Help with Bulwark shield?

[Kip]

Bulwark is definitely the class I'm most interested in, but I'm having some REALLY bad trouble understanding the shield mechanic, and the trial explanation was wildly unhelpful in answering my specific questions.

My issues:
Holding the shield up, a light enemy will attack me (not a blue parry, just a basic attack), and I still take the damage, and I still stagger. If the shield can't block the most basic attacks, whats the point? Am I missing something there?

Also, I feel as though bulwark is more difficult to parry with because for any other class, when you see a blue parry marker, you just hold the parry button until the attack resolves and you get the parry. You don't need to time it. But with a shield, the parry button is the SAME as the block button. And since the aforementioned block doesn't seem to actually block anything, you can't hold the button and successfully parry because it just holds the shield and the enemy goes right through it.

I have REALLY bad trouble with this shield. It seems almost random in controlling to me. Sometimes I'll go to block and accidentally get into a parry animation. Sometimes I'll try to parry and just block and get hit instead. I can't contend with this inconsistency.

If I am missing something, please let me know!

EDIT:
The answer to my question is just... yeah. The shield has some issues right now.
HOWEVER, the perk tree makes up for the issues tenfold.

[Fluxion]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Kip:

Bulwark is definitely the class I'm most interested in, but I'm having some REALLY bad trouble understanding the shield mechanic, and the trial explanation was wildly unhelpful in answering my specific questions.

My issues:
Holding the shield up, a light enemy will attack me (not a blue parry, just a basic attack), and I still take the damage, and I still stagger. If the shield can't block the most basic attacks, whats the point? Am I missing something there?

Also, I feel as though bulwark is more difficult to parry with because for any other class, when you see a blue parry marker, you just hold the parry button until the attack resolves and you get the parry. You don't need to time it. But with a shield, the parry button is the SAME as the block button. And since the aforementioned block doesn't seem to actually block anything, you can't hold the button and successfully parry because it just holds the shield and the enemy goes right through it.

I have REALLY bad trouble with this shield. It seems almost random in controlling to me. Sometimes I'll go to block and accidentally get into a parry animation. Sometimes I'll try to parry and just block and get hit instead. I can't contend with this inconsistency.

If I am missing something, please let me know!

Yea, I have to admit, of all the classes, Bulwark I had the most trouble with and I thought it would actually be the EASIEST.

The whole block thing was NOT working for me at all... I was clearly doing something wrong. I was sniping better and I'm a terrible sniper, LOL.

Tac and Vanguard were much better than I expected, Heavy's great as long as you don't get too swarmed, Assault is amazing in the Campaign., but my gawd, in PvE... what happened to the pack? Launch 2 feet off the ground? Powerfist was pretty bad too. Sniper is pretty much a sniper.

ANYWAY yea, if anyone has some insight, PLZ do tell.

[Coekie]

same lol. for some reason blocking with the shield is harder than a regular sword or chainsaw

[.___COAST___.]

I made a quick video to help with understanding Parry timing on Bulwark. The audio sucks but maybe it will help someone. https://youtu.be/uPcSqSqPhys?si=Qu7qQf6yGbAdzGwe

[Coekie]

Opprinnelig skrevet av .___COAST___.:

I made a quick video to help with understanding Parry timing on Bulwark. The audio sucks but maybe it will help someone. https://youtu.be/uPcSqSqPhys?si=Qu7qQf6yGbAdzGwe

thanks man, will check it out

[Driblex™]

I maxed out Bulwark so I can share some experience. The shield is super strong. It blocks ALL minor attack with ease. You can hold off an entire wave (in front of you obviously) just with blocking. You can block blue attacks but it will slighty stagger you. Red one cannot be blocked and must be dodged.

Sprinting automaticaly blocks everything in front of you. Perfect to engange ranged enemies.

You can still parry with a shield just fine. Just tab the button like with everything else BUT in PvE the weapons have different stats that in the campaign. With some weapons you're not ment to parry but to block. They have a way slower/more delayed animation than with other weapons. Try them out to get a good feeling with it. With Bulwark you can stay alive without any stims for the entire round and never getting downed. You'll have to learn his mechanics and get some perks later on for (kinda) free healing and tankyness.

[[TSO]-Swordbrother Tharos]

Ive played both Bulwark (lvl 25 maxed) And Heavy (lvl 20 with relics). And Heavy is WAAAY easier.. A multimelta MURDERS everything. The Bulwark easily gets swarmed and the lack of invinc frames makes it hard to sweep. What i would add is damage immunity while charging up an attack or while comboing.

[Greedy Pandah]

Funny enough, I was raging about the Bulwark last night, since he is my main (lvl 11 so far). I was raging about how terrible parrying and blocking is with the guy and was ready to give up on the game. Decided to give the sniper a chance and holy hell, Sniper embarrasses the Bulwark when it comes to parry.

With the Bulwark, facing off against 3 Tyranid Warriors (buttholes with the two swords) and my Bulwark was getting bullied by the 3. Getting pushed around, staggering when they attack, and just can't parry a thing.

My level 1 Sniper, armed with a "tiny" knife, and I'm parrying and gun striking all 3 like Goku showing up to mess up the Ginyu force.

Shield bash seems to be a joke too. Doesn't really interrupt anything. So you have a class that can't parry, doesn't have a primary, has no way of quickly closing the gap, no easier way to switch from fast and strong mode with the sword (should be able to switch during combos) and is absolutely useless against anything that flies. Bulwark needs a heavy adjustment.

[Kip]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Coekie:

Opprinnelig skrevet av .___COAST___.:

I made a quick video to help with understanding Parry timing on Bulwark. The audio sucks but maybe it will help someone. https://youtu.be/uPcSqSqPhys?si=Qu7qQf6yGbAdzGwe

thanks man, will check it out

Good video here. One big discrepancy I noticed though is that you cant go from a block directly into a parry, you have to put your shield DOWN for a sec or the game will think you're trying to put your shield back up

[Fluxion]

I was reading another thread on the block/parry thing and my major problem is, the ONLY time I can "block" is when I'm running... otherwise it's ALWAYS a parry...

I "assume" blocking would hold my shield up? This has never happened for me once (unless charging).

Am I just being stupid or miss something in training because I also don't see a key to map to blocking specifically either.

I admit, I brush over things sometimes, so maybe it's me!

[unanswered ¿]

Opprinnelig skrevet av .___COAST___.:

I made a quick video to help with understanding Parry timing on Bulwark. The audio sucks but maybe it will help someone. https://youtu.be/uPcSqSqPhys?si=Qu7qQf6yGbAdzGwe

thank you!

[Greedy Pandah]

So, just found out something that no one is addressing: What kind of defense position your weapon is at. When you upgrade your weapon's mastery, you will notice that depending on what you choose, your weapons' defense will change to: Balance, Fencing, and Block. If your weapon's defense is "Block" then all you can really do is just block. Fencing allows the greatest window for parrying and Balance is...well, balanced.

[Maou]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Greedy Pandah:

So, just found out something that no one is addressing: What kind of defense position your weapon is at. When you upgrade your weapon's mastery, you will notice that depending on what you choose, your weapons' defense will change to: Balance, Fencing, and Block. If your weapon's defense is "Block" then all you can really do is just block. Fencing allows the greatest window for parrying and Balance is...well, balanced.

I concur. In my experience, block is terrible. I see no situation where I would choose block over the other 2. The only reason I have used it is to get Mastery Points.

[Wet Loafa Bread]

Hold down the shield you’ll take like no damage atleast in pvp, if someone gets close mele while holding block button to shield bash then just wack em with the sword alternate between shooting and blocking to do burst damage it throws ppl off in pvp and allows u to get the kill because u can stop taking damage where as the other person is just expending all their bullets and then shoot ‘em again

[Blitz Hacker]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Maou:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Greedy Pandah:

So, just found out something that no one is addressing: What kind of defense position your weapon is at. When you upgrade your weapon's mastery, you will notice that depending on what you choose, your weapons' defense will change to: Balance, Fencing, and Block. If your weapon's defense is "Block" then all you can really do is just block. Fencing allows the greatest window for parrying and Balance is...well, balanced.

I concur. In my experience, block is terrible. I see no situation where I would choose block over the other 2. The only reason I have used it is to get Mastery Points.

Block isn't meant to be chosen, it's a debuff/negative stat on a weapon. Most of the 'block' weapons have a ludicrously high attack damage or something to offset that you're not able to do parrying with it

[SpectralFX]

In the current state of the game, for PVP, Bulwark will be at the bottom of the score board for sure.

It just CAN'T kill, you got pillows for weapons and your shield is extremely situational.

But make no mistake,

Bulwark is a team oriented class, what it lacks in lethality it makes up for it by buying precious TIME for the rest of your team to best position themselves to outflank the enemy.

A Bulwark should die for his team... albeit, slow enough that his sacrifice brings victory at the end of the day.