D&D General What is two weapon fighting good for?

[Neonchameleon]

I just ran some numbers by hand (not as good as a software, but it is what it is) for levels between 5 and 11, using the fighter class.

Great Weapon Masters are DPR kings when AC is low or they have to hit bonuses outside the baseline (Bless, magic weapons, advantage, precision strike). Polearm Masters with a d10 weapon are always equal or better than TWF in DPR, and can get into crazy territory if they also take GWM. Plus, Polearm Masters get a number of other useful combat perks, and can easily afford to take defense style for an AC boost.
TWF wins the DPR race over sword & board with duelist style (only barely at level 11), but sword & board has more AC and an extra feat to spend for whatever they want (Shield Mastery, Sentinel, Resilient or perhaps a Con increase?).

I'm honestly comfortable in saying that TWF is currently the worse combat style in D&D 5e, for level 5+, outside of rogues and the odd build (I saw people mentioning paladins, possibly, and perhaps they're right).
I remain fully ready to change my mind if solid opposing evidence emerges.

You missed one. Spear, Shield, Polearm Master, duelist fighting style. It's strictly better than the polearm master for DPR assuming defense style for the polearm and it gets a shield - but it doesn't have Reach and can't take GWM. But that's two feats so you have to start giving up primary stats.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

It's about looking cool as hell, which has a lot of appeal in games.

Agreed!

I think the first pop culture character I saw using two weapons was Nasir the Saracen, from the TV series Robin of Sherwood. The use of two weapons showed that the character was exotic and mysterious. It also shoed how skilled he was, because coordinating two weapons is difficult.

 

[rmcoen]

1) I agree that facing a guy wielding two weapons is Intimidating. Showy as all hell.

2) Looking at the recent OneD&D playtest, they changed the Berserker's bonus attack into a bunch of extra damage on his normal attack. TWF could work that way. "When you attack with two weapons and score a hit with your main weapon, add your off-hand damage to your main-hand damage. Only apply your attribute bonus once." Mechanically the same as hitting twice, scales with Extra Attack. Unlike the most recent house rule proposed in this thread, it does the opposite of giving you more chances to hit, though. So I would still keep the "BA off-hand strike". And you can take the feat for +1 AC.

So now the TWF'er is getting increased main-hand damage - but likely not as much as a 2-Hander - and the option for a second weak strike. He sits squarely in the middle of the "sword and board" (d8 & 2 AC) and the "GWM" (2d6, 0 AC) with his rapier-and-dagger (d8+d4, 1 AC).