Why Isn't a Hatchet a One-Handed Weapon?

LilyGrace

A hatchet isn't an axe. A hatchet is a hatchet. You ever try swinging a hatchet with two hands? Probably not because it would be flat out awkward and hard to grip with two hands. Unless you were Chucky or a Hobbit size maybe.

My crafter / decorator uses a hatchet constantly. She also uses a lantern a lot. She'd use it as constantly as the hatchet if the hatchet were a one-handed weapon as it should be. 


There's no one-handed weapon that chops pouches or folds up deeded items that I know of. For optimal cuteness and efficiency, I need a one-handed hatchet please.

  

Seth

Yeah you are right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchet

A hatchet is a single handed tool.

There are so many right things, but the team lacks the manpower to get any real work done except building the new NLS.

LilyGrace

That old one on the top is wicked cool looking. Would love to have that. I guess I never thought of calling them one-handed axes but yeah I guess that works. :-)

dvvid

Hatchet is huge in this game though. Look at the paperdoll haha. Should be like half the size. 

LilyGrace

Yeah, the hatchet doesn't seem to be very well balanced, Dvvid!   

For a small weapon a dagger looks ok on the paper doll. A hatchet shouldn't be a whole lot bigger. 

JohnKnighthawke

The game's understanding of ax combat in general isn't that great. Never has been, though. Ever wonder why the war ax is a mace weapon? I have. Ever wonder why ax and shield combat, a staple of RL combat both mounted and on foot, isn't present in UO? I have.

Having said that it's doubtful anything could be changed now, after well beyond 20 years, without messing something else up. The hatchet is actually a great example: I don't know about now but not too long ago it was a commonly used PvP weapon because it had disarm and armor ignore as specials -- a powerful combination. Before they nerfed mana leach in PvP a hatchet with mana leach would enable one to chain both of those specials, to great effect.

What might happen if they suddenly made that one-handed? I honestly don't know -- I gave up PvP.

I'm not sure anyone would know for sure what'd happen.

LilyGrace

" Ever wonder why ax and shield combat, a staple of RL combat both mounted and on foot, isn't present in UO? I have."

I hear you, Knighthawk. And I did consider there may be some who use or have used a hatchet as a weapon and that changing it to a one-handed weapon would throw things out of whack.

If anything at all came along to right the wrong or offer a more utilitarian hatchet, to be used as a tool, it would have to be an addition to the game. And I don't figure my aggravation over how the hatchet doesn't make sense will go high on the priority list. 

But it really does bug me! So, I had to get it out! 

Pawain

You do not have to have the axe or hatchet in hand when doing house deco. I carry one around on most toons in case I need to do deco. It makes no difference if one or two hand if it never leaves my bag.

LilyGrace

Pahwaaaain! I know I can double click it in my pack! But one, I like the look of carrying the hatchet. Two, it helps my crafter kill some of the small spawn around the house (which is about all she can kill). Three, I also like the look of carrying the lantern, and use lanterns with 'dark nights' on my human crafter. Four, they'd look really good together on your character if you could carry both as we should be able.

Five, have you seen the state of my backpack? I know I can set and last weapon macro when I can't find the hatchet in the mess and that's what I do but that's not the point! 

Seth

Vikings mostly carry axe... and they don't have any problem with a shield ("Shield Wall!!!"). Why must all axe be two-handed...

Drakelord

It used to be one handed years ago, but I cannot fine any information, yet here one for you, every see a miner with a pickaxe https://www.uoguide.com/Pickaxe. ; then there a knight with his trusted lance https://www.uoguide.com/The_Dragon_Slayer ; All three are one handed.

LilyGrace

I’m gonna stand pretty far back and possibly just peek through my fingers at someone trying to swing a pickaxe with one hand. 

Basara

IIRC, the hatchet was 1-handed in Beta, and for some reason everyone was running around with one - which was why it was made 2-handed.