Okay so it makes combat more tactical... but I have a feeling it could also be kind of an annoyance, having to unequip and equip over and over and over again and again, everytime you need to use a spell or something.

I myself for instance likes to use all kinds of combat styles, both melee (I'm talking about 2-handed obviously in this case), ranged and magic, and switch between them. Spells is something you do pretty fast, and often once (because you normally don't have time for more). Having to unequip all the time could be annoying. I'm not sure it will be, but it could.

It also makes sense that you can hold a two handed weapon in one hand for a second. Try yourself with something heavy, and raise your other hand at the same time. It's possible, yeah. Whether it's a spell we're using with that other hand, or if we're just raising the hand to wave at someone doesn't matter. The question is about doing something else with your other hand for a second, no matter what it is (as long as it's not a physical burden as well).

BUT, we all know Bethesda has focused on making each hand like an equipment slot. Two handed weapons take up both of these. To then allow a two handed player to suddenly use a third option (a spell) for a second would be breaking the logic of this system.

So it all comes down to what we value most. Something that's logic with Bethesda's current equipment system and more tactical, or something that is possibly less of an annoyance and that is also "realistically" (as in just using one hand for a second for a two handed weapon) possible.
All in all, in this case I would prefer something that's possibly much less of an annoyance rather than a more tactical style.

I already pointed out how you could give up your ability to block with a two-hander and instead have a spell ready on you other hand when you use the spell you do as you've all said, but you can only do the basic click because the big unbalanced object in your other hand prevents you from holding it up and spraying a flamethrower, yes you could lay the sword down and do that but then you mine as well switch out cause then you'd have to stop the spell, lift the heavy sword back up then continue attacking. So two-handed with nerf blocking or two handed with nerf spells.

Just an idea.

Yes, it is more practical your way. The thing about the new system is that it adds a lot more too the tactics and dept of combat. You can't be everything at once anymore, you have too make decitions. A battlemage isn't a two-handed warrior with spells. It is an own setup designed for being a middleroad between a warrior and a mage, not being a 100% damage/defence-warrior and a 100% mage. A battlemage will now be about 50/50(more or less depending on how you play) warrior/mage.

You can still make a 2Hweapon-Battlemage, you are just gonna have to swap favorites more often than a 1Hweapon-Battlemage.


You are essentially giving up casting-speed for increased melee damage and blocking with a 2H. A fair trade, and good balance.

Plus you'd cast ranged spells before they reached you then switch to your big old sword, then when taking damage, pull out a shield and heal, you can still back pedal, just not as fast.

This.

Why should you be able to?
You're using a giant two handed weapon. The very concept of using 2 handed weapons is sacrificing defense for full attack. If you can't kill something fast enough with a 2 hander that you need to heal, bringing a two hander wasn't a very good idea, was it?

:thumbsup:

If you have met a single person in your entire life who can competently wield both a shield and a clamor AND have one free hand, you should've taken a video, put it on Youtube, and retired.

As it is, your definition of 'realistic' seems to be pushing the boundaries of reality further and further away from ACTUALITY.

EDIT: It always tickles me when someone posts in agreement with something I say ^.^

:shrug: meh, all we can really do is either hope there is a Vid detalling combat....or just wait till the game comes, terms like pure mage and pure warrior are even more blurred, in Oblivion it was the players discretion to keep to their supposed class and the only thing that said you were a warrior or mage was...your class. we don't have that any more so whats to stop me from being a jack of all trades? aside from perks, as understood you level faster with what ever you focus on so look at this scenario.


Attributes have the potential to be gone...so leveling things like speed and willpower isnt a factor.

Atheltics and acrobatics may have also bitten the dust, so if I focus my points into a particular school and Two-handers. what am I? with a handful of skills I can pour into without making leveling a crawl of hell I essentially have the best of both worlds and a little dab of thiefism on the side? I feel this still makes me a jack of all trades even though there are conflicting aspects as to why classes were removed and the spell system is as is.

I see one side saying no classes makes our characters more dynamic and removes limits


and then another side saying this makes limits actual and concrete instead of player enforced..



soooo which is it? there is alot of confusion with the two hand/equip system. such as the inability to block with a spell in one hand and a sword in the other, or as the thread is how two handers are dealt with, and duel wielding swords not being able to block :confused:

and what about potions? this is a question i've never seen asked before, usable items and potions, do they require free hands? does this circumvent the stall time with healing spells and two handers by just pressing a hotkey for healing potions? these are questions yet to be answered by Beloved Beth...so only time will tell

It amazes me why some people are so annoyed by waiting a few more seconds to cast a spell.

This.

I don't think dragon shouts are spells or can be equipped like spells. I forget, but chances are there will be a healing dragon shout. Maybe that will solve your dillema. I'm gonna be a mage character but I feel your pain.

Dragon shouts are tied to the R3 button on the consoles now. That was the button that switched between first/third person in Oblivion.

I've already brought up how spells and two-handed weapons can be used they way they want twice. :banghead:

lol <3 hope you enjoy the forums.

Although I think not being able to heal while holding a two handed weapon doesn't make any sense (you can let go of one hand to cast a spell) I am guessing that it just wouldn't fit with the system they are implementing. Since you have to have a spell equipped to a hand to use it you can't then wield a two handed weapon. It's just the way you are going to have to deal, you give up the spell for more melee damage. If you have a shield/sword combo you are in the same boat, no free hand to equip the spell. You give up the spell for more defense. If you are dual wielding you again are in the same boat. You give up the spell for more attacks/damage. As others have said they are putting in an option (favorites) to make it easier to swap back and forth to deal with this.

I just wonder how long it will take to put the two handed weapon away, pull out a shield & spell (or one handed weapon and spell, or just the spell), cast, then put the shield/weapon back and pull out the two hander again? The favorites may fix the problem/make it easier, to heal or cast other spells while using two handed weapons, it just seems unwieldy to try to do these manuevers in combat. But this isn't real life and you are supposed to be a hero and all, so I'll have no problem with it.

I think i would prefer two handers to use both hands, but leave the other hand slot open for spells. don't think it will happen, cuz that would open op that other hand slot for anything.

we'll just have to wait and see how long it takes to swap gear loadouts from favourites. (and hope we don't have to go through an apple-ized menu to do it)

a workaround would be to have weight limits per hand when wielding, spells being weightless, and warhammers being a two-handed only thing due to their weight.

Thank you for your opinion but I disagree. I think you should be able to hold a two handed weapon in one hand, and either block with the other, or heal. If you have an itch while holding a two handed weapon would you put it away to scratch the itch?

Wait... So humans have 1....2.....3!?!?!?! hands now?

I would hope you can cast defensive spells, light spells, or healing spells at all times. It would be dumb to switch to a free hand just to cast a light in a dungeon and then have to do the same task every 30 seconds when the light goes out..

I think he means you would actually fight two handed (animations and such) but the secondary hand slot would still be open (the two handed weapon does not take both hand slots) but they said they doubted it would be like that as you could still slot the secondary hand with something else not a healing spell.

keep in mind guys we dont kno many of the dragon shouts. im sure theres a healin shout

You need 2 hands to wield 2-handed swords. You need another hand to wield a spell.
Simple as that.

It's really not like you could effectively heal yourself in Oblivion while you were right next to the enemy, you had to retreat a bit and cast the spell until they reach you. Same in Morrowind.
So I doubt it's going to be any different.

This. Yeah I know I quoted myself, its due to my strong feeling on the subject. I would hope in combat I could heal with a spell while having a sword and shield. Or what... I would have to tell the NPC to wait a minute while I switch to an empty hand..