Im completely torn. I could completely ignore shield and invest in armor, or i can use armor and shield combined. I think dual wielding would look good on my Dunmer but idk. any thoughts?

Think what inspired Your Avatar.

Elemental Fury and Axes

I've only just realized that it is the loading screen Orc.

Try dual axes.

Dual wielding swords!

To me Sword&Board = Sword&Bored !

If you want to deal more damage you should choose dual wield.

But if you want more fun you should choose shield. There is certain satisfaction if you fight enemies and can block most of their attack.

DW is really exiting early game on Legendary IMO because they can block and you can't and the heavy 2H warriors can pretty much one-shot you every time if you put a foot wrong. Later game you are still vulnerable and have to be careful (which you don't really with 1H+shield) but massacring those pesky bandits and forsworn that gave you so much trouble earlier in seconds with DW+Elemental Fury is very satisfying. "Can't wait to get my hands on your money". "Yeah, right, mate. You think?". Light armour, bee-line Windwalker perk, finding Elemental Fury and prioritising stamina buff enchantments are the way to go for max DPS which is what a DW build is all about. I found the biggest problem (on legendary) was levelling light armour for Windwalker 'cos either you avoid being hit at all or you are very dead very quick. Solved that by carrying a shield so I could tank against easy opponents for a while for light armour practice.

Sword and shield. You wouldn't go far in real life using a weapon in each hand, anyway.

Sword and Shield. Right amount of offensive and defensive moves. And very useful against those pesky mages.

Beating the crap out of someone with your shield,and especially the kill cam is too awesome ,to miss out on a shield for any type of character,except wizard.

Dual wielding get's stale very quickly and the kill cam with the dual wield decapitation can't maintain it's allure for too long.

No need to invest in armor that much,you can play both dual wield and shield+ one hand ,depending on your mood.

I prefer sword and shield, though I use light and quick on both regards. So I always suggest it over the ridiculousness of dual wielding.

It's just incredibly satisfying shield-bashing a mage to death.

For me it depends on the build I am going for. I personally think that sword and shield is the most powerful with all shield tree perks though.

Depends on what moves/perks you're going to combine with it. Either build is viable, as long as you equip and perk your character around it.

My personal preference of the two is sword/board. You kill the enemy slower, but you take far less damage in the process.

It's pretty flexible, you could do both to keep things fresh in the long run. Bring out the shield for tough enemies like mages (with the shields 50% magic resistance perk) & when close in switch to DW & punish them.

I like two handed. Just because you don't have a shield doesn't mean you can't block. Nothing beats a good ol' stagger and then proceed to lop their heads off with a good ol' fashioned Valyrian Steel greatsword.

Blocking is for little girls and old ladies.

Best offense is a good offense! Dual wielding is a very good offense.

Plus, you look really cool when you are charging into danger with a blades sword in each hand.

For me its about what is fun and looks cool for me and less about which one is technically better. I just can't get used to my character lugging a shield around all the time.

I wish you some serious fun, though, in whichever style you choose!!

Titanic damage won't be of much use to the dead, anyway.

I prefer sword and shield, since you can use the shield offensively, like actual warriors in real life have done. With the right perks, you can also deflect pesky arrows, reduce elemental damage from mages and dragons, harm and disarm opponents with bashing as opposed to merely staggering them, and bulldoze enemies by running with your shield lifted. Way too much fun, and largely realistic to boot--and you don't need a big, clunky-looking shield to do any of it. Due to my use of the Resto-loop, I only use iron shields (for aesthetics) or hide shields (for aesthetics and RPing being lightweight) or the Shield of Solitude (mainly for looks, as I don't need the extra magic resistance).

But, dual-wielding is great fun, and an amusing way to break the monotony of sword and shield/two-handed that I normally engage in. It's much less practical, but certainly fun.

Dual wielding shields is where it's at particularly if you Targe of the Blooded.

Both.

I use axe and shield primarily before switching when the situation calls for it, then switch back when it doesn't. Isn't a hard thing to manage.

Sword and shield for me, a good mix of offense and defence. Plus I like the kill move where you slam your shield crosswise into the enemie's face and put them down.

How could I forget the Targe? Great shield, that

On a side note, you can dual-wield shields?

I recently found out the joys of Ysgramor's shield as well. Never had the Targ shield.

I wish Although now that the idea is out there I'm sure a mod will happen some day if one doesn't exist already.

Dual wielding for me. I like using two swords along with Elemental Fury.