Duel-Wielding Disadvantages

[Master Lucien Kane]

Yeah there's definitely a couple of different variants even with dual wielding... You can dual wield two short sabers, two long sabers, or a tandem of one long saber and one short saber...

Or you can go crazy and dual wield a staff and a single hilt saber.... HEHE

Each one you change up your strategy accordingly.

[Master Nero Attoru]

Holy crap, trying to catch up on this... some great points all throughout.

First off, Veld gets a point for mentioning Drizzt.  Second, I agree that less power is to be had in each hand (although believe me, you can still get a TON of power with good strong single handed wielding).  Third, Lucien gets a point for referencing Miyamoto Musashi.

This sounds silly, but the way dual wielding is approached in KOTOR is pretty damn accurate to real life IMO.  You have to put ranks in the skill, and until you get quite a few points in there you basically suck at it.  In real life, you have to train at it until you get to the point where you break even... in other words, you stop tangling yourself just enough to make it worth your while.  Train past that, and it becomes a great strength!

The inherent difficulty in wielding two blades (especially long ones) is directly related to its strength.  For most swordsmen, even experienced ones, it's difficult enough to focus on their ONE blade in combat - striking, parrying, etc.  For the average human mind, adding a blade to this seems maddening... for both yourself and your opponent... and therein lies the strength (and weakness).  Once you stop confusing yourself with two blades, you're only confusing your opponent (who has just as much trouble focusing on two completely discrete weapons as you did).

[Temple]

Traditionally dual weilding was more of a sword and dagger combo for fencing.

Or gladitoral fighting more for show.

When the common use was sword and sheild, losing a sheild to an additional weapon was not always a wise choice.Now with Light sabers sheilds for the most part are passe and unlikely.( yes i know there were some i the comics and books but rare showings)

I like to weild 2 weapons i do find you apply less force to the blows but your usually using shorter blades increasing reaction time so kinda evens out.
i tend to move close circular and use more parry thrust combos.

sure your worrrying about 3 blades but once you get used to where each blade you weild and your foot work thats really the only disadvantage.

[Veldryne]

dropping the shield for another weapon was pretty much suicide in open warfare. Especially in the bronze age and the roman age, simply because of the way their armies carried out warfare with their formations.

However, for skirmishing/guerilla tactics where surprise and speed were key, it worked very very well.

[Jammo]

I used my yari and a short saber one time... that was intense.

[Master Lucien Kane]

I used my yari and a short saber one time... that was intense.

Makes for some crazy dynamics doesn't it?

[Luna]

As has been said, I too would say that the biggest disadvantage is having to coordinate two blades. I can't count how many times I've seen kids trying to be cool by using two cheapo Hasbro sabers and ending up hitting themselves either in the legs or face. Makes for a good laugh once in a while but gets frustrating after the first few incidents.