2-Handed Weapons : V

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:13 pm

From the GI podcast it seems that magic will have to be equipped to a hand to use it and that 2-handed weapons will take up both hands (duh). So basically it seems that if you wanted to use magic you would have to sheathe your weapon, equip a spell, use it, and then reequip your weapon. Is this what the case is? I know nothing is for sure yet, I just wanted to see how other people interpreted this.

It's just that I always like to play a battle-mage type character and I also like the two-handed weapons, and this seems to kill that kind of play style.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:05 pm

thats about the case of it, but your battle mage will look way cooler with a sword in one hand and a fireball in the other

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:04 am

Well in Oblivion while using a claymore you could cast spells with your other hand...I'm sure they'll have a use for the spare button.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:29 am

Well in Oblivion while using a claymore you could cast spells with your other hand...I'm sure they'll have a use for the spare button.

Magic isn't a button anymore.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:00 am

I've wondered about this too and I think it would work similar to Oblivion. You can hold a Two-Handed Weapon in one hand, you just can't effectively use it in combat with one hand. So your free hand will still be able to equip a spell, you just won't be able to swing your sword while casting, which I imagine you wouldn't be able to do with a One-Handed weapon either.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:33 pm

If you are using a claymore, you are not going to be able to cast spells. Same with a sword and shield. You have to have a free hand.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:10 am

I've wondered about this too and I think it would work similar to Oblivion. You can hold a Two-Handed Weapon in one hand, you just can't effectively use it in combat with one hand. So your free hand will still be able to equip a spell, you just won't be able to swing your sword while casting, which I imagine you wouldn't be able to do with a One-Handed weapon either.

So whats the difference between 2h + spell and 1h+ spell? I dont think you can use a spell with a 2her, think bioshock, your spell hand will probably be sticking out waiting to cast I'd imagine.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:47 am

So whats the difference between 2h + spell and 1h+ spell? I dont think you can use a spell with a 2her, think bioshock, your spell hand will probably be sticking out waiting to cast I'd imagine.

Um. That's a good question. Wouldn't really be any point to use a one-handed weapon with a spell when you could just use a two-handed weapon.

I'm probably wrong then.

That playstyle just might be screwed then.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:24 am

^ It really is. Battlemages are going to need to specialize in one-handed weapons.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:00 am

Does make me wonder what all those staff-wielding mages did.

Perhaps if you sheathe the weapon they'll let you use a spell with the off-hand. There'd be a delay as you drew your weapon so you couldn't just spam back and forth, which would be the advantage of a one-hander.

The only other thing I wonder about is if a torch will disallow spellcasting with that hand, and if so, will the torch be considered a weapon, perhaps using club damage?

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:54 pm

You cant use spells if using a two handed weapon, already has been confirmed. Sorry. That would be the same as having two weapons and using magic which you can't, and BGS is making sure of it because it doesn't make sense.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:23 pm

If you are using a claymore, you are not going to be able to cast spells. Same with a sword and shield. You have to have a free hand.

So you can have a powerful magic spell and a powerful one handed sword but can't cast with a two handed weapon? Doesn't seem fair to two handed users. Not to mention it sounds unbalanced.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:48 am

So you can have a powerful magic spell and a powerful one handed sword but can't cast with a two handed weapon? Doesn't seem fair to two handed users. Not to mention it sounds unbalanced.

They might just keep it like how oblivion did it /shrug. 1hers in oblivion were kind of gimped though imo, I never liked having a shield.

I got from the podcast that a 2her takes up "Both slots" and i quote that. I think my previous post is correct.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:06 pm

They might just keep it like how oblivion did it /shrug. 1hers in oblivion were kind of gimped though imo, I never liked having a shield.

I got from the podcast that a 2her takes up "Both slots" and i quote that. I think my previous post is correct.

In oblivion you could cast with a sword and shield.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:17 pm

Does this mean you won't be able to cast spells while holding a bow? Bows can be considered two-handed weapons (not referring to the skill "two-handed").

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:59 am

In oblivion you could cast with a sword and shield.

In Skyrim you can't. You need a free hand.

Does this mean you won't be able to cast spells while holding a bow? Bows can be considered two-handed weapons (not referring to the skill "two-handed").

That's a good question. I think it would most likely be counted as a two-handed weapon as well. Though in Oblivion, when not using it to attack, the player would just hold a bow in one hand, which should give a free hand to cast, provided, again, the player is limited to one action at a time. It seems like it could go either way with that, though again I imagine it would be considered two-handed.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:50 am

Does this mean you won't be able to cast spells while holding a bow? Bows can be considered two-handed weapons (not referring to the skill "two-handed").

I would say all signs point to no... not a lock though since archery is a separate skill.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:11 am

So you can have a powerful magic spell and a powerful one handed sword but can't cast with a two handed weapon? Doesn't seem fair to two handed users. Not to mention it sounds unbalanced.

It will be fair... what most people don't realize is that two handed weapons will probably WAY stronger than they were in oblivion, which for a melee character that wants to do damage is a good thing. It will most likely be a damage vs. Flexibility issue really. Just like two one handed weapons vs weapon and shield, or weapon and spell.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:18 am

If you are using a claymore, you are not going to be able to cast spells. Same with a sword and shield. You have to have a free hand.

I wonder if you will be able to cast and swing at the same time? cuz if not, you can totally hold a 20-25 pound sword with one hand and cast using the other. just hold it pointing up, or hope it's balanced.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:12 pm

So if I have two one handed weapons or a two handed weapon as long as they are sheathed I can cast spells? Once I unsheathe the weapons it will just unequip my spells?

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:31 am

So if I have two one handed weapons or a two handed weapon as long as they are sheathed I can cast spells? Once I unsheathe the weapons it will just unequip my spells?

no, spells are lik weapons now they have to be equipped to ur hands

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:34 pm

So if I have two one handed weapons or a two handed weapon as long as they are sheathed I can cast spells? Once I unsheathe the weapons it will just unequip my spells?

If you pick a pure combat and a pure magic loadout, you can probably get it to work similar to that. You can swap between them, but never use both at the same time.. But you cannot cast with a two-hander, because they're probably buffing both Two-handed weapons as well as spells. It's fine in Oblivion, where spells were simply an augment to combat, but the new changes in Skyrim do not facilitate that kind of system. You'd be a walking tank, raining death on everyone around. Perhaps, though it's very unlikely, there can be a perk to allow dual wielding of Two-handed weapons if you become buff enough.

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:19 pm

If you pick a pure combat and a pure magic loadout, you can probably get it to work similar to that. You can swap between them, but never use both at the same time.. But you cannot cast with a two-hander, because they're probably buffing both Two-handed weapons as well as spells. It's fine in Oblivion, where spells were simply an augment to combat, but the new changes in Skyrim do not facilitate that kind of system. You'd be a walking tank, raining death on everyone around. Perhaps, though it's very unlikely, there can be a perk to allow dual wielding of Two-handed weapons if you become buff enough.

As long as weapons are sheathed both hands are free though. So if we unsheathe weapons then the spells should just unequip?

» Fri Feb 18, 2011 5:25 pm

As long as weapons are sheathed both hands are free though. So if we unsheathe weapons then the spells should just unequip?

Sheathing the weapons will not automatically equip the spells, though. You will have to do it yourself.

» Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:51 am

Sheathing the weapons will not automatically equip the spells, though. You will have to do it yourself.

Really what I'm trying to get at here is.....we can still cast spells with sheathed weapons right? I don't want to unequip weapons every time I cast. As long as weapons are sheathed there shouldn't be a problem?