Quote Originally Posted by Nedkel View Post
Historically, sword and shield are deadlier than just a sword.
Yeah, this is pretty true. Shields aren't just for defense. They can be used to catch your opponent's weapon and throw them off balance, making for a much easier target, and of course being slammed at full force by a solid piece of steel or even wood will disorientate you and leave you wide open.

Of course, yeah, a well-placed blow with a very large very sharp sword will do more damage in a single hit, with the possibility of even cleaving through the shield if it finds a weak spot. And in-game logic of course typically has sword/shield combos do less damage, so yeah