Best Enchantments for Duel Wielding

[Arrow Slinger]

Hello,

I am primarily an Archer type player (Wood Elf), but am beginning to explore dual wielding weapons as a back up for when enemies rush me. I am in light armor that rates about 200 for the total worn set. (Mixed set, but going to work on it)

I was thinking of dual wielding either two hand axes or two maces. Which enchantments would be the best on these? I was thinking of Absorbing Health on one and Frost Damage (for the little slowness it gives them) on the other?

For the rest of you who dual wield, what do you have on yours?

 

[ShadowGambit]

I would say Absorb health and Paralyze on 1 weapon, Absorb Stamina and Fear on the other.

The purpose is to gain time and to put distance between you and your enemies so you can use your bow.

 

[Streets]

By the sounds of it, you don't have 100 Enchanting with the final perk, so only one effect per weapon for you? I have similar ideas to ShadowGambit about Absorb Health, Paralyze, and Absorb Stamina. I would put Absorb Health on both weapons, and Paralyze and Absorb Stamina as secondary effects. If indeed you do have a low level of Enchanting, you can get away with putting Absorb only 1 Stamina on one weapon (lots more charges), because you can power attack as long as you have 1 Stamina point.

Some may say Absorb Stamina is pointless because you can instead eat Vegetable Soup, which gives you 1 Stamina per second for 12 minutes. If you are also into Destruction, the 50% bonus damage perks also apply to Elemental damage on your weapons, with this, you can get 81 Fire and 81 Frost damage on one weapon. Furthermore, if you wear armor that is Enchanted for 100% Destruction cost reduction, you will never have to charge your weapons (except Paralyze, which would require 100% Alteration reduction).

Daggers swing the fastest of all the One Handed weapons, so if you want to deliver more strikes with your Enchantments in a lesser amount of time, use them, or at least Swords.

You can carry a dagger with Soul Trap or Fiery Soul Trap so every once in a while you can finish foes with this weapon to keep your other weapons recharged.

 

[Fighter Hayabusa]

I vote none. I like the dual wield/ elemental fury shout combo, although I am reluctant to use it myself because it seems too strong. The suggested vegetable soup from the above poster^ is great advice also.

 

[Hildolfr]

I agree with the advice ShadowGambit and Streets have given you. I think what they're saying is ideal for dual wielding. I especially like the idea of using Fear since you're primarily an archer. Fear will send your enemies fleeing and easy to take down.

However, I really want to echo what Fighter Hayabusa was saying with ditching the enchantments and instead relying on the Elemental Fury Shout, especially if you want to use two-handed or dual maces. You'll do so much damage, so quickly, that opponents fall like chopped wood.

I, personally, prefer using Elemental Fury rather than enchantments. I started out using dual swords with enchantments and what-not, but by end game, I had switched to dual daggers with the Shout. My blades were a blur and I was like, "Well, aren't I a badass?"

 

[Streets]

I'd like to agree with both of these gentlemen about the Elemental Fury shout. The first level of the shout is incredibly easy to get

Spoiler

just to the northeast of Meridia's Shrine out in the open

and yes it does make a huge difference in damage output.

Perhaps eventually you can have a set of enchanted weapons, and a set of unenchanted for Elemental Fury-ing.

 

[Arrow Slinger]

To be honest I haven't tried the Elemental Fury yet (even though I have it)

And I haven't tried the Fear yet. Mainly because I have two (staff and spell) that says "Causes enemies up to Level XXX to flee", but I am unsure of what that level is? How can you tell an enemy level?

 

[The Twitchy Cat]

And I haven't tried the Fear yet. Mainly because I have two (staff and spell) that says "Causes enemies up to Level XXX to flee", but I am unsure of what that level is? How can you tell an enemy level?

I think their level is the same as yours.

 

[Streets]

How can you tell an enemy level?

Basically you have to use the UESP and the Wiki to research what level things are if you are on console, or trial and error. For instance, Bandits:

The list for their scaling is this Bandits (Skyrim) - The Elder Scrolls Wiki

Level 1 - Bandit
Level 5 - Bandit Outlaw
Level 9 - Bandit Thug
Level 14 - Bandit Highwayman
Level 19 - Bandit Plunderer
Level 25 - Bandit Marauder
Level 28 - Bandit Chief

If you are on PC, you can bring up the console and use getlevel command to see what the level is of a specific baddie.

Also, you won't get much effect from the Fear spell if you don't level up your Illusion and put perks into it. If you do decide to go the Illusion route, the least skill and perk heavy effect is the Calm spell.

You can take the basic Calm spell, use the Kindred Mage perk (40 skill, and you take Animage on the way), use the Hypnotic Gaze perk (30 skill), and use the Dual Casting perk (20 skill). Calm goes up to level 9 on its own. Add in Kindred (+10 levels) and Hypnotic (+8 levels), and you can hit level 27 humans, and level 25 animals.

A Dual Casted Calm spell (mind you, this only takes 40 Illusion skill and 5 open perks, so by your level 6 you can be doing this), 2.2 times the spell magnitude, meaning you can now hit level 59 humans and level 55 animals! The drawback is that undead, automatons, etc. are not influenced by this until Master of the Mind which comes much later at 90 Illusion skill.

 

[Ritterkreuz]

For Duel Enchanting I always go with a Fiery Soul Trap for one, and then the other is always a bit of a guessing game. Many times I go with shock damage. By using fiery soul trap though you essentially get two enchantments for the price of one. Plus the fire damage stays the same, only the number of seconds on the soul trap decrease if you increase the number of hits the enchantment is good for. It's a win-win situation since you only need one second in the vast majority of cases.