I've been dual wielding since I started the game (at level 27 now). I prefer to havfe two different weapons depending on the enemy I'm facing because I invested perks in different weapons in the perk tree. I have two perks in the maces ignore armor and one in the bleeding damage for axes and one in the swords have greater chances of doing critical damage. So right now I dual wield mace and war axe if I'm going up against enemies with a lot of health and sword and war axe if I'm going against an enemy that has a little less health, although I like to switch it up just for the hell of it too. When I get the dagger perk for 10x sneak damage I'll have a dagger in one hand pretty much at all times unlesss there's no way for me to sneak up on an enemy.

I found that it takes a while for Dual to be perked to the point where it is useful - true of most attacks axcept 1H/shield. So for about twenty levels I really struggled. But once your stealth is high enough for hidden attaacks, and once you've perked up Dual, you become a killing machine. But you need to put a fair amount of points into stamina because you need to make as many attacks as possible power-hits. At higher levels a power attack from stealth is a one-hit kill for pretty much anything (not tried against a dragon, but draugr deathlords go down in a oner), but even if detects a dual power attack launches a flurry of blows that seldom has to be repeated - and one repeat will usually finish the job.

It's only 3 perks to max your dual-wielding as a sword&board character...

so I say go for it.

It's a more offensive alternate option of fighting. And that's the key... it's an ALTERNATE OPTION. You can use your shield or off-hand weapon as needed. I'd probably try and get yourself a life & stam siphon sword for your off-hand... also, paralyze daggers are a great second option for your off-hand. Then of course you always have your shield if you need the extra defense.

That said... you may want some +Stam Regen... ring or amulet or something.

your offhand controls your speed of dual attacks and maces are the slowest but highest stagger rate and damage stats followed by axes, swords, then daggers, so the best DPS combination would be Mace/dagger however I fight in third person and its difficult to gauge the range therefore my combination is mace/longsword.

I tend to pick things based on style rather than game mechanic performance....

so in that regard.... whatever you enjoy watching the most!

You forget that daggers have a much smaller range meaning using one equals more chances of getting hit yourself. I also agree its the one combat type in third person that is horrible to control. Aside from that it's my slaughter-of-choice playstyle.

I tend to equip the same type of weapon in each hand for dual wielding. Sure, you can get speed by equipping a dagger in your off hand, but then you need to get really close to your enemy to get any benefit out of that dagger. I prefer longer weapons for melee so I can dance around the edges and land attacks and dodge away easier.

It's completely over the top. I have 2 axes whit drain health and drain stamina on them. On my gear i have -100% destruction spell cost so the charges don't run out. Whit this you can keep chopping, your stamina does not run out and your health does not go down
when i start sprinting for a long distance and my stamina bar does runs out. I kill some wildelive so it is full again so i can keep going.
I have killed 4 mamoths and 2 giants at the same time. I don't even bother to sneek up on them.
And i didn't even do the alchemy / enchanting loop to make absurdly powerfull weapons.
Just normal daedric axes and already i'm like a walking blender.

My khajiit slew a giant at level 10 with level 30 one handed ...

^Enchanting is simply OP

which is fine IMO as using it is player choice, and some people may want to be overpowered.

but I've decided that any combat classes will never use it and rely solely on looted/purchased gear

I havent enchanted anything on my khajiit (tho I am wearing thieves guild armour (1st set you get all i did was join so i had an underground dragon free shop)

if you're on a PC... click the left and right mouse buttons. that will equip one in each hand. If you're on a console... get the game for pc.

I didnt think I'd be using it but I am solely duel wielding (except when using a bow.) I use two enchanted one-handed weapons, its amusing seeing one weapon setting an NPC on fire and another stealing their health and giving it to me simultaneously. Occassionaly I'll use magic in one hand as well.

Yeah, giants are so slow that a dual wielder who is light on his feet can take one down pretty easily at relatavily low level by rushing in and landing a quick hit then sprinting off before the giant's club hits the ground. Repeat until giant is dead. I had a lot more trouble taking down giants at lower levels with a 2H fighter because 2H weapons are so slow, so it is harder to land a hit and sprint away before the giant can connect with their huge club.

I killed it before it even managed to touch the ground with its club .-.

I was trying to get skyborn but i decided to go in swinging for lols

Dual wielding spells is awesome!

Nope. Doesn't work. If you switch back and forth between a two handed weapon like a bow and your dual set up you'll be fine. The moment you equip something else in your left hand like a spell or shield the weapon combination is broken. Pressing your right hand hotkey will only get you the right hand weapon and whatever you last used in your left hand.

This thread isn't about dual wielding spells but I tend to disagree that dual wielding spells is "awesome". I was expecting a lot more from dual wielding spells. For starters, we were led to believe that there would be some mixing of magical effects with dual wielding spells, but that turns out to be not the case. Not even if you have the dual cast perk in both schools of magic.

Dual wielding weapons is more like "dual casting" spells anyway, since you can swing both weapons at the same time. You can do a simultaneous dual wield attack or power attack with a mace and a dagger, but you cannot dual cast two different spells, not even from the same school of magic.

On top of that, dual casting spells is magicka inefficient and for the most part doesn't really do all that much. Impact stagger is the notable exception, but impact staggering all your opponents gets old quick. Your dual cast destruction cloak spells are basically the same as single cast but cost twice as much magicks. Probably the best dual cast is in Illusion because you can affect more powerful creatures.

Dual wielding spells is a nice addition, since you can cast say a ward in one hand and a destruction spell in the other, but I was expecting a lot more from the dual cast perk. Not sure that I like dual wielding spells much more than the old system where you could equip a weapon and a spell at the same time with different trigger buttons for each.

The only melee weapons I bring into combat are duel daggers. Works fine and I enjoy it.

Of course, it works rather well.

I find it is crap. You need to use both mouse buttons to swing the weapons!!

It sure provides more damage, but it is the most useless and unfun implementation of dual-wielding that I have seen in any game. You find yourself clicking left, right, left, right, left, right... it is utter nonsense from a gaming point of view. You end up using just one weapon and otherwise profit from the higher attack rates.

Seems like "Bethesda Games" and "Combat System" still cannot be used in one sentence without creating a bit of sarcasm.

Actually, to dual attack, you need to press the buttons at the same time.

Dual-wielding is fantastic for me. My rogue character currently dual-wields 2 lovely swords attained in the Thieves Guild and he kicks ass. Even took down a Dwarven Centurion without losing half his health...

@sdack, yeah, just try pressing both buttons at the same time. Or hold both buttons at the same time for the dual power attack. Even more fun with daggers.

Are you sure I do not have to press three buttons?

If you trying to make a dual-wielder on master def, then you will need much hp, because trying to take down someone with dual-wield may be fast but you can't block and that will make you die a lot of hp. FAST
So i don't prefer dual-wield and you can't swing your weapons at the same time (exept when you hold in both RB +LB and makes a special attack) so it is still like one weapon at a time.
Shield is the way to go