Guild Wars 2

So, I’ve been thinking lately about how this game works, and one question that’s come up in my mind is: should offhand be necessary for one-handed weapons?

I mean, say I wanted to play a swordsman who doesn’t use greatswords, but doesn’t dual wield or use shields or anything. I lose out on two skill, possibly three, depending on how you count the thief’s combo skills.

Some might say that’s just something I’d have to accept as the consequence of choosing character concept over gameplay efficiency.

But what about the possibility of one handed weapons having a four and five skill slot all of their own that changes with the addition of a new weapon?

Would this damage the game at all? Open up new build ideas? Could it work?

I’m not trying to make a suggestion, but I am more asking what people’s thoughts are on the idea of “go with an offhand or go home” in this game?

What I’d personally like to see is the empty hand itself developed as a Martial Arts/Brawling weapon, with skills that automatically fill in if you don’t equip a weapon.

Catch: 2h weapons cost more than 1h weapons. While a pair of 1h weapons costing more than a 2h weapon isn’t entirely ideal, if you could wield a 1h weapon and get a full skill set with it, that’s the cheapest equipment option by quite a lot.

It’s not a make-or-break catch, but it’s something to think about.

As I play a thief, I noticed that with no offhand we get access to another skill. I ask myself, “Why on earth is this skill here if no one in there right mind would ever use it?”

You should just go ahead and make the suggestion because we shouldn’t have to dual wield if we don’t want. I’m all for more options with more skills.

Only down side, you would lose some stats and if using ascended items you would lose infusion slots.

Redenaz.8631:

Catch: 2h weapons cost more than 1h weapons. While a pair of 1h weapons costing more than a 2h weapon isn’t entirely ideal, if you could wield a 1h weapon and get a full skill set with it, that’s the cheapest equipment option by quite a lot.

It’s not a make-or-break catch, but it’s something to think about.

Maybe an “empty hand” weapon to match the cost. You’d certainly need something there to hold infusion slots and bonus stats that you won’t get by single-wielding, so how about an item that represents that you’re using a one-handed weapon with two hands, and/or using your offhand for martial/brawling skills?

First problem with 1 hand only is the lack of stats, infusion, and a sigil from the off hand. This is the main problem and if you just double the bonus from the main hand then most players would consider it an advantage to need only one good weapon. Most sigils will not double up anyway.

However you also need to add two skills for the free hand then the initial thought is that they should be balanced. But if these skills are balanced why would anyone bother putting time into getting a good off hand weapon when it’s not needed? But if you make the single hand skills a little weaker then why would anyone bother using them at all?

Melchior.2135:

What I’d personally like to see is the empty hand itself developed as a Martial Arts/Brawling weapon, with skills that automatically fill in if you don’t equip a weapon.

I would actually like to see a profession built around this. Specialized in martial arts with varying stances (similar to how the Ele works) and either bare hand or brass knuckles, battle staff, and throwing knives for weapons.

I have the same question in my head since Day 1 and i come up with this solution:

New weapon : Hand Guard

It could be a small hand armor piece on the left forearm

The function of this weapon is 1) provide weapon stat as off hand 2) rune slot 3) complete the missing skill slot 4&5

How does it work? It give you skill 4&5 based on your main hand weapon choice

Julie Yann.5379:

Melchior.2135:

What I’d personally like to see is the empty hand itself developed as a Martial Arts/Brawling weapon, with skills that automatically fill in if you don’t equip a weapon.

I would actually like to see a profession built around this. Specialized in martial arts with varying stances (similar to how the Ele works) and either bare hand or brass knuckles, battle staff, and throwing knives for weapons.

I contemplated a Martial Artist class, but realized I’d much rather see an unarmed fighting discipline for each of the existing classes instead. I like the idea of a class built around Martial Arts Stances in theory (especially if those stances are the five traditional Animal styles, with f1 through f4 being toggles for Tiger, Snake, Mantis and Crane, but Monkey being the default if none of the above are set), but in practice, the Versatility Tax has really hurt the value of individual Elementalist powers pretty badly.

Further details on how (very very roughly) I’d do individual Unarmed Combat styles for the current 8 classes.

Elementalist: The Last Airbender seems like a solid lead here. Air – evasion, mobility and control. Water – inflicting and cleansing conditions, and healing. Earth – very strong defense, powerful but slow attacks. Fire – goes nuts on offense and AoE.

Engineer: Electrified knuckles, concussive charges loaded on the toes of your boots, force field bracers, magnetic grappling, weird close range stuff loaded in your trick belt buckle, etc. Gadget Brawl, pretty much.

Guardian: Bajiquan, the martial art of the Japanese Imperial Guard. Great at getting in close and holding their attention until you break them.

Mesmer: The traditional mix of combat and entertainment makes me think of Capoera, although it’s not quite a perfect fit. Certainly, the Mesmer Martial Art would be the one you could most easily mistake for dance.

Necromancer: Imagine if Dracula learned Krav Maga, to get better at getting close enough to bite people.

Thief: Fantasy Ninjitsu. Heavily evasive, lot of leaping kicks, chops, pressure point tricks.

Ranger: Savage beast-claw style learned from watching their animal companions. Very good at pursuit of running targets.

Warrior: Inspired by Muay Tha strikes, a Warrior doesn’t do any fancy crap, he just wrecks people’s faces with his armored shins.

Dingle.2743:

Redenaz.8631:

Catch: 2h weapons cost more than 1h weapons. While a pair of 1h weapons costing more than a 2h weapon isn’t entirely ideal, if you could wield a 1h weapon and get a full skill set with it, that’s the cheapest equipment option by quite a lot.

It’s not a make-or-break catch, but it’s something to think about.

Maybe an “empty hand” weapon to match the cost. You’d certainly need something there to hold infusion slots and bonus stats that you won’t get by single-wielding, so how about an item that represents that you’re using a one-handed weapon with two hands, and/or using your offhand for martial/brawling skills?

For the magical professions, I think this is essentially what a focus is for. Some focii are pretty low-profile, and focus skills have a tendency to be just generic magical skills rather than following a theme related to the form of the offhand like skills from other offhands (or one-handed weapons being used as offhands) tend to do.

So all you’d probably need to do is come up with some weapon that can fulfill the “empty hand” role for martial professions.

(It might also be interesting to see some racial “empty hand” weapons in PvE – so you could actually have things like charr clawing their enemies and so on.)

Crossaber.8934:

I have the same question in my head since Day 1 and i come up with this solution:

New weapon : Hand Guard

It could be a small hand armor piece on the left forearm

The function of this weapon is 1) provide weapon stat as off hand 2) rune slot 3) complete the missing skill slot 4&5

How does it work? It give you skill 4&5 based on your main hand weapon choice

this would work.

more weapon skill choices would not hurt.

animation wise, dual wielding 2 swords in guild wars 2 is … silly.

the character only uses one sword for skills 1 – 3 and the other sword for skills 4 and 5.

am i wrong?