Shield or dual wield

[Kuurus]

... The only foes that give me any amount of grief nowadays are high-tier dragons and magic users, and blocking would be useless against the latter, anyway...

...Still, the shield bashing sounds cool, I might have to make a sword n' board character someday just to try it out.

That's not completely true. The elemental protection perk in the blocking tree gives 50% protection versus fire, frost and shock. Combine that with the block runner perk that allows you to move at regular speed with a raised shield, and closing the gap to mages is no issue at all. I love doing this and then bashing them in the face with the shield when I get there, putting a stop to their silly casting.

I made my first character 1H and shield just because I have always played dual wielding damage dealers going back to my EQ rogue and figured for once, I would try something different. I love it so far. On my next character, I will probably go back to my dual wielding assassin type.

 

[Gore gro-Gijakudob]

Blocking is for vaginas. Dual wield that pl***

Duel wielding is for vaginas. 2 handed weapon that pl***

 

[Straumgald]

The elemental protection doesn't seem to do that much to me. I still go against casters that drop me in two hits, which is really hard when you can barely close the distance on them as is. Once my block hits 100 I am sure it will be easy to just bowl them over then destroy them. Sword and board is a fun play style, I just wish they made shields more powerful.
On "Deadliest Warriors" the Spartans got like 450/1000 kills with the shield. There should be a different shield attack. Power bash is good, but you should be able to do a overhand like attack, where you hit with the edge instead of the middle. Watch 300 again if you don't know what I mean.
The solid edge of an ebony shield should do more damage than my 1h weapon. Damage should be calculated off base armor or something (unless it is?).

I've done both dual wield and 2h. Honestly dual wield is too powerful later on, I kill ancient dragons on master in 3 DW power attacks using dragonbane and a blades sword! Upgraded daedric swords would be almost double the damage, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Ordo]

I'm gonna go with 2-handed. Never had to block once in the game, and I'm at 42 now, kicking ass and taking names. With heavy armor @ 100 and a full suit of enchanted daedric armor (enchanted WITHOUT the exploit loop), survival doesn't depend on hiding behind a shield or even parrying with a weapon. The only foes that give me any amount of grief nowadays are high-tier dragons and magic users, and blocking would be useless against the latter, anyway. Besides, 2-handed is vastly better in Skyrim than it was in Oblivion where it felt almost gimped and frustratingly slow.

Still, the shield bashing sounds cool, I might have to make a sword n' board character someday just to try it out.

That's about the same as my build, full Enchanted Daedric Armor and Daedric Warhammer, Two-handed, Smithing, Enchanting, and Heavy Armor all lv. 100 without using Oghma Infinium.

 

[Kuurus]

The elemental protection doesn't seem to do that much to me. I still go against casters that drop me in two hits, which is really hard when you can barely close the distance on them as is. Once my block hits 100 I am sure it will be easy to just bowl them over then destroy them. Sword and board is a fun play style, I just wish they made shields more powerful.

I find that timing is very important. It's not a passive skill that just gives the resists because the shield is equipped. You need to actively block the spell/damage with the shield, and that has to happen before you start to take any damage at all. Even though the animation of you being engulfed in fire may be a few seconds long, you are not blocking any of it if you got the shield up half a second late - the spell has already hit you.

I raise the shield the second I realize there's a caster to be dealt with and then advance. And again, having the block runner perk is a big help as you can move at normal speed with it raised. If you don't have it and are moving at half speed because the shield is raised, well in the end you will take just as much damage because even though it's halved, you would be taking it for twice as long until you reached them. (I hope that makes sense.)

Unless I am caught by surprise, or there is more than one caster with the damaging spells coming from different directions, I find the elemental protection extremely effective. A single caster presents no problems at all for me.

 

[Gore gro-Gijakudob]

Ah, but did you ever see that slow-mo war-hammer block/decapitation. Nothing beats it I'm afraid. I am currently mastered at 2 handed weapons and experimenting with dual wielding (Scimitars are boss) and am finding it tough! I got so used to the block/smash technique. It is a single player game but I'm pretty sure if it wasn't a character with a big two handed weapon would cave in any duel handed specialist. Two handers can block them at will, dual weapon fighters have to eat the biscuit every time.

 

[theminstrels]

I have played all three styles and I prefer the two handed.

 

[Gore gro-Gijakudob]

I have played all three styles and I prefer the two handed.

Yep, me too, the problem with shields is not stats, it's practical, you are essentially blind while blocking. A two handed weapon allows you to block while seeing your opponent at every time. Sure it isn't as effective as shield blocking but at the same time, you only need to go halfway up the blocking tree. Glad to meet a fellow two-hander. "The Gods gave you two hands, and you use them both for your weapon. I can respect that."

 

[conchvegas]

I find duel wielding awkward. I get a lot more pleasure out of shield bashing someone, and my shield is enchanted as well, antishock and what not, so it stands up against Frost and FUS RO DAH.

 

[Gore gro-Gijakudob]

I find duel wielding awkward. I get a lot more pleasure out of shield bashing someone, and my shield is enchanted as well, antishock and what not, so it stands up against Frost and FUS RO DAH.

Plus you can enchant a shield with to resistance to magic, which is very useful for a warrior. I still get my ass handed to me by mages every now and again.

 

[Necromis]

Yes but Elemental protection perk along with spellbreaker is sweeeeet.

 

[SaveVsBedWet]

Two handed is way too slow for me and takes up way too much of my stamina. It also prevents me from casting spells.

All my stuff is Daedric except one Ebony Sword of Terror (or something scary) which oddly enough does higher damage than my Daedric stuff including my mace. I dual wield axes and swords, maces and axes, daggers and either of the other two. My favorite is Mehrune's Razor in my left hand and my health draining frost and fear dealing war axe, which I named Indrid Cold, in my right. Foes go down like the Dow Jones average, and quickly. Frequently Instagibbed. Put one on the shortcut menu along with healing, perk Restoration up so it restores Stamina and Magicka as well as health, and you're good to go.

There is nothing more powerful than attacking with 4 different enchantments plus the base damage from two Daedric Weapons - especially when you've perked up your dual wield and have the increased critical perk for swords too. And if you add that shout that pegs your dual wield speed too? Ugh.

Used to use the shield and one handed weapon, but after about level 30 I started leaving it at home.

 

[TaranTatsuuchi]

...
Still, the shield bashing sounds cool, I might have to make a sword n' board character someday just to try it out.

You can make use of bashing with a 2-handed weapon or a single 1-handed weapon, even the bash perks iirc.

 

[sml-2727]

Shields are for pussies.

I thought Heavy Armor was for pussies...

 

[Necromis]

I run around in underwear with just an iron dagger, like real men in Skyrim do. Don't need no stinking heavy armour, shield or dual weapon.

 

[xaraan]

I loved duel wielding when I first started playing, the idea of it is so cool; but when I started using a shield I almost can't turn back. Especially when you get some shield perks and can block elemental attacks, arrows, move fast with it raised, etc. Bash and slash takes 'em out everytime and I'm less hurt than when I duel wield by the end of it all. Probably unless I want to use a two handed weapon I'll always use sword and shield now instead of two weapons.

 

[Mystalvision]

...the problem with shields is not stats, it's practical, you are essentially blind while blocking..."

In first person combat. Third person is generally harder, but when it comes to shields, it's the prefered viewpoint. In fact, all those who are unsatisfied with the game's difficulty should consider third person combat.

 

[Teritus]

I'm gonna go with 2-handed. Never had to block once in the game, and I'm at 42 now, kicking ass and taking names. With heavy armor @ 100 and a full suit of enchanted daedric armor (enchanted WITHOUT the exploit loop), survival doesn't depend on hiding behind a shield or even parrying with a weapon. The only foes that give me any amount of grief nowadays are high-tier dragons and magic users, and blocking would be useless against the latter, anyway. Besides, 2-handed is vastly better in Skyrim than it was in Oblivion where it felt almost gimped and frustratingly slow.

Still, the shield bashing sounds cool, I might have to make a sword n' board character someday just to try it out.

Using a shield still works against mages. You just have to get the 'Elemental Block' perk or whatever, and it gives you a certain resistance to magic attacks.

 

[Laird Wingate]

I've played with just about every skill set in the game (I obsessively create new characters) and when it comes to melee I take two-handed or dual-wielding over blocking every time. Blocking is an unnecessary time-waster. True, it raises your defense; but if you are aggressive and fast you don't need to worry about defense. You simply annihilate the enemy forces in a systematic and thorough manner.

 

[Gore gro-Gijakudob]

I've played with just about every skill set in the game (I obsessively create new characters) and when it comes to melee I take two-handed or dual-wielding over blocking every time. Blocking is an unnecessary time-waster. True, it raises your defense; but if you are aggressive and fast you don't need to worry about defense. You simply annihilate the enemy forces in a systematic and thorough manner.

Aggressive and fast is a sure way to die. Blocking involves anticipating an opponent's attacks and hitting hard, it is a warrior's way. Dual wielding is like a little girl having a tantrum. And I very much enjoy being attacked by them so I can watch them scratch at me before my warhammer removes their head