Well, if they give us 5 or 6 1H options, and then one day come back and say...uh, sorry the sword is actually the only weapon that can most efficiently tank, there would be a lot of really scorned tanks out there.
I actually would like to see a game come out with a staff as a tanking weapon. Before you think that's a dumb idea, hear me out.
The traditional tank has a shield and a sword. The traditional damage dealer hefts around a tree trunk in his hands (lol) but they historically forget about the staff. The staff was a defensive weapon. Better for paryring than any sword, and swifter to wield. The issue here is also mitigation vs avoidance. Some say avoidance is only for light melees, but I disagree. Warning! Incoming link!
http://www.vanguardsoh.com/forums/sh...6&pagenumber=2
posts 59 and 60 for what I'm talking about as far as avoidance.
A staff would be a very defensive weapon, and still able to do a bit of damage as well. As maces and hammers teach us, you don't need to make someone bleed externally to kill them. In a real duel, the sword-fighters worst nightmare is the guy wielding a staff. The staff-wielder can parry and attack in the same motion, a sword cannot do that as efficiently. A staff can also be used completely for defense, and if done right, no normal weapon (axe, sword, spear, mace) would be able to land. It would be a parrying God weapon. But it wouldn't do much for the 2,000 lb ogre swinging a tree at you. So that's the issue, but if I was a tank that could dodge as well as another tank could block, then i could effectively jump out of the way of that swing. I don't think of tanks as JUST a meat-shield. I think they can be avoidance too. And the staff would fit ME and my vision perfectly.
I have aggressive, far-fetched ideas, and understand these things won't make it into VG, but eventually...I would like to see it done. Mat Cauthon vs the world. (Wheel of Time by Robert jordan reference)
chau!
-Eclipse