I was thinking .... Shields should probably reduce attack speed (the tradeoff would be slightly higher defense and a "parry chance")

"Parry chance" would be X% of the time, the physical attack is automatically blocked without any need for further rolls. This chance would be at least doubled vs incoming ranged attacks.

well, of course shields should be only usable with 1H weapons and most polearms.

Still, it'd be nice if shields gave an attack speed decrease, so that the only way to maximise attack speed (unless your stats were through the roof) would be to use a 1H weapon without a shield.

Plus, a blanket 20-30% parry chance to auto-block each ranged attack (ignoring attack value), as well as a 5-10% parry chance for melee attacks from the front or diagonal. (with 2-5% for the sides).

Not entirely true. Bucklers are small shields that attach to the forearm. You don't need to hold it in your hand, so you can use whatever two handed item you want and still wear one. (or two).

well, spears would still be faster without a shield (because you could also use it as a staff), but yea, you can use a shield with em.

Just saying that some pole-arms couldn't be used with a shield, while most can be either 1H or 2H. Meanwhile pure staff-combat weapons wouldn't have a spearpoint, so couldn't use a shield.

Although ... a Lance pretty much just has one use with or without a shield .... which is a couched attack using momentum.

I mean, have you tried to NOT use a horse and still attack with a lance? Your pathetically slow, and the only think you "might" accomplish is to de-horse an opponent ... yet good luck with that, you'd have to cripple the horse somehow or stab its neck.

But yea, its impossible to parry with a lance ... and its incredibly slow (its only attack is momentum based), and you can ONLY attack an opponent from 10 feet away. If they get any closer your dead.

Conclusion?? Lances should be only usable while riding a horse. Or maybe they have a base 2 attack and get +10 attack on horseback, and +30 attack on a charge (moving X tiles in one direction, while on a Mount)

A lance is an extremely long spear, rather heavy, extremely slow.

The point is, its the worst weapon to have on foot, and one of the best to have on horseback assuming you have PLENTY of room to maneuver (like a square kilometer).

Meanwhile, most normal spears are relatively light enough that you can swing over your head, and use relatively close-combat maneuvers.

i reckon if your  character got a feat that allowed the 2h to be a one hander then thats fine

Most Throwing spears where disigned to brake off at the tip, thus the enamy couldnt rip it out and throw it back

Haven't checked if this is still true in .98, but in the prior version you could equip a bow and a shield, but then you couldn't shot the bow.  Nasty surprise going into combat.

Anyway, I'd vote for a system of 1-or-2 handed weapons, with shields permitted only with the 1-handed ones.  Bows should be (consistently) 2-handed.  Ideally some 1-hand weapons would permit one in each hand, but that's not a biggie to me.