Curious about weapon code...

[Asmoth]

Weapon Skills                                                  (Melee Combat)

   Weapon skills represent specialised knowledge in the use of a particular
class of weapons. All weapons fall into one of four general categories:
bludgeoning, chopping, piercing, and slashing. Stabbing weapons are merely
a subset of piercing ones.

   If one possesses, for example, the 'chopping weapons' skill, then one's
usage of an axe is improved both in ability to land blows and to parry
those of others, the degree of improvement depending on one's level of
accomplishment in that skill.

   Each category of weapon has its own characteristics, which should become
evident as your character becomes more familiar with its usage.

See also:
   Defense, Offense, Parry

Delay:
   after

So why do stabbing AND piercing weapons exist at the same time?

[Asmoth]

help parry

Parry                                                               (Defense)

   This automatic skill is invoked whenever your character is in combat.
All blows which are about to land on you are checked against a complicated
system of relationships, including the parry skill. A successful parry
nullifies all damage and causes your opponent to be 'off balance.'

Notes:
   Wielding two weapons increases your character's chance to parry.

Using a shield improves your character's chance of success.

Delay:
   special

See also:
   skill dual wield, skill shield use, skill two handed

Don't these both mean the same thing?  If I increase my chance to parry, which nullifies all damage and throws the other person off balance, isn't that the exact same as using a shield that improves your chance of success?

Because if your chance to parry goes up (happens more) then isn't that saying the exact same thing that shields do?

Maybe it just needs a rewording?

[hyzhenhok]

If you're asking why you can't just backstab with all piercing weapons, it's because you don't really want your ninja assassins backstabbing people with huge two-handed spears; you want there to be a trade-off between having the best piercing weapon available, and having one that is backstab-capable.

If you're asking what is the design purpose for daggers and long spears being in the same class of weapons in the first place, it's probably anti-guild sniffing. Unfortunately, the way the weapon skills are distributed between the guilds means such a design goal is not currently very well realized.

The parry file can probably stand to be re-written, because AFAIK all three main fighting styles have the increased chance to parry, but not necessarily equally so.

[Riev]

[snark] The helpfile was written for when PC mantis were available, and its meant to convey that if you dual wield swords, and etwo a shield, you have the best chance to parry successfully. [/snark]

[Majikal]

Piercing and stabbing weapons function essentially the same except for the obvious, stabbing weapons can be used for backstab.
Weapons designed to work with backstab modifiers have to be designed slightly differently as well I would assume.

Concerning parry and stuff.
Dual wielding increases your chance to parry, you get two tries to parry, duh, you could also safely assume that being able to better dual wield better would mean you can parry with your off hand better too.

Using a shield improves your chance of success, translation is +parry while using a shield.

[hyzhenhok]

[snark] The helpfile was written for when PC mantis were available, and its meant to convey that if you dual wield swords, and etwo a shield, you have the best chance to parry successfully. [/snark]

Yes, I almost wrote "the code was written 20 years ago by teenagers, so it reflects whatever made sense to them at the time." :p