In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Eivor starts the game out with an axe in hand. Typically speaking, these are trademark weapons of the Viking people, so it should come as no surprise that they are one of the most common ones available to players during the course of the game. Players aren't restricted to the one-handed axe, though, as they can switch between multiple different weapon types on a whim in their inventory, all of which Eivor is proficient in, thankfully. While the breadth of choices in the game are certainly nice, players would always be happy with more options to play with.
Notably, there are some really common weapons that are completely missing in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and fans want to see them added into the game. Admittedly, it might take a lot of work for Ubisoft to not only add these weapons in but also create new animations for them and balance them against the existing weapons, but in certain cases it seems like it would be worth the effort. This is particularly true of weapons that were historically used very frequently in the time period but are completely skipped over in the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
One-handed Sword
Behind the spear, swords are the most commonly seen weapon throughout history, and they were used a great deal by the Vikings as well. As it stands, the only one-handed swords that players can find in Assassin's Creed Valhalla are those used by the regular enemies that Eivor dispatches with ease. The only way for her to use these weapons is by performing a stun attack on them, during which an animation plays where she takes their sword and runs them through with it. Despite how common they are throughout England, not once does Eivor ever think to pick one up and hold onto it.
The closest that players can get to a typical sword and board type of fighting style is with the Greatsword weapon class, huge two-handed swords that deal heavy damage. With enough investment in the skill tree, players can unlock the heavy dual wield ability that allows them to use two-handed weapons in one hand. With this technique, players can wield a two-handed sword in one hand and a shield in the other, but it still looks odd given the immense size of the weapon. To make matters worse, Greatswords such as this weren't really used historically until the 16th century.
Lances and Mounted Combat
As previously mentioned, spears are often cited as the most common weapon in the world. They are easy to create, simple to use in combat without much training, and effective at what they are meant to do. The lance was another common weapon, typically used by mounted calvary during a charge. Since Eivor and many others find themselves on horseback quite often throughout Assassin's Creed Valhalla, it would be great to see the them pull out a lance for a mounted charge. Despite it not being portrayed often in media, this was a tactic that Vikings used as well.
Even going beyond the use of lances, there's a distinct lack of any kind of mounted combat in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Oddly enough, players are able to fire a bow whilst on horseback, but the best they can do to damage nearby enemies is to kick or punch at them. This is especially strange when attacking another rider, as it would be just as easy to pull out the axe and take a swing as it is to punch or kick the enemy. The lance would be a good way to implement mounted combat, but the ability to swing standard weapons while on horseback would be much appreciated as well. Even Minecraft has mounted combat.
Crossbows
The bow and arrow predate the crossbow by thousands of years, but crossbows have a distinct advantage over its predecessor. Which weapon is more deadly doesn't really matter, as the crossbow is notable for being easy to use. Rather than having to train in the use of archery, crossbowmen could simply aim and pull the trigger and inflict just as much damage. Even outside of this fact, crossbows are typically able to fire bolts that fly much faster than the arrow of a bow.
In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players will encounter an elite enemy type called the Arbalist. These foes take a long time to load their shots, but when they are fired, they fly at high speeds that are very difficult to avoid or block. Judging by their name, it seems these soldiers are making use of an Arbalest, a type of heavy crossbow that typically wasn't used until the 12th century. If these types of weapons can exist within the game, then there's no valid reason why Eivor shouldn't be able to use a crossbow instead of a bow
Halberds, Rapiers, and Other Weapons
Other popular weapons used in games include things like the halberd or rapier, and while these weapons weren't in use during the time of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, that may not be a limiting factor here. Some of the weapons mentioned above that are already in the game didn't see use until much later on in history, and there are likely more examples of non-period weaponry and armor used in the game. If these weapons were to be added, it would likely be to satisfy the "rule of cool," introducing them not for historical value but simply because they are fun.
Another example of this approach being taken in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the use of the flail, a weapon that really didn't see mainstream use until the 13th century. Most players don't really mind seeing these weapons being used in the game purely because they're cool, and the same could go for other weapons. Giving Eivor a one-handed thrusting option like the rapier would be interesting, and halberds and other polearms could serve as quicker two-handed weapons than what is currently available.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X,
