how to dual wield skyrim

Dual wielding in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a thrilling and aggressive combat style that allows the Dragonborn to unleash a torrent of blows upon their foes. Unlike sword-and-shield or two-handed combat, dual wielding prioritizes sheer offensive power and speed, sacrificing defense for the potential to end battles in a spectacularly quick fashion. Mastering this art requires understanding its mechanics, perks, and strategic nuances. This guide will delve into the essential knowledge needed to become a true master of two blades, axes, or maces.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Dual Wielding Mechanics
Building Your Character: Race, Skills, and Perks
Weapon Combinations and Power Attacks
Surviving Without a Shield: Defense and Mobility
Advanced Tactics and Synergies
Conclusion: The Path of the Whirlwind

Understanding the Dual Wielding Mechanics

The core principle of dual wielding is simple: equip a one-handed weapon in each hand. The left and right mouse buttons (or corresponding controller triggers) then control each arm independently. A standard left-click or right trigger swing will attack with the right-hand weapon, while the left-hand weapon is swung with the right-click or left trigger. This allows for alternating, rapid strikes that can overwhelm an opponent's guard. The true power, however, lies in the dual wield power attack. By holding both attack buttons simultaneously, your character performs a devastating flurry of strikes. This attack consumes considerable stamina but deals immense damage in a very short time, often staggering the enemy and interrupting their actions.

The speed of your attacks is determined by the weapons you wield. Daggers are the fastest, followed by swords, then axes, and finally maces. Interestingly, the weapon in your left hand influences the speed of your right-hand attacks when performing the dual power attack flurry. Equipping a dagger in the left hand, for instance, will significantly increase the speed of the flurry regardless of the right-hand weapon. This is a critical detail for optimizing damage output.

Building Your Character: Race, Skills, and Perks

While any race can dual wield, some offer advantageous starting bonuses. The Redguard's racial ability "Adrenaline Rush" provides a massive stamina regeneration boost for 60 seconds, perfectly fueling power attack flurries. Orcs possess "Berserker Rage," doubling damage dealt and halving damage taken, making their power attacks catastrophic. The initial choice is not limiting, but it can provide a valuable early-game edge.

The One-Handed skill tree is your primary focus. Key perks define the dual-wielding playstyle. The "Dual Flurry" perk is indispensable, increasing the attack speed of dual-wielding attacks by 20% (and later 35%). "Dual Savagery" increases the damage of dual-wielding power attacks by 50%. These two perks form the foundation. Do not neglect weapon-specific perks like "Armsman" for base damage increases and "Bladesman," "Bone Breaker," or "Hack and Slash" for critical or armor-ignoring effects based on your weapon type. The "Savage Strike" perk, which makes standing power attacks more likely to decapitate foes, is particularly cinematic and effective when dual wielding.

Weapon Combinations and Power Attacks

Dual wielding offers versatile loadout options. Matching weapon types, such as two swords or two daggers, is straightforward and benefits fully from corresponding perks. A sword and dagger combination is highly popular, leveraging the dagger's left-hand speed bonus for faster flurries while maintaining the sword's balanced damage and critical chance. For maximum raw damage per hit, two maces can crush heavily armored opponents, especially with the "Bone Breaker" perk.

Magic can be seamlessly integrated into this style. The "Spellsword" approach involves wielding a weapon in the right hand and a destruction or healing spell in the left. This is not true dual wielding in the perk sense but offers great versatility. More advanced is the use of an enchanted weapon in each hand. Applying different elemental enchantments, like Frost on one weapon and Shock on another, allows you to bypass various resistances and apply multiple debilitating effects simultaneously.

Surviving Without a Shield: Defense and Mobility

The most significant challenge for a dual wielder is the lack of a blocking implement. You cannot block attacks without a shield or a weapon in both hands dedicated to blocking. Therefore, defense must be proactive. Light Armor is the natural companion to this agile style. The Light Armor skill tree offers perks like "Agile Defender" for increased rating and "Wind Walker" for improved stamina regeneration, which is vital for power attacks. The "Dexterity" perk provides a chance to avoid melee damage entirely.

Mobility is your true shield. Constant movement, circling opponents, and using the environment to break line of sight are essential. The "Quick Reflexes" block perk is unavailable, so timing and positioning replace parrying. The Dragon Shout "Become Ethereal" becomes a lifesaver, allowing you to close distance safely or disengage to recover. "Whirlwind Sprint" is also excellent for initiating combat or escaping a surrounded position. Alchemy provides another layer of defense; potions of healing, stamina, and resist elements are crucial to carry in abundance.

Advanced Tactics and Synergies

To elevate your dual-wielding prowess, consider synergies with other skills. The Smithing skill is paramount for crafting and improving your weapons to legendary quality, ensuring your damage scales into the late game. Enchanting allows you to create powerful gear that fortifies your One-Handed skill, reduces the cost of power attacks, or regenerates stamina.

Strategic use of shouts and poisons can turn the tide of any difficult encounter. "Marked for Death" softens up dragon armor and health pools dramatically. Applying a potent damage health or stamina poison to your blades before a dual power attack flurry can eliminate a target before they can react. Remember the role of followers; a tanky companion who draws agresso you can flank enemies and unleash your full offensive potential is an invaluable asset. Your combat rhythm should be a dance of evasion, timed flurries, and tactical retreats to manage stamina.

Conclusion: The Path of the Whirlwind

Dual wielding in Skyrim is a high-risk, high-reward playstyle that embodies aggressive and dynamic combat. It forsakes the security of a shield for the exhilarating promise of overwhelming force. Success demands a deep understanding of game mechanics, careful perk selection, and a tactical mind that values positioning and stamina management as much as raw damage. By mastering the dual power attack flurry, optimizing your weapon loadout, and embracing mobility as your primary defense, you will transform from a simple warrior into a whirlwind of steel, capable of felling dragons and warlords in a breathtaking blur of motion. The path is demanding, but for those who walk it, few sights are as satisfying as watching a formidable enemy crumple under an unstoppable barrage of strikes.

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