History Main / ChoiceOfTwoWeapons

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

* Your hero from ''VideoGame/FableI'' is both {{Bow And Sword|InAccord}} wielder and a MagicKnight. The second game swaps the bow and sword combo for TheMusketeer, the hero wielding a pistol or rifle.
** Or a crossbow, but no one cares about those.
** ''VideoGame/FableIII'' phases out crossbows completely, besides a few owned by poorer [=NPCs=]. They also add the hammer as the melee equivalent of the rifle. Of course, you can still be a MagicKnight.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** The series in general has just about all of the non-gunpowder combination options available. [[BowAndSwordInAccord Bow and melee weapon]]? Yep. [[MagicKnight Melee weapon and spell]]? Yep. Two melee weapons? Of course. Use, for example, your big claymore to take down slower enemies and then switch to your short blade to take out faster ones. The combinations are limited only by the level of the associated skill. There is also the possibility to use Hand-to-Hand combat as one of your "weapons," although it's not always an effective choice.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' has the greatest diversity of weapons in the series to date, allowing for even more combinations. In addition to the series' staple bows as ranged weapons, ''Morrowind'' has numerous types of throwing weapons as well as crossbows. It is also the last game in the series to allow for the use of spears (and other polearms, such as halberds).
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' drops a number of the weapon types from ''Morrowind'', but each of the two weapon skills rant you competency in at least two types of weapons. Long and short swords as well as daggers for Blade, and the fairly similar axe and mace for Blunt.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' adds DualWielding to the series for the first time, allowing two different melee weapons to be wielded at once, with the drawback of being unable to block incoming attacks.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'', and ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' all feature two inventory slots for each hand. Typically this results in the player having two different weapon sets to switch between. ''Bloodborne'' does it one better by even having transforming weapons with two modes.

* ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' series:
** Ranged units will either come under BowAndSwordInAccord or TheMusketeer, depending on whether they are archers or gunners. The weapons vary, low level archers use knives, wealthier ones may have swords.''
** A few melee units carry javelins as well, and there are a few units who both carry javelins and can hold their own in melee.
* ''VideoGame/LastCloudia'': There are arks in the game that, when equipped, can grant their users the skill to equip a weapon they do not normally use once the meter for enabling it is filled up for each character, once that's done, the user does not have to keep the ark equipped and just have to equip the skills. Sevia, at least in her Thunderbolt form, can actually carry two different weapons at once, such as an axe and a sword, once the right meters are filled up.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' gives us Link, who wields a sword as his primary weapon, but also carries a bow, a boomerang, bombs, a whip-like weapon, and various other weapons, occasionally including magic. Justified in that Link has had no prior training in any of these weapons, meaning he hasn't had time to specialise. Of course, this just [[InstantExpert brings up another trope...]]
** Link best fits BowAndSwordInAccord with a Batman utility belt added in. This fits particularly well in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' where Link is shown training with the sword and bow, and can learn sword techniques throughout the game.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', as usual Link has a wide variety of backup weapons, but by the end of the game he can have two ''primary'' weapons, both of which are swords. The [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement Master Sword]] is a relatively normal-sized sword that can be wielded alongside a shield, while the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Biggoron Sword]] is [[{{BFS}} enormous]] and requires both hands.

* ''VideoGame/{{Oni}}'' gives us the option of a ranged weapon and GoodOldFisticuffs.
* ''VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon'' also allows for a variety of guns paired with melee attacks, including sliding or jumping kicks in all the games and putting your guns away to punch out your enemies in the first.
* Mario can punch enemies or use a hammer in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''.
* ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'' series uses this frequently, not bothering to stop with only two different weapons, but three and even four in some cases.
** Everyone can learn to use the bow in addition to their primary weapon (with other weapons being very class specific, the primary weapon is often something other than a sword).
** Mastering sword or dagger makes it possible to dual wield with another weapon, such as a spear or a mace. Now add also a bow.
** There are classes that focus on fighting, but can learn some basic magic as well. Some of them are also capable of learning the aforementioned dual wielding. Plus, of course, the bow.
** Not to mention that all the magic focusing classes can get two weapons - their primary weapon plus the bow.
* After reaching level 4, in ''VideoGame/VictorVran'', Victor can carry any two weapons and switch between them at will.

* The Hunter class in ''VideoGame/SaltAndSanctuary'' begins with a whip and a crossbow.
* Most of the classes in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' have some combination of long(er) range weapon, mid-range weapon, and melee weapon in their slots. Given the variety in the unlockables, this makes for very interesting combinations.
* In ''VideoGame/GodEater'', 2nd-generation God Eaters (including the player characters) wield a MorphWeapon that switches between melee and ranged modes (as well as a shield). The player has several choices for each slot, but must have exactly one of each before embarking on a mission.
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' typically only allows one weapon at a time, but some of them have two modes. The Switch Axe transforms into a [[{{BFS}} greatsword]], the Bow conceals a blade for melee attacks, and the Lance can fire bullets.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}''
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout Tactics|BrotherhoodOfSteel}}'' let you carry two weapons in your hands and switch between them without the penalty associated with digging into your inventory during combat. Most players would just carry two guns, say a long-range sniper rifle and a close-range bullet sprayer. You also had the option of carrying a gun and a Super Sledgehammer or two melee weapons. And then there's the HyperspaceArsenal you're carrying around in your pants that costs a few AP to access. Finally, if you left either (or both) slots open, you had access to two different sets of hand-to-hand attacks.
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' works in a different way: you can hotkey items from your inventory, but as the game is not turn-based there's no penalty for digging into your backpack in combat. It still uses the trope, though: you could place your skills to be specialized in two (or more) types of guns, or a gun and one of the other types of weapon. You're limited, however, by how much weight you can carry. Assuming you have good armor (read, heavy), you're not likely to be able to carry around too many different weapons unless you pump a lot of points into your strength rating and get a few different perks at level selection. VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas ups the ante with hardcore mode, where even ''ammunition'' has weight, so you're really hard-pressed to specialize and only carry what you'll absolutely need.
* ''VideoGame/ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura'' characters can be built to switch between guns or bows and melee weapons, but carrying multiple weapons of your chosen type is also common because BreakableWeapons is in effect and swords are no good for breaking open stubborn chests.
* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors''
** In ''3, 4'' and ''5'', all characters can switch between their normal weapon and a bow. The bow is more or less useless, though.
** In ''Strikeforce'', you can have two different weapons to fight with. One is your main weapon which has a unique moveset while the secondary can be anything you want. Of course, some characters are better with certain weapons than others and some enemy units may shrug off a certain weapon while keeling to another.
** ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' takes a page from ''Strikeforce'' in that all characters can equip almost any two weapons, with the only real limitation being that male characters cannot equip chain whips, and female characters cannot equip great swords. Characters do have their preferred weapons, however, and will be able to execute their unique EX attack if they have it equipped. ''8'' uses a similar system but removes the gender restrictions (and gives every one of the 77 characters a distinct weapon of choice).
** In ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', many characters possess more than one weapon moveset. However, they cannot freely switch between them during battle, so the weapon must be equipped before a mission.
* In the ''[[Literature/TheHeroicLegendofArslan Arslan]]'' crossover game, all characters carry more than 1 weapon type into battle, with some characters carrying up to 3 weapon types. The game's charge-shift mechanic allows characters to freely switch between weapons at any time.

* In ''VideoGame/MountAndBlade'', you have four weapon (and shield) slots to fill as you please. BowAndSwordInAccord is the obvious combination (though heavy on the skill points for archers), but there's three types of melee weapon and three types of ranged, and among those subsets, ''many'' different tools for many different tasks; you may want a heavy damage-dealing two-hander, a one-handed weapon and shield for shieldfighting, a bludgeoning weapon for prisoner-taking, a polearm for lancework (which is likely to be different from the polearm you could use for two-handed damage or shieldfighting), a bow or crossbow and arrows or bolts if you're a primary ranged fighter, or a brace of thrown weapons (such as javelins) for a backup ranged weapon. Since you have only so many spaces (unless you return to the baggage train), you need to prioritize (fortunately, many weapons fill more than one role).
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'', Raven counts since he's wielding both a bow and a dagger at the same time.
** Actually, the whole group. The system has a set up for a sub-weapon that gives them something else to attack with and gives unique skills as well. Yuri has a glove on his off-hand to punch enemies with, Estelle and Flynn use shields for protection and bashing enemies, Rita has a book and Karol a bag, Judith uses her ''heels'', Patty has a gun (which is used more in cutscenes than her main weapon, a knife), and Repede has a collar as his subweapon.
* In ''VideoGame/RogueGalaxy'', each character has access to two distinct weapons, generally a main one for melee and a less-cool one for ranged. Of course, the ranger switches that around with a cool bow and a lame melee weapon, and the rogue dual-wields daggers with the back-up weapon being her shoes (for [[KickChick kicking]]). In practice, there are only a handful of bosses in the game where the ranged weapons are necessary, and the overpowered hero has a special ability that lets him [[SwordBeam use his sword at range]].
* Not unlike in the movies, the first two ''VideoGame/SuperStarWars'' games allow Luke to switch between his lightsaber and his blaster on the fly. ''Super Return of the Jedi'' removes this ability and he uses his lightsaber exclusively, but his new array of Force powers technically stands in for his missing blaster.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'', Richter Abend wields a sword and an axe. [[DualWielding At the same time]].
* In the earlier ''{{VideoGame/XCOM}}'' games, ''[[VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense UFO Defense]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/XCOMTerrorFromTheDeep Terror from the Deep]]'', your soldiers had two 'hand' inventory slots, where you would need to put weapons in order to use them. Most larger weapons such as rifles or rocket launchers suffered big accuracy penalties if both hands were used, but pistols did not and so having some troops wielding pistols and grenades or stun rods or thermic lances saved valuable [=APs=] by not swapping weapons when confronted with suitable situations.
** Notably, whilst dual wielding pistols or melee weapons was not penalised in any way, there was also absolutely no benefit to doing so as it took the same number of [=APs=] to use a single weapon twice as it did to use two similar weapons once each. Having two grenades handy might save a few [=APs=], but was not as useful as a gun, and reloading took up few enough [=APs=] that having a backup pistol ready wasn't really worth it.
** On the other hand, wielding two pistols essentially doubles magazine capacity - a real-life revolver trick known as the New York Reload: since revolvers take a long time to reload, you just pull out another revolver if you run dry.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'', Hubert uses a weapon that is a two-ended swordlike weapon, that he can seperate to wield as either twin swords or twin guns. In his second hi-ougi and Accel Mode (in F), he can use it as a bow as well. Even characters in game comment on how odd his weapon is.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'': Noctis Lucis Caelum. The first trailer alone showed him wielding swords, spears, axes, multiple types of firearms, magic, and a primary weapon consisting of a falchion with an engine built into the hilt.
* All characters in ''VideoGame/{{Gungnir}}'' are capable of wielding two types of weapon.
* In ''VideoGame/IzunaLegendOfTheUnemployedNinja'', Izuna can fight effectively with either a sword-and-gauntlet combination, or a set of [[WolverineClaws clawed gloves]]. Its sequel, ''Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns'', expands the playable character roster and the arsenal of available weapons to include bows-and-arrows, [[MarionetteMaster dolls]], [[ArmedLegs battle boots]], [[BattleBoomerang boomerangs]] and [[KillerYoyo yo-yos]]. Most player characters are able to use at least two types. Mitsumoto, being the series' [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]], can use all of the weapons, but [[MasterOfNone can't use any of them more exceptionally well than others]]. The only character who can't is Fuuka, who is limited to using [[KickChick the battle boots]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Bastion}}'' The Kid can bring two weapons with him into the field. While this makes him something of a master of many weapons, whenever you first leave the armory with a given weapon combination, The Stranger will provide a commentary on the advantages of the combo, and the versatility it would provide.
* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', Archer ([[spoiler: and by extension Shirou]]) laughs at your choice of only a few weapons and raises you the ability to wield any weapon he has ever seen with [[InstantExpert nearly the same skill of the original user]], giving him the ability to wield spears as easily as swords as easily as bows [[OverlyLongGag as easily as axes as...]]
* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'':
** Most of the combat-oriented classes have two different weapons they can equip, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. ''VideoGame/EtrianOdysseyIIITheDrownedCity'' adds the ability to Subclass, making it possible to master ''more'' weapons (if that class has a 'Mastery' skill they can train in). It's up to the player whether any given guildmember focuses on one weapon profenciency over the other or learns how to wield ''both'' effectively.
** ''VideoGame/EtrianOdysseyIVLegendsOfTheTitan'' changes this up a bit. All characters can equip two weapons simultaneously upon unlocking Subclasses, though without the right skill, it's closer to this trope than DualWielding. Normally they'll still attack with only the "main" weapon, but switch to the "secondary" if they use a skill requiring that type of weapon.
* In ''Videogame/CallOfCthulhuTheWastedLand'', each player character has two weapon slots which can be filled by any combination of mêlée weapon, firearm, and offensive spells (the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_pigeon homing pigeon]] to request artillery strikes also uses a weapon slot).

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning'' the Fateless One can equip any combination of longswords, hammers, greatswords, staves, scepters, chakrams, daggers, faeblades and bow & arrows.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Brawlhalla}}'', every character is skilled with two weapons, and can switch between them by picking up the "glowing sword" item on the field. While everyone who uses the same weapon has the same set of basic attacks, [[EveryoneHasASpecialMove their special attacks vary wildly]] depending on the user, and no two characters have the same proficiency with the same two sets of weapons.

* ''VideoGame/{{Nioh 2}}'' encourages this, giving players the choice to two weapons to start with (Sword, Dual Swords, Odachi, Axe/Hammer, Spear, Kusarigama, Tonfas, Hatchets and Switchglaives, and the [=DLC=] adds the Splitstaff and the Fists). You might also use a Bow, a Rifle, a HandCannon and/or ninjutsu tools as well to supplement your melee weapon.

* ''VideoGame/Disgaea5'' is the sole entry in the series to allow units to equip two weapons at once. However, their Main Weapon slot is primarily used in battle, with switching to the Sub-weapon being done through either a menu command or using that weapon's skill. Sub-weapons also have their stat contributions reduced to one-quarter, unless a certain passive is equipped.

** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout Tactics|BrotherhoodOfSteel}}'' let you carry two weapons in your hands and switch between them without the penalty associated with digging into your inventory during combat. Most players would just carry two guns, say a long-range sniper rifle and a close-range bullet sprayer. You also had the option of carrying a gun and a [[DropTheHammer Super Sledgehammer]] or two melee weapons. And then there's the HyperspaceArsenal you're carrying around in your pants that costs a few AP to access. Finally, if you left either (or both) slots open, you had access to two different sets of hand-to-hand attacks.

* It's a fairly good idea to have this set up in ''{{VideoGame/Diablo}}'', at least in the first game. Warriors occasionally find themselves needing to shoot at something (or, in the case of enemies trapped on the opposite sides of portcullises, want to pick enemies off at a distance.) A rogue often finds herself needing to resort to hand-to-hand if fast enemies are encroaching, so having a sword and shield and the strength to use both available helps. Straying out of BowAndSwordInAccord and into MagicKnight, magic is helpful to the rogue as well, though the warriors maximum magic is so low that its barely worth his while. The sorcerer is pretty damn awful with both bow and sword, but its worth giving him a bit of strength and a light sword and shield in case he runs out of mana (True, you might be screwed if this is the case, but its better than nothing).

* '''MultiMeleeMaster:''' A character who carries more than one melee weapon. Frequently, carries a short ranged and a long reach weapon (such as a sword and a [[BladeOnAStick spear]], or a sword and a [[{{BFS}} bigger sword]]). That or a weapon that is good for offense and defence. They tend to have trouble changing between them though as it means they have to draw the new weapon and dispose of the old one somehow.

* Literature/{{Tarzan}} uses several weapons in the original stories, but in his jungle domain, his go-to weapons are his father's hunting knife and a bow and arrows (although he also demonstrates masterful skill with BladeOnAStick).

** Duncan [=MacLeod=] always prefers his katana, but he can fight with many different types of swords, from rapier to [[{{BFS}} claymore]]. On top of that, he's been seen wielding a battle-axe, knives, a Lakota war spear, and a staff. He's even a threat when completely unarmed, as he knows at least one style of Japanese martial art.