The Left-Handed Dragonborn?

[Ten Foot Bunny]

Apologies in advance for what might be one of the stupidest gripes ever.

You have no idea how excited I was when I first started playing Skyrim and realized I could put a weapon in my left hand. Being left-handed myself, I'm much faster pushing the left trigger (Xbox user here) than the right. Since shielding is more of an exercise in holding down the trigger, I thought that having the shield in the right hand would really enhance my gameplay.

Imagine how disappointed I was to find out that the shield HAD to go into the left hand and a weapon into the right! As a fencer, it never ceases to look odd to me holding a weapon in the right hand, even in video games.

One would think I'd be used to it by now given that I've never seen a first- or third-person perspective game with left-handed weapon use, but Skyrim only let me down given my initial excitement upon playing the introduction for the first time and wielding my weapon in the left hand until I was asked to pick up and equip a shield. "Oh bugger!" my brain shouted at that point. Actually, I might have said it loud too...

So there you have it. Maybe a stupid observation from one of the least-ambidextrous lefties out there, but I couldn't keep this to myself any longer. Did any fellow lefties experience this too?

 

[Nighthiker77]

The Blade of Woe in the left hand is awesome paired with Windshear to stun "block"

You could do it with any left hand weapon, and use Windshear for a right handed "shield" . It is awesome, especially with the dual flurry perks.

 

[Nighthiker77]

What kind of character are you playing? What do you fence with? Way cool

I mainly play with chopping blades now. I have a few really nice wakizashi-inspired toys. Even got to cut my wedding cake with one

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

The Blade of Woe in the left hand is awesome paired with Windshear to stun "block"

You could do it with any left hand weapon, and use Windshear for a right handed "shield" . It is awesome, especially with the dual flurry perks.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll keep that in mind when I get to that point. This is my first-ever playthrough since I was holding out on getting a new computer that could run Skyrim. When I got laid off in July, I abandoned that hope and broke down and bought the Xbox version. As someone who used to mod Morrowind and Oblivion back in their respective days, I REALLY miss doing that with Skyrim, not to mention the unofficial patches!

As for your other questions, I'm playing an Imperial this first time through. That's been my standard with the Elder Scrolls games (except Morrowind, in which I started out with a Khajiit for about half an hour). As for the playstyle, I really couldn't say. I make that crap up as I go along.

In fencing, I go with a standard foil for the most part. Started out when I was in 2nd grade and fell in love with it because I could kick everyone's butt in my class, even the boys! It was a small class and I was the only lefty. I've come to realize through the years that right-handers rarely figure out how to spar against us and that advantage continues to this day. I also like to play with butterfly knives. Unfortunately, that's not a very mobile hobby - people get strangely nervous when you do it in public. Geesh!!

 

[JClarke1953]

I'm a "southpaw" myself, and found that if I wanted to put poison on a weapon, such as a sword or knife, it had to be in my right hand.

But, I did get one-handed advanced while I used my left hand to fight, so....?

 

[Black Ice]

Sucks for you lol (jk) in person I'm surprisingly ambidexterous. I write with the paper upside down with my right hand to multi tasking multiple tasks with just my left hand. My mom called me a science experiment. If you want to use a left handed warrior why not consider dual wielding? By default that's what I do.

Note: I'm surprised people here also have weapons training etc. I own a M-Tech tomahawk & several amry issue knives and a compound bow. I live in a very isolated area with only a few neighbors so I normally am the one they hire and pay to keep pest control down. I'd take my dog and we'd venture into the woods to take care of feral dogs or raccoons etc. I try not to kill them and just scare them away (I got scars from scrapping with a feral ridgeback) but sometimes it isn't enough.

 

[Nighthiker77]

The thing I can't stand on PC is how the left mouse button controls the right hand. I'd switch it around but I read that it causes significant problems instead of working like you'd think it would.

 

[AS88]

I'm a lefty too, and had this exact feeling when a shield was forced into my left hand

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

Glad to know I wasn't the only one, but not exactly "glad," know what I mean?

So Nighthiker, switching the computer configuration to a left-handed mouse pattern doesn't correct this in-game? I'd think that, with the buttons universally reversed from the Control Panel, it might also work out your button dilemma. Or is that what causes the significant problems?

Actually, now that I think of it, that would reverse ALL clicking, like in menus as well. Maybe not such a good suggestion...

 

[Irishman]

Sword in left hand magic in right?
Wards are sorta like shields... hmm maybe not nearly as conveniant
Im right handed but I seriously considered making my left hand dominant in skyrim. One day.

 

[Dabiene Caristiana]

I'm almost always right-handed in everything. Well, what I mean is that my right hand is dominant. Even my legs and fingers.

I always have to use my right foot/leg on the first step down/up a flight of stairs, I always have to go right around the house when I'm going from room to room (going counter-clockwise) I drink in my right hand (even with my pinky up! even with soda cans!), I throw with my right and catch with my left hand and more complex things though, is with my right hand.

HOWEVER, one thing that gets me, is I hold my compact bow with my right hand and shoot with my left. This is probably due to the reason that most of the time I went in for an eye exam my right eye was usually dominant. (Although I have poor eyesight) Another reason is I feel I have more control with my feet and arms when shoot left-handed.

As for sword and shield (I have played as a little girl with wooden swords and shields with friends, being a tom boy) I always have my shield in my left and sword in my right. I think this is due to having my right foot back to steady myself if I blocked with my shield, and could push myself forward and give leverage on a strike with my left.

When I played basketball years ago I always had my right foot back when make a shot, my left being the 'jumper' and I would have my right safely help me land back down. I also balance better on my right than left.

I can't imagine shooting right handed with a bow and even using a shield in my right. Right arm is for strength and endurance and left is for leverage and focus. At least for me. I wish I could have the ability to shoot with you left hand in skyrim. Just like you want to use left for sword, right for shield.

I mean, it's your character, how are you suppose to roleplay your character on a ROLEPLAYING GAME, if you cannot equip and use your items/weapons the way you want to that defines your character? Seems silly to me.

 

[Black Orchid]

I'm kinda surprised the Skyrim devs didn't take left-handed users into consideration when they were making the game.
I agree with Nighthiker, though, as using Windshear in your left hand is an awesome replacement for a shield.

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

I'm kinda surprised the Skyrim devs didn't take left-handed users into consideration when they were making the game.
I agree with Nighthiker, though, as using Windshear in your left hand is an awesome replacement for a shield.

Oh trust me... any time we lefties find ANYTHING that takes us into consideration, it's like winning the lottery on Christmas Day.

I'm going to do this Windshear trick once I get it. Only just started the DB quests so hopefully it'll be soon.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I say ambidextrous! Duel wield anything! (you can do it with almost everything EXCEPT shields. I pretty much that way in real life. I shoot both right & left on my bows or pistols (although I do favor the right on a rifle. In the game, I almost always have the melee weapon on the right and a spell or staff in the left, but, when it comes to wards, I always have it in the right. Weird!