Off hand

LogicalUnit

Hi all, veteran BG fan here, looking forward to BG:EE!

One request: In the original BG, there was no quick-slot for off hand weapons. This meant that you could not, for example, switch from a sword and shield combo to a longbow without manually removing the shield from the off hand.

IWD2 has a slightly different interface where main hand and off hand combinations were grouped, allowing the player to switch the sword/shield for another 2 handed weapon.

Any chance of adding this feature into the interface overhaul, or has it already been done?

Ulfgar_Torunn

This feature was mentioned in one of Trent Oster's tweets. Since the architecture already exists, this feature should be implemented. Switching from dual-weilding to a two handed weapon is a cumbersome and frequent occurence, and I hope it will be fixed.

psyact

This would be an amazing addition and would definitely get me to use two-handed weapons more often. I hated manually removing my shield or off-hand weapon just to use a bow.

Luge

Would it not work to simply make all bows and crossbows one-handed?

L.

GemHound

Luge said:

Would it not work to simply make all bows and crossbows one-handed?
L.

@Luge
Then you would have your shield on while using your weapon that you need to hold with ONE HAND and draw a string with ANOTHER(that one holding a shield). A crossbow would be the same, one handed shots would veer off into the middle of nowhere, you need a second hand to steady the crossbow so your shot could get anywhere near the target.

Luge

GemHound said:

Then you would have your shield on while using your weapon that you need to hold with ONE HAND and draw a string with ANOTHER(that one holding a shield). A crossbow would be the same, one handed shots would veer off into the middle of nowhere, you need a second hand to steady the crossbow so your shot could get anywhere near the target.

@GemHound

But from an engine mechanics point of view, it would solve the problem. You could imagine that a character slings the shield over their back while using the missile weapon, and only holds it when in close combat.

A sling is (technically) a two-handed weapon as well, remember - You need one hand to put the bullet in the pocket before you fire it. But for pure game mechanics, it's been designated as a single-handed weapon.

L.

Alkalurops

Just get 4 slots on both main and off hand. Switching to slot x in your main hand automatically equips slot x in your off hand.
Two handed weapons create a "ghost" weapon in the off hand so you can't put another weapon there.
Maybe allow the player to create "ghost" weapons himself (shift + drag or something) so the same shield can be used with multiple main-hand combinations.

Humanoid_Taifun

@Alkalurops
I like that idea, it would also provide a simple answer to the question of whether or not a bastard sword is two handed or one handed.

Xavioria

I think bastard swords should be two handed for those without the adequate strength to wield it as one handed. As for crossbows... What about hand crossbows?

Maybe not dual ranged weapons... That's already a bit overpowered lol...

LogicalUnit

Alkalurops said:

Just get 4 slots on both main and off hand. Switching to slot x in your main hand automatically equips slot x in your off hand.

I think this solution is very elegant, and would satisfy me. It allows the most flexibility switching between 1-handed weapons and shield, 2-handed weapons, and dual-wielding.

evil_ape

I didn't really like the IWD2 way of doing it, because you couldn't use two different main-hands with the same off-hand (like switching between slashing and blunt but keeping your shield).

I would like to see this made in the same way that Guild Wars did it, where you could equip the same main- or off-hand to any number of weapon slots.

LogicalUnit

Any official word on this?