Two weapon fighting.

[ghost-angel]

Does it even matter if two weapon fighting is historically accurate? Unless you're playing in a Historical based game, it's useless sticking point. If you have magic, powers, or any fantastical element you can have two weapon fighting without breaking verisimilitude.

[eepjr24]

Does not matter to me. I like the style thematically and if someone finds it fun to do I am onboard with that as long as it is not unbalancing. Which I don't find with either multiple attack or with autofire. Combined attacks have not come up in the context of heroic level games for me, so no comment there.

 

I was just trying to figure out what Massey was trying to say, aside from the sarcasm. 

 

- E

[Netzilla]

Well, and again, he didn't run in with two swords flailing, he used them as described above several times by various people: offhand is used primarily for defense, feint, distraction, and alternate attack.

 

I don't think various forms of media depicting two-weapon fighting in an unrealistic fashion means much since they tend to depict all forms of fighting in unrealistic fashions.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Multiple Attack is the mechanic to allow for two-weapon fighting;

 

But, you also have to model what holding two-weapons does for you;

 

There's Off-Hand Defense which gives a DCV Bonus why dual wielding weapons (one SFX would be having a Maine Gouche for a fencer type)

Then there's the actual Skills for Two-Weapon Fighting and Rapid Attack to go towards mitigating the restrictions of Multiple Attack (removing the first -2 penalty, and making it a 1/2 phase action, respectively); which are good Skills for trained dual-wielders to have.

Ambidexterity removes off-hand penalties, good for switching a single weapon between hands to emulate those who normally dual wield and can handle a weapon in either hand equally well even if they only have one available.

 

This is partly a case of You Get What You Pay For;

 

Anyone can pick up two weapons and try to attack with both (Multiple Attack); a trained fighter will have a number of Skills and Talents to do it truly effectively.

 

This is pretty much how I've handled it and seen it handled in game.

I really like the dynamic of a two weapon fighter wielding a main gauche in the offhand when coupled with the offhand defense talent. +1 DCV from the kain gauche, +1 DCV from the Talent, then fight using defensive martial maneuvers like Martial Strike (+2 DCV) and Defensive Strike (+3 DCV) and this makes a fighter who is really hard to hit without needing to invoke dodge or block maneuvers.

[Ragitsu]

One way to make TWF appealing is to introduce swords - be they crafted by a legend or outright magical/divine - that bestow a defensive bonus just as good as a shield (if not better) on their wielder.

[NuSoardGraphite]

One way to make TWF appealing is to introduce swords - be they crafted by a legend or outright magical/divine - that bestow a defensive bonus just as good as a shield (if not better) on their wielder.

The good old D&D "Defender". I wrote those up as +3 to DCV which also adds to OCV when actively blocking.

[Ragitsu]

Another method is to introduce a weapon that significantly boosts an attribute...perhaps one that is typically unrelated to melee fighters.

 

The Enhancer Sword from the Final Fantasy series of video games comes to mind. I can easily see a mage wielding this in the "off" hand while armed with a wand in the other.

 

Hell, hasn't Gandalf thrown down while equipped with both a staff AND sword?

[TheDarkness]

I think one thing that gets missed is that, in two weapons fighting, feinting is presenting an attack that is viable, and, if the feint doesn't draw a defense, completing it, and if it does, striking at the expected opening.

 

It is a bad habit to train a feint to not be carried out as a real attack if the person doesn't defend against the feigned attack.

 

As for two weapons doing something together, I cannot speak as much for Western styles, but in eastern ones, this is often a last ditch to defend against a heavy blow from a heavier, longer weapon.

[Ragitsu]

[ghost-angel]

Maximum Effort.