Dual wield or weapon & shield

krunchyfrogg · Post by **krunchyfrogg** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:30 pm

Which do you prefer?

Why?

Zelgadis · Post by **Zelgadis** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:38 am

DW is best, IMO. AC is easy to get without a sheild, and with DW you get an extra attack, and any bonuses on your ofhand weapon.

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:29 pm

duel-weilding, because:

a. it looks so cool
b. there are more good weapons than good shields
c. more attacks (especially with Belm/Kundane/Scarlet ninja-to) = enemy is dead faster, no need to protect against his attacks!
d. the enmies who's hits HURT will hit you anyway
e. you can still pick up a shield when needed

and

f. IT LOOKS SO COOL!!!

Mulligan · Post by **Mulligan** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:56 pm

I think "Single Weapon Mastery" should also have made it into the poll.

This is the way to go for backstabbers, especially the Assassin.

Increased chance for critical hits & Ac bonus ?

IMO the very best for classes with low Thac0's and classes that can't take more than one slot in Dual-wield. Again, the Assassin.

Of the two above i like Dual the best, it gives more options. Both Slashing/Blunt damage with Katana & Flail. Extra attacks. Spell effects from certain weapons (FoA & CF). Effects often work even if you can't damage the opponent.

And it looks VERY good.

Sir Redweed · Post by **Sir Redweed** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:47 pm

DW is best for a thief IMO. I'm currently using the purifer in my offhand and equilizer in my main hand. I've got on some leather armor and have an AC of -7. THaco of 0 & 2 for each hand.

Thrain · Post by **Thrain** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 4:24 am

how? pure thief THACO is capped at 5 (i think)

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 4:39 am

Depending on your class.
If your class can put more then 1 star in dualwielding, do that.

And I prefere the shield in combination with a sling.

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 7:35 am

2W style or sword/shield style, an infinite question!!
My opinion is that in 2W your offhand weapon is mainly useful for the effects it adds to your main hand and/or to your char. more than the extra dmg; that said it depends on the benefit of the shield, that should be treated as an offhand weapon too (changing dmg for AC) with the bonus that you can equip slings and trowable weapon plus you don't have to invest prof. points in 2W style.
The drawback is that not many very good shield are available in the game (very good means that add something more than plain AC): shield of Harmony is probably the best with its great immunities (can be upgraded with upgrade mods), Dragon shield is nice for the elemental resistance while shield of Reflection and shield of Balduran have some tactical usefulness, in ToB more notable is Darksteel for the elemental immunities (and +5 AC bonus!).
For good balance you should have 1-2 char using shields (one can become the tank of the group) and the other dual wield or use 2H weapons.

Armycardinal · Post by **Armycardinal** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 6:42 pm

Small Spoilers...

I would say that it depends on who you are - like everyone is saying about the Assassin and Thief.

IMO, I like to dual Aerie with Crom Fayr and Clandegins Hammer (ToB) - it does look cool and she gets the 25 Str

There is nothing quite like two glowing hammers that kick major butt. BTW, I try to buff her up with just about anything that helps AC, so she lasts a while (' Holy Might, and Def. Harmony, Armor, Stoneskin, etc. and cloak +2)

But I like Ano with FoA and the Balduran's shield (reflects beholder rays, and only available if you have the "extra merchants" installed) - that looks cool too.

I agree that a couple of other choices would make for a "cleaner" poll.

FWIW

AC

Ekental · Post by **Ekental** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:00 pm

I like dualwieding much better than single weapon...
While the single weapon focusing is helpful, it doesn't give you that much of a bonus. I'd much rather get an extra attack using belm, kundane, or the scarlet ninja-to. If your really cheap you can get 12 attacks per round, and then you don't even need whirlwind attack.

For thieves, clerics, etc., I normally dual-class so I can put extra skill points in whatever weapon I want. While Aeries, Viconia, and all the other chars that can't specialize in weapons do look cool using two weapons and such, by TOB even with the bonus of 25 str they don't hit often enough to justify them using two weapons. I'd much rather have Viconia using a sling of seeking and wearing a str belt or casting spells than have her kill her fragile little self trying to hit an enemy. Buffing them up is nice, but why waste the time buffing them when you could be raining spells on the enemy, healing the party, or buffing the fighters?

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 1:33 am

also, believe it or not, certain dual wields offer more defensive bonuses than some shields...

like ilbratha...for example, given to a fighter in the off hand allows them to cast mirror image..

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 1:56 am

You can't exceed 5 attacks/rnd ->10 with imp.haste or GW.

Why have Ilbratha in your offhand if you can cast the spell just keeping it in you main hand unused slot (like Daystar)?
In your offhand put something that really change your abilities (extra str., extra attack, various resistances).

Ekental · Post by **Ekental** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 7:39 pm

sure you can exceed 5 attacks per round! I can get 12... 2 belms and an improved haste will do it... or a belm and scarlet ninja-to oh and you have to be HL enough for those bonus attacks, and 4 ranks in scimitar

Promil · Post by **Promil** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 2:54 am

Dual wield is easy to get by Rangers because they have always 2 stars on it. Good effect is when kensai or kensai/thief have it .His combat abilities increase much.They said u get only one attack, but this could be increased more when u use weapons with extra attack per round( scarlet ninja-to exluded=only for monks< in my version of game>, monks can't dual wield).Then u can easy cast improved haste and maximum attack numbers u get

Especially good vs. spellcasters-they cannot cast spells due your number of attacks per round- always interrupted

u can by the "lightning speed" remove stone skin from enemies spellcasters.

AVENGER · Post by **AVENGER** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 1:51 pm

Dual wielding because of how cool it looks and the extra advantages it gives you.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:16 pm

Originally posted by Ekental
sure you can exceed 5 attacks per round! I can get 12... 2 belms and an improved haste will do it... or a belm and scarlet ninja-to oh and you have to be HL enough for those bonus attacks, and 4 ranks in scimitar

urm...nope...for example, if you cast g whirlwind while holding scarlet ninja to, which adds an extra attack per round, it will rollover into ONE attack per round...its hard wired into the game, you can only have 10 attacks per round...

of course you can have more than 5 attacks per round, but you can't have over 10...

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:18 pm

Originally posted by lompo
You can't exceed 5 attacks/rnd ->10 with imp.haste or GW.

Why have Ilbratha in your offhand if you can cast the spell just keeping it in you main hand unused slot (like Daystar)?
In your offhand put something that really change your abilities (extra str., extra attack, various resistances).

right..i like flail of easthaven with its resistance to damage..better than a shield in tob, where all enemies have thaco -10, so they hit you no matter how great your ac is...

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:35 am

Originally posted by Ekental
sure you can exceed 5 attacks per round! I can get 12... 2 belms and an improved haste will do it... or a belm and scarlet ninja-to oh and you have to be HL enough for those bonus attacks, and 4 ranks in scimitar

In theory you can, but actually there is a limit of the game engine that cap to 5 the Att./rnd (10 with imp. haste and GW); you risk (I've read it in a previous post) that exceeding the 10 a/r your number of attack will wrap around to 1 or 2.

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Dual wield or weapon & shield