Opportunity Costs, Resist Magic, Block

[AardvarkPepper]

I've read to maximize Resist Magic, Bretons only need ring, necklace, some perks from the Alteration tree (I think),

Spoiler:

Book of Love

, maybe some other things. Non-Bretons, though, need to have ring, necklace, and shield (but have enough with that so they can use perk points for other things). I think that's right.

The "problem" (or so I understand it, though I could have this entirely wrong) is that when armor is maximized through good use of Alchemy, Enchantment, and Smithing, shields cease to be really useful, since armor's function is to block a percentage of damage, and shield function is to block a percentage of damage, *but* the percentage of damage is capped and can be reached by light or heavy armors anyways. So after your armor reaches a certain efficiency level, shields really don't do much, and it would be better to use dual-wielding single hand weapons, or magic/single hand, or two-handed weapons maybe.

My question is first, do I understand that mechanic more or less correctly (and is it still true after the Fortify Restoration potion / Fortify Alchemy equipment loop was nerfed), and second, is there a practical way around this?

My second question (I don't have enough experience to know) is could it be viable to build a non-Breton geared towards dual-wielding weapons, *but* that has a shield of magic resistance to equip when magic using foes are around, *or* can still use dual-wielding against bosses but drink a potion of Resist Magic instead? If *every* enemy pretty much uses magic later, then this would be pretty impractical because the character would have to drink nonstop, or would be chained to the less efficient shield-and-weapon style (or shield and magic as you like) to combat the constant danger of magic. But if magic using foes are not terribly common - then maybe?

Thanks in advance for replies.

[Lord Timster]

when armor is maximized through good use of Alchemy, Enchantment, and Smithing, shields cease to be really useful

If you're talking *just* Armour Rating then you are correct, however the shield has other stuff going for it.

You get an extra enchantment slot (2 at Enchanting 100).
Some of the Block Perks are interesting.
It also does some 'staggering' and 'anti-staggering' stuff, iirc.

it would be better to use dual-wielding single hand weapons, or magic/single hand, or two-handed weapons maybe.

2H weapons can be pretty unwieldy to use at times, and the game's hotkey system doesn't seem to like dual-wielding very much.
Magic/single hand is nice. I use that myself for hand-to-hand at high levels.

Don't forget: if your Alchemy-Smithing-Enchantment is high enough to maximise Armour Rating then you will also be able to temper a 1H weapon to ridiculous levels. My current character has a 1H War Axe as a back-up weapon - it does ~530 damage with 2 secs of Paralysis. A Back-up weapon...

Basically, at high levels any of these character concepts are viable. No need to sweat over squeezing every last point out of the system. Play what you want to play.

a non-Breton geared towards dual-wielding weapons, *but* that has a shield of magic resistance to equip when magic using foes are around, *or* can still use dual-wielding against bosses but drink a potion of Resist Magic instead?

Honestly I never actually use 'Resist Magic' as such. As an alternative you could try a Nord or Dark Elf (with Resist Frost/Fire) and then enchant some boots with the other 2 Resist Elements (Or just Shock if you can only do one - as Fire and Frost attacks can be dodged). That will take the sting out of the average encounter. You just need a small stock of Resist *element* Potions in case a Dragon or High-Level Magic User crops up.

I play a Nord (Resist Frost 50%) with boots (Resist Shock 66% & Resist Fire 66%) and a supply of potions.
That works fine for me, even on Legendary Difficulty.