A new maneuver system has been released, the SHIELD system. This system provides Warriors, Rogues, and Paladins with exclusive access to new options and abilities related to the Shield Use skill. The SHIELD verb provides access to this new system. The goal of this release is to provide new capabilities to the shield use character builds within the martial classes, so that those character builds can better compete with the powerful twohanded and ranged weapon builds.

The system is broadly similar to the existing CMAN and ARMOR systems. Each rank in the Shield Use skill provides the warrior, rogue, or paladin with one (1) Shield Training Point, which they may then use to buy ranks in the various SHIELD skills via SHIELD LEARN. Skills may be unlearned via SHIELD UNLEARN, and you may view the lists of skills to learn via SHIELD LIST. SHIELD HELP provides you with detailed information on each of the skills.

For 30 days following this release (until 05/02/2013) these skills will have instant point migration, to allow for players to make an informed choice of which specializations they would like to train in. Shield bash and shield charge appear in the lists below, these maneuvers will continue to be available through the CMAN system (grandfathered in), as well as from the SHIELD system.

The following is the list of available shield skills:

Skill Name: Small Shield Focus
Mnemonic: sfocus
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a small-sized shield.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 6
Rank 3: 8
Rank 4: 10
Rank 5: 12
Description: Your intensive training with small-sized shields yields you additional benefits.
Mechanics: Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.



Skill Name: Medium Shield Focus
Mnemonic: mfocus
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a medium-sized shield.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 6
Rank 3: 8
Rank 4: 10
Rank 5: 12
Description: Your intensive training with medium-sized shields yields you additional benefits.
Mechanics: Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.


Skill Name: Large Shield Focus
Mnemonic: lfocus
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a large-sized shield.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 6
Rank 3: 8
Rank 4: 10
Rank 5: 12
Description: Your intensive training with large-sized shields yields you additional benefits.
Mechanics: Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.



Skill Name: Tower Shield Focus
Mnemonic: tfocus
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a tower shield.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 6
Rank 3: 8
Rank 4: 10
Rank 5: 12
Description: Your intensive training with tower shields yields you additional benefits.
Mechanics: Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.


Skill Name: Shield Bash
Mnemonic: bash
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: Base 15 (-5 Rank 1, -3 Rank 2)
Other Requirements: Requires a shield and a standing target.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: Attempt to whallop your foe with your shield.
Mechanics: Attack your foe with your shield to do moderate crushing damage, with additional chances for stuns, knockdowns, and stance forcing based on your maneuver success roll.


Skill Name: Shield Charge
Mnemonic: charge
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: Base 20 (-5 Rank 1, -3 Rank 2)
Other Requirements: Requires a shield and a standing target.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Shield Bash (at rank 2) or CML Shield Bash (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: Charge at your foe with a powerful shield attack.
Mechanics: Attack your foe with your shield to do improved crushing damage, longer stuns, greater chances for knockdowns, and more stance forcing over Shield Bash.


Skill Name: Shield Push
Mnemonic: push
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: Base 15 (-5 Rank 1, -3 Rank 2)
Other Requirements: Smaller shields provide a penalty to success chances.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Shield Bash (at rank 2) or CML Shield Bash (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: You have learned how to isolate a foe by pushing them away with your shield.
Mechanics: Attempt to push your foe away with your shield. Creatures can be pushed completely out of the room, players will merely be pushed back, both suffering Roundtime. You may specify a direction or exit to push a creature, or simply not specify a direction for a random direction.


Skill Name: Shield Pin
Mnemonic: pin
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: 15
Other Requirements: Training in Shield Bash will increase the success chances of your diversionary shield bash.
Available to: Warriors.
Prerequisites:
Shield Bash (at rank 2) or CML Shield Bash (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: Pin your foe between a shield and weapon attack for extra damage.
Mechanics: You launch an diversionary shield bash that deals no damage, immediately followed by a weapon attack. If your initial shield bash is successful, your subsequent weapon attack will gain additional critical weighting based on the initial shield bash's margin of success. The initial shield bash uses your ranks of Shield Bash for determining success, modified by your ranks in Shield Pin (-20 to success chance at Rank 1, -15 at Rank 2, -10 at Rank 3, -5 at Rank 4, and no penalty at Rank 5).


Skill Name: Shield Swiftness
Mnemonic: swiftness
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a shield of a size that you are maintaining the prerequiste ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
Small or Medium Shield Focus (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: Your shield is like an extension of your arm, barely weighing down your movements.
Mechanics: The shield penalty to Dodge DS is reduced by approximately half the difference between a small and medium shield per rank.


Skill Name: Shielded Brawler
Mnemonic: brawler
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a shield of a size that you are maintaining the prerequiste ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Any Shield Focus (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 8
Rank 3: 10
Rank 4: 12
Rank 5: 14
Description: You have learned how to brawl such that your shield almost seems like an extension of your own body.
Mechanics: The penalty to the Multiplier Modifier (MM) while wielding a shield during unarmed combat is reduced by -2 per rank.


Skill Name: Prop Up
Mnemonic: prop
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a shield of a size that you are maintaining the prerequiste ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Large or Tower Shield Focus (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You have learned how to rely on your shield like another arm to prop yourself up.
Mechanics: Gain a 1/3 chance per rank to avoid being knocked to the ground due to critical damage. Gain a +5 bonus per rank against Sweep, Tackle, Bullrush, and Hamstring attacks.


Skill Name: Adamantine Bulwark
Mnemonic: bulwark
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a large or tower shield that you are maintaining 3 ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors.
Prerequisites:
Prop Up (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: Using your shield as a pillar, you stand firm against attacks that would knock you off-guard.
Mechanics: If a physical attack would inflict Roundtime (RT) on you, it inflicts 20%/35%/50% less RT at Ranks 1/2/3.


Skill Name: Shield Riposte
Mnemonic: riposte
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: 20
Other Requirements: Training in Shield Bash will increase the success chances of your reactive shield bash.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
Shield Bash (at rank 2) or CML Shield Bash (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 8
Rank 3: 12
Description: Attacking around your shield, your enemy thinks he has you right where he wants you. You now have the perfect opening.
Mechanics: This is a Martial Stance. When you are struck by a melee attack while in a forward or greater stance, you have a chance to respond with a free reactive shield bash. This bash deals no damage, but instead knocks your opponent off-balance and into greater roundtime (RT). The chance to react is 50%/75%/100% at Ranks 1/2/3. Larger shields apply a penalty to the reaction chance (-5% per shield size above small), but apply more RT upon a successful bash. Shield Ripostes are limited to one every (6 - Rank) seconds.


Skill Name: Shield Forward
Mnemonic: forward
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 8
Rank 3: 12
Description: Your shield is up and ready to protect you.
Mechanics: For 15 seconds after using an offensive shield attack, you gain a +10 per rank enhancive bonus to Shield Use ranks for defensive purposes.


Skill Name: Shield Spike Focus
Mnemonic: spikefocus
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: A spiked shield.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 8
Rank 2: 12
Description: You have extensive experience with spiked shields, and can wield them as easily as any other.
Mechanics: Reduces the penalty when using a spiked shield in conjunction with a shield attack by -5 per rank.


Skill Name: Shield Spike Mastery
Mnemonic: spikemastery
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: A spiked shield.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Shield Spike Focus (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 8
Rank 2: 12
Description: You have mastered the art of attacking with spikes, and can now wield them as a defensive weapon too.
Mechanics: If you successfully block an attack with a spiked shield while in a forward or greater stance, you have a chance to reactively spike your foe. At Rank 1, this applies when blocking brawling or natural weapon attacks. At Rank 2, this applies when blocking any melee attack.


Skill Name: Deflection Training
Mnemonic: dtraining
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a shield of a size that you are maintaining the prerequiste ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
Any Shield Focus (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: Your sheer mastery of the art of deflection allows you to redirect attacks back at your enemies with ease.
Mechanics: Upon successfully blocking a ranged missile or thrown weapon attack while in a forward or greater stance, there is a chance that the attack can be redirected against another enemy creature in the same room (or even the original attacker). This chance is 35%/55%/75% at Ranks 1/2/3.


Skill Name: Deflection Mastery
Mnemonic: dmastery
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a shield of a size that you are maintaining 3 ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
Deflection Training (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 8
Rank 2: 10
Rank 3: 12
Rank 4: 14
Rank 5: 16
Description: You have trained hard be able to use your shield against attacks that most would think impossible to use a shield against.
Mechanics: You gain a +2 per rank bonus against all CML attacks and a bonus per rank against other creature maneuver attacks.


Skill Name: Block the Elements
Mnemonic: eblock
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You may have been struck by an elemental blade or ball spell, but you know that you can use your shield to mitigate their effects.
Mechanics: Reduces the damage dealt from elemental flares and ball spell explosions. Each additional rank provides for greater damage reduction, as do larger sized shields.



Skill Name: Deflect the Elements
Mnemonic: deflect
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You may have been struck by an elemental blade or ball spell, but you know that there is still time to deflect the unleashed elements.
Mechanics: Provides a chance to deflect the discharge of an elemental flare or ball spell explosion harmlessly away from yourself. Each additional rank allows for a greater chance to successfully deflect the elements, as do smaller sized shields.


Skill Name: Steady Shield
Mnemonic: steady
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
Stun Maneuvers (at CML rank 2 or guild rank 20)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 6
Description: You may have been momentarily dazed your opponent's attack, but your skill with your shield is so ingrained as to be automatic.
Mechanics: The penalty applied to your blocking chances while stunned is halved at Rank 1 and removed altogether at Rank 2.


Skill Name: Disarming Presence
Mnemonic: dpresence
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: 20
Other Requirements: Training in Disarm Weapon will increase the success chances of your reactive disarm attempt.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues.
Prerequisites:
Disarm Weapon (at CML rank 2 or guild rank 20)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You have trained in techniques for disarming your foes, and have learned how to position yourself to apply these principles while blocking your foe's attacks.
Mechanics: This is a Martial Stance. When you successfully block a melee weapon attack while in a forward or greater stance, you have a chance to attempt to knock the weapon from the attacker's grasp. The chance to react is 30%/50%/70% at Ranks 1/2/2. The disarm attempt takes 2 seconds of RT and are limited to one every (6 - Rank) seconds.


Skill Name: Guard Mastery
Mnemonic: gmastery
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Warriors.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You have trained extensively as a bodyguard and it shows.
Mechanics: At Rank 1, your chance to block an attack on your guarded ally is increased to 75% of your normal blocking chance (instead of the default 50%). At Rank 2, it is raised to 100% of your base blocking ability. At Rank 3, you no longer suffer the 25% penalty to your own blocking chances while guarding another.


Skill Name: Tortoise Stance
Mnemonic: tortoise
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: 20
Other Requirements: None
Available to: Warriors.
Prerequisites:
Block Mastery (at CML rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You assume a cautious stance, ready to block any blows.
Mechanics: This is a Martial Stance. While in this stance, you gain an additional chance to block attacks. This chance activates 75% of the time at Rank 1, and is automatic at Rank 2 or greater. You suffer an attack strength (AS) penalty of -50 at Rank 1, -35 at Rank 2, and -20 at Rank 3.


Skill Name: Spell Block
Mnemonic: spellblock
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: An ensorcelled or anti-magical (veil iron/krodera/kroderine) shield that you are maintaining the prerequisite ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Any Shield Focus (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You have learned how to harness the unnatural energy of your shield to block hostile ball and bolt spells cast at you.
Mechanics: Allows the blocking of magical ball/bolt spells at 25% per rank of your normal block chance, provided that you are using an ensorcelled or anti-magical shield to do so.


Skill Name: Shield Mind
Mnemonic: mind
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: 30
Other Requirements: An ensorcelled or anti-magical (veil iron/krodera/kroderine) shield that you are maintaining the prerequisite ranks of Shield Focus in.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Spell Block (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: You have learned how to lure warding spells into passing through the unnatural energy of your shield, where they can be disrupted before even reaching you.
Mechanics: Upon activation, you are placed in stance defensive and given a 10 second period where any warding spell cast upon you by another is automatically blocked (provided that you still are in stance defensive).

There is a 2 minute recovery period after invoking this ability, during which time it cannot be re-invoked. This recovery period is shortened to 90 seconds at Rank 2, and 45 seconds at Rank 3.


Skill Name: Protective Wall
Mnemonic: pwall
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a tower shield.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Tower Shield Focus (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 4
Rank 2: 6
Description: You are a tower of steel and know how to share your strength to best cover the temporary vulnerabilities of those around you.
Mechanics: At Rank 1, you halve the Defensive Strength (DS) penalty imposed on stunned, webbed, immobile, unconscious, rooted, or prone group members. At Rank 2, this benefit also applies to yourself.


Skill Name: Shield Strike
Mnemonic: strike
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: 15
Other Requirements: Training in Shield Bash will increase the success chances of your minor shield bash.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Shield Bash (at rank 2) or CML Shield Bash (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: Knock your foe off-balance with a light shield bash and quickly follow up with a weapon strike.
Mechanics: Launch a minor shield bash at your foe, followed by an immediate weapon strike at the same foe. The minor shield bash uses your ranks of Shield Bash for determining success, modified by your ranks in Shield Strike (-20 to success chance at Rank 1, -15 at Rank 2, -10 at Rank 3, -5 at Rank 4, and no penalty at Rank 5).


Skill Name: Shield Strike Mastery
Mnemonic: strikemastery
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: 30 Ranks of Multi Opponent Combat.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Shield Strike (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 30
Description: You have mastered the art of the Shield Strike so completely, that you are able to employ it alongside a flurry of blows.
Mechanics: When making a focused multi-attack, in addition to your normal strikes, you may end with a free minor shield bash.


Skill Name: Shield Trample
Mnemonic: trample
Hostile: Yes
Stamina Cost: Base 20 (-5 Rank 1, -3 Rank 2)
Other Requirements: Smaller shields provide a penalty to success chances.
Available to: Warriors.
Prerequisites:
Shield Charge (at rank 2) or CML Shield Charge (at rank 2)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: Instead of attempting to wound your foes with a shield charge, you have learned how to best send them careening into one another, knocking them down and sowing havoc on the battlefield.
Mechanics: If you are successful upon attacking your primary target, it will be sent careening into another foe on the battlefield before falling to the ground. If a secondary maneuver check is passed, that foe will also be knocked down. All foes successfully affected by this maneuver will suffer Roundtime.


Skill Name: Shield Trample Mastery
Mnemonic: tmastery
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: 30 Ranks of Multi Opponent Combat.
Available to: Warriors.
Prerequisites:
Shield Trample (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 8
Rank 2: 10
Rank 3: 12
Description: You have perfected the art of maneuvering your foes into the most vulnerable positions to trample under.
Mechanics: Each rank of Shield Trample Mastery adds an additional foe to the maximum number of targets of a Shield Trample attempt.


Skill Name: Steely Resolve
Mnemonic: resolve
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: 30
Other Requirements: You must be wielding a tower shield.
Available to: Warriors, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
Tower Shield Focus (at rank 3)
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 6
Rank 2: 12
Rank 3: 18
Description: For a brief period of time, you become an impenetrable fortress.
Mechanics: For 30 seconds, you gain +15 Block DS per rank and a +15% chance per rank to block incoming attacks. There a 5 minute recovery period after using this ability, where it cannot be re-invoked.


Skill Name: Phalanx
Mnemonic: phalanx
Hostile: No
Stamina Cost: None
Other Requirements: You must be in a group with at least two active Phalanx-trained members (including yourself). Training in the Combat Maneuvers skill is also recommended.
Available to: Warriors, Rogues, Paladins.
Prerequisites:
None
Shield Point Cost:
Rank 1: 2
Rank 2: 4
Rank 3: 6
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Description: You have learned how to close ranks with similarly trained allies, raising the defenses of your entire group.
Mechanics: There must be at least two capable Phalanx-trained members in a group before the Phalanx bonus may be activated. Each party member that is trained in Phalanx gains a [(Phalanx Rank * Combat Maneuvers Rank) / Level] bonus for themselves to their Block chances, plus a bonus (using the same formula) from the highest two trained Phalanx members. Each party member that is not trained in Phalanx gains half this bonus from up to three other party members. In order for a party member to count towards the Phalanx bonus, they must be able to have a chance to block the incoming attack on their own (which injury or insufficient levels may prevent).

Coase

Wow! What a great surprise.

~~k

PHALANX question: It mentions a CMAN tied to it -- I don't see which one that would be.

ALL PRAISE BE COASE!

A huge bravo for these. So much depth added!

All of the new roll-outs are just awesome. Incredible, what a surprise!

But you know, I don't have a single character trained in shield anymore. Not one. LOL! Oh well...guess it's time to roll up yet another new character... :)

~ Heathyr

>PHALANX question: It mentions a CMAN tied to it -- I don't see which one that would be.

There's no specific CMAN skill tied to it, you simply get a synergy bonus if you or your phalanx members are trained in the Combat Maneuvers CMGR skill.

On an unrelated note, the announcement documentation for Tortoise Stance has an error in it: the AS penalty is actually -35 at both ranks 1 and 2, instead of -50 at rank 1.

Coase

Just to mimic my earlier cman post, I'd really like to see some generic shield skills opened up for all classes.

Dgry

Holy cow what an awesome job! As a 3x shield user at cap, my plate is overflowing with options. I love this change.

-Richard/Fjalar.

Trample looks nice:

Kerl raises his krodera wall shield and charges headlong towards a half-krolvin highwayman!
[Roll result: 145 (open d100: 26)]
Kerl's charge connects!
Kerl slams into the half-krolvin highwayman, who is sent careening headlong into a nearby group of combatants as he falls to the ground!

A half-elven bandit is struck!
[Roll result: 220 (open d100: 101)]
The half-elven bandit is knocked to the ground!

A gnomish brigand is struck!
[Roll result: 166 (open d100: 47)]
The gnomish brigand is knocked to the ground!

An elven marauder is struck!
[Roll result: 228 (open d100: 94)]
The elven marauder is knocked to the ground!

>>I seriously had to check, double check, and triple check to make sure it wasn't still April 1st.

Ditto. I actually refused to login until I went and made some coffee. Even then..I expected to get a "Gotcha!" after typing SHIELD HELP.

Thank you Coase - awesome additions!

I would also like to voice that perhaps a couple of the shield options be allowed for other semis cough ::rangers:: cough.

Player of Malisai

>>So many skills.... And to think that I thought that I had my next few million exp planned out.

This was my thought. Haha, too funny. As a rogue though, I'm not sure I'll leave TWC just yet.

---

~Wyrom, SGM
Quests
Platinum
Promotions

After some private discussion and re-reading the description of shield swiftness, I have a better understanding of the intent and withdraw my request/suggestion for paladins.

Pin and trample would be nice, though.

Phalanx I would use if other classes could use it, increasing the chances of it available in a group, but my main hunting partners are a bard and a wizard... and I can't recall the last time I was in a group with a warrior who had a shield.

I agree that seems wonky. Evade happens first, and while a tower shield will really reduce that... I'd expect the warrior with the medium shield would dodge equally to blocking.

No, actually, removing Evade while in a phalanx makes perfect sense. (It may have been accidental, but there's a fair chance it was deliberate.)

Think about it: You are walking in lock-step cheek by jowl with these other guys in order to hold formation. There ain't no room to be dancing around evading, and if you did, you'd break out of the phalanx.

Enhanced Block? Sure. Parry left the same? Sure. Evade? Not so much.

Isn't your block percentage over 100 anyway? It looked to me that with all the extra bonuses that can be picked up it could be.

shield use 15%
block mastery 15%
phalanx 30%
steely resolve 45%

Total 105%

And for the steely resolve cooldown you can have extra blocks from mutual guarding and tortoise plus those percentages are for medium shield and like level with more to add for tower or having levels on the critters.

The actual way the bonuses get combined isn't stated anywhere, but on the face of it, block% over 100 is within range of a group of well trained shield warriors.

I don't really see the difference between 100% block when not incapacitated and a pure walking around with a 900 DS in defensive. You need to weaken the defenses before you can hit them. Same thing with a fully trained Paladin/Warrior maxed out in all things shield.