So you made this thread because of what you experienced once, rather than what you've tested for several hours/days? You found an "advantage" (Using a great maul against baddies that don't realize they could just spam you) but didn't take a look at any disadvantages. You're a good 1her but using a great maul with 1 wpf is just asking to get spammed down. 80 speed 1 wpf is brutal, it's hard enough to not get spammed even at 100 effective wpf.
I was using great maul + 1h and shield for around 2 days prior to making this topic, and came to this conclusion. It wasn't what I experienced once, it's something that helped me get ~20-3 on multiple maps where there weren't much of a cav threat. My use of the great maul only made me appreciate the dedicated maulers more, tbqh. Blocking is very slow, and even side swings can get spammed with only 1 wpf. But it was still pretty usable. Whenever I saw an archer or an opponent I couldn't defeat with the great maul, I could freely switch to my 1h+shield. That is where I think the problem is. I'm just happy not to experience what this weapon is capable of with a viable effective wpf.
I use a 2h/1h hybrid build except 131 2h wpf and 89 1h wpf in heavy armor(26 weight in total). Nearly every 1her, regardless of their build, is going to be fast enough to spam through any of your swings, even if you turn into your swings. Which is interesting because most people seem to think the great maul is an anti-shielder weapon. I'd rather fight a great maul guy with a short fast weapon, than a long slow weapon; of course, that's the offensive method to doing it. Alternatively, you could go the defensive, high athletics, long range weapon route and just back-pedal spam.
Agreed. But what I'm getting from this is that the great maul has legit disadvantages when used by itself. This is similar to many other heavy support weapons. Some people can jump away + swing to avoid you, too.
If great maul is unsheathable:
-You can still carry two sets of items.
-If you switch out of your great maul, you're not able to switch back until you pick it up. This gives you less flexibility when deciding to throw out your dueling 2h.
-Watch out for the enemy picking up that weapon, too if they're in a group against you.
3 slots, sheathable:
-You can carry a 1h or mace sidearm or just a shield
-You cannot use 1h+shield with this weapon
-Obviously, it stays with you the entire time.
Carrying another weapon guarantees you have a disadvantage against range. On my 1h+shield, I would just switch back from the maul when an archer even just looks at me.
I feel as though unsheathable is better, since 3 slots make you less useful in those 1v1 situations. Although if you're clever you can easily work with either these changes and a sidearm. I don't really want both since that will overnerf.
When I spawn with my great maul + niuweidao, I don't use the maul against "skilled" 1hers or fast 2h/pole guys (Unless I'm being stubborn, in which case I get penalized for it quite a bit). My point is, the only thing a great maul, by itself(not paired with say, a long spearman) is good for, is sieges(only at certain key points) and quickly getting rid of unskilled players. Maybe with a level 34 21/21 build you'd be fast enough to neutralize your disadvantages by taking a second (and significantly longer range) weapon, but is this really a situation that should be considered?
Great maul is good when paired with others with decent communication, preferably with a weapon that can produce something akin to polestagger. It forces the opponent to avoid rather than block, and can be unsettling even towards better players when you're with someone else.
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