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PaperclipPerfector  8mo ago (text post)   2848 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for February 7, 2025

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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  • Small weapon and small shield

  • Small weapon

  • Two small weapons

  • Big weapon

  • Small shield*

  • Two small shields*

  • Big shield*

Which do you find the coolest to look at? Which do you find the most fun to use in games?

IMO, "small weapon and small shield" is coolest, but "big weapon" has ended up being the most fun to use in the action-focused video games that I've played (e. g., Dark Souls 2, Nioh 1, and Gundam Breaker 4).

*Among video games, those in the Dark Souls series are the only ones of which I am aware in which these setups are semi-viable (not counting Captain America–style shield throwing). Among tabletop RPGs, GURPS provides a fair amount of detail for shield users (1 2 (a b)).

  1. Polearms (e.g., most depictions of Guan Yu or Wu Kong): I just find spinning/twirling moves aesthetically pleasing
  2. Dual-wielding small weapons (e.g., Chaos Blades Kratos or Talim): usually involves fun acrobatics, bonus style points for reverse grips
  3. Weapon + Shield (e.g., Link from Zelda): a bit too generic for my taste, doesn't feel like there's a lot of room to get creative
  4. Heavy weapon (e.g., two-handed axe or claymore): usually slow and cumbersome, rarely cinematic
  5. Shields without weapons: aside from Captain America, I've just never seen this in media

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