Shields Make Good Surf Boards
I have been playing my Warrior Memnok ever since the game has come out. He has spent I would say, well over 5000 gold on new armour, weapons, talent builds and enchants ever since he has hit level 60... that's a lot of gold. The problem that myself and that almost ALL other Warriors in the Old World have, is that "What happens when you aren't the Main Tank of your guild?". The answer is disliked, but clear, you aren't worth the copper on a penny. We spend an incredible amount on our equipment (we are the most equipment needy of ALL the classes) to try and achieve the same level of playing ability as the MT's, but we never quite reach it. Enchanted Thorium equipment is very hard to make, and costs A LOT of money, an accomplishment in itself to craft an entire set for your character, only to be put to shame by Might gear. In 40 man raids, especially when your guild isn't on farm status, most Warriors have to wait until the MT's are fully equipped with epic gear to benefit the guild and receive their own. Patience, a great virtue, but according to most WOW surveys, we Warriors are the most played class in the game by far, which means only one thing, if we can't maintain a very HIGH gear level (a Quel, an Obsidian Edge for example) or a HIGH fire resist level, we become useless and unwanted. This for other classes, it is quite the opposite, heals, dot's, and aoe will ALWAYS be welcome in raids, no matter if you are outfitted half in greens.

A large problem in End Game raids, is the fact that many classes feel the urge to correct non MT's in the way they should play their character, for example, telling us to use shields instead of dual wielding or using a 2 handed weapon. If we are not dedicated to the protection tree, this actually works against us. Arms and Fury are not meant for a shield, but for weapons that will provide a large damage output through use of our talents. Arms is superior damage, and fury is superior rage gain. Gaining an extra 2000 armour might be a dazzling number, but the attitude a person can get if we don't come packing with our "sword and board" is ridiculous. When they have done 15-20 builds, using each tree with this class then they could speak, but to most players, this is not the case. If YOU told THEM how to chose their talents and gear, they would probably be aghast! This is my breakdown of using a shield vs your tree spec in an End Game Instance.

Percentages are stronger than numbers, they are the basis of definition and demographic. Here is the demographic on using shield vs 2h and dual wield in the various trees of a warrior during an End Game Instance.

The percentages say a Warrior with a shield isn't the best route sometimes. My example, a Random Level 60 warrior has 5k AC with NO SHIELD (this example is a pretty well equipped Warrior, to have 5k ac with no shield is to have a mix of decent and worked on rare gear, maybe 1 piece of epic armour).

Damage vs level 60 at 60
Damage Reduction: 47.5%
With shield reduction: 57.7%

10.2% more damage mitigation!
Arms warriors gain 10.2% damage reduction, shield bash and shield block by using a shield. They lose, a substantial amount of DPS (50-100, the figure is broad due to weapon level and type), 6% to 2h weapons or pole arm, a reduction in MS damage, reduced rage gain, and most importantly reduced taunt.

Fury warriors gain 10.2% damage reduction, shield bash and shield block from a shield. They lose, 25% damage output to their offhand, the ability to activate flurry more often, and the ability to utilize bloodthirst to its fullest:

A Boss hits for 500dmg avg: w/shield 50hp less damage
Bloodthirst (BT) hits between 230-500 non crit, heals 20hp for 5 hits (100hp)every 6-8 seconds.
1h weapon or a 2h weapon cannot utilize BT, they will maybe get 60hp if they are lucky and it definitely will not be every 6-8 seconds.
To summarize, lack of dual wield = cannot use BT fully, less damage, less taunt. ** A side note to the fury tree is Improved Demoralizing Shout. Reduction of enemy AP by 204 points. Each attack is reduced by 20-100 hps per hit. This is a shield equivalent and its AOE.

Protection tree Warriors in order to be played to the fullest, NEED a shield. They need the shield, they were DESIGNED to have it incorporated into their spec. That's why the shield skills are under this tree. That's why they get a talent to increase taunt per hit by 15%; without it, sword and shield combos wouldn't hack it. This is when you ask "why aren't you using a shield"? And what Prot tree Warrior wouldn't? But just because this trees effectiveness is with a shield doesn't mean the other 2 trees are.

Blizzard designed this game to get away from the copy cut and paste feel of EQ, FFXI, DAOC, all those games everyone ends up the same. This game you don't have to be. EACH TREE COMES TO THE SAME ENDS BY A DIFFERENT MEANS! Your take the right, middle or left path its always gonna be the same mileage. It's a preference not an expectation.

A lot of times, in Scolo/ Strath and other smaller raids, I have been laughed at because of my use of dual wield. Yet when the priest laughing at me gets our group killed 3 times because he decides to use Mind Control, no such belittling response came across from my character. My dual wield didn't get us killed once. Of course all Warriors know that at certain points in instances, a shield and defensive stance are mandatory, we KNOW what it is to do our jobs to the fullest, we live to die, to protect and deal damage for our party.

To other warriors out there: If you are Arms and Fury throw down that shield and make use of what you have chosen. A friend to all is a friend to none, if people cannot fathom a warrior without a shield, then it is they who are the foolish. Better gear never makes up for better personality.

Not holding a shield doesn't mean we still can't do our job. ALL classes in the game have 3 options for talents, defensive, damage or combination. With this being stated, is it fair then to say since a Warrior must be a tank then a Priest must only be a healer, same for Druid, stealth only for Rogue, animal only for Hunter, and Paladins better have a holy spec with a sword and shield or else? Hell no. Play what you will and when the fool hardy comes a ranting put them in their place. Everyone has a basic level of respect they are entitled. If they don't show it, then don't go with the flow, if we cater to the stubborn and the close-minded, then others will have the displeasure of their company. Absolutes are a fools game.

Check out the Absorb Calculator for my percentages.

The shield I used for my percentages, the best shield in the game, weighing in at a lofty 2929 AC: High Warlord Shield Wall

The warrior example of 5kac, is actually 1k to 500ac higher than the average non-shielded warrior. I gave the dissenting opinion the benefit of the doubt to prevent references to a greater shield, there is none. Anyone who wants to knit-pick my grammar or slight inconsistencies your pursuit to find my discrepancies is your admission to loss. I'm not coming from a hateful perspective, although their may be a shred of animosity in my sentences. I have learned every part of this class for over a year now, what I presented here is fact based on repeated attempts and variations to the warriors play style.