As awdz said, all mobs have different resistances, but about 10 lvls of mage will allow you to cast mage damage conversion buffs (flame/ice/energy attack 1) which can help a lot.

Generally, 1 hander plus shield will give more defense, less damage but faster attack speed (delay). 2 handers do more damage but swing slower. However, when usng damage modifying abilities like critical strike will really shine.

Comes down to play style more than anything. 2 hand swords swing faster than mauls, but do less damage, so there is still variations all over the place.