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[[File:Attacks with Two Weapons b.jpg|right|560px|thumb]] '''Attacking with two weapons''' is an option for characters with a [[Dexterity (ability stat)|dexterity]] exceeding 12. Both [[Weapons List|weapons]] must be light enough to wield with one hand, with the off-hand weapon not exceeding 3½ lbs. in weight. [[Attacking in Combat|Attacks]] made with the weapons each require 2 [[Action Points|action points]] (AP) — so that striking twice in one [[Combat Round|round]] requires a total of 4 AP. __TOC__ Naturally this means that combatants wishing to "dual-wield" must be lightly [[Encumbrance|encumbered]]. One option is to use the [[Pummelling|fist]] as a secondary weapon, as striking with the fist requires only 1 AP. Better still, the fist need not be drawn or sheathed, so that it can be used spontaneously one round and then not the next. The drawback is that a character with little strength is unlikely to cause much [[Damage (hit points)|damage]] with it. {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; text-align: center; background-color:#d4f2f2;" |- ! rowspan="2"|Dexterity !! colspan="2"|Penalty to Weapon |- !Primary !! Secondary |- | 12 or less || colspan="2"|ineligible |- | 13-15 || -2 || -4 |- | 16 || -1 || -3 |- | 17 || -1 || -2 |- | 18 || 0 || -2 |- | 19 || 0 || -1 |} == Penalties == Using a second weapon comes with certain penalties. As the table shown indicates, the penalties against characters with a less than 16 dexterity greatly reduces the practicality of this approach. However, with characters who obtain a [[THAC0]] of 16 or better, the penalties when fighting a number of lesser enemies become immaterial compared to the potential of damage done and [[Death|kills]] made. Characters with a 17 or 18 dexterity should consider the practicality of two weapons from the start, however. With little or no penalty accruing to the main weapon, the secondary attack is far more beneficial than no attack at all. Additionally, there are numerous benefits from the [[Puissance (sage study)|study of puissance]] that contribute to this attack strategy. == Benefits from Multiple Attacks == Characters who receive [[Multiple Attacks|multiple attacks]] per round due to their [[Experience Level|experience]] can benefit considerably from attacks with two weapons. === Attacks per Round === Characters who are Where a character is granted '''five attacks every four rounds''', this complicates dual-wielding considerably. As the character with two weapons normally gains eight attacks in four rounds — four with each weapon — this effectively increases the total number of attacks in four rounds to ten attacks! Similar adjustments must be made with four attacks in three rounds, three attacks in two rounds and two attacks per round. === AP cost === In a round where a character is able to attack twice with a normal weapon, this is reflected in a reduction from the normal AP cost of 2 points per attack to 1 point. If the character has sufficient levels]] or skill to have multiple attacks]] per [[Combat Round|round]], that will not only adjust the AP spent to only 1 point per weapon, but it also counteract the penalty for use. For example, Petra has a 16 dexterity and normally attacks with two weapons, accepting the penalty. However, upon becoming a 4th level fighter, she increases the number of attacks she makes to five every four rounds. For three rounds, she still attacks as she did at 3rd level; on the fourth round, however she gets ''two'' attacks; these are both made with 1 AP each and neither has any penalty at all. Additionally, if she wishes, she may choose to attack twice with her primary weapon, with the same AP cost, as this is what she'd be able to do if she were only attacking with one weapon and had the benefit of multiple attacks (if only for one round out of every four). Petra could not, however, option to continue accepting her usual penalties in order to gain ''four attacks'' from using two weapons. The choice of taking advantage of this style of fighting does not award her more than two attacks. The benefit of multiple attacks is that her two normally penalized attacks become stronger. See Also,<br> [[Attacking in Combat]]<br> [[Grazioso (spell)|Grazioso]]

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