Understanding 'Flourish' and Associated Weapons Across Games

The term "Flourish" appears in various gaming contexts, often referring to a specific weapon action, a combat skill, or even a weapon itself, rather than being the title of a single game with a definitive "best weapons" list. This guide compiles information on how "Flourish" is utilized with weapons in different popular games, drawing directly from available web search results.

Flourish as a Weapon Action in Baldur's Gate 3

In Baldur's Gate 3, "Flourish" is a weapon action available to characters who are proficient in and wielding a rapier, scimitar, or shortsword in their main hand. This action allows a character to feint an attack, potentially throwing an opponent Off Balance. Being Off Balance imposes Disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity ability checks and attack rolls, while granting Advantage on attack rolls against the affected entity. This effect lasts for two turns or until the target takes damage or is Helped. The damage dealt by this Flourish is non-lethal, designed to knock out targets rather than kill them.

Additionally, College of Swords Bards in Baldur's Gate 3 gain access to "Blade Flourish" at level 3. This feature enhances the Bard's Bardic Inspiration, allowing them to execute three types of Flourishes when taking an Attack action, adding extra damage and other effects. These include:

These Blade Flourishes deal weapon damage plus bonus damage based on the Bardic Inspiration die (1d6 for levels 1-4, 1d8 for levels 5-9, and 1d10 for level 10+). Some builds leverage Slashing Flourish for high damage output, even suggesting complex setups for over 2000 damage.

Flourish as a Melee Combat Skill in the Fable Series

Across the Fable games (Fable, Fable II, and Fable III), a "Flourish" is a significant melee combat skill. Players can perform Flourishes from early in the game, often prompted during combat. These attacks break through enemy defenses, deal extra damage (approximately 25% more than a regular melee attack), and frequently knock enemies down. Flourishes can be performed with both melee and ranged weapons.

In Fable II, once players learn "Brutal Styles level 2: Flourishes," they can execute a Flourish at any time by holding the 'X' button and a direction on the left thumbstick. The type of Flourish performed depends on the weapon, the player's facing direction, and the chosen direction of the Flourish. Successful melee Flourishes instantly recharge, while misses require recharging through further attacks or gaining a combat multiplier. Different types of melee Flourishes exist based on positioning and weapon type (light or heavy), such as leaping, left, right, and combat Flourishes.

The Flourish Sword and Upgrades in Spiral Knights

In the game Spiral Knights, "Flourish" is a specific 2-star sword. It features a three-hit basic attack combo involving sweeping motions and lunges, and a charge attack consisting of a lunging double thrust followed by slashes. The Flourish sword can be acquired from various vendors in Haven Bazaar or the Hall of Heroes.

Players often discuss upgrade paths for the Flourish, with "Final Flourish" and "Barbarous Thorn Blade" being notable options. While "Burning and stunning at a 1/10 or so chance is a lot less useful than killing enemies in one hit less," the "Final Flourish" is considered a strong choice. The "Barbarous Thorn Blade" (BTB) is also highly regarded for its charge attack, which delivers a shotgun-like spread of eight projectiles followed by a powerful hit, making it superior against large, single enemies like Trojans where all projectiles can land. However, the BTB's charge can be less effective against fast-moving fiends and beasts if not used at close range. Ultimately, the choice between these upgrades can come down to personal preference and playstyle.

Flourish in Other Games: Guild Wars and Hades 2

In Guild Wars, a build for an Assassin/Warrior (A/W) features "Flourish" and mentions specific weapons like a "Vampiric hammer of defense" and "Vampiric 15^50 daggers of defense". Any staff can also be used if energy is low and Flourish is needed.

For Hades 2, "Heaven Flourish" is noted as a good option for builds that incorporate "Curse on Attack" effects, such as Scorch or Hitch, to capitalize on Blitz damage.