Duel weilding, or bucklar?

[Tinthalas]

I am the MT in my guild and are healers kick butt. My gear is all Fabled (KoS) with some EoF parts. My AA setup is Str/Int - the EoF one for this post doesn't matter. I have been duel wielding on are raids while MTing. I know I know omg no shield blocks - with a defiler in the group (wards) and 1 healer thats awake I have no problem at all doing this even on named fights for all KoS npcs. I even do it on *some* of the EoF ones. My question in short though is this: Does Duel wielding produce more dps? Or is the Bucklar (sta line up) still king? I can tell you that with the duel wield set up I have been having ALOT of fun - A Lot of dps! I went from a tower shield to duel wield... now I am thinking I should tone it down a notch (dmg I receive) and try the buckler. But I don't want to give up my dps. I know your all thinking I am crazy but why not? I have the mitigation, I have the avoidance - I am simply taking the 22% shield block off the table and my healers are no longer watching tv while raiding <grins>. I simply have not tested the dmg output of Buckler Vs Duel wield and am curious what the most damage output set up is. The other question is: Is there a Cap on Parry? or a diminishing returns cap? I know that shields no matter what good one you get its basically 19.9% + the adornments so its roughly 22%.. but what about parry?  I currently have 8 points in parry and I am thinking on raids its totally capped with my group set up & all t he +parry adornments and gear I have... so I could take a few points out of parry and use them elsewhere.  Anyone played with these numbers and setups? I haven't since the last beta :/ Anyone have answers? <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Snorm]

<p>DW/vs buckler depends on the weapons you have available. With a crap offhand and a good main hand, I got better with the buckler. With balanced weapons, my understanding is that DW has a slight advantage but I've not seen it with my gear personally (haven't tested this real extensively)</p><p>You can get block up to at least 27.5 with instance gear... crafted and heroic quests even <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. Scaled Sheild of Growth gives 21.5 + 1% addorn + 5% from either the legendary or fabled gladius. If you get your hands on the hate BP you would have 32.5%. The KoS shields do top out at 19.8, as you say though.</p><p>The supposed cap on parry and def is 455. I've seen base avoidance go up with defense past that, so I'm not sure it's accurate.</p><p>Survivability of the buckler is a lot higher than with a 2 hander or DW, esp if you go for 4488 Sta.</p><p>Snorm -- 70 Guard</p>

[PaganSaint]

That skill cap is only capped at that amount vs lvl 70s.The only way I have been able to beat buckler spec with a DW spec is to use a grim brimstone hammer as my primary and a 1.7/1.8s base delay weapon as my off hand.

[Snorm]

<p>Yeah, I should have been more clear. 487.5 is the cap vs. 75's which is about the highest level you ever actually face. Although there are a couple 76's in CMM I think. Anway, you also have to consider being in offensive stance, etc. as well.</p><p> Snorm</p>

[Docimodo]

<p>It would all depend on your specific setup. Why don't you try both and compare for yourself.</p><p>I personally like dual wield because I don't lose anything by wearing a tower shield.</p>