Franscesco if you're reading this, I'd like to know if the question of two-weapon fighting came-up during the development stage of the game.

I can understand from a thematic perspective why it wasn't included in the rules, but I'd like to know your thoughts on the matter of wielding two weapons in combat.

Glorfindel

I've also thought a bit more about this, particularly from Halbarad's perspective of "what is the player looking for?" If we ignore those who are just looking for a cheap +1 of some kind, it seems to me that the answer is "an awesome two-weapon fighter, full of tricks and amazing speed".

Obviously, you can only get that by investing in it, as nobody is awesome right off the bat. So maybe this need is best met by an appropriate Mastery. That way, the other PCs are investing in other things, as the TWF builds in ability, which is fair and balanced.

Something on the lines of:

Master of Two Weapons

You have learned the craft of using a short blade or small axe in your off hand to defend and attack, baffling your foes while minimising your war gear. It's assumed that you will always have at least a dagger on hand for this purpose, unless circumstances clearly dictate otherwise.

The first time you take this Mastery, raise your Parry rating without a shield by +1. The second time, reduce the Edge of your primary weapon by 1 (again, so long as you're not using a shield). The third time, raise your Parry again, the fourth, reduce Edge, and so on.

You know Thriddle, that's not bad at all. I would probably go for the -1 edge adjustment as being the normal effect of TWF but also include the Mastery- parry idea for players prepared to invest more in that style of fighting.

This is a brilliant idea overall.

Forgive me if I seem dense on this - but why would I spend a mastery to get a +1 parry with an off-hand weapon if I can already achieve this (and better) by using a shield?

Also instead relegating it to only dagger/axe/short sword, I feel that it's prudent to add language that opens the idea up to grabbing a makeshift weapon (such as a femur, a torch etc) for desperate times - such as you shield was just shattered.


If not - no big deal, I don't need to die on that hill.

Cheers,
Robert

The dagger has no encumberance but the shield does. Also if you took multiple uses, if i am reading this correctly, the bonus would increase over time.

Yeah - that's probably enough of a trade-off for the first mastery.

I think I with Glorfindel, the -1 edge might be best for the first such expenditure of mastery; for me I'll probably go with a -1 to TN when attacking.

But different strokes for different folks. YMMV,

Robert

Yes, Telcontar has the idea.

Also, although the initial +1 Parry isn't that good, as you say, the -1 Edge seems better than most Masteries (+1 damage, for example), so you're partly investing to get the Edge reward later.

By all means tweak it to suit your own ends though - it was just meant as an illustration of how such a thing might be done.