I'm considering doing a dual-wielding build with two weapon types, possibly swords and axes, that way I can have access to the most powerful weapons in the game (the clockwork chainaxe and dhoul's possible sword if I find that). However, since the stat bonuses for a single weapon type can be double-applied by using the same weapon in each hand, I'm worried this might be a waste of skill points. Any thoughts?
Well, while dual-wielding a single weapon type will double the bonuses for it, there are two significant reasons to go at least to level 4 on two different weapon trees: twice as many procs (Viking Strike and Lichtnauer's Ovehau) and twice as many activated specials (Thibault's Trompent and Norweigan Axenado). [[Note: I didn't look up the spelling of any of that, so if I'm wrong, that's to be expected.]] Also, double chances to inflict Bleeding Wounds and Crippling Strikes if you take just one more level in each. Is that worth it? I honestly don't know -- but I can tell you that the game is significantly less frustrating when you can use half rather than one-quarter of the weapons you find along the way. Just don't forget to take Tinkering so you can make your own Chainaxes!
I'd say it would only be worth it for Maces and Staves. Both have procs/abilities that knockback/paralyze the target which synergise much better than Axe/Swords 'bleed' procs. Also Viking Strike is terrible.
Wait, staves are actually good? I always thought they were utterly pointless because they're used for mages, and putting skill points in the staves tree for mages would be a waste of potential wizard archetype points.
The big advantage to Staves is that is you get level 2 Stavery, one in every fifteen attacks you make on average will paralyze an enemy for 3 turns, which is nothing to sneeze at.
Dual Staves gives you +16 block and +4 magic power. 2 x Jingly Jangly Staff of Crystals gives you another +10 magic power. This is particularly good with Necrocomniconomics which has the best magic-based melee buff: Pact of Fleeting Life.
But damage-wise, staves mostly stink. Regarding the original question, I'd generally consider going dual-wield with two different weapon types to be a waste of skillpoints. In fact, with 1.0.7 doing away with the bad-weapon penalty, I'd strongly consider not having a weapon skill at all; most of them don't add all that much of utility, excepting of course Unarmed. If you want procs, go with Assassin.
Well the Jingly Jangly Staff of Crystals does 1 less damage than the Flail of Pleiades. It only stinks in comparison to a couple of rare artifact weapons. You can't exactly rely on getting dual Doul's. Not to mention Pact of Fleeting Life gives you an almost one-to-one magic-power : damage increase + heal.
Remember that Pleiades flails are artifacts and thus get some significant additional bonuses when crafted or found (but not when bought from a shop).
First, this game give random drops. There are no reason to assume you will pick up the best weapon of your choice, even if you diversify. The best way to beat the odds (both offensively and defensively) is to take a crafting skill. Dual staves lets you spell spam at the same time (psionic, necronomicon, etc), which can make the game laughably easy. By contrast, dual flails are actually kinna hard with no real defense except lucky knockbacks. If you can survive with 2 of them then all the power to you, but if you are forced to use shield with flail anyway then you deal less damage than dual staves. As for 2 different weapons, it's arguable rather weapon skill is worth putting points in to begin with, the bonus they give is kinna lame without being doubled. And process stacking isn't practical because of how this game operates. Also, artifact weapons comes at the huge price of being prone to corruption. See if you just hold 2 normal staves of crystals you can just beat up corruption blobs and stuff without all the hassle. When I dual sword I end up using 2 normal katanas on floor 10 while my awesome artifact swords sits in my inventory.
Each process acts individually. You get 10% to stun and another 10%, you get a total of 19% chance. You won't get any meaningful consistency even if you stack every single possible process stun/knockback in the game. Besides, stacking counter with proc is better than proc with another proc.
It's a shame processing paralysis twice doesn't increase the duration. With Magic Steel, Assassination and Maces I can get up to around 50% chance of stun/knockback per hit, which is reasonable. Another funny idea would be taking Unarmed and a weapon skill solely for Throwing Buffalo Technique. It's like the attack version of Artful Dodger.
