Shields are useless.

[lil8up]

Shields like the tilte says are useless. Bowmen can hit your feet and it'd feel like they are hitting your body. People that are right in front of you can hit around your shield even when you are blocking. And only thing a Shield does is slow you down.

Great balanced game by the way. I can see that the devs really don't give a crap about bugs and balances.

[The Faceless Man]

your post makes no sense....

how does bowmen hitting your feet make shields useless? bowmen can hit your feet with or without a shield.

people can only hit around your shield if you're holding your shield up all the time. if you use it like a parry and time it, it works the same way.


so it's not that shields are useless at all, you just don't understand how to use them.

[¿Albatrossing?]

Just like regular parries you need to aim your block. Shields don't slow you down at all, the only way they do is in blocking reaction time.(the larger the shield the slower it is to being raised to block) Don't think of a shield as a stop-all defense, it's got some problems but it also helps in other ways.

1.Shields mostly stop feints(not always but it removes most of them)
2. Shields speed up attacks(get a quick weapon and it will become even faster, flinching anyone who wants to attack)
3. Shields block projectiles from any direction, even when you aren't blocking with it.(keep it on your back and walk backwards, it works.) Don't be one of those newbies who feels the need to constantly block with it to stop arrows, as that just drains stamina and stops heath regen from occurring.

And as always, remember that you are still vulnerable somewhere no matter what, so always work on your footwork and don't be predictable so archers can't hit you.

[The Faceless Man]

Originally posted by Albatrossing:

2. Shields speed up attacks(get a quick weapon and it will become even faster, flinching anyone who wants to attack)

i contest this point.

i use a broadsword and a heater shield with man-at-arms. without the heater shield, there's no noticable difference in attack speed (in fact, i think a lone 1-handed weapon swings a bit faster).

[IsPolioExcuseForHacks?]

Originally posted by Solar:

Originally posted by Albatrossing:

2. Shields speed up attacks(get a quick weapon and it will become even faster, flinching anyone who wants to attack)

i contest this point.

i use a broadsword and a heater shield with man-at-arms. without the heater shield, there's no noticable difference in attack speed (in fact, i think a lone 1-handed weapon swings a bit faster).

it got changed last patch, norse, hws and hatchet used to be stupid fast with a shield.

[=(e)= Lemonater47]

Finally this guy actual to has a point.

Yes shields are pretty pointless. They need tap block back an archers need to deal less damage to the legs.

[dat_potatoe]

You can't really parry and riposte with a shield.

You can block easier and longer with a shield, but are otherwise disadvantaged.
They seem more like a crutch to me than anything worthwhile.

[IsPolioExcuseForHacks?]

Originally posted by =(e)= Lemonater47:

Finally this guy actual to has a point.

Yes shields are pretty pointless. They need tap block back an archers need to deal less damage to the legs.

the kite shields "block box" is bigger than the visual model. its hard to hit someones feet especially when he isnt moving in a straight line or jumping over your arrows. where is najo when you need him.

[=(e)= Lemonater47]

They edited the projectile block box so you couldn't hit them in the torso from the front with the kite shield. You can still hit them in the legs easy enough. You can still get headshots though against a kite shield user from the front they haven't fixed that.

Tower got its box modified so you couldn't headshot people from the front. Though its the only shield where you can still body shot them in the front. On the sides it matches up exactly with the shield. So you can still shoot the arms.

Heater got widened in all directions and is actually better than the kite shield at projectile blocking.

Buckler has been modified so its very difficult to body shot them now and you can headshot them anymore.


Buckler also has the widest melee block box which is strange.

[The Faceless Man]

i welcome these opinions. people who don't see the real potential behind shields will be unprepared for them. ;)


blocking archer fire isn't the only big advantage. your opponent will often try to 'heavy kick' while your shield is up. this drains their stamina, and can even sometimes leave themselves open to an attack. if you're able to 'fake out' your opponent with your shield, you can lower it just in time to avoid the staggering result of the kick.


a common amateur move i have started to notice is that some folks try to counter shields by intentionally missing their attack when they see your shield up. this allows them to combo into their next swing without delay. often they will go for the side or an instant overhead or even a reverse overhead for their second attack. as long as you've got good footing and iron will, you can withdraw or block.


shields are great. call them a crutch, or useless, or pointless, or whatever you need to say to justify your superiority over them. ;) that over-confidence just gives us shield-wielders another advantage in combat.

[Plague Doctor]

newbs say the darndest things. BTW hey lemon ;)

[Vara]

Yup, they are useless.

[jeffy]

ya some people are good at hitting around your shield when your blocking

I use a sheild as wearing it on my Back

It stops incoming arrows from behind

or I spin my back at someone that is shooting something at me then i got in a get em

[The Faceless Man]

it's no different from hitting around your parry. just don't lift your shield until you have to. works the same as a parry that way. problem solved. (you turn slower with shield up all the time).

i do something similar. instead of just having it on my back, i just turn so my shield arm is facing the direction arrows are coming from. only if i'm doing a full retreat do i put my shield on my back.

[Deadpan Serious]

why do people think a shield is useless when they get hit in their feet?

when i hold up a shield and i get hit in the foot is when i KNOW my shield was USEFUL. because it 1) saved me 33% of the damage of the hit, and 2) i made the archer take much longer in aiming his shot, having to shoot passed my shield.

furthermore, for every missile that hits you, one will hit your shield (rough estimation). and on top of that, for every missile that hits you or your shield, you will have prevented one missile from being shot at you at all, because you're not that good of a target of opportunity (very rough estimation, it's probably even more).

i use Javeliner 55% of the time, and that Buckler is such a life-saver. but even a Heater Shield is way over twice as hard to shoot around than a Buckler.

OMG My HSIelD dOEsNT prOvIDE misSILE iMMuniTY!!

yes, lets have cops fight crime without bullproof vests too, because you could shoot around it.

a simple shield will probably save you about 75% of missiles that would otherwise hit you. if you're so stupid to rely on one little equipment to give you full immunity to a threat and then take no heed whatsoever of that threat, you deserve to be target practice.

also, as far as i know the shield in no way slows you down. you just loose Stamina quicker, can be stunned by a Kick, and can't Riposte. unless you put it on your back, which still provides a decent missile counter.

however, i will agree that in melee the Feint-counter probably isn't worth the Kick-vulnerability, Riposte loss and Stamina drain.

[The Faceless Man]

Originally posted by Deadpan Serious:

however, i will agree that in melee the Feint-counter probably isn't worth the Kick-vulnerability, Riposte loss and Stamina drain.

that kick-vulnerability is actually a blessing in disguise.

if you fight without a shield, an opponent will hardly ever kick you. with a shield, you provoke them to kick more often. kicks drain stamina, whether they hit you or not. that gives you a stamina lead if your shield wasn't up.