I have to agree with this since using a Katana one-handed is very expensive and adding -10 AS on top seems to further discourage it. Also, why is the penalty only applied when the off-hand is empty? I understand that Katanas have natural HCW but Katars offer a similar increase in effectiveness to the HCW from Katanas through high DFs for a base 3 RT weapon and some of the best AvDs of all the one-handed weapons against the heavier armors. All while being puncture/slash only for effective ambushing as well attrition based combat. If anything Katars should be the weapon with the -10 AS penalty if something is held in the offhand since they are the brawling hybrid.

I am pretty sure one handed AS with a katana uses both two-handed and one-handed skills.

AIM: GS4Menos

>Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
>Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

That's entirely my point with Katanas. In order to use them one-handed you HAVE to train in THW and Edged. It's my understanding the -10 AS is there to show case the difficulty using a Katana one-handed yet we're effectively masters of one handed AND two handed weapons simply by training to use a Katana. -10 AS on top of the double training is a bit too much. Furthermore, THW is more expensive at 3/1 than brawling at 2/1. Katanas are the most expensive weapon to train for in the game AND have a -10 AS penalty. It's annoying.

My understanding was that while you could use a katana with only one hand (via training), they really aren't meant to be used in that fashion. The -10 AS is to account for the fact that the weapon is meant to be used with both hands (one for force, the second for guidance). That isn't to say that there shouldn't be a negative to AS or what have you, but I think that was the original thought.


It's been a long time since they were released though, so I could be remembering wrong.

"I feel having to train in two weapon skills for maximum effectiveness one-handed is steep enough." -- CaveManiac

Wait, what?

If I were that sort of person, I would read this piece of sentence and think that you want to train in only a single skill [presumably 2Hand Weapons], but continue to use the katana one-handed.
Please tell me that I need not be that sort of person.

You are training in two skills in order to have the flexibility to use the weapon either 2- or 1-handedly.
Yes, there is an AS penalty when used 1-handed.
However, as noted previously, the weapon comes with free built-in weighting.
Yes, I understand that the claidhmore comes with even more built-in weighting, and no AS penalty, either, so there!
However, the claidhmore does not provide the flexibility to be used 1-handed.

Different tools for different situations. Different skillset for different tools.

Okay, going THAT direction. <nod> Got it.

(Yes, your recollection matches what I remember now that you mention it. I just don't use katanas that often. Thanks for the reminder!)

Exactly what he said.

Exactly, which is entirely useless. There is no reason (neither RP nor mechanical) to ever do that.

<You can get +15 DS for an empty offhand, now, if you have 0.5x in TWC.>

If that applies without brawling ranks and/or a THW weapon in hand, it has to be a bug....

Starchitin

A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.