I made a type of bear (he's currently level 86....kinda had to take most his stuff for my bowsorc though...so he's nude atm) - that is a spinoff of Roguemage's guide involving this build. Basically, he uses that secondary weapon you speak of - Fast weapon.
Here's my progression of equipment (I played twinked)
lvls 1-30 I flew by the skin of my teeth...simply because I couldn't use my charms or most my elemental damage equipment....worked pretty good, you just fight like any other melee character through these levels... just be sure you have a decent speed weapon. Pretty much leveled lycanthropy through this...and werebear form for a bit (for defense...damage doesn't hurt though, final weapon doesn't do much)
lvls 31-54 I used a sortof mini-set of equipment with whatever I could find - the main note is the "Coldsteel Eye Cutlass - Shael" - 40% ias, -30 speed weapon, with slow....very useful, fast, and good for those charms you start to get around this level bracket. He was very successful here with just random other equipment (with the exception of two ravenfrosts at level 45) - at getting through stuff. Worked on maxxing Fire Claws (after 1 point in hunger, and finishing werebear form, and lycanthropy, and prereqs)
lvls 54+ I use my 6 shael phase blade - Maxxed fireclaws, Maxxed Shockwave, and started on Hunger and a few summons. 6 shael phase blade acheives 4 frame Fire Claws, Hunger, and Maul for a bear, this is the equivalent of a full speed werewolf druid - and with all your charms becoming accessable to you (my final one was lvl 61 req 13-30 lc if it matters heh.....most my others were 1-2x lightning sc....and like 3 1-4x lightning sc).
This setup is very nice....and you have options for equipment (only pieces I used for damage were 2 ravenfrost rings, 1 Rising Sun Ammy, T-god's vigor belt, and infernostride boots) - and those provide VERY low amounts of damage and wouldn't make a signifigant difference - rest of the equipment is up to you (I chose hit recovery/block rate over resists, simply because I wanted to test him vs. a friend's werewolf.......but it could easily be adapted for resists + fbr or fhr....and still be very nice)
No enemies really give it trouble when you have resists ..... because it has massive life (even though I didn't level my spirit beyond lvl 9 with equipment) - and can take down most any enemy because its varied damage possibilities (Fire Claws provides good fire, a little ice damage, a little physical damage, a lot of lightning damage in my case). - and doesn't have to worry about curses from oblivion knights (low physical damage, over 125% leech = you don't notice it).....
hope that helps some people consider the usefulness of that secondary weapon :D.
Here's my progression of equipment (I played twinked)
lvls 1-30 I flew by the skin of my teeth...simply because I couldn't use my charms or most my elemental damage equipment....worked pretty good, you just fight like any other melee character through these levels... just be sure you have a decent speed weapon. Pretty much leveled lycanthropy through this...and werebear form for a bit (for defense...damage doesn't hurt though, final weapon doesn't do much)
lvls 31-54 I used a sortof mini-set of equipment with whatever I could find - the main note is the "Coldsteel Eye Cutlass - Shael" - 40% ias, -30 speed weapon, with slow....very useful, fast, and good for those charms you start to get around this level bracket. He was very successful here with just random other equipment (with the exception of two ravenfrosts at level 45) - at getting through stuff. Worked on maxxing Fire Claws (after 1 point in hunger, and finishing werebear form, and lycanthropy, and prereqs)
lvls 54+ I use my 6 shael phase blade - Maxxed fireclaws, Maxxed Shockwave, and started on Hunger and a few summons. 6 shael phase blade acheives 4 frame Fire Claws, Hunger, and Maul for a bear, this is the equivalent of a full speed werewolf druid - and with all your charms becoming accessable to you (my final one was lvl 61 req 13-30 lc if it matters heh.....most my others were 1-2x lightning sc....and like 3 1-4x lightning sc).
This setup is very nice....and you have options for equipment (only pieces I used for damage were 2 ravenfrost rings, 1 Rising Sun Ammy, T-god's vigor belt, and infernostride boots) - and those provide VERY low amounts of damage and wouldn't make a signifigant difference - rest of the equipment is up to you (I chose hit recovery/block rate over resists, simply because I wanted to test him vs. a friend's werewolf.......but it could easily be adapted for resists + fbr or fhr....and still be very nice)
No enemies really give it trouble when you have resists ..... because it has massive life (even though I didn't level my spirit beyond lvl 9 with equipment) - and can take down most any enemy because its varied damage possibilities (Fire Claws provides good fire, a little ice damage, a little physical damage, a lot of lightning damage in my case). - and doesn't have to worry about curses from oblivion knights (low physical damage, over 125% leech = you don't notice it).....
hope that helps some people consider the usefulness of that secondary weapon :D.
Chaos < Logic > Order
One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be in danger in a hundred battles.
One who does not know the enemy but knows himself will sometimes win, sometimes lose.
One who does not know the enemy and does not know himself will be in danger in every battle.
- Sun Tzu "The Art of War"
One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be in danger in a hundred battles.
One who does not know the enemy but knows himself will sometimes win, sometimes lose.
One who does not know the enemy and does not know himself will be in danger in every battle.
- Sun Tzu "The Art of War"