old post

[Meovyle]

Silly text here

[purpl3 h4z3]

Yes, shields in this game are extremely powerful in comparison of previous games.

[Xengre]

You can use shields with any build, including as a mage. There is even a spell to buff shields so a mage can use a smaller light shield and still block 100%. To answer your question, yes, shields are notoriously overpowered in all FROM games. They're the equivalent of lowering the difficulty because they don't require any real effort to have precise timing like dodging and with the right setup you take no dmg nor have any stamina reduction so you can do so indefinitely. A shield has faster response time to be dropped for an offensive action than a lengthier dodge animation, too, meaning you get bigger windows to act offensively compared to the normal roll dodge.

Even if you use a shield, and even if you are a mage, you should still emphasize pushing Vigor up ASAP. Preferably, you want 60 Vigor even as a mage eventually. Most of your offensive performance comes from your weapon/catalyst being upgraded, talismans, and spell choice. There is a S rating staff at +0 in Caelid btw.

[Dr.Abscondus]

Yes, a shield will keep you alive a little longer, but I wouldn't call them overpowered.

[Ironwu]

Not really.

You will find that while shields can mitigate a lot (or all) physical damage, and can Parry in skilled hands, they are not the answer to a vast majority of challenges. It is better, as a melee, to know when to go 2 Handed, when to go 1 Handed With Shield, when to go Ranged, and when to cast some magic.

All the combat skills work in their own situations. To depend on one loadout to do it all is asking for frustrations unless you are very, very good and are specifically looking for that sort of challenge.

[Fineous🔥]

Judge by yourself!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2886514951

They are pretty good yeah (even after a few nerfs) but with that shield talisman you can still make certain things a joke.

[EF_Neo1st]

Yes, untill you meet a boss that may recover HP hitting your shield and then you have a boss with permanent max health that may still break your guard, hit you from behind or grab you (this also not cobsidering exploding at your face then applying rot).

Or you can also find a boss that will play NBA Dunk with you, there is that too.

[Fineous🔥]

Or anything building a negative status. Yup two lousy stone imps can ruin your day even with a fingerprint buffed shield.

Still you can completly stop a dragon landing in your face or a gargoyle smacking you.
You take more stamina damage (before that it was just lame and pathetic....you took like no stamina damage at all allowing you to poke behind the shield anything you wanted till kill it) so now they are in a good place without being gamebreaking.

Still the best defense is not being there...A.K.A dodge everything.

[C1REX]

Greatshields are pretty OP. Especially when combined with piercing weapons.

People may not see how crazy good they are because they don't use anything better than medium shield and are stuck with that golden triangle medium shield.

Here is one of many examples how great shield + spear can trivialize the challenge.
https://youtu.be/0SQHXfu8kwk

[Fineous🔥]

Originally posted by C1REX-PL:

Greatshields are pretty OP. Especially when combined with piercing weapons.

People may not see how crazy good they are because they don't use anything better than medium shield and are stuck with that golden triangle medium shield.

Here is one of many examples how great shield + spear can trivialize the challenge.
https://youtu.be/0SQHXfu8kwk

This is pre-nerf. Someone with more stamina than the guy who recorded can still do it, but i can see the video creator trying that again and being murdered by that crucible knight.

[EF_Neo1st]

Originally posted by C1REX-PL:

Greatshields are pretty OP. Especially when combined with piercing weapons.

People may not see how crazy good they are because they don't use anything better than medium shield and are stuck with that golden triangle medium shield.

Here is one of many examples how great shield + spear can trivialize the challenge.
https://youtu.be/0SQHXfu8kwk

Or because people actually dodge it all.

But if they nerfed it as 𝕱𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖔𝖚𝖘 mentioned, then it is even less worthy.


Also, meanwhile I could go double golden halberds with jump attack and wreck Malenia for 1700~1900 dmg per hit while I was still safe rolling her attacks and waterfowl.

[Fineous🔥]

I just recorded this. Rotten crystalian spear+fully upgraded fingerprint buffed with immutable shield. 99 endurance+ turtle talisman and the stamina regen tear+pickled turtle neck.

This combination used to be god like. All i had to do was proc rot and watch whatever i wanted to kill die slowly thanks the rot and shield poke.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2887348803

Not only it got nerfed, i completed one of my NGs (before i got godly stats) before the nerf and i admit this play style SUCKS and could put a sloth to sleep (boooooooring)

Still you can use it to score some counters for decent poise damage, or with the rot spear build rot in a safe way and then swap to dual spears or whatever to finish the fight faster.

And now some advertisements! Do you want a ROT spear?...pay me 5 starlight shards and i farm you one!

[C1REX]

Greatshields got nerfed because they were stupid. They got nerfed more in pvp and less so in pve.
They are still very strong in my opinion. Just not so brainless and you need to release guard between enemy's attacks to recover your stamina.

[Fineous🔥]

Originally posted by C1REX-PL:

Greatshields got nerfed because they were stupid. They got nerfed more in pvp and less so in pve.
They are still very strong in my opinion. Just not so brainless and you need to release guard between enemy's attacks to recover your stamina.

Well....they are still a thing for sure but i invite you to compare the 8 months old video (prenerf) made by a low RL character to the one i recorded 20 mins ago (made by a overstuffed lame character even buffing it).

Now they are another valid and perfectly balanced tool, specially for heavy armored knights to counter them and destroy their pose.
But for big hard hitting targets they suck.

[Argonaut]

No but greatshield poke is OP and has been since release.

[Fineous🔥]

Originally posted by Argonaut:

No but greatshield poke is OP and has been since release.

There is someone who plays offline without updating the game....ha.