Well, you said the key words, "works better for them".

What I've always liked about the Elder Scrolls (been playing since Arena), is the freedom to use whatever weapon, spell, or armor combination I'd like, based entirely on how I play the game. In ESO, I've used every weapon except for Bow and ultimately, it comes down to the concept you have for your Templar. Do you want a "main" Tank feel? Level with Shield. Do you want melee DPS? Level with 2H/DW..etc., etc.

I've leveled my Templar (for the second time) as a main Tank (1H+Shield) and occasionally opt for DW or Resto Staff, when necessary. That's what works best for me. I've come across Templars that use Bow exclusively. /shrug

What works for YOU is up to you.

I use 2handers on my templar, if only to get that paladin-esque feel with a big nord-styled maul

Templar as a tank feels like you've been watered down, ever since around lv 24 or so, stand next to a knight or blade and using melee weapons only, ie just swingin it.. they both out damage you. As you get higher, more and more it feels like you're holding back in every fight.

I went dual wield, then 1/shield then 2h and finally back to dw.

That said, I can comfortably take on groups of 3 mobs. Or I can respec and raise majika regen and take on groups of 5 with aedric jab spam.. at which point I don't really feel like a templar but more of a "I thought I was" it's also what the botters do, which proves it certainly works.

I think the best course really, is to sit back, work out what kind of person you are and proceed from there.

If you want to be elite and cool and amazing.. take sorc or dk/nb as base, then do what that base class doesn't really do in any other game. Wear heavy when you were supposed to wear light, use 2h sword when you're supposed to use a staff and so on. Seems to me, that doing the opposite of what your class indicates is the most powerful move to proceed in.

Does this mean a Dragon Knight in Light Armour using a Destruction Staff is elitist.. dunno.. not seen any. But it could be.

If you're more into solo play take templar base and go in any direction.. I've seen lvl 47 bots in their prison originals which is probably classed as light armour jabbing their way to ranks.

If you're more of a groupslashhelpout erer then you could go just templar with light and resto.. I made it to 24 like that with another char before I realised I just couldn't progress outside of a group.. without dying alot. Not that I mind dying.. really.

Others have done it, gone to rank 4-5 from the start with light and resto..
personally I think they're psychopaths..

My build as of Rank 1 is 14.18.16 I can't say if that's a good build or not.. I guess it works out as 1.4.2 in order of importance. I was pure heavy build all the way from 15.. prior to that I like using leather belt, gloves and boots cos I thought it looked nice.. but at 15 I decided more armour rating was nicer.. than my splattered corpse littering the landscape.

Turns out, it wasn't what I was wearing that was killing me.. it was the fact that I choose templar as a base.

I use 2H on my templar. Currently VR3 and have steamrolled all pve I've encountered. Not much can withstand the 2H knockdown, crit charge, biting jabs combo. Only complaint is it can get boring especially if enemy can heal.

I'm using both two-hander and 1h+shield combinations; level 45 Templar. I started developing the two-hander usage around my mid 30s. I find both effective offensively and defensively, but I am increasingly favoring the two-hander. (That might change when I start doing Veteran content, to read the discontent over 'viability'.)

Reverse Slash and Uppercut are fun to use. Fighting with a 2-hander seems to make combat a bit more riskier too (swings are slower, blocks and interrupts not as stamina efficient, and you lose whatever bonus enchants you'd care to put on a shield), which is fun.

I pair 2-handers with Dawn's Wrath skills. I link 1h+shield with Aedric Spear and Restoring Light skills.

I am finding myself switching to 1H+shield now only for extended group events, like the Oblivion gates, for the conic interrupt, taunt/debuff, and occasional heals. Also for those fights where the bosses cheat and are immune to Uppercut's stun. Otherwise I'm wrecking with the big blade.

lortabs wrote: »

Thanks for all the responses so far guys. I've been trying both...obviously 1h/shield increases my survivability but the fights seem to be too drawn out sometimes.

For example, when I was going through the level 30 class quest today I was struggling to do much damage and at points the "bosses" (Lyris doppelganger) were almost outhealing me. Switched to 2H and downed them in under 10sec with ease.

But, If I'm taking on packs of 3-4 mobs that are 3-4 levels ahead of me it seems the survivability of the shield can outweigh the extra dps from the 2h.

Perhaps I'll just level them both as they seem to each have their disadvantages and advantages given any situation.

You have intrigued me, I may have to play around and see about having a sword and shield/2H skillbar instead of two sword and shields.

Currently I like having them both be sword and shield because a) I only have to level up one skill tree and b) I can move my skills around in a convenient way. If I split and have two separate skillbars, all 3 of my one hand skills need to be on one bar and that limits my options.

VR1 Templar here, heals and melee. I went Orc for the heavy armor racials, 5 heavy/2 light. And I prefer 1H/sheild to 2H. I just can't get past the greatness of biting jabs/shield bash combo locking mobs down. About the only type of creature I have a problem with is Harvesters, and that's only if Nova is not ready yet.

Have not PVP'd enough to give a valid opinion. But for PVE, I personally feel either choice will be fine. You just gotta have the right skills slotted to compliment which weapon you're using.

I dont know where you guys are playing but i've yet to see one templar that even wears heavy armor that is not in full 7/7 heavy. Im VR4 leveled 1h/Shield the entire way up with1h/S and restoring light/dawns wrath. I refuse to get those *** spear looking moves, that's so NOT templar-ish. I've molded my character specifically for Veteran Dungeon Tanking and soon to be Trial Main Tanking. I've put most of my stat points into health and the remainder into magicka with maybe 1 or 2 into stamina. Being as a tank you need stamina but for one ability...... Your taunt. Even so 100% speccing tank the entire way up from level 1 I've killed things just as fast as the jab/2h templars. The shield bash spam hits sooooooo hard its not even funny and with all the abilities you have to reduce the stamina cost of your bash you practically have unlimited stamina. And in the rare case you do run out there is always the option of running as a vampire (Dark Templar) which as a tank is very effective. Also Im imperial for toughness/conditioning/red diamond racial tree line is very good for tanking. I've done a fair amount of pvp. as 1h/shield and resto staff and im close to unkillable unless there is 3 or more people on me

I tried to make 2H work, but it's just far inferior to class skills. Wrecking Blow is decent for single target DPS, but there's no comparison between the others and Aedric Spear abilities, especially since it allows you to devote your stamina bar entirely to defensive maneuvers.

I've just recently prayed and offered the 9000 odd gold and re-skilled my level 39 Templar. They use to use a sword & shield when questing and wandering about generally, and it was fine. Now they use a Restoration Staff and Dawn's Wrath abilities, and it is fine too.
It's really a very personal thing, and very dependent upon your play-style.

I know resurecting a month old thread. However I would like to share my experience with the Khajiit Templar.


With shield cut through the 1-50 content, barely dying once or twice. However Shield doesn't cut it through the VR content.

You can block until all your stamina goes down, and still getting hammered by the spam of special attacks, without doing much damage. Also the Bitting Jabs nerf (which tried to use at VR1), and the bash nerf helped a lot for my first respec.

The started using DW-Javelin-Volcanic Rune until VR5. Still a struggle to kill 3 mobs, most of the time I was using resto staff only. Every two days needed to craft a new armour set, or else the repair costs were more than the money earned.

Armour tried full light, full medium, full heavy, 5-2 on any combination. Not much happy since there are a lot of issues.

(FYI I had level to 50 all armour, and 4 weapons but 2H)

On VR5 met a 2H sorcerer. We discussed about 2H, tactics and off for the second respec.

Qbar 1 Brawler, Uppercut, Stampede, Solar Barrage, Javelin & Flawless Dawnbreaker. (2H)
Qbar 2 Silver Leash, Breath of Life, Illustrious healing, Volcanic Rune, Unstable Core & Solar Prison. (resto)

The character transformed. Now I can kill 3-4 VR4-5 trash mobs during quests, rarely switching to heal. Bosses, if they cannot be CC I replace Javelin with another spell or breath of life.
If they are Undead, Silver Leash or Hunter.


Solar Barrage, gives to me atm 60 power (weapon or spell) for the next attack, is AoE and instant doing bit damage.

Combine it with Heavy armour (5 HA - 2 LA) bonus, 2H passives, Flawless Dawnbreaker, and with a base 134 2H weapon (VR5 blue) it hits like a truck.

FYI I use now Magicka - Stamina VR5 blue food. Since the HP glyphs are more efficient thatn STA/MA ones, and already at VR5 almost 2600hp with 1500 AC before buffs. (blue VR5 crafted armour 5 HA 2 LA).


Is it perfect? Nope. I could use Destro Staff for more damage, however I do want to play melee char, and if that is what it takes, so be it.

I am tempted to try add the Vampire passives to it, but since I am a big advocate against making the game Twilight Online, I will stay put and not be hypocrite.