Why is my character suddenly attacking really slowly?

Solution 1:

There are three types of things that could contribute to this: starting background (what we'd call class in many other games), equipment, and in-game effects. Background isn't going to be the cause here if by "before" you mean "earlier in this game", but I'm including that info just in case.

There are three backgrounds whose attack speed is slower than expected with a Dagger (a fourth, Courtesan, is slower only with two-handed melee weapons):

• Seneschal has extremely slow attack speed
• Architect has diminished attack speed
• Elven Archer is slow with melee weapons

The Seneschal is most likely to create a noticeable difference between how you expected to attack and how you are attacking.

Although you aren't carrying a shield and your follower is, I'll mention this as well: there is a theory that attack speed is affected by anything that has a speed, so for example, that Full Shield may be slowing your follower's attack speed (which would mean something else has a much greater impact on your speed). This thread on the Hinterland forums mentions theories about both damage and attack speed, and it as well as others brings up the possibility of armor/shield/items slowing attack speed.

The one remaining category is in-game effects. Orc Shamans, in particular, will cast some spells that seem to be curses ... but even those don't last particularly long. (It's been a while since I've been poisoned; I believe that does slow you down, but I could be wrong.)

And you are correct - there's no need to keep clicking (or as I used to do, holding down the button). In Hinterland, clicking simply chooses a target, and you'll continue to attack it until it dies or you do.

So ... hard to say, in your case?