Tanking Without A Shield... viable?

t.steve1991ub17_ESO

I was wondering because I always enjoyed skyrim using a two handed weapon and being more of a brute than a finesse blocker. Is it possible to be a decent tank in terms of not dying instantly without a shield? I know you can taunt once you get higher in undaunted but I am not sure if you would die as soon as you did.

Hawke

Why not? You just need to postion yourself more, interrupt, block, avoid damage while drawing all the agro.

nlbeer

It is, i've seen a mage tank with a two handed sword in pvp he vs 4 others, with one healer. he later told me he had done it with his friend till level 40, ESO all combo's are able to be done, but you have to find a certain balance, I did however get the warning to wear steel, because tanking is hard without a shield and without Steel armor

marioncobretti

I think it is no problem to tank without the shield. You will need to dodge/interrupt/block effectively in the same way that you are required to do with the shield anyway. Player skill is most important regarding those.
Also, you have many ways to change your status like armor and spell resist to adjust to your gameplay. Enchant your gear properly, use more heavy armor, choose skills that provide survivability armor (bound armor or lightning form from the sorcerer just to point some). You could even think of a tank based mostly on CC. You have many ways to customize your role and also to change it as you will and still be totally viable.
Have fun!

Thybrinena

AT VR content? No.

Mulk

the main things you drop by not using a shield are 1) taunt, 2) passives that make blocking better and 3) armor. That means you will take damage more spikily (is that a word) and you have little in the way of snap aggro. Not saying it is not doable, though as Hirion said it's unlikely you'll succeed for long stretched against VR content. Those mobs HURT.

Good luck to you. If it succeeds, I'd love to hear about it.