The Two Handed Swordsman R.I.P.

[Elmetiacos]

There seem to be fewer and fewer people playing with two handers, apart from katanas. There are polearm users, but hardly anyone with a two handed sword. There's no-one left to fight: the majority of players are turtling up behind Huscarl shields (see the Balance Philosophy thread) which results in a stalemate or a guessing game - now the Great Maul has been nerfed into uselessness there's no way to counter the shield unless you're a Str build with very high PS, so you throw away your sword for an axe or switch to a polearm. The usual two hander build feels like it's no longer viable: pre-patch I could sometimes top the kills table and still did well enough at first after the patch but now the ground has shifted and I generally get more deaths than kills these days (don't bother saying "Learn to manual block LOL" that isn't the issue) and get the impression I'm a battlefield dinosaur.

[Kalam]

Strength build barmace. There's your two-hander!

[Siiem]

2h is viable, only abit harder with all the projectiles flying around. Which means more turtlers, who can be a pain. But it's definitive not R.I.P yet.

[Jaakko the Sire!]

I carry two two-handers, a great axe to break shields, and a long sword or another two-handed sword when I face a skilled blocker.

[Guts]

i do fine with just running around with a danish sword (or for the old players sword of cookies ) i have no problem fighting a sheilder usaully i can get around to their back or feint my way in also the kickslash is tons of fun and i do run around as a ninja just for fun lol with a nodachi and katana but the game has changed so ur tactics as a 2h have to as well no more spamming sheilds but i will say its alot harder post patch but i do like how it weeds out those weak 2h who relay on spam and little to no skill

[Kalam]

i do fine with just running around with a danish sword (or for the old players sword of cookies ) i have no problem fighting a sheilder usaully i can get around to their back or feint my way in also the kickslash is tons of fun and i do run around as a ninja just for fun lol with a nodachi and katana but the game has changed so ur tactics as a 2h have to as well no more spamming sheilds but i will say its alot harder post patch but i do like how it weeds out those weak 2h who relay on spam and little to no skill

The problem is throwers, not other melee.

[Armpit_Sweat]

There seem to be fewer and fewer people playing with two handers, apart from katanas. There are polearm users, but hardly anyone with a two handed sword. There's no-one left to fight: the majority of players are turtling up behind Huscarl shields (see the Balance Philosophy thread) which results in a stalemate or a guessing game - now the Great Maul has been nerfed into uselessness there's no way to counter the shield unless you're a Str build with very high PS, so you throw away your sword for an axe or switch to a polearm. The usual two hander build feels like it's no longer viable: pre-patch I could sometimes top the kills table and still did well enough at first after the patch but now the ground has shifted and I generally get more deaths than kills these days (don't bother saying "Learn to manual block LOL" that isn't the issue) and get the impression I'm a battlefield dinosaur.

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[Teeth]

but i will say its alot harder post patch but i do like how it weeds out those weak 2h who relay on spam and little to no skill

Was it even easier before patch? I started 2handing postpatch and I still find it much easier than 2h polearming. Maybe its because i play siege mostly but I dont have that much trouble with throwers. And ninjaing with a katana is just too much fun.

[Ganon]

2h works well with heavy equipment and a str build or with light equipment and an agi build. I also carry a shield and have some shield skill, going pure 2h is a suicide with that many projectiles.

[Deathwind]

I've seen plenty of two handers, and they usually carry a shield for getting close to an archer. Every melee infantry should have a shield, really. (Which is why I liked the fact that shields did not have any skill requirement in Native SP and anyone could equip one.)

Either, I suck at shielding (which is totally plausible), but I don't like the idea of "turtling up" unless I'm being mobbed by 6 foes at once.

[Ache]

Im playing with Longsword and i top the scoreboards most of the time,it all about skill,learn to block and feint and u will slaughter everyone with a 2 handed sword.

[Elmetiacos]

The replies confirm my opinion really - as I've seen on the battlefield, people have either gone for all Str and crushing people with big, heavy axes and/or Bar Maces or gone for all Agi and speed with the lighter swords. I found my typical pre-patch 18/18 build, mainly two hand but with a sideline in throwing javelins has done worse and worse. I think I'm going to have to start Andamaglas from scratch and work my way up again, which is a bit of a pain in the neck...

[Falka]

there's no way to counter the shield unless you're a Str build with very high PS (...) The usual two hander build feels like it's no longer viable

That's where you're wrong. I have quite balanced build - 18 str 21 agi - and after patch with my lovely s of tears I have better scores than previously. In spite of removing lolstabbing and nerfing s of tears.

[Nogar]

yea i dont know why would two hand be dead... i kill alot with my 2hand character

[danrex]

Man, I carry a pole without shield and I dont really feel owned by arrows and things like that...