I'm starting to think there might be more subtlety to Morrowind's weapons than I realized at first.

I mean, yes, each weapon has a different speed, different attack values for different attack 'moves', different abilities (good vs. daedra or not), different health. But the scope seems quite broader than I used to think.

My lvl 10-or-so-at-the-time Nord warrior/arsenal went up to Solstheim and grabbed one of those ridiculous cleavers off a dead Riekling. Packs a punch, but it's slow. I didn't think much of it, but I carried it around for the hell of it, sort of a souvenir (and, yes, it looks sorta badass).

Then in a dungeon, I busted that cleaver right through some bandit's shield - as in, I swing, hit the shield, and the shield disappeared. Never saw that before! I'm not sure if this weapon has some hidden armor-damage effect, or if it just does enough damage to break the shield - but if it were the latter, I would expect to have seen that sort of thing in the past.

Later, I came across a dreugh staff somewhere, and this thing is amazing. OK, it's got fairly low damage, but fastfastfast. I always thought staves were weak weapons, but this is capable of bashing down most of the regular enemies I meet faster than my Nordic broadsword.

Awhile ago, I read on these forums someone touting the advantages of the simple iron dagger - i.e., the one you pick up right off the table after character creation. Its speed and versatility was cited.

And is it just me, or do thrown weapons seem to stagger more often than lightweight arrows?

I have a hard time weeding through that golf bag of weapons I'm carrying around, though. Seems like everything in there has a purpose... both spears, both staves (found a Wizard's Staff, and dammit I'm keeping this thing, though God knows this guy is never gonna be a wizard), all three swords (see, one's Nordic - traditional! - one's ebony, and one's the Riekling blade), the bow plus arrows, *any* enchanted throwing stars I run across, both axes... I really ought to dump some of this stuff, but it seems like everything has its niche.

I guess this is just another "Morrowind is cool" post...

Im still experimenting with weapons too. For the 10 years that i've been playing this game, I've always stuck with the familiar; one handed long swords and one handed blunt weapons because I know they will make good end game weapons due to the variety of artifacts available.

For the first time, i've decided to make a character who uses a bow and dagger. And I have to say, Bows are incredibly powerful. Especially when your skill is higher. Enemies almost always flinch, giving you enough time to run further away. I'm using a crappy bow at the moment though, so I find myself switching to Mehrunes razor whenever I run into a daedra or undead.

Lol, yeah those variations in speed can be a big help. It's possible to pretty much constantly keep an enemy staggered with a weapon which is quick enough.

As far as busting that shield: to my knowledge armor damage is only dependent on the damage you deal out. Which is a combination of strength and weapon damage.

If you use the "Always Use the Best Attack" option, then you may not notice the subtle differences in the weapons, or for that matter, get the most out of them when using them. If you uncheck this box, you have to move your character a certain way while attacking and as such you may not move the weapon the way it wants to be, and you will think it just svcks.

The weapon choices, and effectiveness, make just about any character build, including equipment, viable, if your willing to put the work in to utilize the combo you have created.

In Morrowind, if you damage armor/weapons enough, they "vanish", they go into inventory. Of course, it can happen to you too.

If you do Bloodmoon, always, always, always carry armor repair items with you; hammers or prongs. You will run into enemies on Solstheim that can take daedric armor down to zero in a couple of hits, and it really isn't good to be fighting in your underwear.

It is also how people managed to get Lord Fyr's armor; casting damage armor over and over until it goes into his inventory and they can pickpocket him and take it.....