Ever since the slot patch archers have been robbed of a viable melee weapon option resulting in increased frustration from archer and melee players alike. A dedicated archer who wanted to maximize his dmg output was forced to take a 2 slot bow and became very weak in melee. The melee options were limited to very short and very weak weapons which were more used to block and hoping for a disctraction of the attacker so the archer can run away and shoot again, than actual viable melee combat.
I welcome a introduction of a viable melee weapon for archers but i think the approach is wrong. Instead of giving archers a one very strong 0 slot weapon (which results in 90% of archers using the same weapon) i think we should show some love the forgotten 1h weapons and make them 0 slot. Some of the low to mid range weapons i have never actually seen in game which is kind of sad.
Here are some of the weapons i would like to see with 0 slots.
What we have with the current system? Basically a no-brainer choice of the Spathion, 0 variety.
What would this change accomplish? It would give archers a viable melee choice. Instead of just one viable 0 slot choice archers could now choose from: Shorter or longer swords, Faster or slower swords, more stabby or more cutting swords, a pierce pick, Bonus against shield axes, blunt dmg weapons. Also for style they could choose from more knightly, nordic, arabian or eastern looking swords. These weapons would finally be used in the battlefield improving variety.