I was planning on making a character focused on Light Armor as well as Archery, but was going to use a melee weapon just in case.

I do NOT want to use a shield this time though. Do you think it is reliable to just use a 1H weapon and block with it, or is that bad? Do you think I should instead use a 2H weapon and block with it? Or perhaps dual-wield? It's just that I don't want to use a shield this time around.

Can you even block with a 1H weapon? I know you can't (unless changed in a patch) while dual-wielding.

With an empty off-hand you can.

As I see it this is a legitimate way to play the game, and it can be pretty fun. It also allows for the usage of torches, which can be usefull(not to mention that you can use it to do some minor fire damage by "shield"-bashing with it).

Yeah, I knew about that (sounds like a bad idea ), but I read this "use a 1H weapon and block with it" to mean he literally wanted to block with the weapon. :S

Well, as far as I know it has the same damage reduction as a two-handed weapon, so I don't see any negative sides to it. Sacrifice power for speed is a legitimate way of doing it IMO.

No, you actually block with the weapon, you just need nothing in your off-hand. However, blocking a blade with just your hands sounds interesting...

I just didn't want to be doing it while it 'could be better'.

I am use to doing 1H+Shield, but that's getting old. 2H weapons never interested me, I prefer speed over power.... plus 2H just feels so bulky. Axes, maces, and hammers never interest me either; I am one with the sword.

I just didn't want to dual-wield or use a shield, just a one-handed weapon. So far it seems okay... but I notice where my shield COULD have come in handy.

i'd go one handed, gives you speed and versatility, you could throw in a torch or a spell when you need it.