Hey forumers, I would wish for some help.

Thing is that I want to create an archer character that can hold his own in melee as well(with follower). I dont think its really realistic to have your bow drawn in some caves and ruins were there isn't alot of space so I wonder what backup weapon I should carry. I am role-playing a Nord that travels really light so I don't know If a shield would be good for marching gear or not.

Think like this: A bow and arrows strapped on your back then hang a shield there as well? Sounds bulky to me.

I don't fancy dual-wield that much. I am not asking for tips to make my character OP but able to hold his own in melee as well without heavy gear.

If you have any characters like this you could say what you've done with them. Any useful comments are approved though!

Myself, I'm an archer/one handed weapon. I have an axe as a sidearm. The axe seems most suiting to an archer. I improved blocking a lot to make up for the lack of shield, and I also sneak around some.

I have thought of having an axe. It is useful for more things than as a weapon(role-play wize). Other than that a dagger for skinning wolves but need more that that to go in full contact melee, so axe is an alternative

Still want some more suggestions though

I would go for a dagger. It matches the sneak perk, and requires some skill

Ah, yes. A dagger is good to bring but it will help less when you are already exposed. I will probably carry a dagger for the stealthy stuff either way

Roleplay a nord barbarian. Light-armor and a huge two-handed sword. They are hunters so archery is a perfect fit.

I'd probably go with sword, as they are the lowest damage however still an extremely good option because they aren't clumsy like maces. Plus they make great for role playing. For example I always get the feel of lord of the rings from skyrim and I lightly based my character off of aragorn but reversed his traits, making him more talented with his bow, but still able to effectively use his sword. A war-axe could become a viable option later in your role playing progression perhaps? And maybe to fill the other hand slot up carry a torch round for RP purposes and because personally, I don't like the look of one empty hand XD

I know you said you didn't want to go dual wielding, but I figured I would throw this out there. My character is an archer and carries an axe and a dagger for hand to hand melee (initially because it was easier to keep them separate and easy to equip from the favorite menu).

I know it's probably not very effective perk-wise, but man it feels great attacking with both and this finishers, when they happen are great. Power attack with the axe and, when you stagger, get a lot of quick attacks in with the dagger. You might want to try it out. Plus it saves from investing perks into Block.

I like both of your ideas! I will try them out now! Thanks.

I've just started a wood elf stealth character trying to focus on archery as his main weapon... I've found that - at the moment - archery isn't strong enough to rely upon (my aim doesn't help!) so I have a sword as well for when things get heated. I'm hoping that with a bit more skill and a couple more perks my bow should be able to stand up on it's own and I'll just keep a dagger as a side weapon to travel light. Once my archery skill has reached a strong enough standard I can focus a bit more on alchemy to make poison.

For roleplay as an archer...

There's nothing wrong with having a shield as an archer, as long as it's a light and small one. Conscripted archers of the dark ages usually did not have one, because their equipment was provided by their leaders, but mercenary archers usually had significantly better gear including a small shield. It would be hung by the strap over their sidearm. They would usually carry a hatchet as a sidearm: these weapons are cheaper and easier to make than sword, and, they have use in camp since they can be used to split wood, trim poles, and hew/shape. Though hammer and clubs were not unknown either. A good quality war club can be made with just a few metal studs and a strap and requires basically no skill.

I would suggest first off limiting yourself to around 100 arrows carried. The game makes arrows weightless, but in reality they are not: they have measurable weight and considerable bulk. This limitation will, obviously, make you more conservative on what you spend arrows on.

Never keep your bow fully drawn more than a second at a time. A war bow is NOT something you can just stand there and wait on. Draw and shoot, do not wait for a shot.

Don't use the "sniper zoom" feature. This is just silly. If the target is too far away to shoot accurately, then either you should be closer or be willing to accept a miss.

Never use a bow if the enemy is within a few paces of you. Common sense. The game is content to allow you to use a bow in melee, in reality this is simply impossible for a variety of reasons.

Keep using your bow to bash your enemies - it puts points into block. Train up on block, and you'll be able to get disarming bash which you can do with your bow. That will give you some time to get a couple more shots off

Thanks both of you!