The BEST WEAPON TYPE in BG3 - Versatile Weapons Honor Mode Tier List and Guide - Act 1

[@JeremyAndersonBoise]

I have an action economy rule of thumb for Phalar Aluve. If my party outnumbers the enemies, it sings. If the enemies outnumber my party, it shrieks.

[@SpookyGman]

Phalar Aluve Shriek is like my Final Fantasy Overdrive attack. I'm always saving it for a harder fight that just doesn't exist.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

So true

[@sldkgf]

Nyrulna, Nyrulna, girl won't you tell me why. Sweet Nyrula, you always make my enemies die.

[@wandererswanderingdaughter1756]

And my friends too since I suck at positioning

[@LaTetso]

Battleaxes got done dirty in this game... makes me sad

[@Cephalopocalypse]

It's true, there's so bizarrely few of them!

[@Garroburg]

I used a battleaxe once in the game. Had only that to throw in my inventory so I threw it for 3 hole damage so I didnt loose my rage 😂

[@michaelnadler596]

It is worth mentioning that the Sparky Trident doesn't generate lighting charges when you throw it, just when you use is as a melee weapon.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

True! Yet another reason not to take it (I took it in my first playthrough because "hey cool a trident" and regretted it the whole time)

[@michaelnadler596]

@@Cephalopocalypse I made the same mistake

[@alexblackwood2316]

​@@Cephalopocalypse Well at least you're not ADHD who on my current and first playthrough, didn't realize where you started the quest (or that it was time sensitive), and long rested without doing the quest, thus ending it. And my Tav is a Warlock 😂 welp, next time it is lol. That's what happens when you choose to go in blind to a type of game you've never played before.

[@josephsmith1886]

I enjoyed the section on tridents, I hope nobody tries to dissuade you from keeping your videos flavourful. Great work as always. 👍

[@joshhobbs4862]

KZbin says I'm in the top 0.1% of cepho fans! That i watch 70x more content than the average, the average needs to step up their game :( for real tho I love the channel and it's a great part of my routine. Thanks so much for all the great videos!

[@Arianrhod3]

Thank you so much for all these tier lists. You're my go-to resource for BG3 knowledge. Your tier lists are the most informed tier lists of anything, ever, that I've seen on KZbin.

[@richcantgame]

I got my KZbin year in review, I was top 2% in watch time for your viewers. I don’t think I even started watching your channel until like June 😂

[@Cephalopocalypse]

Amazing, thanks for sticking around!

[@richcantgame]

@ Thanks for the great videos. I’ve learned a lot, especially about Honor mode

[@lawtonhogan6921]

Still one of the most underrated creators on youtube. Thanks as always for the great vid!

[@kuwe4652]

To my knowledge Phalar Aluve doesn't trigger on every damage they take but every attack that hits. Most of the time this destinction isn't really important BUT it can't be combined with Hamarhraft (not that both of these weapons aren'T broken enough on their own if used right)

[@bruhmomen360]

Phalar aluve + Spike ground can do some serious damage when they're walking.

[@michaelnadler596]

Still hoping you create a tier list specific to thrown weapons

[@Zero_Zone.]

Great tier list video, I learn something new from them every time, like I never knew the Intransigent Warhammer even existed. Thanks for the great work and looking forward to part 2.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

Thanks! I also had never really seen that item at all and I was like.... this is the coolest weapon, how is no one talking about this

[@agdillo1368]

Sparky Points have one interaction that makes them better than portrayed. Despite no description saying so, the Sparkle Hands gloves give lightning charges when throwing a weapon, meaning throwing the Sparky Points gives +4 lightning charges per throw. This makes it the best weapon for EK throwers until act 3.

[@FlipityGibett]

Chariots were also used by Celts in England and Romani-British used tridents against Celtic chariots. Since much of DnD is influenced by Westrrn Europe I think that’s an important callout too.

[@jimmyjohnjohnson9803]

For some bizzare reason tridents dont apply to polearm master, which just means that they're slightly worse spears (when accounting for disarm)

[@PierrePsst]

The Witchbreaker is what we call a spoonerism.

[@Michael-Mepoke]

Thanks!

[@Cephalopocalypse]

Thanks so much for the support! I really appreciate it :D

[@arnorr7089]

Such a versatile subject!

[@Michael-Mepoke]

33:28 From what i understand i should be throwing hammers, and "For the lich queen" so my paladin can smite the whole game.😂 Optimization kills random.

[@Marianojoey]

The two cambions that get to the Nautiloid fight around turn 9 carry tridents, so you can get the tridents right there in the tutorial. :)

[@SeemsLogical]

I wish tridents had more magical options. The weapon skills on it are so useful. And I wish the damage on it was slightly better, but thats me being biased. If tank builds were viable/necessary in this game I could see the need of bringing a trident on a shield wielding tank. Its like a bulky melee oriented crowd controller. But BG3 meta is basically focus fire and kill enemies ASAP while inflicting statuses on enemies to disable their ability to retaliate.

[@abmelonhead4]

I open yt for the first time today and this pops up first. Me: *wheeze* the video I have been waiting for *click*

[@AzureDragon158]

Phalar Aluve #1!

[@LoudWaffle]

Yeahhhhh wooooo! Finally!!

[@chi7818]

The cambions on the nautiloid use tridents so after you command drop the commander, you can command drop a cambion as well to get a trident.

[@ranmashiah1999]

You dont need to command drop it, you can just kill them. Also there is no trident on the beach unlike what was told in the video. However, getting 2 of those so early and for free along with their respective weapon actions makes the regular trident the best thrown weapon for a while and at least hogh B tier. Uncommon L take by the guy.

[@chi7818]

@ if you aren’t cheesing, it’s significantly easier to kill them both when you command drop one of them. It makes it easier to keep the mindflayer alive or it allows you to get hit by him and not be at a risk of dying since they can do 12+ damage per hit with the trident.

[@alvarotopo]

Don't be humble here. It IS impressive. Your work is impressive, and so is your knowledge. Congratulations on this achivement. Suggestion on next tierlist: permanent buffs.

[@DJMise14]

My favorite weapon class!

[@sailorgunsveteran5260]

Good breakdown. Thanks, but this is not all of the weapons in BG3 lol. My throwbarian is using improvised weapons to great effect. Cauldrons, shoes, camp supplies, and barrels are really good thrown weapons for specific builds.

[@ethanpeeples6187]

Voss silver sword is my current item for my shadow monk.

[@jasongillespie8933]

Just a note on the adamantine items. there is an in game mod called Extra Mithril Ore that make Grym drop 4 more pieces of ore, so you can make 6 items. Though, do you make all 6? Or do you deck out 3 characters in adamantine armor and shields? Your call.

[@pukkandan]

Torch tier list next

[@snakeman830]

Torches were ranked under finessable weapons

[@NoamFirestone]

Can you use the pommel strike to "end him rightly?"

[@FlipityGibett]

You don’t have an F tier because no item makes you worse but wouldn’t the Adamantine Lingsword make you worse because it’s functionally worse then every other admantine weapon and has the opportunity cost of not getting those other better items?

[@bus3957]

I might watch too much youtube. I am apparently in the top 0.3% of fans for thus channel. I only just started watching shortly before patch 7 was released.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

Haha, awesome! Thanks for sticking around!

[@DirectFireDave]

I think sparky points should prob get b for being a thrown weapon that has lightning synergy & does extra free damage.

[@cannyvalley8522]

Breathe deep that paladin smell and try to guess what was witchbreaker joke (no idea)

[@JG-hj4nx]

Intransigent Warhammer ftw!

[@TsymeArtem]

Does Witchbreaker work if you throw it? Thanks

[@Cephalopocalypse]

The advantage portion should, but the silence is a special melee attack so you can't use it as a throw

[@redtreatrick5265]

I don't understand why Creche is considered to be an Act 1 location. Going there will end the groove conflict, make raphael appear at your camp if not speaked to or interrupted and the message that pops on is the same as when entering shadow cursed lands the other way. Can someone explain this to me?

[@talleywa5772]

Because you can still travel around the act 1 area from there.

[@redtreatrick5265]

@@talleywa5772 Well you can still travel around the act1 from cursed lands, it does not make them act1 location

[@woodwart]

The cambions on the nautiloid have tridents.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

Good catch!

[@xx_z.bruh_xx6916]

How does one acquire the smite "Paladin Smell"?

[@ianwinter514]

the githyanki longsword makes me sad, since it looks great but there is no point in ever using it and the nonmagical version could have been Lae'zels starting weapon or Voss' silver sword could hve used the skin instead of looking like a basic +2 longsword

[@shinkamui]

phalar aluve gang rise!

[@cadendegen2664]

Where is Sword of Zariel??

[@grigoregruesome3606]

It’s in a book at your local games store

[@cadendegen2664]

@ it’s a sword in the game

[@mathieujacq6930]

1

[@JJ-rp3ny]

2

[@SuggonDeezNutzzz]

3

[@dingdong6563]

3

[@travisretriever7473]

Glad to see Phaalar Aluve is in S tier. Like, I know you love trolling the 'haters' e.i. via True Strike, etc, but c'mon man! We'd have shouted you the fuck down if it wasn't at least in S tier, and rightly so.

[@pkthunder7008]

Adamantine shield is overrated. Why be tanky when you could just kill every enemy on the first turn. I'd rather have the sentinel shield or just two 1h stat sticks on almost every character. And I pretty much always walk to act 2 to get stuff before I do grymforge. So I need 2 shield users to even consider it.

[@predwin1998]

Don't you have 2 shield users in most parties though? I find that I tend to have 2-3 shield users for most of the game as it's basically anyone other than 2-handed or dual-wielding martials, and Monks, all 3 of which are melee single-target damage dealers, so I'm unlikely to have multiple in the same party. Late game it might change as you get so many good "stat-sticks" that archers and casters might consider dual-wielding, but until then they both tend to use shields?

[@pkthunder7008]

@@predwin1998 I mean Club of Hill giant strength/undermountain king/and Phalar Aluve are 3 great act 1 stat sticks (You can get without combat lvl 1 if you wanted)that will find their way on to my Bard/Ranger Archers. My Sorceror/wizard needs a shield i suppose. Thats about it. My fighters/paladins are two handing greatswords/greataxes my fighter/barb is throwing a 2h pike. I could see a world where u are using the drakethroat glaive (Altho this is an act 2 item...granted one you could just walk to before Grymforge regardless) to proc your thunder reverb stuff (Which pretty much are all located in the Creche act 1.5) so you don't want phalar aluve , or i suppose you could also have a different party member hold phalar so the archer doesnt have to hold it. so your archer takes a shield i suppose. But you could also just do both. You could also be chugging hill giant strength to skip the club of hill giant str leaving you only wit undermountain as a stat stick and use a shield. But I'd almost rather use that elixer slot for something else. Plus im just too lazy to farm hill giant str for multiple party members. TLDR: No I don't have two shield users even in act 1. Don't take attacks. Just kill everything instantly.

[@predwin1998]

@pkthunder7008 Fair enough. Club of Hill Giant Strength is certainly worthwhile if you want Titanstring without strength elixirs. Personally I do use elixirs and tend to put Phalar on a different character like a Cleric, leaving only Knife of Undermountain King for my archers who then use a shield. Throwing builds can also use a shield, but getting a returning 1h weapon before act 3 is a pain if you're not EK, so I get why you'd stick with the Returning Pike.

[@pkthunder7008]

@@predwin1998 Returning Pike just has higher damage too. Plus Barb does more damage than EK until you get the lightning Jabber in act 2. At which point I may Switch to EK and use a shield i suppose. Although at that point im pretty close to switching the Wizard to Ketherics shield. But There is a window in Thorms mauseleum where it could make sense to use the adamantine shield. And I'm not planning on taking any damage really. So I also don't need the cleric. Although I know Cleric is very very good if you are doing a tankier party playstyle. Don't you want lathanders light on the cleric though? You also might not want sentinel shield if you are getting Alert as your first Feat which could make a lot of sense on like a lightning sorc who doesnt really need the extra charisma from ASI.

[@blackomega34]

I've done like 3 playthroughs and couldn't justify any of these weapons on any of my builds, no matter how cool they are. I don't see why Spears, Longswords, and Tridents aren't Finesse weapons.

[@SuggonDeezNutzzz]

Too big

[@jackdixon6681]

You couldn't justify nyrulna on ANY of your builds??? What were you playing? A wizard, a monk, and a rogue?

[@SebastianLamprecht]

Even with these three classes you should probably use phalar if you want to optimise your runs​@@jackdixon6681

[@CreativeExcusesGaming]

~1,000 hours in game. Ive used shriek like… four times ever. And ive never used sing. Multiple honor mods victories under my belt too.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

For sure, just goes to show how versatile the game is!

[@5chneemensch138]

*Staves. Learn to get it right.

[@Cephalopocalypse]

You seem both confused and angry! Good luck sorting that out.

[@AirBoi]

and long winded.

[@AR-bj5et]

Any plans for a racist tier list soon? I mean races tier list.

[@ViciVida]

Hey there’s a video hidden in your ads bud

[@Cephalopocalypse]

do you... do you think I'm in charge of google's ads division?

[@andrewklang809]

Dear Larian, There are too many weapons in the game. Please eliminate three. Dozen. I am NOT a crackpot.