perhaps...
but I think it gives you a lot more manueverability, or diversity.
It allows you to change around characters, and make them best suited for different situations.
They are also of different weapon classes, so I guess that makes things a little less cluttered.
Note Extreme Abundance of Long swords compared with Bastard Swords
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"Watch your back" -
Sylent
Master Thief of the OHF