Rebalance the 1H left swing

[Sandersson Jankins]

Since the most recent weight-based(I think?) turnspeed change, overheads are, in my opinion, stronger than the all-mighty left-swing. They also frequently hit the bad guy's brainbox, are more difficult to block, and are easily combined with holds and feints.

Of course, in a group-fight, left-swing spam is often the most viable option, especially when outnumbered. Of course you're going to perform the most reliable and quickest attack in that situation.

Polearms have the right-swing in an even more powerful position than 1h's left-swing, I think. This does not mean it needs to be changed. Every class of melee weapon will have an animation that the user deems most powerful, or at least that they favor the most.

[Spa_geh_tea]

2h left AND right swing are equal or better than 1h left swing:

-All three hit for full damage early in the animation
-2h gets a reach bonus on both sideswings, 1h left swing doesn't
-The "hits the head" feature of 1h left swing is a double-edge sword, because all a 2h user has to do is ready an attack, and their animation causes them to crouch under the incoming left swing. You can't crouch under a 2h sideswing.

So it's not that 1h left swing is so amazing, it's that 1h right swing and thrust are so crap that left swing is often the only option. I prefer to overhead, but that's risky if your opponent is good at dodging.

As suggested. At a guess, 55% of my kills are overheads. Typically a left swing is used to break a spammers pace, as its the only attack that may be fast enough.
 
Some common 1h attack sequences: 
Right, overhead
Left, thrust, overhead
Overhead chamber, overhead
Left, Kick, overhead
Sidestep, overhead

[Shemaforash]

2h left AND right swing are equal or better than 1h left swing:

-All three hit for full damage early in the animation
-2h gets a reach bonus on both sideswings, 1h left swing doesn't
-The "hits the head" feature of 1h left swing is a double-edge sword, because all a 2h user has to do is ready an attack, and their animation causes them to crouch under the incoming left swing. You can't crouch under a 2h sideswing.

So it's not that 1h left swing is so amazing, it's that 1h right swing and thrust are so crap that left swing is often the only option. I prefer to overhead, but that's risky if your opponent is good at dodging.

Right swing does have a reach bonus actually which is really handy, not useless at all.

[Phew]

Right swing does have a reach bonus actually which is really handy, not useless at all.

I'd trade the reach bonus on 1h right swing for the ability to not glance on anything past your 1 o'clock. But I only play Siege, where reach is usually negated by walls/etc. I'd rather be able to hit the guy in my face without glancing.