I'm talking about duels not using a shield. Why should 1H automatically be forced to use a shield?
This is duels we're talking about. If you use a shield in duels you're a cunt.
Additionally, the only people who believe that shields are actually effective against ranged are ranged.
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Yes, if you are using a 1h without a shield, you are only using one of your arms and you are putting yourself at a disadvantage, obviously. You are fighting with one hand tied behind your back. You might as well use a 2h sword in pole arm mode...its a disadvantage not to use all the advantages available to you (like a free hand). That's kind of what a disadvantage is.
Some people are good at "swashbuckling" by using 1h with no shield. It makes you a bit faster without a shield weighing you down. If you just want to be good at melee like this though, you're better off using a 2h.
I always use shields in a duel if I want to actually win...since I have a good amount of skill points in shield and to NOT use a shield is handicapping myself for no reason. The only reason I don't is if I'm trying to improve my manual blocking skills.
I have 11 gens of shielder...shields are immensely, positively, absolutely, amazingly effective against ranged. I have no fear of ranged. They are my prey. I smile when their arrows clunk uselessly against my bulwark of protection. I get hard watching them flee from me. Even MORE -- I can protect myself
and teammates against ranged. This is my calling in life when I am holding a shield.