How do I deal optimal damage while dual-wielding?

Dual-wielding in Skyrim is... interesting. You can swing both hands individually (but not at the same time), or swing both hands together in a dual-attack.

The dual-attack can't be used while moving, but otherwise seems the premier way to deal damage with two weapons.

Then there's the dual power attack, which just completely wrecks #@$* up, but this requires stamina, so its not always an option.

Am I missing something here? Is there ever any reason where I wouldn't want to use the dual-strike? Is there some bonus to the regular swings when dual-wielding?

Solution 1:

Here are the reasons why you wouldn't want to use the normal dual strike.

1. If you want to hit a moving target. For instance, those annoying casters that are constant running away from you, since you can't pull it off while moving at the same time.

2. If you want to, for some reason, conserve the charges on the offhand weapon. If your target is going to die in 1 hit, maybe you want to finish him off with a normal weapon in your off hand rather than the highly enchanted weapon in the main hand.

3. This other question brings up the idea of using a dagger/something else combo. Maybe if you were using a dagger/mace, for instance, you'll want to only use the mace on high health targets and the dagger for backstabs and quick kills. Dual attacking's main drawback is that it has a long cool down afterwards So if there are a lot of small and weak enemies (or if you want to proc a weapon enchantment faster, such as using absorb health when your health is low), you'll want to just slash slash slash away with your dagger since its got a faster attack.

Solution 2:

Strictly anecdotally speaking, the dual-power-attack ravages pretty much everything. I've yet to find a reason to do anything else, short of one-off situation instances, like tapping someone with a soul-steal dagger to finish them without accidentally killing them with the other hand first.

I will sometimes use a fast one-handed strike if someone is low and I need it dead right now.