Benefits of dual wielding?

Dual-wielding in melee is a glass cannon configuration. You lose defense from a shield, but retain a small chance to block (15%) and gain a small boost to attack speed (10%). I think the best reason to dual-wield is you can get more damage from passives by taking both dual-wield and 1-hand nodes.

The only reason for me to dual wield as a shadow is that... of all characters, he looks the most badass wielding 2 axes. I have to wear STR amulet and belt (both low level items, give about 50str combined), which maybe gimps me a bit, but I enjoy the game much more than if I have a rapier and a shield or something.

Also, dual strike and double strike both benefit from dual wielding, according to double strike's description. This allows for having two relatively equal damage skills to be enhanced differently with support gems, and give them different uses, which is not that bad.

Dual strike is my basic attack anyway, it is really awesome skill, and when I am with axes, it makes me look like the madman I am supposed to be.

I'm dual wielding so far, and I'm liking it.

I'm not whit a normal set... I got sword and Mace looll

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WhiteBoy88 a écrit :

Dual-wielding in melee is a glass cannon configuration. You lose defense from a shield, but retain a small chance to block (15%) and gain a small boost to attack speed (10%). I think the best reason to dual-wield is you can get more damage from passives by taking both dual-wield and 1-hand nodes.

i didn't realize that the 1-hand nodes effected dual wielding, that really changes my build now. thanks!

You lose the 6-link of large shields or 2H weapons, but get another item with offensive stats. It has a lot of potential later on, the way elemental damage works right now.
But yeah, it could use some more viable options skill wise.

Just a quick thought i had: I could imagine a dual wielding build on high critical hit chance and having one weapon with a lot of lightning damage and the second one with hight fire damage (preferably some elemental damage nodes as well), so the first hit would shock the target and the second would torch him (so he burns while still shocked - so the burn effect would be even stronger).
EDIT: this here might work (yes never tried it, its pure speculation, but seems ok-ish): Link

On topic about not many skills which work with dual wielding - maybe a support gem could help with that problem. It should change any attached close combat attack skill into the same skill, just that it would use both weapons (if dual wieding, and of course with high enough damage reductions to not become OP) :)

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Sony_Black a écrit :

On topic about not many skills which work with dual wielding - maybe a support gem could help with that problem. It should change any attached close combat attack skill into the same skill, just that it would use both weapons (if dual wieding, and of course with high enough damage reductions to not become OP) :)

All attack skills should support dual wielding natively (except some which make no sense such as the shield bash one) and dual wielding should be rebalanced accordingly, if needed. Everything else is a crutch.

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Grundnir a écrit :

When you equip a shield, there are very obvious immediate benefits you gain. A significant block chance, as well as a significant defensive benefit based on the type of the shield to either Armor/Evasion/Energy Shield.

Totally true. As I've said in other threads. My 66 duelist was having a real hard time getting through maelstrom of chaos with DW swords. Funny enough as soon as i put a sheild on, still using the same DW spec, it got alot easier, and when i finally used about 15 regrets and re-specced, it was a world of difference.

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Unhold a écrit :

You lose the 6-link of large shields or 2H weapons, but get another item with offensive stats. It has a lot of potential later on, the way elemental damage works right now.
But yeah, it could use some more viable options skill wise.

I have not been able to get more than 3 sockets on a tower shield. Am I just unlucky? I thought it was capped at 3.

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hzflank a écrit :

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Unhold a écrit :

You lose the 6-link of large shields or 2H weapons, but get another item with offensive stats. It has a lot of potential later on, the way elemental damage works right now.
But yeah, it could use some more viable options skill wise.

I have not been able to get more than 3 sockets on a tower shield. Am I just unlucky? I thought it was capped at 3.

Tower shields are one of the items which can not only get 6 sockets, but even 6 linked sockets (very rare, but they can get them) - though the amount also depends on the item level IIRC.