So...what skill am I using if I dual wield shields?

[Rpground]

I have to assume it's unarmed seeing as it doesn't fall under any other combat oriented tree. Correct?

[Haldurson]

You can punch things without using the unarmed skill. It's just punching and kicking. The Unarmed skill will give you addtional attacks, and allow you to do more damage, etc. However, the unarmed skill will not give you its stat bonuses if you are wielding one or two weapons. Unless you did take unarmed, I don't recommend dual-wielding shields.

There are other items that also don't count as weapons: books and orbs, for the most common examples, but there are other rarer items that you can hold. Orbs are good for magic-oriented builds, for example, and books tend to be more offense-oriented if you prefer that to a shield.

[OneFishSunfish]

Agreed. this game doesn't really have a reliable way of making Defense your offense stat.
I havent played in a while but if I remember correctly, there is a seperate crossbow section, you can dualwield shields and use a crossbow.
In fact, I'd go as far to say that a crossbow should be in any good build, because they can get passive stats from Krom.

[Haldurson]

The problem with Crossbows (and throwing, for that matter) is that it's dependent on ammo. Actually, for a melee build, you are better off with thrown weapons than crossbows, because your melee damage bonuses transfer to thrown weapons, but not to crossbow bolts.

The Crossbow skill is a perfectly good choice. But I would save it for a build involving tinkering and perception, and for more of a hybrid or mage-type build.