If devs want people to USE BUCKLERS, why that SPEED PENALTY?!?

[Palladaotto]

Medium shields > Bucklers. Period.
Bucklers just seem their weaker version lol

Tower shields instead have their unique playstyle and could be VERY efficient.
Buckler sucks

THINGS COULD BE DIFFERENT without the speed penalty. Bucklers could even be unable to block at all: different shield, different playstyle! Sounds great!

This is my opinion after 800 hours in Valheim...

Do you agree?

[Suzaku]

Bucklers have higher block potential through parries. Medium shields are for those that aren't good at parrying, but would like it to happen occasionally, if only by accident.

Really, it's bucklers that are best, and large shields for those that can't parry. Medium shields are the one that's left without an identity.

[Palladaotto]

After 800 hours i think i know something about parrying... i don't think that's the problem

Med shields are efficient enough to do perfect parries against (almost) EVERY enemy in the game AND they also block efficiently (bucklers can't)

[knighttemplar1960]

Bucklers grant 2.5x block armor. Round shields get 1.5 A parry that staggers an opponent allows you to make a double damage follow up attack. Far superior to the other shields since with most opponents you can get the 3 swing combo in without taking damage and the 3rd swing should stagger your opponent again.

This all ready gives you variety and allows you to use differing play styles depending on your personal preferences. The round shield is the red headed step child. It doesn't excel at anything.

[Suzaku]

I need a shield that does what I need it to do, and does it as well as possible. Having a shield that works on almost every enemy isn't worth carrying.

If I'm going to parry, I need the shield that parries best so nothing will break through. If I'm going to block, I need the shield that blocks best so nothing will break through.

I'm not going to carry a medium shield just to watch a 2-star seeker break through with every strike when either of the other options would protect me.

[OctoberSky]

Experiment. Create a seed world and use creative mode ("devcommands" "debugmode" "B") to create a cage-match arena (or dig a pit). Create an experimental character and use "raiseskill" to give 0, 50 or even 100 on block skill (ditto club, slash, pierce). Create a tower, round and buckler shield. Spawn in a 0, 1 and 2 star seeker in the arena. If things get a little hot, then use console to eliminate the spawned-in enemy. See for yourself what armor, shield and weapon combo plus what Forsaken blessing (e.g. Bonemass) works best. Don't neglect nutrition. These debate threads on equipment are extremely engaging but at the end of the day it is your world, your character and your game. See what you, the player, finds best and build that in your real world and for your real character. There are several YouTube channels where content providers do exactly what is described here and they are quite good but you should try the experiments yourself.

[Palladaotto]

Originally posted by Suzaku:

I need a shield that does what I need it to do, and does it as well as possible. Having a shield that works on almost every enemy isn't worth carrying.

If I'm going to parry, I need the shield that parries best so nothing will break through. If I'm going to block, I need the shield that blocks best so nothing will break through.

I'm not going to carry a medium shield just to watch a 2-star seeker break through with every strike when either of the other options would protect me.

That's the point of the buckler, oc. Then why leaving it as a smaller medium shield with the same penalty instead of giving it a proper form?

I think it shouldn't be possible to block with the buckler, and it would be far more characteristic without that orrible speed movement penalty (or with a smaller one, like -2%).

[umop-apisdn]

To be honest, I feel like a 5% movement speed penalty is effectively just a recognition that you have a big disk strapped to your arm. For comparison, pick up a folding chair and sprint through the woods; you'll snag it on anything and everything in your path, and I'd be willing to bet that your speed would be impacted by much more than 5%... I'd be surprised if the average person could manage 50% of their normal top speed in that scenario.

Not trying to wave the "reality" flag, here, but it seems to me that it's just a recognition that we're carrying something in our hands; speaking from the perspective of game mechanics, wielding any weapon other than a dagger also imposes at least a 5% movement speed penalty... but then, pressing R to sheathe them on your back removes it.

Perhaps stop waving your sword and board around while you travel cross-country?

For that matter, wearing metal armor imposes a 10% movement speed penalty, too. All things considered, that's a fraction of what it could be. Strap on 30 kilos of metal (as plate or chain, your choice) in the real world and see how far and how fast you can sprint... even with practice, I'd be impressed if you could hit 75% of your normal (unarmored) sprinting speed.

Ask any Renaissance Fair performer how it feels to stomp around in full armor with a sword and shield for an hour or two; in all fairness, a 20% movement speed penalty for being fully armed and armored is generous.

[Hawk Eye]

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

Bucklers grant 2.5x block armor. Round shields get 1.5 A parry that staggers an opponent allows you to make a double damage follow up attack. Far superior to the other shields since with most opponents you can get the 3 swing combo in without taking damage and the 3rd swing should stagger your opponent again.

This all ready gives you variety and allows you to use differing play styles depending on your personal preferences. The round shield is the red headed step child. It doesn't excel at anything.

Maybe my understanding is wrong but I thought that the 2.5 on bucklers and the 1.5 on mediums was the parry rating. So with a successful parry from the buckler you return 2.5 damage and with medium you return 1.5x damage on your counter strike. The block armor is how much damage can be absorbed by the shield. I've found that even with a well timed block if the monster does significant enough damage vs the shields armor rating there is no parry and the monster cuts through at reduced damage.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but this is my experience. My understanding is that bucklers are the best IF there is enough block armor vs the monsters attack due to 2.5 damage bonus. Blocking with Mediums are good vs stronger attacks that a buckler cannot handle still granting a 1.5x damage on counter attack also. A stronger block armor means less damage can bleed through. Tower shields are like riot shields you get no parry bonus but barely anything can get through. Seems to me all have their uses and depends on what tier shield your using vs what tier enemy your fighting. Buckler is best if your shield is same tier as enemies carapace buckler vs seeker soldier. Or medium silver shield vs seeker soldier. etc. If your up against say a 2 star seeker soldier you'll probably want to use medium carapace shield. etc.

[Hawk Eye]

Edit: I'm wrong apparently. Removed for bad info.

[Suzaku]

The parry rating is a multiplier on the block armor. So if you parry with a buckler, the amount blocked is 2.5x more than a normal block. Medium shields have 1.5x parry bonuses.
Large shields cannot parry. Parries do not deal damage.

So using iron shields as an example (without block skill added in):
Iron buckler has 28 block armor. This results in 70 block armor with a parry.
Banded shield has 42 block armor. This results in 63 block armor with a parry.
Iron tower shield has 52 block armor.

If you can reliably pull off a parry, bucklers are always the superior defensive option, with the exception being bosses that you can reliably block their attacks because blocks use less stamina and bosses can't be staggered.

[Hawk Eye]

Originally posted by Suzaku:

The parry rating is a multiplier on the block armor. So if you parry with a buckler, the amount blocked is 2.5x more than a normal block. Medium shields have 1.5x parry bonuses.
Large shields cannot parry. Parries do not deal damage.

So using iron shields as an example (without block skill added in):
Iron buckler has 28 block armor. This results in 70 block armor with a parry.
Banded shield has 42 block armor. This results in 63 block armor with a parry.
Iron tower shield has 52 block armor.

If you can reliably pull off a parry, bucklers are always the superior defensive option, with the exception being bosses that you can reliably block their attacks because blocks use less stamina and bosses can't be staggered.

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

Bucklers grant 2.5x block armor. Round shields get 1.5 A parry that staggers an opponent allows you to make a double damage follow up attack. Far superior to the other shields since with most opponents you can get the 3 swing combo in without taking damage and the 3rd swing should stagger your opponent again.

This all ready gives you variety and allows you to use differing play styles depending on your personal preferences. The round shield is the red headed step child. It doesn't excel at anything.

Thanks for the info.
I'll try to remember to reference the wiki next time before making assumptions.

[Mharr]

The real question is why are there only three bucklers with the best one being the ugliest shield in the game.

[Psalms]

Bucklers are in a good spot.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Bucklers are objectively the best shield unless you have serious performance or ping issues. The mobs are easy as all hell to parry, and the 2.5x multiplier is way better than any amount of defensive block, dead enemies do no damage.

[Adeptus Stark]

Is this "parry" when you roll around on the ground? The only thing I've used a shield for is hitting the right mouse button and holding up my shield to block an attack.