Training

[Yemin]

So... i've a fighter with 14 int, he does good in learning things fairly quickly, but i've been kind of worrying about this for a few levels and I think its been long enough that I can confirm that my weapon skills aren't getting any higher than adept. I dropped double-edged blades at about level 17 and am now nearly 40 using only single edged since then and their both at adept, whereas skills have gone past that into expert and even master.

Do people think i'll need a 16 int to get weapon skills higher than that? And if so... Its starting to make fighters a little multi ability dependant (MAD). Since the weapon specialisation and greater WS feat have expert and master skill level with the weapon as prerequisites and those 2 feats are definitely prime fighter list.

[Alitar]

They'll go up. Adept is where it gets grindy.

[Ungtar]

Yeah. They do go up. I've gotten nearly to the top end on a fighter with less int than that.

But I don't worry about it too much. Nobody has ever come to me and asked, "teach me long axes please" and there has not been a significant increase in awesomeness to match that increase.

Just consider that every hit and every miss is inching your skill along towards grandmaster and then forget about it.

The really grueling skills seem to be dodge, parry, and shieldwork.

But after you work on mining awhile .. everything feels like a cakewalk after that.

[Yemin]

Thanks.

Its weird, some of those skills you've mentioned are at adept or higher for me. My point though is that there are fighter feat prerequisites that need it so I was getting paranoid after 17+ levels of hitting with the same weapon and not really improving on it but hey ho.

[Terageld]

Training different weapons is a hassle. You use a long axe like an extention of your own body, but once you pick up a short axe, you don't know which way is up. If this was a suggestion thread, I'd suggest adding a bonus skill increase to similar weapons. Make it so that if you use a longsword, you get 1/4 of the skill increase with short, single-edged, and thrusting blades as well. Swing a pickaxe? Get 1/4 bonus on polearms, short spikes, and clubs.

[Yemin]

Training different weapons is a hassle. You use a long axe like an extention of your own body, but once you pick up a short axe, you don't know which way is up. If this was a suggestion thread, I'd suggest adding a bonus skill increase to similar weapons. Make it so that if you use a longsword, you get 1/4 of the skill increase with short, single-edged, and thrusting blades as well. Swing a pickaxe? Get 1/4 bonus on polearms, short spikes, and clubs.

Depends how fantastical vs fantasy real you want to be. I've read and heard irl that using a weapon in two hands is a terrible fighting style for 90% of people because people's brains aren't wired that way yet in fantasy every 2nd hero dual wields like a certaind row ranger. Elves being an exception. I think elves are supposed to be naturally adept and balanced within themselves to be better at finesse swordplay.

Point though that someone who uses a longsword, can't do much more than lunge if given a dagger.

P.S. Yes elves are real, don't you doubt

[Ungtar]

You can train your mind to adapt to most anything, but dual wield historically was reserved for specialized combat forms. For example, the bearded axe with its hook at the bottom of the blade was specifically designed to reach out and catch the top of the opponent's shield, pulling it downwards while the axe in the other hand came down on the top.

Later combat styles involved to use a sword breaker, sort of a heavy notched dagger, to catch the blade of an opponent and then tie it up long enough for your other blade to slip in.

Historically you don't see a lot of examples of dual wielding bastard swords and such.

I'm of the mind that one weapon you're really qualified with is superior to two weapons that you barely can use. I have not noticed, however, that the bonuses from mastering a weapon really reflect the hours and hours of work that went into that, unless the bonus only comes fully at grandmaster.

I picture a grandmaster of a weapon something like a fight scene out of Kill Bill but the bonus doesn't seem to be that great.

[Yemin]

I completely forget it does say somewhere your supposed to be better at hitting with weapons the higher the skill rank..., is it one of those unseen bonuses then? I've not seen a difference on the score sheet

Honestly, I've not noticed a difference between my adept weapons and my apprentice hit rate either but that could just be the fighter's Base attack bonus

[Terageld]

Depends how fantastical vs fantasy real you want to be. I've read and heard irl that using a weapon in two hands is a terrible fighting style for 90% of people because people's brains aren't wired that way yet in fantasy every 2nd hero dual wields like a certaind row ranger. Elves being an exception. I think elves are supposed to be naturally adept and balanced within themselves to be better at finesse swordplay.

I was actually going to mention this in another thread. The double swords are just the cooler version of a single great sword. It's evolved today to the dual pistols of Chau Yun-Fat and Leon the Professional. It's really not realistic, as the eyes cannot effectivly direct or aim two weapons at once. Go to the arcade and play the House of the Dead game, but this time, put coins in both players slots so you can dual wield. It's really hard to use both pistols. I usually break down in five minutes and only use my right pistol, occasionally squeezing shots with my left one. (Don't play House of the Dead 3 like this. It's got these big shotguns that make both of your arms tired.)

[Hrosskell]

The remaining function of weapon skill is (I believe) to qualify you for feats. These drastically improve your performance.

[Ungtar]

The remaining function of weapon skill is (I believe) to qualify you for feats. These drastically improve your performance.

Ah! That must be what I'm missing! I'll check it out. Thanks.