Duel wield

[JmOz]

Where are mechanics for building weapons designed for duel wield?

[bigbywolfe]

A weapon does not need to be designed to be dual wielded. If you have the STR to effectively wield the weapon one handed then you can have one in each hand if you want. Of course you may suffer off-hand penalties unless you are ambidextrous or have the two-weapon fighting skill (I forget its exact name). But none of that has to do with the build of the weapon other than STR Min and handedness (1 handed, 1 1/2 handed, or 2 handed, which will change the STR Min for using only one hand).

[Greywind]

Depends on what kind of duel you're getting into and what the weapon choices are.

[JmOz]

I know that much, I just remember a book that talked about different ways to achieve the effect...

[bigbywolfe]

Well, you can do things like a two shot autofire to represent a weapon in each hand both being used in the same phase. Is that the sort of thing you are looking for?

[JmOz]

yes, things like that, I have a few options already, I just like skinning cats...

[Beast]

2 or more shot autofire

area selective or not

activate on more damage

larger attack w/ reduced penatration

rapid attack(autofire as a skill)

[Hearteater]

Combined Attack and Multiple Attack strikes don't even require any special rules at all for the weapon build, just points spend on the two weapons and you can attack with both at the same time.

[psyber624]

Just beware of 5 pt cheese when you allow someone to use Combined Attack with Dual Wielding Weapons.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Methods of "Dual Wielding" 

 

1: Two Weapon Fighting:  Probably the preferred method since the release of the 5th edition.  Simply allow your characters to purchase this skill and away they go.  Uses the rules for Sweep/Multiple Attack and provides a +2 OCV for the purpose of countering the -2 OCV for the second attack (allowing 2 attacks at no penalty to OCV) and +3 Penalty Skill Levels to counteract the penalty for using one's off-hand.

 

2: Ambidexterity: If one is using the Two Weapon Fighting method, a character that purchases Ambidexterity to completely eliminate their characters off-hand penalty for all actions, then that character only needs to purchase +2 OCV levels for "Two Weapon Fighting", which would counteract the penalties for the second strike in a two-strike sweep.  In 5th edition, this costs a mere 4pts.  

 

3: Autofire: This method either uses an Attack Power (Hand Attack or HKA) with the Autofire advantage added to it. (normally 2 "shots") or a Naked Autofire advantage that can be applied when one uses the appropriate melee weapons.  This functions mechanically different from the Sweep/Two Weapon Fighting version, as there is only a single attack roll when targeting a single opponent.  GM's can allow characters to spend Experience to increase the level of Autofire, which increases the number of hits they can accomplish with their Florentine attacks.  This method opens up use of Autofire Skills with Hand-to-Hand style attacks, which gives such characters yet more options for badassery.

 

4: Area of Effect: This version uses an Attack Power with the AoE advantage, or uses a Naked AoE advantage applied to the appropriate weapons.  Normally bought as 1-hex, doubled with the Selective modifier (total of +1) this allows a Dual Wielding character to attack all opponents within reach of his or her weapon at no OCV penalty.  The disadvantage of this method is that each opponent in the area of effect can only be attacked once.  Oftentimes used as an additional Maneuver/Talent/Power to represent highly skilled Two-Weapon stylists who can assault multiple opponents in the blink of an eye.  GM's may allow the player to spend Experience to increase the Area of Effect to simulate a character who can run among a crowd of enemies and deliver death to a great number of opponents (a master level technique popular in some genres of fiction)

 

5: Trigger:  This version uses an Attack Power with the Trigger advantage, or uses a Naked Trigger advantage applied to the weapon.  Generally purchased as a set trigger (+1/4, Triggers on a successful Attack roll) and can either reset as a half-phase action, a 0 phase action or automatically resets.  This creates a mechanic where the character can attack with the primary weapon, and if that attack roll is successful, they get a follow-up strike for "free" at no penalty to their OCV.  If the Trigger is set to automatically reset, this can create a Two-Weapon stylist capable of a great number of attacks.  The character performs a Sweep Maneuver with their "Primary" weapon.  If the first strike hits, the Trigger activates and they get the follow up attack.  They may then perform the second attack in the sweep and if successful, get another free follow up attack.  They can then perform the third strike in the sweep and get yet another follow up attack.  Highly skilled characters who can generate a high OCV could routinely get upwards of 6 to 8 attacks with this method (-4 OCV for 6 attacks -6 OCV for 8)

 

6: Linked Attacks:  This method uses two Attack Powers with the Linked Limitation.  This generally creates an attack where the two attacks must be used together (a specific Dual Attack maneuver) but the Link Limitation can be configured so this is not the case.  The advantages of this method is similar to the Trigger advantage in that if the Primary Attack is used in a Sweep Maneuver, the Linked Attack gets to activate as well without incurring additional penalties.  As with Trigger, the disadvantage is that if the Primary Attack is somehow disabled, the Linked Attack is useless until the Primary Attack is recovered.

 

7: Combined Attack:  This method could be available to players who's GM allows Combined Attacks where two attack powers can be activated simultaneously and delivered with a single attack roll (all-or-nothing effect).  The advantage of this method is that there is no OCV penalty for the attacks.  The disadvantage of this method  is that a successful block will stop both attacks.

 

8: Reduced Penetrating:  This method requires the purchase of a powerful Attack Power, then applying the Reduced Penetrating Limitation which represents two different (but equally damaging) attacks hitting the target simultaneously.  The disadvantage of this method is the potentially high cost of the initial Attack Power.  The advantage is a single attack roll for "both" strikes to hit, but like Combined Attack, a single block roll will foil the entire attack.

 

Did I miss any methods?

[psyber624]

One thing to notice is that in a capped environment "Limitation" based methods (such as 6.Linked) and "Skill/Maneuver" based methods (such as 1,2,7) don't require you to drop your dice of damage in order to accommodate an advantage. Some of them may be more expensive in terms of CP but CP is usually pretty easy to come by if you really want to (heck, most Dual Wield builds are automatically using an -1 OAF limitation).

[Sean Waters]

yes, things like that, I have a few options already, I just like skinning cats...

 

My cat died yesterday.  I could dig him up for you?

[ghost-angel]

Make two Attack Powers.

Make sure you can use them both at once (i.e. not slots in a MP where each slot uses the full AP).

Profit.

 

It really actually is that simple. I know there are a number of powers, abilities, and ways to simulate "dual wielding" but it's all over thinkging the very basic issue: Attacking with two Attacks at the same time.

[Sean Waters]

Methods of "Dual Wielding" 

 

....

 

Did I miss any methods?

 

 

Very impressive.

 

You COULD build an attack with base damage and extra damage on an activation roll.  If you hit, you hit with one weapon, make the activation roll and hit with a second.  I am stretching at this point though...and you can not use it to attack multiple opponents unless you sweep it...doh!