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A complicated subject, I know. But this question isn't specifically about how the paired weapons skill works -

What I want to know is this: do you think one needs the paired weapons skill in order to use a weapon in each hand, even if each weapon is being used separately? So (ignoring all the possible paired weapons manoeuvres), imagine I have a sword in one hand that is +2 to parry and an axe in the other hand that does way more damage than the sword, so in combat I want to use the axe for hitting and the sword for parrying. Do I need to know the paired weapons skill in order to be able to wield weapons in both hands in this way? Or can I just do it regardless of skill?

I am inclined to say that the paired weapons skill is required, in order to learn how to use a weapon in one's "off-hand" at all, (which is otherwise not covered anywhere) and to learn how to cope with swinging two weapons around without one move adversely affecting the other. What do you guys think?

I'd say it is required. Just switching from fighting with one hand to another is difficult unless you've trained for it.

Do you require paired weapons for someone using a one handed weapon and a shield? I don't require paired weapons if the second weapon is there as added defense or a backup weapon if something happens to the first (like a parrying dagger, or something to throw while still retaining the main melee weapon), but I do still require it to counter the moves that someone with the skill can perform.

If you use them both in the same round yes. I would say you could carry one and use the other, and swap which one is being used at the start of the round, but I would also give negatives for the off hand.

Well, I have only a small amount of experience using a shield but I think it's pretty intuitive. The whole idea of a shield is that you can easily block with it, even if you don't have a lot of training. And the bigger the shield, the easier it is to use (assuming you have the requisite strength). For another weapon, that's a much greater level of skill. You have to manipulate the weapon to a much greater degree, so it requires the Paired Weapons skill.

-Vek
"You're probably better off with two hands on the single weapon than one in each, if you aren't practiced in using two weapons simultaneously."

Veknironth wrote:Well, I have only a small amount of experience using a shield but I think it's pretty intuitive. The whole idea of a shield is that you can easily block with it, even if you don't have a lot of training. And the bigger the shield, the easier it is to use (assuming you have the requisite strength). For another weapon, that's a much greater level of skill. You have to manipulate the weapon to a much greater degree, so it requires the Paired Weapons skill.

-Vek
"You're probably better off with two hands on the single weapon than one in each, if you aren't practiced in using two weapons simultaneously."

+1
And wp shield comes with the training to use the shield and sword in combat at the same time so you don't need paired weapons wp to do so (says in description)

Hotrod wrote:I'd say it is required. Just switching from fighting with one hand to another is difficult unless you've trained for it.

Nearly impossible.

Im right-handed. If im forced to fight left-handed, i handily get my butt kicked by people who aren't at a similar disadvantage, even if i usually beat them easily.

Hi guys,
Thank you very much for all of your input. Much appreciated!

Soldier of Od wrote:A complicated subject, I know. But this question isn't specifically about how the paired weapons skill works -

What I want to know is this: do you think one needs the paired weapons skill in order to use a weapon in each hand, even if each weapon is being used separately? So (ignoring all the possible paired weapons manoeuvres), imagine I have a sword in one hand that is +2 to parry and an axe in the other hand that does way more damage than the sword, so in combat I want to use the axe for hitting and the sword for parrying. Do I need to know the paired weapons skill in order to be able to wield weapons in both hands in this way? Or can I just do it regardless of skill?

I am inclined to say that the paired weapons skill is required, in order to learn how to use a weapon in one's "off-hand" at all, (which is otherwise not covered anywhere) and to learn how to cope with swinging two weapons around without one move adversely affecting the other. What do you guys think?

Yeah, you'd need the skill for this.

-M'aiq
"Don't try blocking if you have two weapons. You will only get confused. Much better to hit twice anyway."

I wouldn't require it, but I'd give fugly penalties if you don't have it.

To use the weapons in the same APM round the char needs to have paired weapons to use both.

If using one or the other in different APM rounds the char can use one in each hand, with noted off hand penilties for the weapon in the off hand.

I would listen to Vek - "He knows his MFing Paired Weapons"

Well, look at Lukterran bringing back one of my old hits. Does anyone know the story of that quote?

-Vek
"Other than me, obviously."

The question from me is, why only one person answered the OP question with what the PB game system rules says?

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:The question from me is, why only one person answered the OP question with what the PB game system rules says?

Might be because the OP didn't ask for the game rule answer.

OP wrote:do you think

We always read it like this. The sword and shield wielder without paired weapons, but with with wp sword and wp shield could use both, but would not get an auto parry. So basically an attack is burned to use the shield to parry.

This is just what made sense to us.

malaclypse wrote:

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:The question from me is, why only one person answered the OP question with what the PB game system rules says?

Might be because the OP didn't ask for the game rule answer.

What I read was that he first said he wasn't asking about a pairing weapons in the same APM and then asked exactly what he just said he wasn't going to be asking about.

...so in combat I want to use the axe for hitting and the sword for parrying. Do I need to know the paired weapons skill in order to be able to wield weapons in both hands in this way? Or can I just do it regardless of skill?

Therfore, it needed a rules answer.

RockJock wrote:We always read it like this. The sword and shield wielder without paired weapons, but with with wp sword and wp shield could use both, but would not get an auto parry. So basically an attack is burned to use the shield to parry.

This is just what made sense to us.

.... im not sure how this makes sense, really.

Even when you have the proficiency to use the shield, you cant use the shield? Thats... nonsensical.

Training with a shield includes using it with a weapon. There is no case of "i just use a shield".

RockJock wrote:We always read it like this. The sword and shield wielder without paired weapons, but with with wp sword and wp shield could use both, but would not get an auto parry. So basically an attack is burned to use the shield to parry.

This is just what made sense to us.

To parry with a 2nd, off hand weapon, w/o the PW WP burns the Next APM. (Like dodging does.) So the above is only saying the char just can't parry with a 2nd-off hand-weapon if they don't have both weapons' WPs. Interesting house rule. A bit anti-munchiny, in stead of the the norm.