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So I've seen a lot of people asking what weapons they should unlock to begin with and what armor should they use, here are some of my personal thoughts and suggestions. I don't really do archery so good luck on that front lol, also leaving out support stuff like toolbox and repair things as well as perks.
TL;DR: Poleaxe / Greatsword / Longsword + a dagger, Bandages and/or Tenacious.
Weapons overview-
1 - 2 pointers:
These weapons can be amazing backup weapons/sidearms, think of them like your pistol in an FPS. You don't wanna run these as a primary, but they're great for if you're disarmed, need to throw something, or if you're trying to land the final hit. Since they cost 1 point you can easily incorporate them into most loadouts. Unless you're min-maxing a specific loadout combo (maul+bloodlust for example) there's really no reason to not grab one of these, just in case you need it. Using these weapons in big battles for extended periods of time will probabaly get you killed, as each have serious drawbacks.
1 - Dagger
This is actually one of my favorite weapons in the game. It has the fastest draw time, does 40 damage if you stab heavy helmets, and can be used as a finisher amazingly well when paired with other slow/primaries that can d0 60+ damage in a single hit. Downsides are bad stamina game and short range.
1 - Cleaver
I don't use it often, but the cleaver is terrifying. It does insane damage for a 1-point weapon and is mega-fast, but has like 0 range. Can be good for certain situations but like I said, not too much experience with it.
1 - Shortsword
The shortsword is a good all-rounder for use as a backup, being a bit slower and a bit longer than the dagger but relatively similar in other aspects. I prefer dagger over the shortsword unless I'm using a weapon that is bad in 1v1 scenarios, such as the halberd which is more of a support weapon.
1 - Quarterstaff
The quarterstaff is a decent weapon if you're running a bow, as it's long and super-fast, but does very little damage. Being a blunt weapon you're not going to be able to deal with multiple opponents at all (blunt weapons stop when hitting enemies), so it's best suited for dealing with that one guy that sneaks up on you, or delaying until teammates arrive.
2 - Arming Sword
The AS is pretty much the shortsword but longer, and is overall better in the same situations (backup for big weapons). It's slightly better at stabbing than slashing, although 2 hits to naked legs will result in a kill. I typically use this most often when I have a spear as my primary.
2 - Axe
The axe can really slap people, doing surprisingly good damage. The blunt-damage 'poke' is weak but fast and can be good for flinching enemies or used as a mixup with the slower, damaging slashes.
2- Warhammer
As a new player, I wouldn't recommend this as one of your first purchases. It's kind of long and very fast, but is primarily a headshot-based weapon. The alt mode (spike) deals something around 70 or so damage to heavy helms, but if you don't land headshots it is very unforgiving, asa chest hits do dramatically less damage. Since both ends are technically blunt, you have very few options when fighting multiple people, but it is decent at singling out heavy boys if they're alone.
3-4 Point weapons:
These weapons can be used as backups in some loadouts, or as primary one-handers. They tend to excel in 1v1 situations but their lack of reach can hurt them when in large battles.
3 - Falchion (pocket zweihander)
It's pretty much a shorter zwei. This thing can be brutally effective and deals tons of damage to most armor tiers. While not as effective at killing armor as blunt weapons it can still hold its own, and has great drags and attack manipulation in general, with ok-ish reach.
4 - Mace (pocket eveningstar)
Mace = scary. It two shots heavy armor to the chest, but is pretty slow and relatively short, and of course it's a blunt weapon. It's effective, but I find it hard to add to a loadout as it's too short for my tastes as a primary, and rather expensive as a secondary. YMMV. That being said using one of these properly can give you the upper hand over someone in full heavy with a less specialized weapon.
4- Rapier
Fast and super weak on stabs, good with thrusts. The raiper can be used in big battles but you don't want to run into the middle of them. It's great at finishing wounded enemies or overwhelming people on their own, but the overall amount of hits-to-kill (HTK) on heavier armor hamper it for extended engagements.
4 - Bastard Sword
The BS is one of the best dueling weapons in the game, and while not ideal when facing halberds or spears in big fights, it is still viable. The BS does decent damage and can be used 1-or-2-handed, with 2h possessing the same damage but having longer timings which can help with mixups. Think of it as a more versatile, less specialized rapier.
4- Short Spear
The short spear is one of the longest 1h weapons available, and is great when paired with buckler/shield. The stab is powerful and relatively fast, but the main attraction is the laser-beam throw. Hitting R will enter a long throw windup period (longer than other weapons that can be thrown) but the upside is the great projectile speed and damage it deals. Pairing this with Huntsman guarantees 1-shots on archers, and since you don't have a quiver you take less damage from them.
5-6 Point weapons:
These are the middle-grounders. They're awesome primaries for both dueling and team fights, although they usually tend to slightly favor duels as they're faster and shorter than some of the bigger boys.
5 - Longsword
This is the most versatile weapon in the game. With the right attacks every person can be killed with 3 hits maximum, and 2-shots are common on medium-ish builds as well. It's fast enough to contend with the speed weapons like rapier etc, has enough range to deal with polearms if you're careful, can drag very well, and has decently good stamina values. The alt mode (MORDHAU) can also deal 60 damage to a plate helmet, and then 40 to heavy chest, meaning a 2-shot kill. Mordhau grip is fast (especially the pokes) but short. Only weapon with righly-ending powers.
5 - Messer
The Messer is probably the best bastard weapon, as it can be used 1h/2h. Evaporates light-armor users and has amazing drags and slash damage, but is a bit more unwieldy when compared to the Longsword, and its stabs are slightly lacking.
5 - Billhook (budget polearm)
The billboi is the only weapon that can dismount riders, and is pretty damn good for what it's worth. It also has negative knockback, so it pulls enemies towards you rather than away. Slashes aren't great against heavy armor, but its stabs deal good damage for its speed. I would recommend this it you're an archer/cav/polearm hunter, as you will typically have an advantage over them equipment wise. A good and unique polearm for less points.
5 - War axe
Not too familiar with the new version, but it's a heavy-damaging and unique axe. Like other axes the stab is weak but fast, and it packs a massive munch with the slash. The length can be an issue so get aggressive. The combo is pretty fast which can help when trying to quickly end someone. Eventually will be able to be thrown for mega soul-crushing damage.
6 - Battleaxe
A more well-rounded war axe, It's slightly weaker, faster and longer; but it's no slouch. 2 shots are common on most armor classes, and can decimate lightly armored enemies. Its alt mode is what I like to call "t-rex arms" - very short and fast, with decently good damage. It can also destroy wooden objects very well, so I enjoy using this in tight areas or when attacking lots of fortifications. It's great when attacking the castle on Grad, for example.
6 - Estoc (BIG spike)
Estoc is one of my favorite dueling weapons, as it's long, fast and can 2-shot heavy heads. It's not as useful in team modes, as the slashes are pretty weak (although fast) but can be put to good use as long as you're not trying to fight three guys at the same time. Alt mode is pretty much identical to the longsword (mordhau grip). This can really lay the hurt on singled out enemies.
7-8 Point weapons:
These are the bread and butter of team fights, and can be used in pretty much any situation, although you might start to see some issue arise when fighting things like the rapier or other speedy weapons.
7 - Maul (death incarnate)
Only weapon in the game that can one shot anything and everything, anytime, anywhere. Aim for the head and enjoy bits of skull flying around in nice little red mists :) The maul is the most min-maxed weapon in the game - while it has insane damage capabilities it's slow as hell and very short. It's one of the weapons that can't combo either, which means that if you miss you're completely vulnerable to enemy attacks, and missing happens often due its miserable reach. The feints and drags are good, and it also has something no other weapon comes near to it in, which you won't find in the stats page: the ability to create FEAR. Since it can one shot you, its feints are just plain scary, and you might be able to use that to your advantage. All in all the Maul is an all-or-nothing weapon; either you will murder everyone or be punsihed super hard, as it isn't very forgiving. Oh and you can do this with it:
https://www.twitch.tv/jaxpc/clip/VainArborealMarrowStrawBeary
7- Poleaxe (v e r s a t i l i t y)
FH meme aside, it really is insanely versatile. 2 shot stab to heavy heads, will 1-to- 3-shot anything, the axe side is long and versatile, and the blunt side is great against singled-out heavy boys. You really can't go wrong with this weapon at all, and it's super forgiving. The range on the normal mode will definitely help when you're still learning the movement speed and reach of weapons too. Like I said, you cannot go wrong using this. I'd pair it with a dagger.
7 - Greatsword (it's really great)
The GS is like a baby zwei, or a big LS. The normal mode is great in team fights, and the alt mode (halfswording) is perfect in smaller engagements. Focus on using a good mix of slashes and stabs in the long mode, and use stabs primarily in the halfsword grip, as they're faster than normal and do the same damage. Another weapon that is extremely versatile and forgiving.
8 - Bardiche (long chop)
The bardiche is just a massive piece of pain on a long stick. It will decimate medium and light armor easily and pack a big punch on heavy. The stab is okay, but isn't super damaging, especially against heavy armor. Upside is that it's decently quick. The alt mode is an extended (unbalanced) grip, which can't combo and has more server miss penalties to your stam, but is great ina supporting role.
8 - Eveningstar (better maul)
The ES can't one shot, but in normal situations you will find that it's much more forgiving and versatile. Stabs are good, but its strength lies in being able to 2-shot with strikes/ strike + stab headshot, and it does so with the ability to combo and not be as slow as the maul. Alt mode is alright, with a mega-stab that is pretty slow but powerful, but I would recommend sticking to using it in its normal mode. I would say that this is probably the best weapon in-game at the moment, however I wouldn't recommend it as your first custom weapon - due to it being blunt. You can definitely make it work (especially with its knockback) but you're probably better off using a weapon that has at least one bladed option until you get the hang of positioning.
10-11 Points
These are the support weapons, more or less. They can do ok in duels or facing faster opponents, but you have to approach fights much more carefully and be aware of their limitations. Range management, footwork and positioning make these weapons shine.
10 - Spear
The spear is the longest waepon in the game, and if used properly can be outright silly. The insane range on it can let you dart around and stab people for miles away, without them being able to fight back at all. Throwing a stab and then putting a teammate in between you and them will force your enemy to deal with your teammate. When this happens, wait for them to start an attack or get busy and do it again for the kill. The normal mode should only be used when you've got friends around, as it can't combo, is slow, and has terrible stabs. The alt-mode is serviceable in 1v1's as it's much faster and slashes aren't completely terrible, but you should try to avoid them if possible. TLDR for this weapon - long with friends, short when solo.
10 - Zweihander
This thing just shreds. Massive range and good damage make it great when darting between enemies, and the timings make it a very deceptive weapon. The downside is that most of its power comes from the damage combined with range, yet it's slow; what this means is that when you're up against someone using, for example, a longsword, you might need to switch to the halfsword grip, negating the main advantage of the sword. That being said, it's still good in most scenarios, you just need to make sure you're getting the timing down.
11 - Halberd (spear on crack)
The hally is a shorter and more damaging spear, more or less. The range-damage ratio on this thing is insane, and you can decimate people from a safe distance rather easily. There are downsides, though. First is that it's got a long mode, and a longer mode. While you can combo in the normal grip, you may often find yourself having a speed disadvantage when fighting nearly any other weapon. Changing to the longer mode makes it even slower and more damaging, but you lose the combo ability. This means you need to carry a sidearm often, and as the most expensive weapon in the game this means you'll be using 12 points on weapons alone, leaving you with very little for armor.
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Armor
There are a few basic guidelines that will help you die less, at least in my opinion.
- if you're wearing chest armor, wear a helmet of some kind.
Wearing 6 points of heavy armor on you chest and legs is kind of defeated if you can get -tapped by an arming sword. - You will take chest hits the most.
Your arms are part of your chest hitbox, and are almost always in the way of incoming attacks. It's important to cover your head and legs to some extent, but try to get good chest protection if you can. - Normalize hit-to-kill (HTK) across your three hitboxes.
Like point #1, having a severely underportect area on your body will make you an easy kill for an enemy who is aware of this. Wearing a heavy chest and head but no leg armor will mean an arming sword or almost any weapon can 2-shot your legs. Certain weapons will still kill you in +/-1 hits as they simply do more damage, but you should avoid having different armor pieces that are more than 2 tiers apart. Min-maxing loadouts might break this rule, but it's really more of a guideline anyways. - Legs take less damage, if you need to skimp on armor do it here.
- Medium chest is generally worse than heavy.
A lot of big/specialized weapons 2 shot medium chests. I would only wear this if you're ok with getting 2-shotted in most situations, so light head/medium chest/no legs would be okay with this unless you're going up against massive choppy weapons.
Some good combinations I've figured out:
(The numbers mean the tier of the armor going from head down to legs)
232 - good all-rounder. You typically will take 3 shots to kill, sometimes more if leg hits are involved, sometimes less when hit in the head with certain weapons, but it does the job.
120 - cheap light class
You'll die in two hits, sometimes less, but it works alright, especially when loading up on perks and weapons.
131 - budget build, but effective
You'll get one shot to the head by things like the zwei, but you keep decent mobility and are usually 2-3 HTK without any pesky headshots. Great compromise for using a big weapon and trying to still be fast.