Whirlwind attack... how does it work?

[Pen N Popper]

I just tried whirlwind attack in single player mod and can't figure out if I'm using it correctly.
  So I assign it to a hotkey F1. When I press it my human does this fantastic tango move. (A sure winner with the ladies, I'm sure.)
  Now, I click on a baddie to attack them and hit F1. Should he get an attack on all baddies around himself? I don't see any rolls for attacks, he just does his dance move.
  This site http://www.nwnwiki.org/Whirlwind_attack  seems to have some big caveats like: He can't be flanked, and all attacks aren't at full attack bonus.
  Can someone clarify how to use this ingame, what the limitations are, and how useful it is?
  Thanks!

[gilshem ironstone]

As I undestand it, having not used it much myself, you click on your hotkey, or activate it in any other way, and it will automatically attack all within your weapons range.  It will be less range woth a rapier than a greatsword and I am not sure how substatial that difference is.  But if you are fighting many small creatures I think your rapier will hit quite a few creatures, but perhaps fewer ogres.  Anyone very familiar with Whirlwind attacks uses please add you two-cents (when converted in to my currency it will be like $2000 as my knowledge of WWA is as I said limited.)

Hope that helps!

[stragen]

I haven't used whirlwind attack in single player, but in Layo it does have some uses.  My character was using whirlwind attack with a rapier.  I noticed that the effective distance of whirlwind attack appears to be less then his normal attacks.

Usage: Activate when a large group of enemies get (very) close. You don't need to select a target.  My character makes an attack roll against (most) of the enemies within range.

It can be useful for fighting large groups of easy to hit enemies (ants).  

In general I find it is more useful to just fight normally, even with large groups.  However is it still a nice martial arts move.  It looks like a spin kick followed by a sweep kick to me.  I think high level monks should get this move automatically, just for the animation.

[Rayenoir]

Slightly incorrect.  Whirlwind attack only offers an attack on anything within five feet.  It is improved Whirlwind attack that allows an attack on anything in weapon range.

[stragen]

Rayenoir - 2/28/2007  12:58 PM

Slightly incorrect.  Whirlwind attack only offers an attack on anything within five feet.  It is improved Whirlwind attack that allows an attack on anything in weapon range.

This is probably why I noticed it was less then his normal (rapier) weapon range.  What is the weapon range for a rapier?  What are the ranges of the various sized weapons in NWN, is there a list or table with this information?

[osxmallard]

Using WW attack also needs to be weighed against the number of creatures within it's range of attack.  If the number of creatures within it's range is less than the number of normal attacks per round (plus a cleave), it is not beneficial to use.

Surrounded by 12 ants... sure.  Surrounded by 3 ogre brutes... maybe not.

[Stephen_Zuckerman]

Also, keep in mind that the damage is calculated on the LAST flurry, while you enter the action in the first.

I found this out the hard way after trying to WW attack a few ants in Stealth Mode. You drop stealth at the beginning of the round, and they all get to attack you before you hit them.

[OldBear]

Dalan has whirlwind.  So far I have found it to be effective when surrounded by goblins or kobalds in the caves outside Hlint.  They tend to swarm you and the amount of damage you do is less then a normal first hit.  However with his war axe he often kills most of those in the circle around him.  I also used it once on giants after 2 mages hit them with fireballs.  They were near death and I managed to finish off several of them at one time.

[Drizzlin]

osxmallard - 2/27/2007  7:15 PM

Using WW attack also needs to be weighed against the number of creatures within it's range of attack.  If the number of creatures within it's range is less than the number of normal attacks per round (plus a cleave), it is not beneficial to use.

Surrounded by 12 ants... sure.  Surrounded by 3 ogre brutes... maybe not.

And then you have to take into account how much damage you do and if you have greater cleave. Bakee would roll all those ants one hit after another. 20 ants, 1 swing + 19 greater cleaves later...