I never had a problem with dual-wielding, though I always used a self-enforced thing of keeping the off-hand smaller, such as a shortsword for normal-sized characters or a dagger for anyone. I also never main-hand particularly large things like a bastard sword in the main hand.
Most of the time, my dual-wielders are equipped with things that would be considered "finesse" weapons in later generations, since dual-wielders do tend to be Dexterity-focused in things like 3rd edition.
Ah, yes, I've thought of another thing I never do, which maybe other players often do.:-
I never equip two-handed weapons (with the exception of a staff for spellcasters) on a shortie. A tiny little character wielding a great big weapon always seems too absurd to me - even if they're high-STR, the leverage is still going to be all wrong, so they'd lose their balance and fall over.
I think that dual-wielding is useless with something like two long-swords (unless you have godlike coordination), but you can dual-wield a dagger and it'll be useful if you know how to use it in a sword-fight, because it'll mean that parrying you is very dangerous (forcing the opponent to leave you more space to play more aggressive, and since you also have a dagger, if you force a parry you can also strike almost for free), since it'll allow you to strike with the dagger, besides, against a single opponent having a shield or having a dagger is basically the same, since if the shield is not big enough, it'll be very hard to block enemy strikes, and if it's too big it'll bother the wielder when performing a counterstrike.
I never equip two-handed weapons (with the exception of a staff for spellcasters) on a shortie. A tiny little character wielding a great big weapon always seems too absurd to me - even if they're high-STR, the leverage is still going to be all wrong, so they'd lose their balance and fall over.
The perfect opposite happens to me. If there's something I laugh at like an idiot over and over, it's Mazzy, double hasted (Paws of the Cheetah+Improved Haste) with Carsomyr, running towards the enemy at the speed of sound and destroying them with a sword taller than her.
Comments
Most of the time, my dual-wielders are equipped with things that would be considered "finesse" weapons in later generations, since dual-wielders do tend to be Dexterity-focused in things like 3rd edition.
I never equip two-handed weapons (with the exception of a staff for spellcasters) on a shortie. A tiny little character wielding a great big weapon always seems too absurd to me - even if they're high-STR, the leverage is still going to be all wrong, so they'd lose their balance and fall over.