I also don't buy the argument that you need to FORCE your players to change the weapons. If the combat depth was satisfying enough I would change the weapons by myself, whenever I found fit
I have 4 different playtroughs in Elden Ring only for the sake of exploring different builds and see how I could learn to fight with different weaponry, and mind you it's an insanely hard game where weapon mastery is a need and change every playing decision when you're exploring the overwold or beating a dungeon
What is nice is there I can star and finish the game with just upgraded versions of the same weapons, the game do not force me to relearn how to fight. It's me who likes to see how fun would be to test intelligence, faith, arcane or strength builds. If someone only wants to beat the game using a broadsword, they can. If they want to try knives, bows, lances, huge shields, they can. If they want to lurk at snipe enemies with magic, they can. And everything is up to the player
This is good design
