Title pretty much says it. If I'm using 2h swords, is block a worthwhile skill? I know you can still block with a sword obviously, but many of the perks utilize a shield, so I'm wondering if block is a good skill to take or a waste if a choice.

If you are planning to use the claymore all the time, I'd suggest finding a better defensive skill to major in. Heavy Armor, for example. Majoring Block will improve the damage you knock off of an enemy's attack, but as you said, the vast majority of the perks require a shield.

I'm with him. ^^

Whilst 2h block can do similar blocking to a shield, it is ultimately much weaker as the levels progress. The type of tank-character you would need to wield a claymore/2h axe will by neccsity have high Endurance/Strength stats and thus be better suited to Heavy Armour skills. The HArmour will protect you from an errant hits you take during the heavy combat.

During battle, do block still using 2h weapons, but don't invest in the skill. That slot could be taken up by something better like Heavy Armour, Armour Repair, Blunt, Blade etc. You may even want to put Athletics in to help get your presumably weighty and slow character moving around a bit. During battles especially on the planes of Oblivion, your tank character can very easily get surrounded and may need some extra speed to whip around and attack quickly.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Skills

This page shows you want I mean. See how athletics is within the category of "Combat"? if you are not going to use Block, you will need to choose a skill from either Stealth or Magic to complete the 7 skills.

As the diagram shows, each arch-type of Combat, Magic and Stealth has exactly seven skills that pertain to it - with Block absent, I reccommend choosing Destruction, as that will allow your character to lash out with some fire or such in times of need.

I hope that helps in choosing your skills!

If you are asking whether to take block as a major skill, that depends how you want to level and what you want your major skills to do for you. Only you can answer that. I tend to favor major skills that are very controllable or slow to level, but that's just me. As a major skill, block can be 100% controllable since you decide when/if to use it.

If, on the other hand you are asking whether block is worthwhile using with a two hander, my opinion is yes. A master blocking with a shield reduces incoming damage by 75% before it ever sees his armor, and he gets several shield perks. A master blocking with a two hander reduces incoming damage by 50% before it ever sees his armor. Personally, I think that is a good deal for when you are not swinging your blade. Further, blocking increases your casting speed. Also it is not hard to level as either a major or a minor skill. Just piss off a goblin and raise your weapon to block - EZ.

My no-melee archer is very good at blocking with her bow. Her armor rating is usually less than 15 (intentionally), so the damage reduction from blocking is very helpful. Since she backs her bow up with magic, it handily increases her casting speed. Now, for RP purposes, she precedes her blocking with a shield spell to simulate strengthening her fragile bow so it is not damaged/cracked or shattered by the act of blocking. Obviously a claymore user might not be concerned with that.

I'm not really making a recommendation for you, just offering you some considerations.

Thanks for the replies. I think I am going to pass on Block afterall. For the record, I pick skills based upon what skills would be "definitive" to my character. In the case of my current character, my skills were Blade, Heavy Armor, Conjuration, Mysticism, Alteration, Destruction, and I think I settled on Sneak as my 7th skill.

Its worth leveling the skill imo. Makes for a nice controllable major as mentioned earlier.

Though real men scoff at shields and block with their faces.

Some of you folks talk like there's only one defensive slot available and he has to choose between Heavy Armor and Block. We have seven choices. We can take Heavy Armor and Block simultaneously.

Over the years 90% of my characters have wielded two-handed swords exclusively. I've taken Block with every single one of these characters and I've never been sorry I did. I've never seen any reason not to take Block.

In meta-game terms, Block is a great skill if you're playing vanilla. It contributes to Endurance, which is extremely helpful to raise as fast as possible if you're playing a melee character.

It can be seen as good roleplaying too. A roleplayer typically sees the seven skill choices as instrumental in defining who that character is. To create a character who regularly blocks with a two-handed sword but who doesn't have Block as a major skill makes little sense, roleplaying-wise.

Well said. :laugh:

Personally I think Block is very useful with a two handed weapon. For two handed Blade, Blunt, Bow or Staff. I've had character that block alot with staves and bows in particular and it works very well.

With high agility, fatigue, and block skill you will routinely stagger enemies after blocking with a shield and to a lesser degree a 2hand weapon, The stagger gives you time to power move or just cast/whack/run depending on the situation. Very handy in my opinion.

By putting up your block - whether by claymore, shield, whatever - your foe will slow his attacks as he tries to change tactics, circle and wait for you to lower your block. He will continue attacking a blocking target, but will sort of pause between strikes often as if trying to figure out the best way to procede.

I have noticed when fighting a goblin for example, they will just rail away when you are not blocking; however when you raise your weapon or shield to block, they act like they are thinking about it, sometimes even trying to circle you as they take more time between their strikes. The pauses they take are perfect opportunities to counterstrike.