Quote Originally Posted by Traveler
Pre-rendered graphics in games usually look a lot better than their 3D counterparts.
Wait a minute! If i have a model, a pre-rendered version look exacly like the 3d rendered one (apart from shadows and the like maybe). You are assuming that the pre-rendered model is better than the rendered one. You indeed have more freedom with poligons, but who draws the better models ? You'll need an artist for that.
While a simple low poly model can still look nice in 3d, it would probably be ugly in 2d.

Also, the use of multiple weapons per character seems easier to do in 2d than 3D. If I'm not mistaken, Diablo used a technique where multiple sprites where drawn on top of eachother.
Umm i'm not sure it's easier in 2d. First, you have to do a render cycle for each weapon for each animation. For example 8 direction, 4 animation (walk, attack1, attack2, hit, for example, but they can be more), about 8 frame per animation, gives you 256 frame.
Then, what if two characters have different heights? you should adjust the offset of the weapon for each character and possibly for each animation.

Also, this assumes that every character has the same animation set. If you have different animation, you have still more work.
Instead with 3D you draw a single weapon model, and then just attack it to the hand of the models with some easy mechanism.