I'm trying a new playstyle where I want to use destruction magic as my main offensive skill. Can I still equip a shield even if I only have a spell in the main hand?

By the way, the REASON I want the shield is so I can enchant it with some resist magic; it's the only enchantment that I care about that can go on a shield, so I want to keep as many other slots open as possible.

yup i'm pretty sure you can, i know you can go shield an magic in teh right

You can go Shield and Fisticuffs too.

Shield in left hand, spell in right. That's the only way you can arrange this build.

Assuming you take all the appropriate perks, (Aspect of Terror, Augmented Flames 2), this build is something of a blowtorch with flames. Really powerful.

Too bad you can't equip 2 shields...

I played a heavy armor wearing character that used a shield and a spell. Basically I was a walking tank with flamethrower hands.

Yes you can. You can even hot key the shield.

The only caveat I can think of is that if you select another spell via hotkey, it will probably go to your left hand thus un-equipping your shield.

Until enemies start laughing at your one handed flame thrower at higher levels.

is this viable? i can't survive without abusing impact perk.

I'm guessing this is to save weight? If so you can conjure bound weapons.

Yes it is... with the bash perk to interrupt enemies and the elemental protection perk, you'll get a real fine battle mage... I've been using any combination of sword/spell/shield with my latest character and it's very fun. I had to gimp myself from switching to different attack mid-fight because it also became too easy to win every fight.

And that's exactly the thing to do. This way you can quickly mix and match spells, shields and one-handed weapons. I always press RT now when I equip spells, even defensive ones. Shield + destruction spell works well indeed.

I don't understand this thread....Isn't it a lot easier to just play the game and hit unequip rt hand, than start a thread to resolve the issue?

I mean it's like asking if you can play naked. Sure, just take it off.

I agree. I would have *tried* before asking...

But to each their own, I guess.

This.
It's the most optimal way to go if your playing for optimization in an unarmed character.

That's a lot of optimistic optimization there, Optimus Prime.

Meant to say "best way".

This! I am purposefully not going with shield on my destruction mage because he is more of a "pure" mage and I want to experiment with ward spells, but I have a nightblade who uses a shield all the time. He has no perks in block and the shield bash alone is worth its weight in gold. Perked with elemental protection it would be dynamite. Shields are definately worthwhile for any type of nightblade or battlemage. Instantly stops any spell another mage may be casting. See a mage sporting a ward? Bash him with your shield to bring it down before unleashing your sword attack or destruction spell on him.

It is quite viable, I am into my low 30s. Rather then the impact perk, you use shield bash. Combine it with light armor and it is a very capable build.