Dark Souls 2
- Thread starter Malt_sl
- Start date
I haven't done any official testing, but the difference to me is in recovery time. I can do one or two attacks with my fire sword or magic mace, and still have enough time to either roll away or block a counter attack. With a 2 hander, the timing is much tighter to effectively avoid/block counter attacks.
The timing may very well be milliseconds, but if it is then those milliseconds are generally important, at least at my level of play. I almost exclusively sword and board, and I don't claim to be a pro. This is the style I've used since Demon Souls, so maybe I'm just more comfortable with it, but I have not felt like the one handers are weak.
I generally only use 2 handers that have poke attacks with good range. I primarily use them against mobs that have frontal attacks that can be interrupted by a poke.
Vorph
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Raes
Vyemm Raider
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Yeah, in DS1 the bastard sword etc had longer recovery times, there was that slow "mmmph" dragging it back up to your shoulder. DS2 doesn't have that.
Basically, there's a 25% stamina cost increase, and an extremely minimal loss in speed, in exchange for more damage, and more reach, which can be crucial. Getting your shield back up isn't as important as range against some mobs, since their attack(s) can basically drain your whole bar anyway. With more range you can back out of their reach much faster.
I died to the Ruins Sentinels like 15 times trying to use a 1 hander. Switched to a +4 bastard sword and killed them in 2 tries.
Basically, there's a 25% stamina cost increase, and an extremely minimal loss in speed, in exchange for more damage, and more reach, which can be crucial. Getting your shield back up isn't as important as range against some mobs, since their attack(s) can basically drain your whole bar anyway. With more range you can back out of their reach much faster.
I died to the Ruins Sentinels like 15 times trying to use a 1 hander. Switched to a +4 bastard sword and killed them in 2 tries.
Quineloe
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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because kb/m worked. just. fine. in DS1
I'm now a level 30 cleric (mostly more equip load to wear heavy armor, this game it actually shows compared to DS1) but I'm kinda stuck on the Royal Rat asshole because the Mace isn't really good at melting the rat swarm down.
Kreugen
Vyemm Raider
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Greatswords seem to have the best balance between speed, animation (weak attack - sweep, strong attack - thrust) and damage. Ultra greatswords are fun as hell against the right type of mob but a real liability too often.
Unfortunately, the best scaling greatsword comes in the last 10% or so of the game. (mastodon sword looks perfect imo)
Unfortunately, the best scaling greatsword comes in the last 10% or so of the game. (mastodon sword looks perfect imo)
Vaclav
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Raes
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Budos
Golden Knight of the Realm
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Mastadon GS is ok, it fails like the Zwei in that the 2nd swing of the strong attack chain is garbage. The claymore is probably the best overall GS that you can use all game and still get it pretty early.
Raes
Vyemm Raider
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LOL? Here:
Dark Souls 2 Bastard Sword Move Set - YouTube
Seems atinybit slower than mine, but he's recording the moveset, so may not have been clicking as fast as he could.
Yeah, just tested it. The window for clicking for the next swing starts really early (I can get it clicking before the sword blade passes in front of me) and extends a little bit after the swing.
Kreugen
Vyemm Raider
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Since I like greatswords I'm thinking about switching to faith so I can use lightning claymore + miracles. I'd like to do away with the need to keep a club around just for armored dudes. I find it annoying to need to swap out of my bag full of weapons because quick slots count towards your weight, meh. Plus, having some magic will add some variety - mostly pure melee is getting a bit dull.
Raes
Vyemm Raider
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Slow compared to what? Next time you're in game, do 4 light attacks with any greatsword, then do 4 with a longsword.
The broadsword seems a tiny bit faster then the longsword.
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Uh, look at the video from the same guy doing a longsword moveset, it's fairly noticeable that it's quite a bit faster.
Dark Souls 2 Long Sword Move Set - YouTube
And longsword is a fairly slow "1H". Estoc is slightly faster and has generally as much reach as most 2H, granted it's piercing attacks so it's not good against group of mobs, scimitars and katanas are much faster and obviously daggers even faster. Seemed fine to me, even though against many bosses you do have enough time for one big swing from a slow weapon or 2 small swings from a fast weapon and the big swing gives you more damage, quite often, but against other bosses you don't have the time and the faster weapons becomes more useful.
Dark Souls 2 Long Sword Move Set - YouTube
And longsword is a fairly slow "1H". Estoc is slightly faster and has generally as much reach as most 2H, granted it's piercing attacks so it's not good against group of mobs, scimitars and katanas are much faster and obviously daggers even faster. Seemed fine to me, even though against many bosses you do have enough time for one big swing from a slow weapon or 2 small swings from a fast weapon and the big swing gives you more damage, quite often, but against other bosses you don't have the time and the faster weapons becomes more useful.
Kreugen
Vyemm Raider
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EDIT: Redundant.
It seems the way the timing works out that you are better off hitting as hard as you can with one swing and then getting ready for the next flurry of attacks from the mob. More often than not the trick to the game seems to be having the slowest, hardest hitting attack that you can get away with.
It seems the way the timing works out that you are better off hitting as hard as you can with one swing and then getting ready for the next flurry of attacks from the mob. More often than not the trick to the game seems to be having the slowest, hardest hitting attack that you can get away with.
Derkon
Trakanon Raider
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This is pretty much what I did for my end game build. Great lightning spear line is pretty solid, and you can eventually get the Defender Greatsword which works really well with a str/faith build.
Budos
Golden Knight of the Realm
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I did a faith/GS build on my first character (200+ hours) and never used any other weapons except the bastard sword and zwei on NG. Start getting lightning spears and/or emit force to supplement the melee and you should be able to smash the whole game easy, just using sword/board and a chime on quick slots. Nothing is really resistant to lightning, dark even more so.
NG+ and up, I ended up switching to a 54/50 int/fth build (Staff of Wis w/ Soul Geysers & Dragon Chime & Sunlight Spear) and turning my weapons all to dark and using dark weapon.
You can always power stance 2 ultra gs's and have the regular sword moveset.