Difference between Two Weapon fighting Style & Dual wielding

[DragonMaster]

Ok I was just checking out something and it got me wonder. The only difference that I can see is that Dual weapon gives you +1 to AC and Two weapon fighting adds your Ability modifier. Other than that is there bonus you get from taking both? As the both allow you to use two weapons without penalties.

[Buzzn]

You can always wield two weapons at once, as long as they are light. You wont get the ability modifier for the off-hand attack, though. TW style remedies that. DW enables you to dual wield weapons that are not light (and also gives the +1 to AC).
So yes, it is useful to take them both, as they do entirely different things. But you don't need any of them to actually dual wield.

[DragonMaster]

I understand that you can dual wield with either one but if I'm not worried about the +1 to AC or and I'm using 2 scimitars which are finesse weapons And I want the ability bonus added to both it would be good to go with Two weapon so for the extra damage right?

[Kalypso]

Originally posted by Buzzn:

You can always wield two weapons at once, as long as they are light. You wont get the ability modifier for the off-hand attack, though. TW style remedies that. DW enables you to dual wield weapons that are not light (and also gives the +1 to AC).
So yes, it is useful to take them both, as they do entirely different things. But you don't need any of them to actually dual wield.

To make it all useful though, you need the perks. Really should have both if the plan is to duelwield.

[Scheneighnay]

Dual Wielder is a feat, two-weapon fighting is a fighting style. Ideally you should take both, but only fighters, rangers, and college of swords have access to the latter.

Dual wielder also allows you to put a wider variety of weapons in the offhand. That part isn't super useful if you're college of swords, but more AC is always a good thing.

[Buzzn]

Originally posted by DragonMaster:

I understand that you can dual wield with either one but if I'm not worried about the +1 to AC or and I'm using 2 scimitars which are finesse weapons And I want the ability bonus added to both it would be good to go with Two weapon so for the extra damage right?

Yes, if you want to keep the Scimitars (which are light wepons, has nothing to do with finesse) and you don't care about more AC, you can happily just take the TW fighting style. Ideally, you want both, but don't really need to. TW is also the strictly better of the two, I would say, because it gives a guarateed 3-5 more damge on every off-hand attack.

Also, because I'm still not sure you know this, you can totally dual wield without any of those two. They just make it more viable.

[Babbles]

Originally posted by Scheneighnay:

Dual Wielder is a feat, two-weapon fighting is a fighting style. Ideally you should take both, but only fighters, rangers, and college of swords have access to the latter.

Dual wielder also allows you to put a wider variety of weapons in the offhand. That part isn't super useful if you're college of swords, but more AC is always a good thing.

CoW is only for one round, remember.

[Babbles]

Dual Wield will let a caster use 2 staves, or a melee use a long sword and short sword.

The *abilities* of the off hand weapon are more important than the +4 to damage.

[Buzzn]

Originally posted by Kalypso:

To make it all useful though, you need the perks. Really should have both if the plan is to duelwield.

Yeah, kinda. But mostly if you're min-maxing. I give Jaheira only scimitars for role play reasons and only took TW and it's still a viable build, even if not peak performance.

[Buzzn]

Originally posted by Babbles:

Dual Wield will let a caster use 2 staves, or a melee use a long sword and short sword.

The *abilities* of the off hand weapon are more important than the +4 to damage.

You mean, like "topple" etc.? Hm, maybe. But I'm not so sure.

[War Maiden]

Originally posted by DragonMaster:

Ok I was just checking out something and it got me wonder. The only difference that I can see is that Dual weapon gives you +1 to AC and Two weapon fighting adds your Ability modifier. Other than that is there bonus you get from taking both? As the both allow you to use two weapons without penalties.

Well, that really depends upon ones race and training.
As a Drow, I have hand crossbow proficiency, which means dual wielding hand crossbows, that is so much better than most crossbows, even a full sized one.

[Babbles]

Originally posted by Buzzn:

Originally posted by Babbles:

Dual Wield will let a caster use 2 staves, or a melee use a long sword and short sword.

The *abilities* of the off hand weapon are more important than the +4 to damage.

You mean, like "topple" etc.? Hm, maybe. But I'm not so sure.

I mean +1 to critical threat range along side a certain singing long sword ...

Edit: Or 2 staves both providing +1 or 2 to spell DC ...