Tournament Weapons

[Bushwhacker2k]

Okay, just started playing Warband and I'm going through the "tournaments give too much money to not do, but randomized weapons make my eyes bleed" phase again.

Is there a mod that would allow me to choose what weapon I get in a tournament?

Also, Warband's overall fighting system is pretty different, and I'm having a massive amount of trouble hitting things the way I want to. Can someone advise me how to either return it to the original format or what this does so I can deal with it?

 

[ares007]

I'm not sure about the tournament weapons, but in terms of combat, I think you just need to play more and you will get comfortable with it. Warband adds some things like chamber-blocks and kicks. The animations are different, so that will definitely change the way melee feels. Also, the devs slightly changed the way things like chambering and feinting work (in order to have a more balanced game). They also added some mechanics like stun and crush that have a an effect with certain weapons (mainly heavy weapons).

I think the main difference is the animation difference. It means you've got to re-learn how to time the attacks/blocks.

 

[XSevSpreeX]

I'm not sure about your tournament issues (I know Floris Expanded Mod Pack lets you choose your weapon in the arena, but not tournaments) but for your combat issue we all went through it when we switched to WB. It just takes some getting used to and when you do, you'll realize it's for the better. You can go to training camps or do the tutorial in the main menu to get used to it if you don't want to risk it in game.

 

[Proteus]

I know of at least one Mod,
in which you use the weapons/armor/horse you have equipped for the tournaments.
It is Europe 1200.

But of course this mod doesn´t play in Calradia,
but in europe (with lots of other changes compared to native
(troops, for example, can be recruited in towns, villages and castles)),
so dunno if this might be of interest

 

[Bushwhacker2k]

I've been steadily remembering more and more of M&B as I play and I gotta say... no one has a problem getting the crappy weapon in a tournament and just having to start over or accept your losses?

This was definitely one of my biggest complaints, that you can go into a tournament, win 5 fights and then simply have to start over or lose money because 'you drew the losing card', it seems kind of counter-intuitive considering this is a skill-based combat system. If I get a bow and there is an enemy nearby with a melee weapon, it's over. He doesn't wait for me to draw my bow, he just kills me.

---

I just redid a tournament 5 times, I lost every time. Every time I lost wasn't because I wasn't skilled enough, it was because I either had a bow or a lance. Bows are useless in close quarters, and lances are useless when you have no maneuverability, and this arena is hilly and cluttered with stuff.

I really hope someone makes a mod that allows players to choose what weapon they get to use. It even makes sense, would you enter a tournament with a focus in 2-handed swords if you were randomly assigned a weapon? And why would you be randomly assigned a weapon?

 

[Ultra695]

random weapons was a f***ed up decsision on their part. But it apparently is very hard to change. .

 

[Nikomakkos]

You'll eventually figure out a strategy to beat tournaments with any weapon.  Although it happens every once in a while that you're simply handed an inevitable defeat, with practice that becomes very rare.

 

[Voranth]

I just wish it would randomly determine the weapons on a team, and give the same weapons loadout to all teams. That would even things out if it were 2 teams of 2 or 3 teams of 1 or 4 teams of 5, or even 2 teams of 1.

 

[Mels_Love]

Although tournaments will be hard at first, you'll get used to most weapons fairly quick, but I can give you advice.
For the most part, each city has a different style of tourneys, if I'm not mistaken, nords have tourneys that involve no horses.
And your problem with getting a bow isn't all that hard, you can take out a dagger if they get close, and just spam click, normally you will knock them out fairly quick, once that's done you can pick up their weapon, unless of course you're getting teamed by more then 2 people. The only 2 weapons it seems most people have troubles with are the bow and lance, lance can be a bit tricky, but not really. If you ever get the lance, I suggest you aim for someone who has a weapon you're good with, i.e sword and shield.

 

[JosieJ]

You get used to the tourneys.  Some towns are easier than others.

There are no horses in Sargoth tourneys; also, if you're concentrating on shields & 1h weapons, Sargoth's definitely the place: nothing but hatchets and shields, with the occasional (but very rare) 2h sword thrown in.  To a lesser extent, this is also true of Tihr & Wercheg.

The Khergit & Sarranid tourneys have a lot of archery & throwing weapons, usually ahorse.  Swadian tourneys (especially Praven) have a lot of jousting with lances, so having high Polearms helps.  Rhodoks naturally have a lot of crossbows, but also quite a bit of jousting.  The Vaegirs are actually pretty well-rounded, so you never know what you'll end up with in one of their tourneys!

 

[SaintShion]

If you do a tournament in Praven, you'll encounter all horsed, lance enemies. This is really difficult at times as the AI is AWFUL and just tries to stab you with the lance instead of couch you, so you have to trick them into hitting a wall, or outmanuever them and get behind them. If there is a large group (not 1v1 or 2v1), you can knock one or two off their horses so that they're still targets for the AI, but no longer much of a threat, and then focus on taking out the other teams (going for large teams first so that they can't team up on you later). Personally when I get a lance now, I mow through enemies as I actually use them in the field quite often. Make sure to switch to first person when you go in for the impact, as it's difficult to gauge the lance's exact aim without doing that.

Large combats are easier as you can just pick up another weapon, or a new shield if yours breaks. Steal horses. Steal new weapons or refill your arrows. Break enemy shields with projectiles. Etc etc. It takes some time, but I lose only 2% of the time now, and its usually because I get couched by an enemy lance. Always guard your AI companions so that it doesn't become a 2, 3 or 4v1 scenario.

 

[Lord Sander]

Praven really isn't that difficult, but there's a trick to it. Have the other guy chase you, chamber your lance, then break hard, turn left, and release your lance in quick succession. The bot or his horse will ride right into your lance and you will be outside the range of his due to the extra length your thrusting arm provides.

 

[Nikomakkos]

Praven really isn't that difficult, but there's a trick to it. Have the other guy chase you, chamber your lance, then break hard, turn left, and release your lance in quick succession. The bot or his horse will ride right into your lance and you will be outside the range of his due to the extra length your thrusting arm provides.

This is what I do too, takes a bit of practice.  This way you are using the opponent's speed for a speed bonus.  I aim for the horse, take him down in a few goes.

Praven is simply a 100% guaranteed win for me, the only city where it's absolute certainty.

 

[blainedeyoung]

Okay, just started playing Warband and I'm going through the "tournaments give too much money to not do, but randomized weapons make my eyes bleed" phase again.

Everybody agrees; you'll get used to it.  You can see the appeal, can't you?  To win you must be a master of all weapons.  I would feel like a mod that allowed you to choose your weapon in a tournament would be cheating.  The designers didn't want the game to be played that way.  I reload a tournament twice.  If I can't beat it, I just walk away.  You don't *have* to beat them. 

If you get handed the bow, switch to the knife if you're in any danger or your team is about to be wiped out.  If you have a bow and your opponent has a shield, go for his ankles.  When he gets close (leave yourself plenty of time), switch to the knife, ready an attack, as soon he starts to attack, hit him, ready another attack, wait for him, attack.  It works almost everytime.  Your knife is faster than his sword. 

If you get a lance, don't only go for couched hits.  The arenas are too small.  Get some speed and jab them.  You have better control over direction if the lance isn't couched.  There are patterns that you can fall into that AI will repeat everytime and lose everytime.  It's kind of dull, but it works.  The problem with lancers is sometimes you get blindsided and one-hit killed.  Nothing to do there but try to keep track of your enemies. 

*DON'T JOUST*  If your opponent has a couched lance, MOVE OUT THE WAY.  It is not worth the risk. 

 

[Ultra695]

Well its just like, if I have 0 power draw and 30 archery proficiency, why would my guy pick up a bow? It makes no sense.

 

[Jellosnark]

I see what you are getting at here. If I was to willingly fight in a tournament with different weapons for most everyone, I would surely pick one that I know how to use. Why would the arena masters force a weapon on a willing combatant?

 

[blainedeyoung]

Because those are the rules of the game. 

 

[blainedeyoung]

When you level up, put your discretionary Weapon Proficiency points into the weapons that you *don't* use in combat.  The weapons that you use all the time will go up just because you use them (mine are always above my Weapon Master maximum).  Put the level-up points into the others, and you'll be less helpless if you get handed that weapon in a tournament.  Don't spend your skill points.

Now, for your companions put their weapon skill points into the weapons that they use.  So, when you fight them in the tournament they're helpless.  Hah!  Hah!  And because they don't go up fast enough by themselves.

 

[Rookfrjosa]

Praven really isn't that difficult, but there's a trick to it. Have the other guy chase you, chamber your lance, then break hard, turn left, and release your lance in quick succession. The bot or his horse will ride right into your lance and you will be outside the range of his due to the extra length your thrusting arm provides.

This is what I do too, takes a bit of practice.  This way you are using the opponent's speed for a speed bonus.  I aim for the horse, take him down in a few goes.

Praven is simply a 100% guaranteed win for me, the only city where it's absolute certainty.

Totally agree here. Exactly my method as well (It just feels so cool when you do it too!) But I hate mounted combat in this game, so I can't stand doing it in tournaments, but I need to win when I can, and where.

 

[candyman]

When you level up, put your discretionary Weapon Proficiency points into the weapons that you *don't* use in combat.  The weapons that you use all the time will go up just because you use them (mine are always above my Weapon Master maximum).  Put the level-up points into the others, and you'll be less helpless if you get handed that weapon in a tournament.  Don't spend your skill points.

Now, for your companions put their weapon skill points into the weapons that they use.  So, when you fight them in the tournament they're helpless.  Hah!  Hah!  And because they don't go up fast enough by themselves.

Fairly certain thats impossible o.o