Unoccupied Off-hand - How to make it better

[Zaphiel]

I always liked the idea of fighting with just one-handed sword without wielding anything in off-hand.

Now, when we look at wielding two-handed weapon, character gets +2 bonus AB and 1.5x str mod as damage.
When we look at wielding two weapons in each hand, character gets +2 APR, -2 AB(assuming character is medium race and wields medium weapon in main hand, small in off-hand).

As long as a character is not Spellsword (ironically, I never seen a SS with unoccupied off-hand), they never walk with their off-hand unoccupied because they can get bonus AC some skill boosts with shields. But there is no reward for a character who having his off-hand unoccupied.

My suggestion is to make having unoccupied off-hand rewarding. Maybe +1 AB bonus, +2 reflex save bonus, some dodge AC bonus? Or give some bonuses based on DEX mod of PC. Maybe give some bonus on Parry skill?

Edit:// Maybe some special feats that gives significant bonuses when ONLY your off-hand is not unoccupied.

Swashbuckler is a new class that we are getting now and I wouldn't want to see all swashbucklers going to dual wield route tbh.

All the bonuses I gave is just example, feel free to add your own advices on case!

[Good Character]

You save a feat. While for a SS there's wiggle room for a feat, I doubt the swashbuckler has the same feat progression.

SS doesn't need the bonus, and it seems like swashbuckler won't either.

[CptJonas]

You save a feat. While for a SS there's wiggle room for a feat, I doubt the swashbuckler has the same feat progression.

SS doesn't need the bonus, and it seems like swashbuckler won't either.

Well...to say a true...I never even for second think about option going just one onehanded weapon while thinking about build for SWB...Allways dual or twohand...

You gain literaly nothing from going into it...

Even SS which have bonuses to ofset this...still go for twohand, or just use shield...

It would be nice to introduce some feats which gives you bonus AC when wielding just one weapon...
And/or any other bonuses....Maybe just 2 feats...like +2, +4 shield/dodge AC ? Or you can make it thematic, and maybe harder to code...and make it so you gains double bonus from tumble while wielding just one weapon....

[Void]

When we look at wielding two weapons in each hand, character gets +2 APR, -2 AB(assuming character is medium race and wields medium weapon in main hand, small in off-hand).

Not exactly. Character has to waste 3 feats to get there (or be a ranger).

As long as a character is not Spellsword (ironically, I never seen a SS with unoccupied off-hand), they never walk with their off-hand unoccupied because they can get bonus AC some skill boosts with shields. But there is no reward for a character who having his off-hand unoccupied.

That's not really a feedback, that's a feature request.

What you're describing is part of Duelist PRC which we do not have here. Swashbucklers often have the same requirements, time will tell whether the new swashbuckler follows the same idea or not.

I don't think that empty offhand should warrant any sort of bonus by default, to be honest.

[CptJonas]

I don't think that empty offhand should warrant any sort of bonus by default, to be honest.

Actualy...from realistic standpoint...you should have bonuses on graple checks...or in game mechanics it should probably give you Imp knockdown or disarm and maybe taunt bonus (bcs you can gesture obscene stuff with free hand, showing that you dont need both hands to defeat you oponent, and you can use free hand co catch your oponents hand and get them down, or force them to drop weapon....There is whole RL fencing techniques used for rapier and free hand...)