Shield Min/Maxing

[Twigifire]

Hi All,
Im looking for clarity on the shield not providing stats when the sword isn't in use as the active weapon. From my understanding, it seems to create a disadvantage with equipment weight.

Basic example: using sword/shield and great axe. If I use sword/shield and want to be light armor, I need to be in full light armor. When I swap to great axe, doesn't this mean I am less tanky than I 'optimally' could be, as instead of the currently inactive shield stats I could be wearing some medium armor?

[EvilHare]

Tanky would take advantage of the trifecta that is the tank build... Defensive side, Con till 3rd to last tier, heavy gear to compliment defensive tree side and con tier perks.

Shield that is not used with sword is useless. It is not a frying pan on your bum.

GA is good, but I do not think it optimizes the tankyness.

[Twigifire]

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Tanky would take advantage of the trifecta that is the tank build... Defensive side, Con till 3rd to last tier, heavy gear to compliment defensive tree side and con tier perks.

Shield that is not used with sword is useless. It is not a frying pan on your bum.

GA is good, but I do not think it optimizes the tankyness.

It's more a question on 'Does using sword/shield make me less tanky than I could be when I use Great Axe?'

[Koldbones]

I checked in beta, as long as it's not out in the open, like you are attacking, it doesn't give any stat boost and i didnt think to check the weight but i am guessing that you still get the weight penalty with it being on the character slot. Your example of swapping would mean you would lose the stats from the shield once you went to great axe. I think you are wanting to use the stats even when its not equipped in the attack mode and that makes no sense. To do what you want you might swap to medium armor from light that way you dont lose as much when you drop the shield for the 2h axe. But I am no min/maxer just going off observation.

Just curious why are you wanting to use light, from what i saw there wasnt a lot of difference weight wise from medium, there was but it wasnt huge.

[Koldbones]

Messaggio originale di Kevin O'Lemon:

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Tanky would take advantage of the trifecta that is the tank build... Defensive side, Con till 3rd to last tier, heavy gear to compliment defensive tree side and con tier perks.

Shield that is not used with sword is useless. It is not a frying pan on your bum.

GA is good, but I do not think it optimizes the tankyness.

It's more a question on 'Does using sword/shield make me less tanky than I could be when I use Great Axe?'

I dont know but do the 2h axe add stats like defense or something? I never equipped one

[Koldbones]

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Tanky would take advantage of the trifecta that is the tank build... Defensive side, Con till 3rd to last tier, heavy gear to compliment defensive tree side and con tier perks.

Shield that is not used with sword is useless. It is not a frying pan on your bum.

GA is good, but I do not think it optimizes the tankyness.

Doesnt the GA offer all those control abilities? He wants to be low encumbrance from light armor, so i am guessing this is for pvp to run around CCing everyone.

[Fauxknight]

Shield adds to your armor weight either way. There are smaller shields like bucklers that you might be able to squeeze on with light armor and stay light, but you won't be able to use any of the bigger ones. Unless you specifically want the Straight Sword tree to deal damage shields are generally about blocking and usually combine with a heavy armor load to increase block stability.

[Bordric]

Should you get skill from shield if it is not equipped? No in my opinion. Unless I misunderstand. Equipped I meant on your arm.

[SUDTIN]

I understand and would like to clarify. Equipment Load is the worn Dodge Weight Class Light / Medium / Heavy. You would like to know if using a shield is worth the extra weight; No. Two very bad things happen while the shield is on your characters back... One ) The Shield Attributes and Perks do NOT count. Two ) Unlike other weapons the shield is a gray area that will add useless weight. Sword and Shield is best chosen as a primary weapon paired with heavy armor and strictly ignoring dodge altogether. There is a point with Heavy Armor used with Sword and Shield that DMG reduction outweighs the lightest dodge.

[Twigifire]

Messaggio originale di Koldbones:

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Tanky would take advantage of the trifecta that is the tank build... Defensive side, Con till 3rd to last tier, heavy gear to compliment defensive tree side and con tier perks.

Shield that is not used with sword is useless. It is not a frying pan on your bum.

GA is good, but I do not think it optimizes the tankyness.

Doesnt the GA offer all those control abilities? He wants to be low encumbrance from light armor, so i am guessing this is for pvp to run around CCing everyone.

Replying to all three comments here:

1) This would agree with what I currently believe is the case, which means shield is disadvantageous when using a Great Axe as instead of shield, you could be wearing some/more medium armour whilst staying below the threshold. (Hammer might therefore be better). Trade-off is basically the ability to access the shield move-set while sacrificing some (even if it might be small) tankiness when using the great axe.

2) light armour threshold has an extra 10% dmg benefit compared to medium threshold whilst being better for playing solo imo as you can kite far better and disengage from groups. The combo is shield bash into backstab execute when someone drops below 30-50% hp to secure kills with huge damage bursts. I'm trying to optimise this build/playstyle using this moveset.

The issue I'm seeing is that sword shield is the only weapon set which effects your armour weight class which can directly impact your performance when using your secondary weapon. Which raises the questions of why/should the shield effect equipment load in the first place? Is it powerful enough comparatively to justify this drawback in what/any circumstances?

[Twigifire]

Messaggio originale di FocusBoxHero:

I understand and would like to clarify. Equipment Load is the worn Dodge Weight Class Light / Medium / Heavy. You would like to know if using a shield is worth the extra weight; No. Two very bad things happen while the shield is on your characters back... One ) The Shield Attributes and Perks do NOT count. Two ) Unlike other weapons the shield is a gray area that will add useless weight. Sword and Shield is best chosen as a primary weapon paired with heavy armor and strictly ignoring dodge altogether. There is a point with Heavy Armor used with Sword and Shield that DMG reduction outweighs the lightest dodge.

Thanks for all your responses, this basically answers the question. It seems a bit limiting that they'd make it add weight.

[EvilHare]

Messaggio originale di Kevin O'Lemon:

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Tanky would take advantage of the trifecta that is the tank build... Defensive side, Con till 3rd to last tier, heavy gear to compliment defensive tree side and con tier perks.

Shield that is not used with sword is useless. It is not a frying pan on your bum.

GA is good, but I do not think it optimizes the tankyness.

It's more a question on 'Does using sword/shield make me less tanky than I could be when I use Great Axe?'

Using a GA makes you less tanky than S&S.

[Twigifire]

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Messaggio originale di Kevin O'Lemon:

It's more a question on 'Does using sword/shield make me less tanky than I could be when I use Great Axe?'

Using a GA makes you less tanky than S&S.

Thats still not quite what I am asking, I've worded the question more specifically. Others have answered it now and I think the discussion could lean towards answering why the shield is the only weapon to add equipment weight, and is it easily justifiable?

[SomeBloke]

Messaggio originale di Kevin O'Lemon:

Messaggio originale di EvilHare:

Using a GA makes you less tanky than S&S.

Thats still not quite what I am asking, I've worded the question more specifically. Others have answered it now and I think the discussion could lean towards answering why the shield is the only weapon to add equipment weight, and is it easily justifiable?

Because it is classed as armour and not as a weapon?

[Twigifire]

Messaggio originale di SomeBloke:

Messaggio originale di Kevin O'Lemon:

Thats still not quite what I am asking, I've worded the question more specifically. Others have answered it now and I think the discussion could lean towards answering why the shield is the only weapon to add equipment weight, and is it easily justifiable?

Because it is classed as armour and not as a weapon?

Ok, then why is it classed as armour when it is tied only to a specific weapon? If it is classed as armour, shouldn't it then also provide the armour when a different weapon is active (not necessarily the specific stats like +X Strength)? Aside from 'realism' I'm not convinced this is a justifiable design decision.

[Recluse Darkstalker]

Should have 3 shield weights, heavy one only usable with full heavy set etc.