Dueling Swords

[svensson1066]

Been seeing a lot of complaints about the prevalence of dueling swords in the game.
I get why some fans of other weapons are frustrated, I really do. If I had put a whole bunch of feats in Left Handed Pandy Bat [old SCA reference there] and it never showed up in the game, I'd be annoyed too. But here's the thing: in all of Avistan there are only two places where dueling swords are anything like common... Rostland [Restov] and Mivon. And the Stolen Lands sits right between the two. So about the only place on the continent you'd find dueling swords as loot is right where they set the game.
Just puttin' that out there.

[dwarfpcfan]

meh, honestly I've only found 1 dueling sword worth a damn playing all the way to chapter 4. The best weapons so far have been maces, hammers and 2 handers.

Nothing I've seen would make me waste a feat for dueling swords.

[Sotanaht]

Plus this game includes an entire fighter archetype dedicated to the weapon. Yes it's odd, but imagine playing Aldori Defender without any good dueling swords in the game.

It's really just a question of which weapons they chose to omit. There's hardly a single good longsword until the end of the game.

[dwarfpcfan]

Honestly, specializing in a weapon is a trap, take feats and abilities that will work regardless of the weapon in your hand. It will pay off a lot more in the long run.

The only character that should take focus and specialization feats is Valerie in bastard sword.

[AzureTheGamerKobold]

Originally posted by dwarfpcfan:

Honestly, specializing in a weapon is a trap, take feats and abilities that will work regardless of the weapon in your hand. It will pay off a lot more in the long run.

The only character that should take focus and specialization feats is Valerie in bastard sword.

you get alot of damage by doing so but you HAVE to know what weapons are in game ahead of time, does you know good to specialize in a falchata if are no good ones.

[Selvokaz]

im more dejected at the fact you can't make your own weapon. Seriously? You're not a real ruler if you can't command a artisan to build a specific weapon to your specifications.

[Shahadem]

Originally posted by Sotanaht:

Plus this game includes an entire fighter archetype dedicated to the weapon. Yes it's odd, but imagine playing Aldori Defender without any good dueling swords in the game.

It's really just a question of which weapons they chose to omit. There's hardly a single good longsword until the end of the game.

Imagine not playing Aldori Defender and never seeing your own weapon because so many drops are dueling swords.

[Kas'zrago]

I've tried to give Octavia a dueling sword with her level 3 perk but she can't equip it I don't understand why she can't use it. do i need to learn the weapon proficiency first? why offer that as an option if i can't use it

[svensson1066]

Dueling Swords are an Exotic Weapon Proficiency. It is best used with high-Dex melee build, rather than high-Str ones.

There are some real advantages to burning a feat on them:
+ They are a 1d8 weapon with the Finesse trait and can Pierce or Slash; AFAIK, they are the *only* weapon with the Finesse trait that does above 1d6.
+ It opens up some Aldori feats [Aldori Defense, for example] that can be useful if you're primarily a melee type
+ They can do really sick amounts of damage when using Sneak Attack feats as well. Like 'I just hit a critical with a greataxe' levels of damage.

The big disadvantages are threefold:
- You absolutely *must* have Weapon Finesse to make the weapon pay off. Most of the Aldori feats require it. If you're running an Str melee type, you might as well take EWP: Bastard Sword and get 1d10 damage and a shield instead.
- The Aldori feats often require you to use a dueling sword in one hand and nothing in the other.
- As I mentioned in my OP, being an uncommon type of sword, you usually have to really go that extra mile to find a magical one. For example, one of the best ones in KM is near the Swamp Hut, but you have to have to either a] fight some pretty tough boars [3 of them IIRC] or b] have a nearly obscene level of Stealth to get at it.
AFAIC, the dueling sword is a viable alternative to the rapier for swashbucklers, some rogue builds and some fighter builds if you're willing to build within the parameters.

As for Octavia [a rogue/wizard in KM], I would think very hard about letting her get into melee in any circumstance. That CON of 8 is a real handicap. Best to give her archery and magic feats instead.

As for Camellia [a spirit hunter shaman in WotR] she's more viable, but it's a long road to get Weapon Finesse, which you absolutely must have to make the dueling sword pay off. And that's a feat or rogue level that you could use towards spellcasting.

[Kas'zrago]

Originally posted by svensson1066:

Dueling Swords are an Exotic Weapon Proficiency. It is best used with high-Dex melee build, rather than high-Str ones.

There are some real advantages to burning a feat on them:
+ They are a 1d8 weapon with the Finesse trait and can Pierce or Slash; AFAIK, they are the *only* weapon with the Finesse trait that does above 1d6.
+ It opens up some Aldori feats [Aldori Defense, for example] that can be useful if you're primarily a melee type
+ They can do really sick amounts of damage when using Sneak Attack feats as well. Like 'I just hit a critical with a greataxe' levels of damage.

The big disadvantages are threefold:
- You absolutely *must* have Weapon Finesse to make the weapon pay off. Most of the Aldori feats require it. If you're running an Str melee type, you might as well take EWP: Bastard Sword and get 1d10 damage and a shield instead.
- The Aldori feats often require you to use a dueling sword in one hand and nothing in the other.
- As I mentioned in my OP, being an uncommon type of sword, you usually have to really go that extra mile to find a magical one. For example, one of the best ones in KM is near the Swamp Hut, but you have to have to either a] fight some pretty tough boars [3 of them IIRC] or b] have a nearly obscene level of Stealth to get at it.
AFAIC, the dueling sword is a viable alternative to the rapier for swashbucklers, some rogue builds and some fighter builds if you're willing to build within the parameters.

As for Octavia [a rogue/wizard in KM], I would think very hard about letting her get into melee in any circumstance. That CON of 8 is a real handicap. Best to give her archery and magic feats instead.

As for Camellia [a spirit hunter shaman in WotR] she's more viable, but it's a long road to get Weapon Finesse, which you absolutely must have to make the dueling sword pay off. And that's a feat or rogue level that you could use towards spellcasting.

my desire for her to use dueling swords was merely in the case she gets flanked by enemies that ignore my tanks and circle around but she can't use them so i guess i need that perk for exotic weaponry despite it being an option for her 3rd level finesse perk

[svensson1066]

And by the way, I have an answer for my own OP question...

**SPOILER***




Finnean will turn into any weapon you want. A +1 cold iron ghost touch weapon

[pi73r]

Originally posted by Kas'zrago:

Originally posted by svensson1066:

Dueling Swords are an Exotic Weapon Proficiency. It is best used with high-Dex melee build, rather than high-Str ones.

There are some real advantages to burning a feat on them:
+ They are a 1d8 weapon with the Finesse trait and can Pierce or Slash; AFAIK, they are the *only* weapon with the Finesse trait that does above 1d6.
+ It opens up some Aldori feats [Aldori Defense, for example] that can be useful if you're primarily a melee type
+ They can do really sick amounts of damage when using Sneak Attack feats as well. Like 'I just hit a critical with a greataxe' levels of damage.

The big disadvantages are threefold:
- You absolutely *must* have Weapon Finesse to make the weapon pay off. Most of the Aldori feats require it. If you're running an Str melee type, you might as well take EWP: Bastard Sword and get 1d10 damage and a shield instead.
- The Aldori feats often require you to use a dueling sword in one hand and nothing in the other.
- As I mentioned in my OP, being an uncommon type of sword, you usually have to really go that extra mile to find a magical one. For example, one of the best ones in KM is near the Swamp Hut, but you have to have to either a] fight some pretty tough boars [3 of them IIRC] or b] have a nearly obscene level of Stealth to get at it.
AFAIC, the dueling sword is a viable alternative to the rapier for swashbucklers, some rogue builds and some fighter builds if you're willing to build within the parameters.

As for Octavia [a rogue/wizard in KM], I would think very hard about letting her get into melee in any circumstance. That CON of 8 is a real handicap. Best to give her archery and magic feats instead.

As for Camellia [a spirit hunter shaman in WotR] she's more viable, but it's a long road to get Weapon Finesse, which you absolutely must have to make the dueling sword pay off. And that's a feat or rogue level that you could use towards spellcasting.

my desire for her to use dueling swords was merely in the case she gets flanked by enemies that ignore my tanks and circle around but she can't use them so i guess i need that perk for exotic weaponry despite it being an option for her 3rd level finesse perk

Going for exotic weapon on a caster will end up in a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ build. I was doing stuff like this when I was 6 years old :D

[SeverusREN]

Kill lich, check loot, think, compare. End-game encounter(if follow the story line), but can be complited much earlier.

[Bibibobaba]

I dont know why you will need more than +3 weapon it not really needed. Anyway I agree that it bad that we cannot craft our own weapon.
You can get two named +2 dueling sword early in the game Sword Passion and Lord Protector. You get two +3 in Vordakai tombs. So It already better than lot of others weapon.