Melee classes: two-handed weapons vs dual-wielding vs shield

[Amanda]

When playing a melee class, should you commit to a specific weapon arrangement (dual-wielding, weapon and shield, or two-handed weapon)? I feel like if I select talents related to one of these strategies or train the Two Weapon Combat skill, I'm just asking the RNG to only generate the wrong type of weapons--Murphy's Law, you know. On the other hand, I worry that not selecting appropriate talents/skills will be detrimental. So, when (if at all) should I commit to an arrangement? After I get my crowning gift? Once I get my first really good weapon?

[JellySlayer]

Weapon and shield is generally optimal. The defensive value of the shield generally outweighs the benefits of other styles of combat. Spear + shield has the best defensive characteristics.

Two handed weapons are sometimes useful. They do lots of damage and some of them have very nice abilities.

Dual wield is terrible. You should never use it.

Don't worry about committing to any specific weapon class. It's better to adjust your weapon based on what you find rather than what you've been putting marks into. Never overlook a much better weapon just because you've got more marks in a worse one.

[Sian]

in length, most if not all of the talents focusing on specific combat styles are traps unless you're case is specific, but the default weapon choice tends to be 1h+Shield, usually either with random spear or something strong (the 'usually' is because Thieves and Assassins give strong bonuses with daggers, Dualists hate pole-arms and beastfighters hate weapons of all kinds)

Its usually better picking defensive or utility talents.

[Carter]

Generally unless it is Axe of Minotaur / TotRR / Grod / Foeslammer or a Eternium X of Penetration then you should always go for a one hander + shield. Shield is essentially 30 DV.

Likewise, the only dual wield in the game are the twin daggers. Everything else is junk even as a Range.

In late game the weapon marks go up very fast (6 points per hit) so swapping even in the last bit of the game is almost always fine.

[Blasphemous]

For late-endgame chars with huge stats, dual wielding is actually very powerful but only if the weapons are the twin daggers.
My mindcrafter archmage is in BDC right now and in a contest between aotme, wyrmlance, executor+protector and needle+sting, the latter win, followed by aotme.

[grobblewobble]

In addition to what has been said, a few special cases:

- Late game, against very high PV opponents, dual phase daggers beat the twin daggers.
- Beastfighters should always fight barehanded, anything else will be terrible.
- For monks it is optimal to ignore barehanded fighting and use the same weapons as anyone else does. In particular, one-hander+shield is best early, aotme (or twin dagger) is best late game.
- For Duelists it is best to use a shield early on. Once they hit level 12 they should switch to playing in-style (one-hander without shield) and stick to it, because it enables their class powers, which will progressively improve.

[Soirana]

When playing a melee class, should you commit to a specific weapon arrangement (dual-wielding, weapon and shield, or two-handed weapon)? I feel like if I select talents related to one of these strategies or train the Two Weapon Combat skill, I'm just asking the RNG to only generate the wrong type of weapons--Murphy's Law, you know. On the other hand, I worry that not selecting appropriate talents/skills will be detrimental. So, when (if at all) should I commit to an arrangement? After I get my crowning gift? Once I get my first really good weapon?

Essentially most of melee talents are a waste.

Generic melee class is likely mostly likely in weapon+shield. Exceptions are beastfighters and duelists., who specialize in unarmed/one handed with no shield.

Two-hander shold be considered if:
a) they are nuts tier (eternium-twohander of penetration, cow axe, etc)
b) monk who has good light armor -- monks later get sufficient bonus to compensate for shield.
c) char is absolute buff - thus DV in particular has diminishing returns, while damage is always good.

Two-weapons:
By mid-game you should have good weapon is it worth giving up DV and extra hit with that weapon for hit with worse stuff? Twin daggers might be exception cause they are both good and equal. Still, I don't use them in 99% of games.

[Blank4u47]

Sword+shield is good for all situations. Two handed weapons are great once you get decent armor, because even if your weapon is Shitty you'll do decent dmg after you gain some skill. Two weapons isn't all that bad, but for any new player or a player that doesn't switch tactics/gear often it's totally not worth it.

[blunk]

When playing a melee class, should you commit to a specific weapon arrangement (dual-wielding, weapon and shield, or two-handed weapon)? I feel like if I select talents related to one of these strategies or train the Two Weapon Combat skill, I'm just asking the RNG to only generate the wrong type of weapons--Murphy's Law, you know. On the other hand, I worry that not selecting appropriate talents/skills will be detrimental. So, when (if at all) should I commit to an arrangement? After I get my crowning gift? Once I get my first really good weapon?

As others have said 1h+shield is the goto.
2h: (other than mentioned above) Vanquisher is surprisingly good for offence.
Monk with eternium 2h and warrior with any 2h are slightly safer options because of extra defensive bonuses to somewhat mitigate no shield.
dual: only use for challenge games.

Getting weapon marks is fast as melee , extra so with slaying weapons (you get double marks vs the stuff it slays).
My most extreme swapping was when I found Executor in UL1.

[Carter]

For late-endgame chars with huge stats, dual wielding is actually very powerful but only if the weapons are the twin daggers.
My mindcrafter archmage is in BDC right now and in a contest between aotme, wyrmlance, executor+protector and needle+sting, the latter win, followed by aotme.

AOTME vs Needle+String - Each dagger is +50 and AOTME is 20-96 so it would seem Daggers are considerably stronger? Even with the duel wield penalty.