New Offhand Item Ideas

Just plugging a handful of ideas for new offhand items.

Shield:

Just a means of blocking with one handed items that usually resort to parrying or something else entirely. Hold offhand button to block; has a more efficient block meter than two handed guarding. Maybe incorporate a shield bash for attacking while blocking?

Grimoire:

Offhand tool that let's you cast spells in both hands. Has up to 3 spell slots of its own, meaning you have a 6 slot spell wheel between Grimoire and Main hand. These assigned spells are fixed regardless of what is equipped in main hand. Tapping offhand button after preparing a spell stores that spell into the Grimoire, allowing you to switch your spell assigned to main hand item while still being able to cast the stored spell with the offhand button.

Rope Dart:

Tool that can be used for raw damage like the throwing knives but trades range for added functionality. If the offhand button is held and released instead of just tapped, the rope dart will pull whatever enemy you hit with it towards you, or pull you towards them depending on the heft of the target that was struck. Could also be used in traversal, where hitting a surface with a throw will create a tether to swing from until you release it with a jump or cancel, creating another traversal method to use alongside the grapple-and-pull of the climbing picks and glide of the umbrella.

Boomerang:

Tap offhand button to throw in an arc, hold and release for a straight line. The boomerang has the added benefit of sharing weapon enchantments that modify the next few weapon swings like Shockwave and Hermetic Flame, or being throwable while certain offensive spells are prepared to make said spell imbued on the boomerang and hit all enemies in an arc with level 1 effectiveness (like hitting multiple enemies with level 1 immolation imbued on a boomerang, for example). Perhaps even incorporate a bladed version that works as a sickle harvesting tool.

Waystone Shard:

Magic stone contained in metal trim and rings. Hold offhand button to deploy a small dome or shield barrier that blocks projectiles only; melee attacks will still hit. Tap offhand button to shoot a weak homing projectile that has a small chance to temporarily displace an enemy into non-existence. Perhaps add special enchantments that replace the chanced projectile status and/or secondary effect, like one that replaces your shield for a healing beam or weak life drain instead, or a modification that makes projectiles have a small chance of inflicting elemental status.