Alternate Weapons

I’d like to suggest two items. First, is a shield. It would make combat a little more fun. It could add some extra armor, degrade normally, and able to be used to block an attack and further resist damage from an attack when held up. (crouch?) It can be crafted like this:

[x] [x] [x]
[x] [x] [x]
[o] [x] [o]

The second is a hammer. More damage than the sword and shield combo, but requires both hands to use so it leaves the user more vulnerable. Could be crafted like this:

[x] [x] [x]
[x] [s] [x]
[o] [s] [o]

[x] = wood, stone, iron, diamond, etc.
[o] = empty
[s] = stick

[editor's note: I publish this because I agree with the need for a bigger arsenal of weaponry, and this sticks to the lore very well]