I still use an ice staff on my sorcerer unless I'm doing high-end content, where I grudgingly swap to fire. I like turning enemies into ice sculptures and hearing the sound effects. I hope ice staves get some more love some day, I rarely see anyone using them .

I have a build that focuses on axe and shield. It hasn't been made for endgame content, I just really like using these weapons and wanted to explore how useful I might be. Oh, and to make things more difficult, i'm trying to eschew the use of magic based skills to focus on melee (because that's how I want the character to play). I have no idea how it will develop given the combat mechanics in the game.

Staffs are splited between flame ,frost, shock but 2 hand is not splited between axes, swords and maces?

puffytheslayer wrote: »

the sword & board thing is strange, because in this game it is all about deffence, tanking etc. but as others have pointed out historically it was the weapon combo of choice, of course the shield gave defence but it could be used as a weapon too.

I think introducing passives like you get in dual weald, 2 hand & destro that change the performance of the equiped pieces would make for more variety.

On that history of S&B:
Sword and Shield, or in older times where you could not equip armies with expensive swords...it was Sword and Spear.

Shields were ofc effective against that even other old weapon: bows with arrows or thrown spears.
Shields were not used that much to Bash, but mainly to parry, followed up by a stab (from short sword like the Romans or short spear from older classic tribes, the Zulu etc)

When plate armor became more common, the Shield became more and more an ornamental item for weaponry heraldics and niche combat of tournaments on horse with a lance.
Why ?
Plate armor was practical speaking impenetrable for arrows and stabs from swords => no Shield really needed
slow warhammers and maces could be parried well enough with your own weapon

And like you say: I think introducing passives like you get in dual weald, 2 hand & destro that change the performance of the equiped pieces would make for more variety

I also think it would be great if weapon combo's would (or could) be added to the passives of the weapon lines
Not only Block HA => off balance => more damage + knock down + more Stamina regain from your follow up HA,
But also a parry-stab combo possible as follow up move on a LA.
Sword or Dagger with Shield could for example have the parry-stab combo. Maces, Axes something else.

It's not that easy.

I love huge two handed swords for melee (an axe would be better, but axes in ESO are somewhat small), I love flame staves when spellcasting, and I love bows when I feel like hunting silently.

I've been using a flame staff the most of those three, so I guess that qualifies it as my top favorite.

I build around the class and its skills and than try to pick the best weapon and gear to match with it.

I play games to do magic and I'm a sucker for fireballs. It just seems so wizardy. I'v never especially liked lightening magic. It's not as impressive from first person and I don't play third in TES games. I used ice a lot in Skyrim even against resistant Nords because of the stamina drain but in ESO, the knockback from fire is useful once I have enough magica to keep running. I don't PvP or group so other considerations don't matter. If I like it and it keeps me alive I'm good and that usually means fireballs. I don't need me no finesse.

I want to be a full on ice mage with more ice abilities. Kinda like how sorc has lighting and dk has fire. But of course ice staff isn´t ideal in high end content so.

A gun. Jk DW all the way

2H all the way. The animation and sound effect of Wrecking Blow is beautiful.

Sometimes I really wish 1H and Shield would be viable for DPS. I have always loved using 1H and Shield

Acsvf wrote: »

2H all the way. The animation and sound effect of Wrecking Blow is beautiful.

I second this.

I always loved playing dual wield Mage in past TES games, however it just isn't appropriate to use them for anything other than a utility if you want to play magic in this game. Staffs are meh. Would rather just use magic barehanded than carry around a piece of wood.