Something I never quite understood...

pts into shield mastery if u go 1handed, it takes off like 500+ dmg and if u do end up getting blocking its even more helpful.

Maxed shield mastery, with the highest def shield currently available, scrolled for defense, will reduce about 80 additional damage (shield itself would reduce 80 so 160 total...). That's over a shield scrolled for attack, which it will do approximately 8 damage reduction. But you get 15+ extra attack.