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Are there any benefits to using just a single One-handed weapon instead of going Two-handed/Dual Wielding/Weapon&Shield? They give you the ability to block, but why not just equip a shield on your free hand?

Well I would guess equipping a spell to your empty hand is the benefit of one-handed weapons.

But I mean having a One-handed weapon only, with an empty off-hand (thus allowing you to block).

"The gods gave you two hands, and you chose to use them both for weapons. I can respect that"

Is there any benifit to cutting off your hand/arm?

You have two hand slots, and they should both be used for something.

Ajax wrote:Are there any benefits to using just a single One-handed weapon instead of going Two-handed/Dual Wielding/Weapon&Shield? They give you the ability to block, but why not just equip a shield on your free hand?

No, there's no benefit to it at all. Leaving one hand empty is just a waste.

Pros for Wielding a Single One-handed Weapon?

Using a Dagger with Assasin's Blade + Brotherhood Gloves for x30 damage throat ripping!
I made a large expansion to Falkreath's graveyard because of that.

Would be a nice option. Could have perks like Drity Trick where you throw dirt in enemy's eyes with your free hand. Or a Trick Attack/Parry where you flip the sword to your free hand for crit. dmg and so forth.

Ajax wrote:But I mean having a One-handed weapon only, with an empty off-hand (thus allowing you to block).

but surely blocking involves putting an object that isn't 'you', in front of the enemy weapon trying to hit 'you'?

so if you block with your hand, you're defeating the point of blocking?

i suppose if you punch with your left hand, the weapon speed of your fist will also determine the speed of your right hand weapon, cos that's how it works in skyrim

so use a dagger in your left hand, folks

Mattbott wrote:

Ajax wrote:But I mean having a One-handed weapon only, with an empty off-hand (thus allowing you to block).

but surely blocking involves putting an object that isn't 'you', in front of the enemy weapon trying to hit 'you'?

so if you block with your hand, you're defeating the point of blocking?

i suppose if you punch with your left hand, the weapon speed of your fist will also determine the speed of your right hand weapon, cos that's how it works in skyrim

so use a dagger in your left hand, folks

Nah, nah. Leaving one hand empty allows you to block with the weapon.

Mattbott wrote:

Ajax wrote:But I mean having a One-handed weapon only, with an empty off-hand (thus allowing you to block).

but surely blocking involves putting an object that isn't 'you', in front of the enemy weapon trying to hit 'you'?

so if you block with your hand, you're defeating the point of blocking?

i suppose if you punch with your left hand, the weapon speed of your fist will also determine the speed of your right hand weapon, cos that's how it works in skyrim

so use a dagger in your left hand, folks

If you have an empty off-hand, then when you use your off-hand, you grasp your One-Handed weapon with both hands to block with the weapon, not with your bare hand. So basically having a One-Handed Weapon and an empty hand is like a having a two handed weapon, except less damage but higher speed. Not sure about the effectiveness of blocking with one-handed or two-handed weapons.

Punch attack ???

It lets you reduce your weight!

You look cool and contemptuous of your enemies.

You can make offensive gestures at your foes with your free hand

The crux of the issue is: why parry with a single one-handed weapon without a shield, when you can block with a shield to much greater effect...

...remember this: you can 'bash' your enemies with your shield. What if you could do something similar-yet-different by parrying with a one-hander?

If I had my say-so in making the game, when you parry with a one-handed weapon, the same 'bash' option you had with a shield results in a quick followup attack which deals more damage. You offest the reduced defensive potential of a parry by gaining more offensive power for the same 'bash' feature.

Deny the same feature to a two-handed weapon, of course. The logic being that, with a two-hander, you need both hands just to maintain the parry. Holding a light, one-handed weapon with both hands is what gives you the extra leverage needed to execute that parry-attack.

The crux of the issue is: why parry with a single one-handed weapon without a shield, when you can block with a shield to much greater effect...

...remember this: you can 'bash' your enemies with your shield. What if you could do something similar-yet-different by parrying with a one-hander?

You can... he "bash" with it...

Dark Spark wrote:If I had my say-so in making the game, when you parry with a one-handed weapon, the same 'bash' option you had with a shield results in a quick followup attack which deals more damage. You offest the reduced defensive potential of a parry by gaining more offensive power for the same 'bash' feature.

I can get behind having the ability to riposte.

Pro for just a single weapon?

Windshear comes to mind with its hilarious 60% to knock someone off their feet. I used its kinda funny just tossing someone aside...

Beyond Windshear their isnt much to gain beyond an offhand of torch or spell or even staff

Punch as your main fighting style and have the sword as a backup. Be a badass!

Wolfie wrote:

The crux of the issue is: why parry with a single one-handed weapon without a shield, when you can block with a shield to much greater effect...

...remember this: you can 'bash' your enemies with your shield. What if you could do something similar-yet-different by parrying with a one-hander?

You can... he "bash" with it...

Yes, which results in identical effects for two different configurations— one of which is inferior because it offers less defense for the exact same amount of "bash". Such imbalance causes players to drift closer to the 'logical' choice of using a shield— there's no sense then in using just a one-handed weapon alone.

I propose balance: you trade your weaker defense for a "bash" that hurts just a bit more. This will open up another choice in customizing your character's style (imagine the noble ranger, carrying a big honkin' patio table in his left hand while weaving his way through forest underbrush... doesn't sound right, no?).

Dunmer999 wrote:Punch as your main fighting style and have the sword as a backup. Be a badass!

the chuck norris way of playing skyrim

chuck norris is so hard, when he dual wields a fist and a sword, he doesnt have to use the sword

Dark Spark wrote: I propose balance: you trade your weaker defense for a "bash" that hurts just a bit more. This will open up another choice in customizing your character's style (imagine the noble ranger, carrying a big honkin' patio table in his left hand while weaving his way through forest underbrush... doesn't sound right, no?).

I agree. It isn't very RP how my thief pulls out a big shiny elven shield when I go in with my sword to finish what the bow started