Why do Swords and Greatswords have -1 PEN?

[Ensign]

I wasn't around much during the betas so I apologize if I missed an important discussion - why are one handed swords and greatswords -1 PEN under budget compared to comparable weapons? The increased difficulty of the DLCs and megabosses has prompted me to math out the different options, and it is pretty stark how terrible those two weapon types are due to their reduced penetration.

 

It's a big enough difference that many unique swords and greatswords aren't appreciably better than vanilla weapons of other types of the same tier. That seems like a pretty big problem, given the number of uniques of those two types and the general thematic popularity of those weapons - is it really good for them to be noob traps?

 

What gives? What am I missing?

[hilfazer]

Because thay have dual damage type.

 

So weapons with dual damage type have one advantage and one disadvantage.

Other weapons have just one advantage. Obsidian's balance for you.

[Wormerine]

Pretty much above: dual weapon damage means your character will target the weaker defence.

 

Deadfire really really doesn't want to running around with the same weapon. I personally like dual weapons damage as that means I have to switch weapons less. There are also many ways to bring/raise penetration.

[Boeroer]

Also dual damage weapons have more base damage that the high-PEN variants. Compare the base dmg of Great Sword and Estoc.

[hilfazer]

Also dual damage weapons have more base damage that the high-PEN variants. Compare the base dmg of Great Sword and Estoc.

 

This is because Great Sword is 'low PEN' while Estoc is 'high PEN'.

Morning Star has same damage as Estoc.

Sword has same damage as Spear.

In both cases PEN difference is 1 and is caused by PEN penalty that comes with dual damage type.

[Boeroer]

Eh sorry. I actually meant "low PEN" weapons and not "dual damage" weapons. In case of Great Swords and Swords it's both so I somehow confused that in my brain. :oops:

[Guest Blutwurstritter]

How do you actually raise your weapon penetration notably, preferably in a way which is available to all classes ? I know that some weapon modals do and one potion, but is there another way that stacks with those ?

[Ensign]

Ah, so that is how that is priced in. So the right question isn't why they are missing 1 pen, but why they are missing a second bonus.

 

I.E., I understand the trade-off between mace and war hammer (1 additional pen vs dual damage type), but I do not understand the trade-off between a spear (1 additional pen and 5 accuracy) or sabre (1 additional pen and 10% damage) and sword (dual damage type and ???). That...is a lot to give up for a dual damage type, especially a non-crush dual damage type.

[guildwriter]

Hot Razor Skewers give +2 Pen with weapons and is my usual standby.  Not sure if it counts as Passive or Active.

[AndreaColombo]

I think food counts as active.