There's just so much satisfaction from a bandit or Draugr rushing toward me with reckless confidence, and with proper timing, I unleash the beast with one swing, then wait for the next to come...and I'm only at level 9. I can't wait until I get the Sweep perk!

Berserking Orcs are even better with 2 handed weapons.

My first character in Skyrim also have 2-handed as the main skill (as you can see in my avatar). The 2-handed weapons also look great, especially ebony greatsword. (looks like a samurai katana ).

I like my 2 handed sword. Once you learn its pros and cons it`s a good weapon.

Some mods for people who want less bulky (and in some cases more realistically working) two-handed swords.

http://skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=6253 - Witcher's blades
http://skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3871 - Weapons of the Third Era
http://skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5727 - LOTR Narsil and Anduril

The Witcher's blades are favourites of mine at the moment. The models aren't entirely smooth (I'm assuming some issues porting them or something) but they're short enough to be conceivably versatile while retaining their two-handed grip.

I don't use 2-handed weapons but I do very much enjoy Wuuthrad's mechanic. Alfhedil Elf-Hewer would be proud.

You can still power bash and use quick reflex with a 2H weapon. Block is still a must have perk for my 2H characters!

yeah just made a black knight character, dunmer, twohanded, heavy armour, smithing, enchanting, illusion, destruction(fire, buff enchants), as ive worked out so far i should have a few perks over, maybe one each for block and archery. This is my first build that im going all out lol, hes gunna be messy lol, going well so far.

This. Quick reflexes is particularly useful with two handed weapons in Skyrim, it seems to be the only way to consistently avoid the weird auto-aim hit detection of enemies. Otherwise the attack range of some enemies goes way beyond the length of their blade.

Watch out for roughly level 13-15, though.

I too was dispatching bandits and forsaken left and right, hacking down witches and hags, smashing skeletons into flinders. But sometime around level 13 the game's levelling foes caught up to me. My first encounter with a bandit outlaw I think it was... that was what did it for my character.

can't wait to get the sweep perk. along with the sword block tree and my shouts i'm gonna go get me some...

it's actually really funny how much i'm enjoying it because i very rarely have played nords and 2-h and this is serious fun!

You don't run with a greatsword in one hand - you run with it in two. Or, you balance its point of equillibrium over your own. They only weigh about 5-6 pounds. Historically, greatswords were very maneuverable, a combination of their light and the greater leverage available from using two hands with them.

Two-handed weapons and archery complement each other very well.

Nice post. I too have just started a new character devoted to two-handed weapons, after playing over 200 hours with two other characters, neither of which ever picked up a two handed weapon. Mine is a Nord, who doesn't trust magic and won't ever cast a single spell, relying solely on potions and resting for healing. I won't touch enchanting for the same reason, although alchemy, being more akin to cooking than magic is acceptable. So far, I am level 9 and have had a lot of fun playing this character. Some of the block bashing perks look interesting and I am looking forward to trying them out.

I've been using alchemy since I started Skyrim and while I love it, I know just about every combination. Since I've been relying on Restoration for healing, the simplicity of it is very relaxing given I don't have to open my inventory every time I want a potion.

I did the same thing as many of you. Started with a sword-and-board and then an archer. Both sneaked (snuck?) around a lot, and never used 2H. So I decided to make "Conan," just to try a different style. Actually, he was more like Groo the Wanderer, because he simply charged right into a fray. Any fray. The first time I unleashed him was on a bandit camp that my other 2 characters had sneak-and-bowed. None of that for Conan. Or Groo. Anyway, down the hill he charged, greatsword held high, yelling "CROM!" The first bandit, who was doing laundry or something, looked up and said, "Huh?" Cue the one-hit impalement finisher animation. First time I'd done that. I got more finishers with 2H then I ever did with 1H. Especially with sprinting attacks.

I also tried an Orc who used a warhammer. A female Orc. They only look cute. Er, sort of. If you've had enough mead. But anyway, she was a terror with her hammer. I called her Ace (if you could name your own potions, I'd have created a 2H booster called Nitro-9). I loved the knee-cap-and-head-bash move, which I often got from first-person perspective. Left my foes crumpled up into some fairly gruesome piles, I'll tell you (ragdoll physics=lulz). Of course, eventually your enemies do that shoot-past-you scaled leveling they do, and it was I who was getting one-hit hammered. Because I hadn't figured out how to block/bash yet. I still have trouble with 2H enemies. A big hammer doesn't make up for lousy gamer skillz and Old Guy reaction times.

i went from one handed sword and board to great swords (to increase my level) Great swords feel awesome, like big and heavy, i perfer the swords for looks, but the warhammers perk seems better, might have to roll a new character to use them from the beginning

My guy is Imperial using Greatsword and Light Armor, tanking in Health and Stamina with 140 magic (enough for flame atrach). I also use Bow with sneak & bow enchants for distance kills. I perk 2h and light (lots), alchemy, smith, enchant - no magic trees , 1h, heavy, sneak, lock, haggle.

I feel like i am taking maximum advantage of the game

And while you're still on your backswing, I'll have my daggers embedded in both sides of your neck. Thanks for the greatsword. It'll fetch a pretty penny in Whiterun...

Weapons. Ha! Who needs weapons when you've got magic? I can detect you before you can attack, I can prevent your "mighty swings" from that blade with a quick Ice Spike. I can use a Shield spell to reduce damage if you manage to get a strike in, and if you do, I can quickly heal myself.

I find melee combat in RPGs to be quite boring when compared to stealth or magic combat.
For example, I was walking past Fort Amol and the Stormcloaks outside tell me to leave. Eventually, they turn hostile and attack. They were 7 of them right next to each other, along with two archers in the distance. One Chain Lightning later, the 7 Stormcloaks are down and the two archers remain. I have not taken any damage.

That works out surprisingly rarely for my enemies. Instead, they spend most of their time stagger-locked from bashes and heavy impacts against them.

Daggers are personal defence weapons for civilians or when your main weapon has been disarmed. Running around fighting dragons and giants with a dagger just looks silly. Call yourself a Dragonborn? Get a real blade.

I'm afraid the only time magic really wins is at range. A good melee fighting will be ready to deal with magic attacks by utilizing various magic resist potions and enchantments. And if the melee fighter also has a magic damaging blade then you'll be finished. All your detect life will have done is give you a few more moments to pray to the gods.

And mage vs mage is another big joke. You'll probably both be standing there going ward to ward in an epic mental battle.

Honestly, yes. While weapons in general are very slow (In Skyrim), relatively speaking, Two-handed weapons are much slower to a noticeable degree. Furthermore, while you're swinging with a two-handed weapon your movement is also much slower, relatively speaking, to a noticeable degree. These two factors alone make Two-handed weapons far less fun for me than the other options available and with all things considered, I find that it's not worth it to use a Two-handed weapon.

Is it realistic for Two-handed weapons to behave this way? Some forum members would have you believe that it is, but that's very far from the truth. If anyone were to be swinging a weapon this slowly around in actual combat, they'd be dead before they finished their swing. Granted I wouldn't say melee combat in general is realistic in Skyrim, but I find it rather funny when Two-handed weapons in Skyrim are praised for being "realistic".

http://i41.tinypic.com/b8psew.png

Dual anything is boring now. Sword and board is too normal.

But fear the wrath of my Dragonbrand Greatsword.