Dual-Wielding! (Transferred from '3 - 5 attacks per day')

[Arlequin]

It's funny how many people think wielding two weapons would turn anyone into a death machine.

Actually even sword masters would avoid using two weapons at once, because the amount of coordination and extra brain-processing it requires would ruin any truly deadly skill. Unless you use the second weapon mainly as stopper, like a very poor shield. But you still are thinking during tight situations: "should I use my second weapon now?".

Your mass balance is worse, too. Probably you'll lose some fingers on your left hand when trying to stop blows with a long dagger or something like that. Who in ancient warfare, or even assasin missions, did use two weapons?

Roman army actually had enough with one short sword and a big shield, so it's not the way to go to be a deadly fighter.

[DylPickle]

I had a char who I RP'd to be Dual Wielding sabres.
His shield was strapped to his back, and he'd twist to fend of blows, while fending people off with his double swords.
Of course he dropped them a few times while learning.. But as an expert fighter, he picked it up easily. Combat was like a dance for him, and made it fun to RP fight scenes. Too bad it's so rare to find someone that RPs back, or someone that doesn't turn exceedingly smiley-go-laughy, "look at me, I have cleverly phrased lines" during a battle.
..

Oh right, the suggestion. It's interesting, but it just can't work in cantr.
This suggestion would just kill our chars off quicker when they're locked in buildings.

[Crosshair]

I'd imagined the Iron shield to have straps, in order to keep it tight against the arm of the user, and leave him a free hand... The dual wielding thing sounds much like a two parted Targe.

[Nakranoth]

You're thinking of a buckler, which is a very small shoulder/arm mounted shield, and could be added as a new thing if we get equipment being equipped, so an iron shield couldn't be equipped by someone with a greatsword/battle axe because it takes two hands, but could with a bastard sword/rapier/mace/etc. but both could use a buckler.

[Wilmer Bordonado]

Actually even sword masters would avoid using two weapons at once, because the amount of coordination and extra brain-processing it requires would ruin any truly deadly skill. Unless you use the second weapon mainly as stopper, like a very poor shield.

It's your opinion or you just can quote it?

Wilmer B.

[Nakranoth]

It's funny how many people think wielding two weapons would turn anyone into a death machine.

Actually even sword masters would avoid using two weapons at once, because the amount of coordination and extra brain-processing it requires would ruin any truly deadly skill. Unless you use the second weapon mainly as stopper, like a very poor shield. But you still are thinking during tight situations: "should I use my second weapon now?".

Your mass balance is worse, too. Probably you'll lose some fingers on your left hand when trying to stop blows with a long dagger or something like that. Who in ancient warfare, or even assasin missions, did use two weapons?

Roman army actually had enough with one short sword and a big shield, so it's not the way to go to be a deadly fighter.

Ever heard of Samurai? Katana and Wakizashi? Dual wielding isn't impractical if you've been trained from a young age to do so... so maybe make dual-wielding a seperate skill from fighting and hunting... yeah, it could probably be bananced... but then RD would have to go through and add defensive modifiers to most of the weapons...

[Sho]

As a minor nitpick, dual-wielding was not the customary use of the wakizashi. But there were certainly Western styles - the use of a main-gauche, for example - that would suit your argument as well.

But would someone care to make a case for why this (meaning an equipment system) is needed at all? It's a major change to the combat system (not necessarily in terms of game balance - just ProgD work), and so far all I've heard in its support sounds like a bunch of uncoordinated "ooh, then maybe you could do this" ideas. None of which has an obvious purpose.

[T-shirt]

What I read between the lines is a suggestion for weapon use with more damage, but more negative effects too. Do more damage at the cost of your defence or at the cost of fatigue.
Two weapons instead of weapon and shield, two-handed weapons, all-out attacks that leave you unable to parry incoming attacks.

I don't think more damage in single attacks or with multiple attacks in a short time is necessary in Cantr. Cantr is about working together. You can hardly build an empire or car if you don't cooperate. You should not be able to kill someone easily unless you are cooperating either.

[Talapus]

As a minor nitpick, dual-wielding was not the customary use of the wakizashi. But there were certainly Western styles - the use of a main-gauche, for example - that would suit your argument as well.

Indeed. From what I understand, the wakizashi was usually used indoors where the length of the katana made it impractical (it was mostly just adornment and tradition though ). As for the various offhand fencing implements (bucklers, swords, daggers, scarves, ect), it was decided in the late 1700's that the lack of focus carried by their use outweighed their benefit (and thus why you don't see them involved with any major fencing style today). As for the suggestion, I don't think it is really needed. And as so many other things, it doesn't mesh with the current combat system, and would have to wait until the combat system is restructured, even if it were universally accepted.

[Sho]

If high-power, high-tiredness attacks are what's needed, a "power attack" option would be a much simpler way to implement that. Add an option to the current attack power menu. Have it cause something like double damage and 75% tiredness (and that's not excessive - you want something for "assassination," so you don't need to hit more than one target once). Less eye candy, but does this not suffice?

[N-Aldwitch]

If high-power, high-tiredness attacks are what's needed, a "power attack" option would be a much simpler way to implement that. Add an option to the current attack power menu. Have it cause something like double damage and 75% tiredness (and that's not excessive - you want something for "assassination," so you don't need to hit more than one target once). Less eye candy, but does this not suffice?

Ahh, Eye candy is what this is for though.. It does suffice but can you imagine five or so elite fighters marching into a town with their sleek claymores, gashing up the town guards and then throwing people into prison?.. well actually that wouldn't work because they'd be too tired! but still.

[N-Aldwitch]

a "power attack" option would be much simpler

Oooh Ooh then 'Super Punch' then later down the track 'Fireball' then 'Sonic Blast' and then 'Rejuvinating Heal' then even further down the track Alchemists can make Mana potions which are required to attack and and and !!!! then we can change Cantr to make it have more combat and higher character turn-overs and remove the 40-day rule then we can convert to 3D and so on!!! YAY.

[El_Skwidd]

Way to go off on a tangent, there. That's like a friend of mine saying that legalizing gay marriage will lead to legalizing beastiality.

I like the power attack idea. If the 3 attacks idea doesn't go through (which it looks like it won't), then I vote that way.

[Nakranoth]

Honestly, I personally think the power attack should be basically debilitating for the person exicuting it... give it a nice 75-90% tiredness to use so it's only ever used in a desperate attempt to kill a single assaulter. But we'd still need retalitory strike before this goes live so we don't simply speed the execution of crowbar-wielding prisoners.

[Zanthos]

maybe increase the inaccuracy of a power attack?

Also, taking the discussion from "lets play a game without assumptions" Cantrians do indeed have set humanesque bodies. Read the clothing descriptions and the text from the origional information on the game. (its all in the thread)