Best Infinity Engine Weapons

Welcome to my ranking of the best Infinity Engine weapons.

1. Dagger of Venom BG1
2. Composite Longbow BG1
3. Two Handed Sword +1: Hammering IWD1
4. Flail of Ages BG2
5. Celestial Fury BG2
6. Belm BG2
7. Dak'kon's Zerth Blade
8. Staff of the Magi BG2
9. Mechanus Crossbow PS:T
10. Gnasher BG2

Criteria of Assessment of Infinity Engine Weapons

We should ask ourselves the following when assessing a weapon's worth:

• How combat encounter-impacting/dictating is the weapon over the course of the campaign?
• Does the weapon inflict on-hit debuffing or immobilization? [example, example]. Especially, the MR-bypassing or no-save type?
• Is it capable of acute damage or HP-bypassing insta-death (backstab-capable or Vorpal and effects akin to vorpal such as shattering and disruption)?
• Is it capable of spellcaster disruption (on-hit elemental or para-elemental damage-over-time)?
• Is it capable of illusion/stoneskin dispersion (on-hit Dispel, elemental, para-elemental or +ApR)
• Does it confer blanket immunity to negative status effects (Free Action, Negative Plane Protection, Mind Shield)
• How easy is its acquisition, and is its usefulness long-lasting?
• Who can wield it?

Such traits can be decisive factors in how a weapon ranks.

12th level Ingress' Teeth deserve to be rated in the Top 10 because the on-hit paralysis triggers often and against almost any enemy, including baatezu. The effects of paralysis don't last long but that doesn't matter because it will likely retrigger on the next couple of hits, anyway (Morte gets 4.5 ApR with EED).

Honorable mentions: Improved Mace of Disruption BG2 is combat encounter-dictating, but only against undead (which they disrupt up to and including demi-liches). 

Tuigan BG2 (+1 ApR) is good, too.

So yeah, as you can see, I rank FoA on-hit Slow and CF on-hit Stun over Belm +ApR. I give great weight to a weapon that debuffs/immobilizes and yet still severely damages (btw, stacked DoV poison DOES slow enemy movement rate considerably). Obviously, you will be wielding both (FoA/CF on-hand and Belm off-hand) but, against heavy-hitting tanks such as Torgal, Adamantite Golems — indeed, even Dragons — it is the Slow and Stun that is more impacting.

The Long Bow Hammer of IWD comes to late to be a contender.

No Vorpal weapons made the cut? Silver Sword (on-hit 25% vorpal on failed save vs. death at -2) is great for horde-based encounters and Axe of the Unyielding BG2 will decapitate even Maraliths at the Throne, but they come too late to get into this ranking. Same goes for Ravager BG2.

And no IWD2 weapons made the cut? Non-HoF IWD2 weapon itemization is too balanced, and Cera Sumat IWD2, Halberd of Hate IWD2 and Massive Greataxe of Flame IWD2 just come too late to have impact comparable to weapons in my Top Ten.

I kindly refer you to my popular Best Baldur's Gate Weapons for a write-up that allows other weapons to get a look-in. See also: Best Infinity Engine Axes.

Holy Avenger Comparison

• Carsomyr BG2
• Pale Justice IWD1
• Cera Sumat IWD2

Carsomyr wins: +5 version (which is all you need) can be procured very early. Much more impact with the on-hit Dispel, even if it is bug-nerfed. PJ is less powerful than CS but gets more use (Heart of Winter); thus, it's better.

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