Devs: Suggestion to make 2 handed weapons worth while again

[Draxous]

So this discussion came up on the Siege boards. Based on the responses to my idea, I'm posting it here on UHall and to see if the rest of the UO world also thinks it's a good idea.

I never understood why a spear had the same range of attack as a cleaver or club.

I propose adding one tile to the range a character can hit, but limit that additional tile to the direction the character is facing.

This would apply to only 2 handed weapons and would not apply to archery at all because of the ranged attack and [balanced] item property.

Example 1:

XXX
X>XX
XXX

(Character is facing East and can hit an opponent to the east of him/her 1 extra tile away)

Example 2:

XXX
XVX
XXX
..X

(Character is facing South and can hit an opponent to the South of him/her 1 extra tile away)

------------------------------------------------

The idea is, is that the direction your character faces and the type of weapon he/she is using determines how you can utilize this "bonus."

This would add an element of "player skill" to fully utilize this bonus and it would give 2 handed weapons an incentive for use... especially against fellow dexers and chasing down an opponent.

There are even applications and incentives to utilize this in PvM.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Who said 2 handed weapons weren't worthwhile?

 

[Draxous]

Who said 2 handed weapons weren't worthwhile?

You can't chug potions with a 2 handed weapon.

You only get a 5% bonus to evade/parry and that's if you're a sammy.

2 handed weapons are generally slower than 1 handed counter parts.

In PvP, lightning strike and Armor Ignore for example are capped at the same level for a kryss as it is a spear. So why on earth would anyone use a Spear?

Even in PvM, the bigger base damage 2 handers can do is generally negated by the DPS of 1 handed weapons.

I understand that in PvM without the damage caps in place, the potential big hits from 2 handed weapons for certain warrior templates is a slight bonus... but in PvP, there is absolutely NO reason anyone would really want to use a 2 handed weapon when you can do pretty much the same thing with a 1 hander and chug pots.

And really... even in PvM, a great 1 hander is better than a great 2 hander in every case, every time.

 

[Connor_Graham]

And really... even in PvM, a great 1 hander is better than a great 2 hander in every case, every time.

Well, that's certainly a matter of opinion, as 2 handers beat 1's in quite a few situations in PvM, but I can see your point in PvP with damage caps and such, although it's only 2 handed weps that have dismount as a special move, so they do have their uses. Certainly not as many as 1 handers in PvP, but they do have their uses. I'm not discounting your idea at all, just disagreeing that 2 handers are useless weapons.

 

[Draxous]

I'm not discounting your idea at all, just disagreeing that 2 handers are useless weapons.

Maybe my wording choice was poor.

There really isn't any incentive to use a 2 handed weapon at all. In fact, the draw backs to using them are pretty huge.

And clubs are a great 1 handed weapon with dismount (with 30%SSI they aren't even slow... throw in UBWS and bam.)

 

[Derrick83]

Well, that's certainly a matter of opinion, as 2 handers beat 1's in quite a few situations in PvM, but I can see your point in PvP with damage caps and such, although it's only 2 handed weps that have dismount as a special move, so they do have their uses. Certainly not as many as 1 handers in PvP, but they do have their uses. I'm not discounting your idea at all, just disagreeing that 2 handers are useless weapons.

Also lances have dismount....

I pvp and pvm.. 2h weaps are outclassed. In PvP is mostly about the specials on the weapon.. if your a melee dexer its all about fast weapons as with damage bonus stacking.. the end result is more DPS than a 2h weapon after SSI and DI bonus's are calcualted.

I am not saying you cant do a lot of damage with a 2h weapon or youll never win with one, but IN GENERAL, if you pick any 2H weapon with any mods I can show you a 1h weapon thats faster, does the same damage, has better special moved and I can chug...

Ive said for years that other than using a 2h weapon because of its special moves, they are obsolete compared to 1h weapons and the bonus's they get.

 

[Mistura]

it's only 2 handed weps that have dismount as a special move, so they do have their uses.

Thats actually completely false. There are a couple of 1 handed weapons that dismount, including club and lance.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Thats actually completely false. There are a couple of 1 handed weapons that dismount, including club and lance.

As has already been pointed out. Did you really need to do so again? I missed 2 weps out of a very long list, I'm sorry. I'll make sure it never happens again, and will head out to the gallows now.

 

[Ni-]

2h weaps are outclassed.

The same can be said about non-medable armor such as Platemail. I'd like to see an incentive for them.

 

[pdkc]

I agree to the points made previously, and here's my two cents on the state of things:

It's sad how many good looking and interesting weapons there are which are completely useless in terms of damage, speed and special attacks. They're mostly used by new players since they were the first thing that was found from the first monster ever killed. And platemail... it's just pathetic... Warriors really need some sort of bonus/incentive for wearing it. The STR requirement is insane and you have to have some margin points in your STR just in case you get weakened/cursed/whatever.

I do understand it's a choice between being bulky and strong and... what? Flimsy and weak? In leather armor? Leather armor which enables good mana regen AND has equal or better resists than platemail? What kind of a warrior runs around in leather armor? Seriously?

 

[Kiminality]

Wands also have dismount.
*Ducks*

Also, not all 2H weapons are such that would have range bonus.
Sai/Kama/Daisho are the first that come to mind.
Saying that, I'd like to see some greater incentive for 2H weapons.

 

[Mistura]

As has already been pointed out. Did you really need to do so again? I missed 2 weps out of a very long list, I'm sorry. I'll make sure it never happens again, and will head out to the gallows now.

Well gosh. Seems I got so excited about the opportunity of pointing out your error I didn't bother to read anything else and went straight for the reply button.

Allow me to offer my most humble apologies

 

[Mistura]

Wands also have dismount.
*Ducks*

hehe

Also, not all 2H weapons are such that would have range bonus.
Sai/Kama/Daisho are the first that come to mind.

Good point

Saying that, I'd like to see some greater incentive for 2H weapons.

I concur

 

[Setnaffa]

I'm with Connor. I don't consider two-handed weapons useless either. Some of my best Weapons are 2-handed. For my template, 13 of the top 14 highest DPS weapons are 2-handed (disclaimer: SSI 30% required for max DPS on most 2-handed weapons). The only exception is the Diamond Mace, and I'm not a macer (though I probably should be ).

The others aren't useless, but definitely not as good as the 2-handed ones I have.

If you have Microsoft Excel or compatible application: http://setnaffa.com/Documents/UOWeaponProperties.xls

 

[Hildebrand]

Yes to add incentive for 2h & to platemail (metal)armors.

 

[Draxous]

Plate suits and such should really be left for a different thread...

BUT

For suits? focusing on something like PvM, namely monster specials.

**required to wear the whole suit... meaning all 6 plate pieces, all 4 studded pieces, so on and so forth**

Depending on what *type* of suit your character is wearing, determines which and to what degree of specials from monsters it negates, reduces or increases.

Like Plate suits would obviously be the best... negating things like mortal, corruption, so on... and being WEAK against things that effect your movement speed like essence of wind or that attack lady Mel does... which when cast by creatures like Dreadhorn? would cause the effects to last even longer for your character. The things the suit is strong against would be reduced in duration or negated entirely... depending on the suit of course.

Things like studded for example would be strong against essence or that thing Lady Mel does, but weak against corruption, bleed, mortal and so on.

Mis-matched suits (like a lot of the current ones) would have the current effects of no bonus modifiers at all.

but like I said... different thread with a lot more thought put into it. This was just an idea I pulled out of thin air.

*shrugs*

 

[northwoodschopper]

I always thought that 2-hander weapons should have a 50% higher intensity cap on properties. Like 75% damage increase, 22% hit chance increase, 45% swing speed increase, etc. Maybe the chance for the balanced property too.

 

[Fizzleton]

balanced property would do a lot.

but u can easily and effectively switch between 2 weaps in pvp, using the one-hand to chug and the two-hand to deal damage, if u wish.