1h + Cavalry?

[WarLord]

Hey,

I want to make a cavalry char, and don´t have the time and notion to start from level 1. My main-character is a very fast pure infantry polearmer, and I did/do not want to "waste" points on riding with him. Anyway, I want to make a cavalry char, and thought about just spending the next 3 or 4 skill-points on my level 24 one-hander alt on riding and buy a level 3 or 4 horse.

1. Which 1 hand weapon do you recommend for fighting on horseback?

2. Which horse is, in terms of price/performance ratio  the best?

Thanks in advance for your help
 

[Trikipum]

I dont recommend doing it after the patch. Ill tell you the reason. For such kind of combat (1h+horse) you have to get really close to your enemy, meaning you would need at least a destrier if you want to survive 1 charge. Your horse will be damaged more frequently as you get really close to your enemies. With a cheap horse it means you are dead in your first charge (its what will happen mostly). My main is 1h/horse, and im not using horses these days. Cheap ones are just suicide in my playstyle. Which is charging groups of enemies and slashing/stabbing them in their neck/face. Well, you can still do it but just slashing the guys from the back, which is pretty boring and sucks. A real good 1h rider is not the one who charge unaware enemies to kill them. The good 1h rider is that rider who can fight an enemy at low speed using his horse, or even while standing still. killing a guy at full charge speed requires some skill. killing that same guy while your horse is like 1km/h requires maestry .

[Armpit_Sweat]

Double posted, sorry...

[Armpit_Sweat]

I rode most of the horses at some point, pre and post patch, using a 1h weapon+shield. My favorite horse both times was a Sarranid Horse. As for weapon - Long Arming Sword ( any weapon with over 100 length will do. Nordic Champion's Sword/Sarranid Cavalry Sword would be my first choice, if i was only going after "usability", Arming Sword just looks better for my taste. Had a masterwork "edition" before the patch... ) Fighting Axe can be fun too, having 8 PS pre-patch, i could trash some shields in one charge...

If your gear is expensive ( mine is ) - a Steppe Horse will do just fine. Put more points in Riding - it will give your Steppe horse more speed ( so it was pre-patch at least ). Courser is a fun horse to ride, but pure speed is not so important to me, as i often have to fight on hills, in villages, and even on castle walls...
Sarranid Horse is The Queen of the post-patch cRPG! With light/cloth armor, you should be able to support the upkeep.

Stay away from anything that can shoot at you. 2-3 arrows, 1-2 bolts or a single throwing axe - will kill your precious pony... Take a light crossbow as a backup weapon - enemy cavalry will ALLWAYS mark you as their top target, since you are using 1h weapon, and they have lances. Point your crossbow, and see how they make a U turn.

When mounted, the best i can do for my team as a 1h user - assist in small fights, between 2-5 people. Pole-horsemen need to gain speed and some distance to be most effective, while 1h weapon can be used while being almost stationary. So I can harass the enemy from the back in close range, making them an easy target for others. Versus enemy cavalry - 1h suck.

EDIT: I agree with Trikipum to some extent, I rarely use my horse in the patched cRPG... Even charging a 1h+shield enemy is too risky now, i mostly chop reloading crossbowmen... They always remind me a shitting dog, same position, and they look around like crazy, knowing their "vulnerable position", haha.

[Leshma]

That was my build pre-patch (the big patch). I had a lot of success with my Destrier and Elite Scmittar. Right now I wouldn't recommend it, partially because of upkeep but more importantly because of throwers and the fact than almost everyone has a pike or some other stabbing polearm. Before the patch all I had to worry about were archers and xbowmen, right now everyone can dismount you easily.

[Varyag]

I am 1h + horseman. I use Sarranid horse, Side sword and heavy lance.
Probably u've heard of me

Varyag

[bruce]

With archery being nerfed, people have stopped relying on archers to kill horses that much (and everyone else they're afraid of) and started packing polearms and pikes (the state on the servers before the horse price increase and speed/maneuver decrease also contributed to this trend). And there is the new plague of throwers, for whom if you don't hit them first you will be dehorsed in one shot... all of these combined make it really more desirable to use a lance then a onehander, since a lance can be used against aware people as well, as long as they're not armed with a really long polearm (eg. pike) or ranged weapons.

And short of using a bow, the lance is the best way to fight other cavalry (OK... best... well, IF you win the fight, if not, it's you who's dead/dehorsed, but in a way, there's one horseman less however it turns out. So in a way lancing reduces the amount of cavalry on the field the quickest, since one cavalryman is dead in a single hit. Sucks if it's you  ).

Anyway, I'd recommend a lancer. 1h+shield has its uses, too, for bumpslashing/etc, but you're in the danger zone of just about every weapon, and there are a lot more of anti-cav weapons in the field.

[Huey Newton]

viable if u use a rouncey or palfrey
tier 2 horses are still a little pricey




Age 44 [29]
Experience 3894800
Level up at 4420577
Kills 460
Death 225
Gold 7523
Generation 5
Attribute Points 0
Skill Points 0
Weapon Proficiency Points 6
Convert 2 Skill Points into 1 Attribute point.   




Strength 12 
Agility 22 



One Handed 162 [11 WPF cost]
Two Handed 1 [1 WPF cost]   
Polearm 1 [1 WPF cost]   
Archery 1 [1 WPF cost]   
Crossbow 1 [1 WPF cost]   
Throwing 1 [1 WPF cost]   


Ironflesh 2 
Power Strike 4 
Shield 6 
Athletics 6 
Riding 5 
Horse Archery 0 
Power Draw 0 
Power Throw 0 
Weapon master * 7

[Huey Newton]

O_O

[Magikarp]

6 athletics? Overkill if you ask me. Even when you get your horse killed easily.

[Huey Newton]

i dont use my horse every round
i use it one of every 3 or 4 rounds
cuz its expensive
so i want athletics

[Garris]

I use a Long Espada, heirloomed twice so far.  I do alot of thrusting, even on horseback, works in ground combat too.

When I can afford it, I'll bring out the Rouncy.  It cost about 450g for repairs.

[Malevolent_Warlord]

Cataphract + lamellar vest + scimitar

It is effective.

[KaMiKaZe_JoE]

I was also considering putting some WPF into 1h weapons. I'm a lancer (heavy lance, ftw), ride a courser, and put 150 WPF in polearms. I have like 6 riding. Any tips on the best 1h weapon for a cavalry guy? Basically I want a 1h backup because it's cool looking, and fun to use. Plust it REALLY helps if you get stopped, and an enemy horse gets stopped, and you're both armed with lances staring at eachother because you can't get the speed necessary to stab.

Mostly for the lulz.

[Trikipum]

I was also considering putting some WPF into 1h weapons. I'm a lancer (heavy lance, ftw), ride a courser, and put 150 WPF in polearms. I have like 6 riding. Any tips on the best 1h weapon for a cavalry guy? Basically I want a 1h backup because it's cool looking, and fun to use. Plust it REALLY helps if you get stopped, and an enemy horse gets stopped, and you're both armed with lances staring at eachother because you can't get the speed necessary to stab.

Mostly for the lulz.

There are better swords that is sure, but i would recommend you the "long arming sword" as it has decent stats, good lenght and its price is not overkill.