So, I’ve been playing for a while, and some weapon skill set always bothered me.
One of the most prevalent offender is the greatsword. Wich is way too powerfull because of it’s skill set compared to any other weapons. First reason is that it as one more skill than any other 2hd weapon, it’s the only weapon with so much skill. At the same time, it’s one of the weapon where the skill set doesnt made any sens related on how weapon are used. And to put the final nail in the coffin, it’s also one of the weapon where there is no connexion between the skillset of 1hd and 2hd weapons in term of overall use.
So how to rework it? I’ve got several suggestion for this weapon and other based on my knowledge of historical fencing.
I’ll separate all my suggestion between different factor : based on already existing skills or mechanics, needing new mechanics
With existing skills :
2hd sword :
Several possibility here,
If you replace split shield with mordhau, one strike using the sword as a hammer to hamper armor, fatigue costly, as efficient as a 1hd hammer but not more. Also, to get your 3 skills only, remove the split skills (and rename swing with zwerchau for flavor)
You can also replace the mordhau with an enhanced riposte
You can also made two tree of 2hd sword :
– longsword (or bastard sword) kinda like the warbrand, with the ability to make 2 strike in one turn (with less damage), riposte (in that case, you can call it masterhau), and either swing or split but not both (I would found it more interesting if split was moved to the cleaver 2hd tree).
– Montante/flamberge/zweihander : Historically it’s the weapon of bodyguard, and this weapon was used to chase of multiple opponent.
So, swing is a must have, and Split would be a nice addition if you rename it “long thrust” and it’s a piercing attack. No mordhau or split shield here. Or you could also have swing and reap to expand on the long reach offer by such a weapons.
The warbrand should be a 2hd cleaver. You should keep the possibilité to do 2 attack (it fit the cleaver nicely), but remove swing and split and replace it with decapitate and split shield if you want to keep with the other cleaver, or change split shield with the split from the 2hd swords for all 2hd cleaver.
Falx and such should also be 2hd cleaver and not swords.
Falchion should be a 1hd cleaver with the stat of the scramasax, scramasax instead should be doing less damage, but cost far less fatigue per attack and by holding it.
A new 2hd axe could be added : the bardiche. A mix of cleaver in it, extra chance to hit the head on normal strike, split, split shield
With new mechanics now :
2hd axe should be getting a new skill, a 2 case strike (clockwise) that inflict extra base damage to shield if defended. call it wallbreaker.
for the 2hd sword, if you go to the mordhau tree, then as it was often used to negate people for approching, you can use a kind of spearwall ability but with slashing damage (and with another name) with the idea that you continuously move your weapon around wich render impossible to approach without being hit.
If it’s good that the 2hd hammer got split shield, the 2hd mace should not, and get instead something like “strike up” wich inflict few damage, but inflict 40 fatigue.
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