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Imagine the Rapier sales pitch introducing them as they are now, in the game.
It's a one handed sword, but you cannot use anything in your off-hand, effectively making it a two handed weapon, though it has the attack stats to back it up. (Nice, I'm with you so far)
It has unique animations to classic combat skills like smash, counter attack, and counter attack as well as a snazzy idle animation. (Of course! that's great!)
Most cannot be reforged, some cannot even e enchanted, and you cannot make one your spirit weapon. (Okay... but why though?)
Though it doesn't have access to any of the more recent combat skills that were added specifically to make close combat as a skillset more competitive with skillsets that came out more recently, and certainly doesn't have access to the newest skills, Elemental Knight rings to the table, the in-game reason for this is because a Rapier is too "delicate" a weapon. Also they will gain no unique skills. (.....)
(So don't use it at all then?)
Yeah pretty much.
Come on already! I like 1 handed swords but the ability to JUST use a one handed sword is hampered by the fact that dual wielding exists. You HAVE to dual wield them because most swords later in the game are made with that in mind. It would be nice if Rapiers were given another look into. I'm not asking for a whole unique kit for Rapiers, but that's certainly an option. What I would like is the ability to use all combat skills with a rapier and either hard commit to rapiers being an off-shoot of two handed swords, keeping the ability to use Two handed enchants and effects, and maybe gaining inherent piercing, or changing them into a special 1-handed sword with the stipulation that you can only equip small shields and Tomes in your off hand. This can't be too complicated to do.
If you wanted to go absolutely crazy however you could have Rapier's lean into the Elemental Knight Talent a little more, allowing only Tomes in your off hand, and attack damage being based on some combination of Dex/Int/Str. Rapiers are a great weapon and there's no need for them to be so disrespected for so long.
Comments
That being said, if they weren't included with 2h weapons, might be a good excuse for them to finally rework 1h swords and the like to make them actually useful beyond mid-game. The fact that 2h weapons have so many useful upgrades while 1h only get min/max damage upgrades is genuinely insulting... Give 1h weapons injury and splash and/or pierce upgrade paths!
I also feel that whatever happens to rapiers, 2H blades need a similar adjustment. We have stand cards that affect both in a single item, so thematically it might make sense. It would be kind of hilarious to flourish a Glory Sword like an estoc. I have a 2H spirit blade purely for fashion (and Elemental Knight skills but that doesn't count) and I feel like I can't actually use it without being 'suboptimal'.