Larian Studios Forums Divinity: Original Sin 2 Divinity - Original Sin 2 - Suggestions and Feedback Two Handers are worthless - Why?

One handed + shield gives great defense, with low damage. That makes sense, as armor/magic armor, with "Shields Up!" makes for very reliable defense.

Dual wielding offers more damage than using a shield, as well as less reliable defense in the form of dodging.

Two handed offers more damage than using a shield, however, also less damage than dual wielding, while granting no defensive bonuses. Let's not forget that, aside from spears, you only get a .3m range increase over one handed weapons. There's also the issue that skills like Sparkstriker scale twice as well with dual wielding due to the extra attack, when compared with two handed weapons.

In what situation would you ever use a greatsword/mace/axe?

Of course you can choose to use a suboptimal weapon, but why can't the weapon types be balanced?

I remember it being like this in DOS1 as well (I can't recall if it was fixed in EE), so that this is still an issue is extremely disappointing.

My suggestion would be to lower the damage of both weapons while dual wielding by 30%, instead of just the offhand by 50%; this would place dual wielding in the middle ground between the defensive option (shield) and the offensive (two-handed).

To me, two handers seem more like they should be the middle road, since you should be able to still guard and deflect with them, while dual wielding is foregoing defense altogether. I'd have added a 75% damage blocking ability to two handers for 1 turn at the cost of some weapon durability and greater reach, or the ability to strike multiple targets in a small line.

Actually Two handed gives more damage than dual wield - see details here: https://www.reddit.com/r/DivinityOriginalSin/comments/70nix2/1h_vs_2h_the_crunched_numbers/

Thats based on the raw numbers without considering skills and abilities. If you calculate them in two handed is better on the ability side (because +5% crit multiplier) and dual wield can be better on the skill side (ex. Sparkstriker). I think they are already rather balanced.

Don't forget the 2-handed skill also increases crit damage %. Dodge and blocking is useless when you can Necro all your life back anyway.

I'll admit, I hadn't considered that there might be a bigger divide at higher levels (currently, a sword that deals 11-12 damage is the equivalent of a two handed sword that deals 14-16, level-wise). If it does get significantly wider, then I'm wrong.

That said, dual wielding still offers you two sets of stat bonuses, while the two handed weapon gives you one. If the damage is as close as that reddit post says it is, I'd argue two handed is still on the weak side when compared to dual wielding.

If dual wielding gets more stat bonuses from magical items, more dodge chance, and damage that is just slightly lower, shouldn't two handers get a bit more than slightly higher damage?

The stat bonuses are also scaled - you can test this with the item generator in game master mode.

for example try creating level 10 onhanded swords / twohanded swords:
- if an onehanded weapon gives +1 strength, the twohanded weapon gives +2 strength
- if an onehanded weapon gives +3 initiative, the twohanded weapon gives +6 in initiative
- if an onehanded weapon gives +25% damage, the twohanded weapon gives +50% damage

edit:

11-12 damage = level 5 onehanded sword
14-16 damage = level 4 twohanded sword

you should compare your weapon with a level 5 twohanded sword (17 - 19 damage)

To be fair, there's a range; I have a level 5 sword that deals 12-14 damage.

Two of those would be 18-21, versus that 2 hander's 17-19.

Can you tell me the name of the base item? I have tested almost all weapon types in the game master item generator and no weapon had this base damage range. I want to be sure I haven't overlooked a weapon type.

Here the base damage values by weapon type:

for level 5:
- all onehanded swords/axes/maces had 11-12 base damage
- all twohanded swords/axes had 17-19 base damage
- all twohanded maces 18-19 base damage

At higher level the damage range is different for each weapon type, but average damage is always the same:

for level 20:
- all onehanded swords had 135-150 base damage = 142,5
- all onehanded axes had 132-153 base damage = 142,5
- all onehanded maces had 139-146 base damage = 142,5
- all twohanded swords had 212-235 base damage = 223,5
- all twohanded axes had 207-240 base damage = 223,5
- all twohanded maces had 218-229 base damage = 223,5

dual wield base damage = 142,5 * 1,5 = 213,75

comparison with twohanded damage: 223,5 / 213,75 = 1,0456 = 4,56 % more damage

I don't think they are worthless, but its not as good as wielding a sword/shield or dual wielding. You benefit from the status effects of two weapons or one weapon and a shield, while you only get the one with two handed weapons.

I've since sold the item in question, but I do have a level 8 one handed sword that deals 20-21 damage; I specifically picked it up because it has higher damage than another level 8 sword that I saw.

I imagine this is the same situation, with this sword just being a better sword.

That said, it really is disappointing that it's a difference of 4.5% damage. With dual wielding getting 10% chance to dodge from that one talent, and more damage from certain buffs, it's hard to justify using a two hander.