Whenever I'm using two weapons, it seems like my swing rate is just as fast using either weapon by itself or rotating between the two. Do you dual-wielders swing with one hand and then the other, or do you only hit both buttons at once?

I tried to play as a barbarian dualwielder. It was terribly frustrating. I'm now playing an Orc wielding a two handed axe, and the difference is astonishing.
They implemented a crappy dual wield system, so bad it's actually as if there was no dual wileding option at all. Subpar if compared to sword+board or a two hander.

I typically swing one after the other, unless I need to stagger someone quickly, at which point I use a power attack.

It may not be optimal but I dual wield (unarmed) like a boxer, I jab constantly and when I need a power attack I throw the Khajiit overhand right, it looks cool but it isn't as effective as being a 2Her

This is what felt intuitive to me as well. It just seems like you could do exactly the same thing with just one weapon and still have the same timing. I'm sure that dual-wielding perk helps, but that's pretty far up the 1-hand tree.

Dual wield does FAR more damage then 2h. Roughly twice as much on every power attack.

How you dual wield? You press, always, both attack buttons at the same time. Thats how you initiate the dual wield power attack.
Even fast attacks, press both at the same time for a dual wield fast attack.

pressing left then right adds NO speed at all, and you get no benefit from any perks.
The flurry perk ONLY affects the dual wield power attack (press left and right trigger simultanious) and the +50% dual wield power attack damage bonus is ONLY on the same.


Doing left then right, you have no extra speed and might as well go sword and shield.

The flurry perk in dual wield tree ONLY affects the speed of your Dual wield power attack. Its called Flurry of blows.
You basically hit 4 times, in very rapid speed. And EVERY attack hits as much as a normal power attack. It does insane damage.
Add in the +35% flurry speed and later the +50% dual wield power attack damage bonus. Thats when you do double 2h damage btw.
Using this with swords, you do a full flurry attack, with 4 power attacks, FASTER then a 2h user even connects his first power attack.

Even none power attacks you must use the double attack for it to work.
The decapotation using dual wield is easiest the most gory one of them all. I wont spoil it but its....not for kids.

My suggestion: do NOT go dual wield. Cause honestly, the damage is overpowered. Its not properly thought through.
Once you have the last perk for Dual wield, +50% power attack damage bonus, which is cumulative with the +25% standing power attack bonus and even with the charging attack bonus.
You simply do too much damage.
Sure, you have no defence, but nothing hits you.
Im generally playing on expert, and on Expert Im 1 shotting giants at my lvl, lvl 31. I have zero enchantments, but I do have blacksmithing at 100. But I have not made myself some extraordinair stuff, its pure legendary.

You do take alot of damage as dual wielder but to be honest, less then 2h users and even less then sword and shield users, due to your killing spree.
But restoration is your friend for sure.

For maximum effect, play an Orc for berserker rage.
I went heavy armor but wish I went light for the +50% stamina reg. Besides, I woould not mind taking more damage since atm my damage with around 400 armor means I dont take that much.
I love dual wield though, its very good and cool, but again, past lvl 10 I dont recomend playing on adept any longer, unless you face a frost or elder dragon and have enough of being 1 shotted by their breahts:-)

My next character is going mage I think, or archer. mage damage seems to be perfectly balanced. Melee is a little overpowered currently.

Yeah, many people don't realize that if you press down both mouse buttons at once you'll do a 'double' attack with your two weapons, which does quite a bit of damage. Your power attacks are also very strong.

For myself, I kind of adjusted myself to a more finessed style of play, where I go in and slice with my right hand, and follow up with a cut from the left, if they blocked the first one, and then I back away to avoid any counterattacks for repeating. It actually works pretty well, and feels like a more natural style of play than trying to do your double attack again and again and again.

Thats cause you was not using dual wield attacks. Which re quire you to press both buttons at once.
2h is better then using dual wield and using left power attack, then right power attack.
But the dual wield power attack hits the target and targets around you, 4 times. In the same speed it takes a 2h to power attack once.
With the perks later, dual wield does around twice as much damage as 2h and attacks even faster.

Dual wield is too powerful though.

Stay with 2h cause it makes the game a little more realistic and you feel powerful but not overpowered.
Or, go 1h + shield, or go mage.

I dont recomend people going dual wield unless you stay away from smithing and enchanting. Even smithign alone causes it to do too much.
if you stay away from all but alchemy you will be great as Dual wield and then its not overpowered, but add in one of smithing or enchanting, or both, and the game gets a tad broken im afraid.
So, stay away from it unless you plan to go pure game experience with no 2ndaries apart from alchemy.

Thanks, Waagabond, for the information. It sure felt like I was doing something wrong.

I'm going to need to see for myself just how overpowered it is... just to be sure.

First off, make sure you have the Dual Flurry perk maxed. Without it dual-wielding is pretty much pointless.
Secondly, make sure you have good (read: improved through smithing) armor, you're going to need it.
Thirdly, make sure to have powerful enchantments on each of the weapons.

Once you've fulfilled that, the best way is to swing the weapons individually for weak opponents (to conserve charge), tap both buttons for medium opponents (both your enchants will be applied at once for quite a bite), and to unleash the devastating double power-attack on strong opponents for maximum damage and staggering (very effective against bosses).

Ok i have a Orc and im 18lvl @ the moment. I like how he dual wield works. when i want power i hit the M1 and M2 if i dont need the i just use one or th eother.
The seacret here is, i think type of weapon always use one kind of weapons - Swords or Axes or blunts (i forgot the name). i have the three dwawren types in my back pack and in faivorates. When i need Axes i use Axes etc.
works perfect and including the Air shout for speed.
If a dragon lands he has no chance.

Just press both mouse buttons to do a double weapon attack and get your speed bonuses (it don't need to be a power attack), NEVER just press left or right attack by it self.

That's because from some stupid reason you can't parry while dual wielding and your range seems to be shorter then when you hold just one weapon.

The main thing that's superior is the power attack you do when holding both buttons; that and perks that make you swing faster and do a lot more damage while dual wielding.

Dual weilding works fine if you do it right.

in the one handed skill perk selection, there is a branch for dual wielding, also alternating attacks in a timed fashioned seems to attack faster then just mashing on m1 and m2.

not being disrespectful but sounds like a L2P issue
have the right perks, and the right gear and DW can be very very deadly indeed!! very fast and vert powerful!!

It was definitely a L2P issue. That's why I asked. I wasn't immediately obvious just reading in game or the manual. See Waagabond's responses above for the most useful information I've seen so far.

Which is probably why it seems like a "crappy dual wield system" to some people.... in nearly every implementation of dual-wield I've seen before, you alternate attacks but the bonus is that they happen faster than single-wield. So it would never have occurred to me to do "press both" except for the power attack. I (like, it seems, many other people) would have tried to get a good alternating L/R rhythm going.

:shrug:

(Hasn't effected me, since I'm doing sword&board for my current character, but that's still how I would have interpreted the dual-wield system.)

Just switched to dual wield yesterday after sword + spell. Switching back and forth worked okay; thanks for the tip about both buttons at once, though, that will be immensely helpful! Now to start taking perks...

Started a dual wielding warrior last night. I've had really good results so far. My general offensive combo is right, left, both (tap both attack buttons at once). When fighting 2-hander enemies, I'll strafe out of attacks and move in as they recover with a dual-power attack. (hold both attack keys at once).

I know there's at least one perk that speeds up your attacks when dual-wielding. I believe you can get it at 30 or 40 single-handed skills.

There is a fast DW attack from pressing left then right trigger quickly, this is NOT the power attack though. Power attack is holding the buttons down together. This is just a quick dual flurry.

Again, just to reiterate to newcomers, all bonuses related to dual-wielding only apply when you hit both buttons at once (whether for the flurry or the power attack). If you swing with each weapon independently, it won't be any faster than with a single weapon.

*edit* Wait, did you just say one then the other? That actually contradicts what I've heard. Are you sure it isn't at the same time?

For those who didn't realize. There are two types of dual wield attacks. Tapping the 2 buttons at the same time will do "scissor" attack which won't cost you stamina. a long tap (or hold) would be the power attack which will cost you stamina.