If anything all of my melee builds got stronger, none of them used stat sticks.
Sword and board or dual claw all you need to clear all content.

I played before stat sticks but never played without something in my offhand helping me, like attack speed or block. Prismatic eclipse was my go to with block corruption mod

Try reading the balance changes again then, because you can still have things helping you in your off-hand if you're dual wielding as intended

[quote
You will no longer be able to use skills that require a specific weapon equipped if you are dual-wielding and one of your equipped weapons is unsuitable for that skill.
Skills that could be used with two weapons, but were main-hand-only when used, now use both weapons when dual wielding.
[/quote]

[/QUOTE]

prismatic eclipse would then hurt your damage output not help it based on how low the damage is.

Not worth trading that high of phys damage for attack speed when it's that big of a difference.

prismatic eclipse would then hurt your damage output not help it based on how low the damage is.

Not worth trading that high of phys damage for attack speed when it's that big of a difference.[/QUOTE]

so you're complaining about stat sticks not a nerf to dual wielding
I don't consider stat sticking true dual wielding. True dual wielding was when I did in 2013 with dual strike melee splash when merc a3 docks was the endgame.