Using Sword WITHOUT Shields, do you lose and damage or just abilities?

[Robmo]

I wanted to play around with builds and ditch the shield and opt in for more heavy armor (to increase armor rating). I'm curious if using the sword without a shield has a very negative effect.

Why use Sword alone and not just rapier? The sword abilities have a bunch of slows I want to use as well it has more tanking/sturdy passives.

[stretch]

Well as best I know - and I didn't look hard - the sword and shield is the only one with an item in each hand. As a result I think the stats are effectively halved or spread over both items so you don't get extra stats from having 2 items.
So if you only use a sword you miss the stats a shield would give you.
You also limit your build choices as many skills for sword (and shield) need a shield.
I don't know if you can block without a shield? ie if just wielding a sword.

The sword is designed to go with a shield. The skill is designed around using both at once. There are no 2h swords.
Rapier is designed as a single item and the skills/stats are based on it being the only weapon.

I would say using a sword without a shield is a rather pointless endeavour. I doubt anyone seriously does it. Maybe, I mean you could but why would you?

[holdem]

you can have extra shield bonus with shield equipped and have only sword tree skills so why would you not equip your shield?
besides you can't block bullets and arrow with no shield so.....

[Jordan_Peterson]

Still the question stands:
Does using NO shield drop your damage!? Cause even a shield has a damage value.

[Kamiyama]

What's interesting about the sword and shield is while they each have thier stat bonus halved, they each have the normal amount of perk slots.

Normally weapon 1 and weapon 2 apply a stat bonus no matter which one is being used, but shields only apply their stat bonus if they are being used. This means people who don't use sword/shield don't have to carry around a useless stat board with them. But it's unfortunate for sword/shield users who swap to their 2nd weapon. They lose that stat bonus on the shield.

However the sword/shield user gets twice as many perks when they are using their sword and shield. For instance if you look at the faction gear, every faction can get swords with keen and that refreshing strikes thing, and the shields have enchanted and sturdy. 4 perks total. No other weapon can do that.

If you just want a sword and no shield I would suggest looking at the rapier tree.

[Odd World]

Originally posted by stretch:

Maybe, I mean you could but why would you?

This is the answer.

No, your sword and shield are both "full powered" you can only attack with one at a time.

If your shield has strength stat on it then it will buff your sword too, but your shield won't buff your secondary weapon when you switch.

The shield and its perks only work while its out so if you just keep it on your back it doesn't do anything at all.

[Mango]

Originally posted by Gen-Rusher Carlton:

Still the question stands:
Does using NO shield drop your damage!? Cause even a shield has a damage value.

The answer is yes, droping the shild reduce your damage because you luse the stats.
The damage on the shield is only for the shield abilities.

Any eay, you dont gain anything for droping the shield, the only thing you could gain is to reduce your weight, from heavy to medium or light, but the shield give you so much more that it just a waste to play sword without shield

[Robmo]

Thanks for the answers yall. Yeah I knew you lost the perks but I didnt know that the stats are halfed. thats why I thought it may be worth the trade for heavier armor

[hyperion]

I don't know why to do that. I use a sword and shield, along with my bow. The shield bash skills work pretty good, plus you can block. Not sure why do that, I mean not use the shield with a sword.

[Dyox24x42]

Ima get hate for this but I don't use shield I try to be as light as possible