Weapon and shield, One two-handed weapon, or dual-wielded weapons?

[MerchantKing]

Playing a character you like in a video game is actually more beneficial than playing one you don't like as much.

Rolling a sword and magic battlemage is either super OP or you're going to get your shit shoved in for most games, with few exceptions for balanced cases.

But it's the only right answer.

The best character is a Gnome illusionist/thief.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

The best character is a neurotic gigolo with severe digestive issues.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

dual-wield is gay zoomer shit popularized by that stupid gay nig drow elf drizzt or whatever the fuck his name was..one handed no shield, one-handed shield, two-handed are my favorite, maybe in that order, but not depends on what mood I am in, what type of weapon I feel like using and character I feel like playing.

 

[deuxhero]

dual-wield is gay zoomer shit popularized by that stupid gay nig drow elf drizzt or whatever the fuck his name was.

Drizzt is from the 1980s. Zoomers weren't even born yet.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

dual-wield is gay zoomer shit popularized by that stupid gay nig drow elf drizzt or whatever the fuck his name was.

Drizzt is from the 1980s. Zoomers weren't even born yet.

same energy

 

[Just Locus]

I picked a Weapon and Shield because of the versatility and speed that's accompanied with one-handed weapons. As with a shield, you'll get better opportunities to fend off arrows, spears, and other piercing weapons. Speed is a factor in having a shield is less physically demanding than wielding a larger, two-handed sword, it'll allow you to quickly react to attacks and respond accordingly.

 

[Lhynn]

I tend to switch between sword and board and 2handers depending on the encounter, I will put off specialization for as long as possible if not indefinitely because I enjoy versatility.

What I miss is having a single weapon style. Something like holding a knife + grappling, a rapier duelist style, or just a long sword plus unarmed attacks.

You always need to be holding something with your left hand in rpgs or you are doing it wrong, and its rather tiresome.

 

[BosanskiSeljak]

Ignoring all tactical reasons because impossible to say because of how situation dependent that is

White, Male Warrior w/ Sword & Shield almost always, occasionally being a one man wrecking ball with a fuck off 2 hander if I feel the character/setting calls for it.

Dual wielding is dumb anime shit , why would I make the choice for the game to be less immersive

 

[Ysaye]

Ignoring all tactical reasons because impossible to say because of how situation dependent that is

White, Male Warrior w/ Sword & Shield almost always, occasionally being a one man wrecking ball with a fuck off 2 hander if I feel the character/setting calls for it.

Dual wielding is dumb anime shit , why would I make the choice for the game to be less immersive

I agree that dual wielding two weapons of the same size is comic-silly, but I think dual wielding was a thing in many fighting styles, just not in the way it is portraited in fantasy. The big mistake is that it consisted of two equal sized weapons that were equal in their usage.

The late medieval period and the renaissance saw the duelists using a parrying dagger / main gauche (and in China they used sword breakers in a similar way); they were defensive weapons, not double-your-attack kind of things (as they play out in RPGs) although they may allow you to get a better thrust in with your main weapon. Even what Musashi talks about in the Earth and Water Scrolls of the Five Rings/Elements is (essentially) the use of a longsword and a dagger, and the longsword is doing most of the attacking work, whilst the dagger was potentially "more useful in fights against multiple opponents" presumably because it allowed you to parry one foe's attack whilst striking at another with your main hand.

If we are talking D&D rules, what IMO using two weapons should be doing is giving you a better chance at getting a critical hit and some AC (but not the same as a shield), and you should only be allowed to use an appropriate off-handed weapon.

 

[Desiderius]

Sword/Board

Reducing variance > raising mean

 

[Peachcurl]

Depends on the character and game. Regarding the former, I'll probably rather go with shields for dwarves, 'soldier' types and clerics, two-handed for any larger brute-force type (Barbarian, Orks, etc.), and dual-wield for anything with more finesse (thieves, double-ass-in, etc., rarely elves if it's a larger party).

If it's a solo character game (or playthrough), I'm less likely to use shields, because it just slows shit down, unless it's the only way to survive a solo playthrough. I probably prefer two-handed over dual-wield, because it makes timing more interesting. Unless the game punishes two-handed severely with interruptions.

 

[Chippy]

Where recent RPGs screwed this up is they never paid attention to the 2nd edition concept of speed factor. If you were playing a low level RPG and you had memorized the flow and timing of the combat like a pro racer driving a manual car on a racetrack, then everything had its place in the round. Including the speed at which spells and ranged ammo found their targets. This meant a range of weapons had their place, and not just the obvious ones.

Then they threw that aside and just went mostly for DPS. Which I think was a major bit of decline.

 

[NecroLord]

Where recent RPGs screwed this up is they never paid attention to the 2nd edition concept of speed factor. If you were playing a low level RPG and you had memorized the flow and timing of the combat like a pro racer driving a manual car on a racetrack, then everything had its place in the round. Including the speed at which spells and ranged ammo found their targets. This meant a range of weapons had their place, and not just the obvious ones.

Then they threw that aside and just went mostly for DPS. Which I think was a major bit of decline.

Bigger weapons had a higher speed factor while smaller, faster weapons had a lower one (meaning: you attacked faster with them).
Is that how it was?

 

[Chippy]

Where recent RPGs screwed this up is they never paid attention to the 2nd edition concept of speed factor. If you were playing a low level RPG and you had memorized the flow and timing of the combat like a pro racer driving a manual car on a racetrack, then everything had its place in the round. Including the speed at which spells and ranged ammo found their targets. This meant a range of weapons had their place, and not just the obvious ones.

Then they threw that aside and just went mostly for DPS. Which I think was a major bit of decline.

Bigger weapons had a higher speed factor while smaller, faster weapons had a lower one (meaning: you attacked faster with them).
Is that how it was?

Yup, and to consider that the IE games also had thrown weapons with their own statistics. I'm pretty sure the dart APR was meant to mimick a little known rule that I read in a 2nd edition handbook that your APR for thrown daggers (and I think darts) was meant to be = to yourdexterity modifier. SO you had reasons to equip those 3APR stunning/poison darts.

They just don't make 'em like they used to. ALthough I think Neocore made some progress with Knight's Tale. Which I haven't played properly yet.

 

[jf8350143]

Shield and sword is my favorite.

However if it's a team based game, chances are the devs will give you a tanky teammate from the start of the game, and they will use sword and shield, so I'll generaly use two hands instead.

 

[NecroLord]

Shields are really crummy though.
Even in D&D.
Seriously, apart from the bonus to Armor Class, it gives no other benefits unless it's some specific enchantment or the like.

 

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Shield that really do make a difference usually have their own mechanics that are separate from chest armors/helms/gauntlets.
For instance, Diablo 1 & 2 and Final Fantasy 2-3-4-5-6 shields have an additional evade % that works separately from armor.

 

[Nano]

Dual wielding is cringe comic book tier shit.

Using a shield when you already have plate armor on is pretty dumb too.

 

[Spike]

I'm having a mental breakdown. I literally can't choose between 2H or Sword 'n Board. Can I say...Equally?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I'm having a mental breakdown. I literally can't choose between 2H or Sword 'n Board. Can I say...Equally?

Just take a hand and half with a shield and use them as you want, if you're so damned wishy washy about it.

 

[Grunker]

dual wielding is for fags

 

[Spike]

I'm having a mental breakdown. I literally can't choose between 2H or Sword 'n Board. Can I say...Equally?

Just take a hand and half with a shield and use them as you want, if you're so damned wishy washy about it.

I'll be a barbarian's skull cap, that's genius!

 

[Butter]

Dual wielding is cringe comic book tier shit.

Using a shield when you already have plate armor on is pretty dumb too.

Um... set bonuses?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Dual wielding is cringe comic book tier shit.

Using a shield when you already have plate armor on is pretty dumb too.

Um... set bonuses?

Achievement unlocked: double turtle

 

[Zombra]

Dual wands.