weapons. This also includes throwing weapons used in melee mode.
- Thrown weapons in "melee" mode use the Str bonus to hit, not Dex
- Thrown weapons in "ranged" mode use the Dex bonus to hit, not Str
- In BG:EE the following "hurled" weapons also get the strength damage bonus, even in ranged mode: slings and throwing axes/daggers/hammers, but not darts.
Slots gained with level by class group[edit | edit source]
Growth rate differs based on class group. Multi-classes use only the class of the fastest progression. Dual-classes only gain slots from the current active class. Note that all rangers automatically start specialized in Two Weapon Style. The numbers in this chart for that class are what can be chosen by the player, with the absolute total being two higher. Some classes will reach their maximum proficiency before their highest level due to limited weapon selection.
| Level | Warrior group | Priest & Rogue group | Wizard group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | |||
| 3 | 1 | ||
| 4 | 1 | ||
| 5 | |||
| 6 | 1 | 1 | |
| 7 | |||
| 8 | 1 | ||
| 9 | 1 | ||
| 10 | |||
| 11 | |||
| 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | |||
| 14 | |||
| 15 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 1 | ||
| 17 | |||
| 18 | 1 (Max for triple multi-classes) | 1 (Max for single-class) | |
| 19 | |||
| 20 | 1 | ||
| 21 | 1 (Max for cleric/ranger) | ||
| 22 | |||
| 23 | |||
| 24 | 1 (Max for fighter multi-classes) | 1 (Max for cleric/mage) | 1 |
| 25 | |||
| 26 | |||
| 27 | 1 | ||
| 28 | 1 (Max for thief multi-classes, druid, monk, shaman) | ||
| 29 | |||
| 30 | 1 | 1 (Max for dual-class mage) | |
| 31 | |||
| 32 | 1 (Max for single-class cleric) | ||
| 33 | 1 (Max for ranger, paladin) | ||
| 34 | |||
| 35 | |||
| 36 | 1 | 1 (Max for dual-class warrior cleric) | |
| 37 | |||
| 38 | |||
| 39 | 1 | ||
| 40 | 1 | ||
| Total | 17 for fighter, barbarian 15 for ranger, paladin 12 for fighter multi-classes 11 for cleric/ranger 10 for triple multi-classes |
12 for thief, bard |
4 for single-class |
Allowed slots investments by class kit[edit | edit source]
Max slots per weapon differs based on class kit, fighter, ranger multi-classes may specialize (2 slots), other combinations may only be proficient (1 slot); dual-classes gives the better of the two caps, with fighter dualing are allowed up to 5 slots, but beware of risking wasting and permanently losing any duplicate slot expenditure, as the slots spent are not combined, only chosen the better value if you take the same proficiency in both classes, so keep track of what you have spent. Fighting styles have different investment values.
| Class | Class kit | Max slots allowed | Exceptions / Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter | Berserker | 5 | Limited to Proficient in ranged weapons |
| Kensai | 5 | Cannot use ranged weapons | |
| Barbarian | 2 | Mastery in Two Weapon Style | |
| Dwarven Defender
|
2 | High Mastery in Axes and Warhammers Mastery in Two Weapon Style | |
| Other fighter kits | 5 | ||
| Fighter multi-classes | 2 | Restricted to cleric or druid weapon selection if using respective class Mastery in Two Weapon Style | |
| Ranger | Archer | 1 | Grand Mastery in Crossbows, Longbows, and Shortbows Specialization in Darts and Slings Mastery in Two Weapon Style (starts Specialized) |
| Beast Master | 2 | Cannot use metal weapons (Club and Quarterstaff are only melee options) Mastery in Two Weapon Style (starts Specialized) | |
| Other ranger kits | 2 | Mastery in Two Weapon Style (starts Specialized) | |
| Paladin | Cavalier | 2 | Cannot use ranged weapons Mastery in Two Weapon Style |
| Other paladin kits | 2 | Mastery in Two Weapon Style | |
| Cleric | 1 | Weapons limited to: War Hammer, Club, Flail, Morningstar, Mace, Quarterstaff, and Sling | |
| Druid | 1 | Weapons limited to: Scimitar, Dagger, Club, Spear, Quarterstaff, Dart, and Sling | |
| Thief | Swashbuckler | 1 | Specialized in Thief melee weapons (no extra APR) Mastery in Two Weapon Style SpecializedCE / ProficientEE in other fighting styles |
| Other thief kits | 1 | Weapons limited to: Long Sword, Short Sword, Katana, Wakizashi, Ninja-To, Scimitar, Dagger, Club, Quarterstaff, Crossbow, Shortbow, Dart, and Sling | |
| Bard | Blade | 1 | Mastery in Two Weapon Style |
| Other bard kits | 1 | ||
| Mage, Sorcerer | 1 | Can only use certain weapons: Dagger, Quarterstaff, Dart, and Sling Cannot use fighting styles | |
| Monk | 1 | Weapons limited to: Long Sword, Short Sword, Katana, Wakizashi, Ninja-To, Scimitar, Dagger, Club, Dart, and Sling Cannot use fighting styles other than Single Weapon Style | |
| Shaman
|
1 | Weapons limited to: Dagger, Club, Spear, Axe, Quarterstaff, Dart, Sling, and Shortbow | |
Achievements[edit | edit source]
Increasing the proficiency with any weapon to five points, becoming a "Grand Master", will unlock an achievement in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.[2]
 |
Grand Master Become a Grand Master. [Read more] |
 |
Grand Master Become a Grand Master. [Read more] |
External links[edit | edit source]
- Weapon Proficiency on the Icewind Dale Wiki, a wiki for the first Icewind Dale game.
