I'm sure by now all in terms of skills is set in stone, but after thinking about it for a bit, due to the fact that they want to reduce the number of unnecessary skills combined with the community's constant demand for more weapon types, I think I've come up with an acceptable solution, albeit doubtful to be implemented so late in the development.

Combining skills like short blade and long blade into a single skill seemed a good idea I'm sure at the time, but not when you realize it ignored the glaring problem with the difference in those two weapon types, how they would realistically be used. Nobody tries quick stabbing measures with a bastard sword, just as nobody tries slashing with a stiletto dagger.

So instead of dividing the skills by weapon type, let's simply do it according to the attack type, and go back to true TES roots with the varied combat moves being decided by how you moved when you struck. Thus I present the following skill sets for weapons:


THRUSTING: Ideal for short stealth daggers, for polearms such as halberds and spears, and for bashing attacks.
SLASHING: Ideal for swordplay and light blunt weapons
CHOPPING: Ideal for heavy 2 handed weapons and axes
MARKSMAN: Same as it is now of course, but broadened to allow for a throwing mechanic to ALL weapons, not all of which would work too well (throwing a claymore far less effective than a dagger or a spear)


Now all that is good and simple, but this also opens up a new world of possibilities in that suddenly all weapon types are available to you, which seems very counter-intuitive to specializations since a thief probably wouldn't be as skilled with a halberd for example. To remedy this you attach a base statistic to each weapon type to accommodate the "deftness of use". So if you were to wield a one handed axe for example, landing a successful chopping blow is in part related to the skill and in part related to your character's strength, for Slashing you would need equal strength and agility, for thrusting (which would most likely be considered a bash attack) you would also need endurance. To throw the axe you would have to have agility, speed, and strength.

And this once again opens up the world of using different styles of attacks for every weapon as in Morrowind with the added bonus of being able to throw virtually every weapon (imagine lodging an axe in someone's head or impaling someone with a spear). The main difference though is unlike in Morrowind where each weapon has a set damage range per attack, thus making the direction of attack almost pointless (especially with the added "use best attacK" option), you make it more tactile in keeping with the intended direction gamesas is going with combat. So obviously in almost every situation with a spear you'd want to use a thrusting attack, unless perhaps they get TOO close for that to be effective, you could aim down and use a "sweeping attack" (Slashing skill) and knock their legs out from under them, or perhaps you are being stealthy with your spears, and instead of throwing it to impale the guards you're stalking, you'd rather give them a swift crack over the head (Chopping) to simply knock them unconscious for a bit while you sneak on past.

There's limitless options here both in terms of multiple tactile uses for every weapon as well as allowing a huge range of weapon types to be used without adding a multitude of varying skill sets for each one.

You forgot blunt for heavy hammer, and what about shield?

I don't understand the difference between chopping and slashing.

Is chopping just more small swings while slashing is a wide powerful 'edged' hit?

Kyuuen, no no its Smashing! or bashing or thrashing or mashing. Either one of those will do.

Throwing a warhammer, well it worked for Thor, and he'd be right at home in Skyrim, just don't forget to enchant it with shock damage.

"Blunt" is a type of weapon though, it's not forgotten, it's a matter of how you use it, how does one swing a heavy hammer? They "chop" with it, same motion. Shields are more under the realm of "Armor" for their defensive capabilities, for the "Bashing" that's a Thrust mechanic



It has to do with the direction of the swing, you can call it whatever you want, but a slash is more of a horizontal swing like you would do with a sword, where-as a chop is more of an overhead downward swing that you use with an axe or warhammer.




Now you got the idea!

Blunt = Crush.

I prefer the one and two handed approach (pluss missile/throw) as the "skills" where Cut (Slash), Blunt (Crush) and Puncture (Stab) are kept as attributes within the weapon itself. Together with a whole bunch of other attributes, booleans, and variables. Prime attack mode becomes whatever attribute is the highest. Not sure if it serves a purpose, but read up on that approach here:
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1161854-still-dodging-the-issue-of-spears/page__st__40__p__17059532#entry17059532