For a long time, I have thought regarding Sword & Shield and looked for potential ways to balance or ‘fix’ existing problems.
For that we first have to look at the initial weapon plan by AGS regarding the distinction in one-handed and two-handed weapons. Sword is counted as a one-handed weapon as is for example also the hatchet. As I see it, the idea regarding this was the usage of those weapons in combination of others or them having distinctive characteristics in contrast to two-handed melee weapons.
So, currently this idea was only realized with the one-handed sword & shield ‘class’. Means that you have to play the sword with a shield, since the attribute points are divided along both. This leads to certain problem though as it is now:
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For one, you do not receive the shield attribute points if the sword is unsheated or you swap to your secondary weapon creating a significant build disadvantage. This does not seem to be a bug as some people see, but is a design flaw based on the initial 1H/2H weapon distinction - a way to balance the SnS. The reason is that AGS gave the Shield for unclear reasons perks and attribute points. Something that does not quite makes sense balance wise
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Since this results in SnS having a maximum of 6 (*7) perks, what is a significant advantage to other weapons. And everyone who reached the end game knows that perk are the decisive part of gear. So, to balance this advantage I assume it was implemented that shield attribute points and perks are only activated if you are holding your sword.
Analyzing this one would come to the fast realization that shield perks and attribute points was an error, since even if more weapons playable with shield would be added this significant perk advantage remains. I mean, let us assume One-handed Club will be added that can be played with Shield. You then play SnS/CnS and have continously the shield active + 3 perks compared to other players, who dont use Shield weapons. In other words, this cannot be balanced anymore as it is now. The only possible solution would be removing all shield perks and attribute points and moving them to the Sword for the SnS case, what would make many players with end game crafted shields angry.
It is a dilemma for which I see only one possible solution and that the abandoning of the 1H/2H weapon approach regarding the SnS. Make the shield into a single weapon, so that players who want to play Sword & Shield can not play a secondary weapon, while the max Attribute Points of Shield and Sword will each be increased to 30. This will also make some players playing SnS angry; but this compared to alternative of deleting shield perks and moving attribute points to the sword is the only true way to correct the design flaw and balance it.
This new SnS build with only a single weapon would need some other changes as adding a new ability tree to the tree and moving the shield one to the new shield weapon. Maybe, give players have Sword on lvl. x the same level for the new shield ‘weapon’. The old sword shield tree would then be moved to the shield, where there would be place for another Shield + y weapon combo.
This would also imply the abandoning of the Great Sword as a two-handed weapon! Instead one of the developed ability tree for the GS would be moved to the sword itself and by that combining a one-handed/two-handed weapon approach. That is my share of thoughts regarding this and wonder about other people’s opinion.