Who is considering dual-wielding?

Anyone? Anyone at all?

I mean, there's a hit and offhand damage increase talent in Frost, but... eh?

I recall reading from a blue post or at least a paraphrase of one that they're not going to force anyone into a specific kind of weapon for being a death knight, that they're giving the player the option to use either a two-handed weapon or dual wield two weapons for their damage output. Which is great, because it's options; something they've had a hard time in giving to their players a long time now.

However, I'm finding it hard to believe that there will be anyone who will honestly be a dual wielding death knight, considering we already have Enhancement Shaman, Warriors, Hunters, and Rogues with a base ability to do so (and 3 of 4 use it as a means of DPS).

The Death Knight class itself seems to gain so much in just about every aspect of its utilization from a two-handed weapon that the prospect of dual wielding doesn't seem all that advantageous.

So why implement it? It would be similar to if they decided that casters could dual wield wands in exchange for their primary weapon slots. It'd be a buff if you're severely undergeared and could purchase two high quality wands, yes, but it wouldn't do much for furthering your character in the grand scheme of things.

There will, of course, be those who try to do it because it's available. There's even a hybrid spec that tries to pump it to its full extent. (I'm even considering it, since I can combine the haste buffs from the spec with my natural trollish frenzy and get a nasty swing time... but hell, I can do that with a Shaman with a lot less effort?)

What do you all think?

I think it would be interesting, if you can put together the haste talents from Frost, the passive damage and extra swings from Unholy, and the crit from Blood. But it seems like a lot of work to me. I think that you could go down a legit tree build as well, but the amount of instant-attacks just scream for a two-hander in my book. Now, if those instant-attacks hit with both equipped weapons, that could be different, but then that would also look like Blizz was leaning more towards dual-weilding in some circles. Perhaps they're trying for a balance that can't be found. Perhaps they're hoping our collective tastes will differ enough. But, I foresee a lot of two-handers.

It's kind of a mind boggle to me that you guys are so into reading up on this. I mean I'm excited but I"m not even spending a talent point until I do some fighting. Hard to decide what to improve if you haven't actually used it yet.

Bored @ work when posting + anxiousness about all the new toys of the expansion = gotta talk about it somehow.

That, and the servers remain down for those of us who aren't out and about today. =(

Eh, it's in my nature to see what something is offering. When I'm hearing about all the stuff a new class is offering to me, I start to build an idea of what interests me the most. For, say, warlocks, I'm enthralled at the concept of wandering about promoting decay and pestilence. I want the ruthless jackass who poisons the well and laughs while the grass dies. So, before I decided to roll one, I checked on the talent trees. I still don't know the warlock abilities, and I haven't done anything past 20, but I know that the flavor I'm aiming for is best achieved through Affliction. This is the same thing. I want the maurading warlord who slays the weak, the beast that can't be stopped in battle. So I looked through the trees to see what offered me the most of what I want. I don't know what their abilities do, I don't know what I'll be using and I have no doubt that what I'm looking at will be changed before it's done. I just know that I really, really want to maul things with a big weapon, and that spec is looking most up my alley for it.

Nickoli wrote:

That, and the servers remain down for those of us who aren't out and about today. =(

Still a good time for booze btw.

Actually, I've picked up LotR: The Two Towers again. STILL working through that one....lol

My 'Self Punishment' book of choice is Milton's Paradise Lost.

At first it's awe inspiring. Satan is my type of leader.
Then it dies down a bit...
... you end up hating yourself for reading it.

Gah. Reading about two and a half hobbits traipsing through the woods and the marshes is....well.. "meh", at best, but other than that they're good books...

But yah, is a sad day when I'm bored enough to pick the book back up...