Katanas are single-edged one handed sword. These swords are probably the finest made as they can deal 1d10 points of slashing damage, which is the same as a two handed sword, but it has a speed factor of 4 and it weigs only 6 lbs. The weapon has a reach of 1 ft. It requires 6 strength to a wield a katana and they can't be used by clerics, druids, mages and sorcerers. This item appears in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. It's the most expensive non-enchanted weapon.
In-game Description
| “ | Katana
The katana is a single-edged, slightly curved sword that ends with a chisel point. The katana is perhaps one of the finest swords ever made, the steps to its creation a long and secret process, that is more art form than anything else. This blade is an important facet of Kara-Tur culture. To touch or wield a samurai's katana is to insult the samurai and to incite his wrath. For a gaijin, or foreigner, to own such a blade is a rare occurrence. Either the gaijin is a greatly honored friend of an important minister, or the gaijin has murdered a samurai. |
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Katana locations in Baldur's Gate EE
While rare, regular Katanas can be obtained fairly early in the game:
- A single Katana is purchasable from Winthrop at Candlekeep Inn during the Prologue. The expensive weapon can be 'legitimately' afforded by Thief rolled characters that have a high enough lock-picking skill to loot the Star Sapphire on the second floor (to set up this situation, use conversation option 2 when talking to the two nobles on the first floor to convince them to lock their valuables away in a chest upstairs). The chest can also be bashed open with a Barbarian raging to reach 21 or higher strength. It's also possible to steal the Katana from the shop directly if Steal skill is high enough. Alternatively with 18 charisma, 11-12 reputation, and 18/91 or higher strength you can acquire the Katana by breaking into and looting all of the chests in the Candlekeep Inn except the Star Sapphire chest (the noble in his room can be knocked out before looting the chest to avoid alerting the guards). You can then finish Fuller's quest for a +1 dagger which can be identified by Mordaine in the Gatewarden's combat simulation if your lore isn't high enough (while you're there you can also drink Deder's Oil of Speed to help with this next part). Once you have the +1 dagger you must knock out the guard in Fuller's room, kill & loot Fuller,then finally sell his platemail and the +1 dagger to Winthrop. With this you should have about 850 gold which is enough to purchase the Katana.
- Do a mini-quest for Shoal the Nereid located at Area West of High Hedge. Her shawl is held by Droth, who will drop a regular Katana once slain.
- A Katana is obtainable from the Black Pits game mode immediately after the introductory first round. After obtaining the weapon, the character would need to be exported then imported into a new game. This method allows duel wielding of 2 regular Katanas at the beginning of the main game should the player obtain a second Katana via the other methods described.
- Kahrk drops a regular Katana on the right side of the Firewine Bridge though he is better suited for party mid to late game party members.
Enchanted Katanas prove more difficult to obtain:
- A Katana +1 can be found in a chest on the bottom floor of the Cloakwood Mines.
- Another Katana +1 is obtainable from the Black Pits game mode after the fifth advancement match. After obtaining the weapon, the character would need to be exported then imported into a new game.