How do shields work?

[Skullguise]

You can equip some shields to arms instead of hands but some shields can only be equipped to hands.

Is there a benefit or penalty for using a shield in both arm slots?

Is there a benefit or penalty for using a shield in the off (left) arm/hand instead of the right?

[Mehukannu]

Only bucklers can be equiped to arms or hands. Bucklers don't benefit from some of the shield skills like shield slam. It seems that with the new patch they DO benefit from shield slam, so that means only skill they don't benefit from is shield wall.

As far as I know there is no benefit wearing multiple shields or bucklers or buckler and shield.

There is no benefit or penalty for using a buckler on left or right arms, but equipping a shield or buckler on right hand makes you use it as a weapon since it is considered to be main hand. You do still have 15% chance to attack with the sword equiped on your left hand.

[HunterZ]

Do shields do anything for you if you don't have any shield skills?

[zetjintsu]

Extra shields give you extra chances to block. Only one shield can block against an attack, and each shield can only be used once per combat round (unless you have the skill that gives extra blocks).

[Mehukannu]

To my knowledge shields do not do anything if you do not have shield skills.

[Alugere]

Originally posted by HunterZ:

Do shields do anything for you if you don't have any shield skills?

They descrease your DV making it easier to hit you, but they only provide AV when you block with them, something that requires the shield skills.

[HunterZ]

So if you have 4 arms and equip 8 bucklers, can you block up to 8 times per round?

[zetjintsu]

Originally posted by HunterZ:

So if you have 4 arms and equip 8 bucklers, can you block up to 8 times per round?

If you're attacked at least 8 times in a round by enemies.

[Qua3st0r]

Originally posted by zetjintsu:

Originally posted by HunterZ:

So if you have 4 arms and equip 8 bucklers, can you block up to 8 times per round?

If you're attacked at least 8 times in a round by enemies.

It reads to me that Swift Blocking allows you to block a max of 2 attacks per round. Shield Wall would block all attacks for a limited time (but it looks like you would need to be wielding one Shield, not buckler, and additional shields/bucklers wouldn't help). http://cavesofqud.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Skills

Wearing 8 bucklers would increase the chances of you achieving 1 (or 2, with Swift Blocking) block(s) in a round, though.