SWORD AND BOARD ANALYSIS

[BalrogBoru]

I don't understand how you can say that s&b takes the most skill. As far as I see it, it takes the least(exception may be xbow).
Firstly, starting off as a turtle, your shield allows you to survive a lot longer in battle. As a low level peasant with a shield, you'll find you make it to the front lines more often without being 1 hit by archers. You'll also survive in melee longer, allowing you to learn more about movement which is essential, as one of the first things any turtle will instinctively learn is how to stop enemies running around behind them. You don't need to learn how to manual block(potentially ever) and the only things you need to learn are facehugging and counter attacks. Counter attacks are piss to learn as long as you take a fast weapon and wait until your enemy lands his weapon on your shield before attempting a counter to avoid feints.

No offense to all your turtles but that's ASS.

I started as a 2h, and I tell you that for the first 15 levels I learned very little about this game as I didn't survive against any other class long enough. It wasn't until a bought a huscarl shield that I properly learnt movement, and if it wasn't for other 2h players I would never have learned manual block. I don't know about you but I find it 10 times harder to judge the direction of attack when it's coming from a stubby, fast little axe or pick that you can barely see in 1v1 behind the enemies huscarls shield.

Yeah, there's means and ways of making the S&B strategy SEEM technical but really it's a load of whitewash nonsense. As Xang said it's; wait, counter, rinse and repeat. ASS.

[1slander]

ZISA, I have been contemplating going pure 1 hander as S/S (sword and shield) inf for next build on Araios if I can get back to playing him to grind through 30.  Using the calc I think the most viable build is balanced.

    * Strength: 18
    * Agility: 18
    * Hit points: 63

    * Converted: 2
    * Ironflesh: 5
    * Power Strike: 6
    * Shield: 6
    * Athletics: 6
    * Weapon Master: 6

    * One Handed: 156

I mean playstyle is Hugger.  You need the athletics to move in quick vs athletics to kite on a reach/range build.  Once you're in you need to just plug away.  With an heirloomed battle axe you can dish out damage even with a PS6.  It's tough giving up range with throwing, but I have been getting away from throwing myself just to try other styles.  Sure nothing compares, but whatever.

Try HOPLITE, I am trying it on Duke_of_Hazard with a war spear and the medium priced steel plated shield.  Pure polearm you can flip that shield and go ninja on them with the reach that spear gives you.  Wearing only chain I find it gives a good balance between weight and speed.  You're not a killing machine but it's enjoyable to play.  Plus you're not stuck in a stab/overhead attack like Walt, you can still side swing.  Can't wait to heirloom the War Spear!

Actually, the build I will probably use for a S/S is this, athletics 5 probably isn't any diff than 7 once you have armor on and the extra hp are great!  We should start a S/S crew and bring back S/S as a viable FOTM!  Shiled 5 is enough imo since u can grab another shield amost anywhere in a battle. -


    * Strength: 21
    * Agility: 15
    * Hit points: 70

    * Converted: 2
    * Ironflesh: 7
    * Power Strike: 7
    * Shield: 5
    * Athletics: 5
    * Weapon Master: 5

    * One Handed: 148

   

[Kophka]

It's when playing as a team that sword and board really comes into it's own. On Kophkantos, my play style is to run with the crowd until we encounter a line or mass of the enemy, then use my shield to push holes into the enemy blob, for my team to exploit. A unified, solid wall of decent s/s players is a menace, and I love the fact that it lends itself to tactical play so well. Skill this skill that, blah blah blah, long live Sword and Board!

[Zisa]

@ BalrogBoru.
You cannot be high king of the celts AND a demon. sorry. And I do not care for the huscarl scimitar agi shielder, I have seen enough of those, there is such a thing as style. And this was not intended to be a 'this is better / ez mode', etc thread, but a noting of some differences in playstyles.

@1slander
I like people who use IF.

[BalrogBoru]

@ BalrogBoru.
You cannot be high king of the celts AND a demon. sorry. And I do not care for the huscarl scimitar agi shielder, I have seen enough of those, there is such a thing as style. And this was not intended to be a 'this is better / ez mode', etc thread, but a noting of some differences in playstyles.

You're actually totally right, I realised after I posted that my arguement was one from opinion and ignorance as I wasn't taking into account things such as slow 1h's, buckler parry artists or war spear hoplites who can only thrust. I stand corrected.

As for your other point, I can be and am, all that I am and more. My potential is unequaled. Shut up.

[Huey Newton]

This is not meant to be a balance discussion.

I am not going to claim to be any great shakes at sword and board, though I will have a good match every once in a while.

 pitfalls and tendencies
 
 FF prone - dealing and receiving. Mostly due to the shorter nature of the weapons.
 
 Tunnel vision - the need to maintain a shield in front of the current opponent can easily lead to tunnel vision. Remapping of the look around key may help.
 
 RMBitis - finger locked on RMB can lead to stubborn releases.
 
 Getting swarmed. I find it easier to deal with multiple opponents with anything BUT sword and board. I am not sure if turn speed is slowed when holding RMB, it used to be.
 
 Crush Through - sure you CAN deal with it when one versus one, how often does that hapen? Possibly the silliest mechanic ever.
 
 Back pedallers. You may have to content yourself with getting one strike in and maintaining position, or risk getting swarmed due to over pursuit.
 
 'Spammers' the guys who don't give you a chance to strike back. Really need to discover their timing, unfortunately, this can lead to a long delay.
 
 Delay - this can be good or dreadful. It can take a long time at times to kill someone, which ties you up.
 
 ROLES
 
 Roadblock. Turtle in heavy armour, strike only when necessary, but be a bulwark for your team mates to work around. Can infuriate some people.
 
 Guard. Guard an archer or group of ranged, intercept incoming; essentially watching their backs.
 
 daggger and buckler assasin, with light armor.
 
 Pushing the front.
 
 Advancing on archers. This is kind of key; hiding behind the two handers is common, but improper. Of course, those speedy bastards do not wait for you.
 
 Ability to switch roles / mode

you obviously haven't played sword and board long enough to know anything about fighting groups

fail

[ManOfWar]

If sword and board is so easy why are there not a ton of awesome 1h out there? Face it, there are the badasses and the scrubs who are turtles and get feinted out

[Xant]

you obviously haven't played sword and board long enough to know anything about fighting groups

fail

you mean backpedal+hold RMB? some rocket scienzze there

[Rhaelys]

If sword and board is so easy why are there not a ton of awesome 1h out there? Face it, there are the badasses and the scrubs who are turtles and get feinted out

QFT

[Formless]

If sword and board is so easy why are there not a ton of awesome 1h out there? Face it, there are the badasses and the scrubs who are turtles and get feinted out

I agree with ManOfWar, sword and board is not easy, there are only a few really good 1 handers out there.

EDIT

It actually too me longer to learn Sword and Board then it did to learn 2 hander or polearm.  For me polearm was the easiest to pick up.

[Kalam]

It actually too me longer to learn Sword and Board then it did to learn 2 hander or polearm.  For me polearm was the easiest to pick up.

My experiences exactly. Shields make timing weird.

[DrKronic]

My experiences exactly. Shields make timing weird.

Just use the pick by itself then(j/k but it is viable)

One hand and shield is easy with the top weapons,  coming from one hand uber pick kalam and man o side sword this is kinda silly

Similar to me saying its hard to kill people with any top weapon if you're a good player(minus archery which of the three ranged I feel takes way more investment to have effectiveness )

Of course if u suck then.....time for failure

Between wifeys +1 side sword and movers deadly pick, wish I had a mighty iron war axe to complete the one hand rape trifecta

[Kalam]

Just use the pick by itself then(j/k but it is viable)

One hand and shield is easy with the top weapons,  coming from one hand uber pick kalam and man o side sword this is kinda silly

Similar to me saying its hard to kill people with any top weapon if you're a good player(minus archery which of the three ranged I feel takes way more investment to have effectiveness )

Of course if u suck then.....time for failure

Between wifeys +1 side sword and movers deadly pick, wish I had a mighty iron war axe to complete the one hand rape trifecta

I'm not saying it's hard. Merely that it's easier without a shield, but we use shields presumably because we don't want to be repeatedly hit by ranged fire.

[DrKronic]

I'm not saying it's hard. Merely that it's easier without a shield, but we use shields presumably because we don't want to be repeatedly hit by ranged fire.

Right on, just saying I have watched both weapons used(like seeing the inputs require) and neither required any more effort than any other melee weapon in wreckin people

I wish there was more "tier" 'ed weapon s and especially shields,  like how the danish and german swords work, basically equally viable high and mid tier one hand weapons and shields

Like how the huscarl has a great profile vs ranged, is heavy(good vs crush) is fast enuf and has alot of hp

Atm it kinda feels like I am shorting myself if I use something I like the look of like say a nordic champ instead of a sidesword or pick, also war hammer should have crush flag(crush katanas etc)

[Kalam]

Atm it kinda feels like I am shorting myself if I use something I like the look of like say a bird champ instead of a sidesword or pick, also war hammer should have crush flag(crush katanas etc)

I am going to ask this: how many uber killing machines do you see with a steel pick?