off hand weapon training perk and technique

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

Originally Posted by joppeknol

Was this legal? Why wouldn't everyone do this? (Except for when it doesn't fit the character concept.).

As other have pointed out, it's perfectly legal, and it's a fix to the cost of OHWT which is extremely overpriced for what you get.

As for why everyone doesn't do it, let's start here:

Originally Posted by Gurps Fan

Remember that while the combat option called "Dual-Weapon Attack" is allowed (with GM permission, of course) in a realistic campaign, the technique with the same name is a cinematic technique -- buying Trained By A Master [30] or Weapon Master [20 to 45] beforehand is one of the prerequisites to learn Dual-Weapon Attack technique. See Martial Arts, pp. 82-83.

First off, this one. Although some martial arts styles allow you to buy a restricted version of Dual-Weapon Attack as a realistic technique, with a special perk (Unusual Training), it's a cinematic technique. So you need to satisfy some pretty steep requirements to get it. Sure, someone who already has Weapon Master or Train By A Master can just pick it up, but that's not the same as saying it's a mere 5 points for DWA maxed-out, 6 with OHWT. It's more like 26+ points for the full version, 7+ points and a martial arts style that allows it (which in turn means more points spent.) The full version has to compete with Rapid Strike at -3 each, so you need to buy up DWA to even keep up with what you could do with one weapon skill.

Second, even in a cinematic game, you give up a lot without a shield. "Dual-Wield" looks a lot cooler in movies and in video games that don't worry too much about defenses in the first place. It's suckier in a game with arrows and quarrels and sling bullets because you're reduces to Dodge since you don't have Block. You get some nice parries, yes, but you give up the DB of a shield to do it.

You also give up two-handed weapon use, which means you give up some damage, potentially give up better parries (if you're using GURPS Martial Arts), and often give up reach (not all that many one-handed weapons have reach 2; ones such as rapiers do but come with their own special issues).

And as others have also said, there is the expense of getting another weapon. DWA and OHWT is really only useful if you've got two weapons, and those need to be paid for.

In my own games, guys with two weapons get shot with bows or missile spells, because you're announcing you are pretty good with dual weapons and you have defense issues against missiles.

None of this is saying DWA is bad. In fact, it's good. But it's not always the best choice, and it's giving up a lot to get a lot. The cost seems pretty fair for the tradeoffs.