As a matter of fact, I mostly play Pure builds, to some degree, or other. Mostly to limit level so it doesn't get to the point where Destruction caps out, and the only effective way to continue is Smithing.
That's just if you're going for a no-brainer Artillery mage, the great thing about a pure wizard is all the different effects, and combos you can put together. Knowing what to use when is a big part of the attraction for me, over the "hit him, hit him again" iterative loop of the Warrior.
2handed can use the Bash side of the block tree to stun, and make an opening for strikes. Since the bash is faster than the strike with a Greatsword, much less warhammer, this is how I survive unarmored. Use the better endurance to split up the enemies, and manuever them into a series of duels, then keep them off balance, so you take little if any damage. Great Critical charge is a great way to start it off with a staggaring double damage strike, then if they survive that, you can usually finish them quickly. i'd suggest Archery too, or you get ate up by bows, and spells, though.
Blocking with a weapon doesn't protect as much, but does more damage with a bash. therefore, don't block, as much (it's unavoidable, but don't just stand there, and tank.)
Walls, and Rune spells are great for kiting big badass NPCs, like Giants, and Warlord Gathrik onto. Rather than standing up, and using them for defense, run away, and cast them at your feet. You don't even have to face them, though it's nice to have it in 3rd person view, and scrolled back as high as possible. 75DPS is nothing to sneeze at, even for a Giant, and adding burning damage just melts them faster. You have 2 hands, so assuming enough magicka, you can cast Flames, and Frost so they don't have the stamina to sprint. Also, Wall of Frost is the fastest, most effective way I've found to beat Big Bad Al once he's grounded. You know where he's going to land, and with his Stamina drained, he can't take back off, so you only have to Dragonrend him once (keep Clear Skies ready to counter his Meteor Storm.) His large footprint means you can hose him down with multiple instances, so he's actually beaten in a matter of seconds. Just use Dragonskin, and the Atronach Stone, so his breath attacks keep you topped off, and keep your distance. He can't hurt you.
Hey, play your way, man. You're right, a Shield is much better, I was just suggesting one way that 2h can be less underpowered. You can Hack&Bash a lot more effectively with a Handaxe (preferably with Fire Damage) and the Targe of the Blooded. Thing is, I don't just do OP builds, the ones I enjoy the most are balanced with the game, so i actually have a chance of dying, if I don't play my cards right. It really helps reinforce the Damoclean thread suspending my disbelief as I single handedly take on entire armies of enemies, and when I do eventually prevail, I feel more like I earned it.
I've run into that problem a lot actually. Where I'll max out relevant skills and be left with nothing to really add to my experience to level up. If I'm interpreting correctly, you're saying a pure build can help to avoid this?
When you level all 18 skills to 100, you can't gain any more, so you reach the maximum level of 81. OTOH, you can just work 3 skills (Like Archery, 1H, and Light Armor) and set your own cap at around 30. (Depending on starting bonuses.) Just don't work other skills, at all, and you won't go up in level. neither will any of the NPCs, so this freezes the game at that level, while you go around killing everything, running all the quests, and spending your money. (In shops, you'll eventually earn Speech XP.) Or, you can change class, and add new skills to augment your first ones, while the game also goes up some more tiers. This is tricky, though, because you want to save the fast levelers for later, when you need more XP to advance. Block, for instance, is good to get over with early, and Illusion, since it becomes less effective as NPCs level past it.
Ah, I understand you better now. I use that tactic to some degree as well; starting pure and branching out at around level 25-30. Usually I start off beefing up my one-handed, block, and archery skills; using alteration, destruction, and restoration as supporting skills. Later on focusing on the latter three, then jumping to my Thief aligned skills (sneak, alchemy, speech, or lock picking depending on what I'm going for at the time). I don't usually keep around a follower but you've shown me a reason to with your use of one for opening chests.
The best formula seems to be 1 close, 1 ranged, and 1 defense/assistance skill. For instance, 1H, Destruction, and Alteration for a Spellblade. Followers seem to be best for opening chests, and hauling loot, but there's other tactics you can use with them. Like Tank&Spank, where you Command her to go forward, and keep them busy while you hit them from behind. (I like Mjoll with Volendrung, Rahgot, Sigdis' Amulet Fragment, and uthgerd's Plate Steel, but you can also give Jenassa Windshear, and the BoW, or Lydia the Targe.)
While we're talking about the Block skill tree, I'm just referring to the Bash perks. With an unarmored character (Especially an assassin, like Dreadfall) it's actually fairly balanced, because while she can mash most everthing flat, she's also pretty squishy, so the stagger effect, and stealth are the only things that keep her alive. Also, she doesn't have Elemental protection, so she can still get Forswarmed. Finally, she has NO range, at all. She palls around with Jenassa for that, and never took the Dragonstone back, because she's not the Dragonborn. Most of the challenge is avoiding combat as much as possible, or backstabbing the greatest threat first. usually the mages, and archers. She's still pretty effective in the melee, but not unstoppable.
Very tight, and decent strategies my friend!
