Bard see's "special ability" on a shield

[Morstanya]

I have a shield which is confusing me a tad and I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on the matter. It's a Kelyn Banded Shield. Basically, it's 7x, and decently strong. The odd thing is that I've tested it from time to time and seen +39 instead of +35. That's kept me looking into it and eventually I got Ulfe to sing to it (128 trained bard). He saw it as 7x, but... having a special ability, which he could not determine.

I've tested this stupid shield in all manner of ways, against different types of attacks, against different spell circles and the wardings, by using every verb I could think of on it, and by cussing it out. Nada. Damn thing doesn't even respond to pouring booze on it.

So what I'm wondering is this, if a bard sing's and finds a "special ability" on a shield, does that mean squat ? Also, any of you have any ideas on a test I haven't thought of maybe ? And no, tossing it down the well to see if it levitates back up on it's own is out.

Morstanya, IceWitch.

[DCSL]

The only thing that I can think of is that it might give a TD bonus as well as regular defense.

[Bobmuhthol]

I'm not sure what the special ability would be, but it is a normal +35 shield. With a high amount of shield use, you get more defense. I had a 5x shield that would give me a +26 bonus compared to a 0x shield and I'm young. Your character is getting the +4, it's not the shield.

[StrayRogue]

Some shields have been read as damage padded (has no actual effect in game), it could be that.

[Bobmuhthol]

Padding is shown at the AI Crystal.

[StrayRogue]

Some also gained small special bonus' for being tower shields. It could be that...

[Parkbandit]

Heh.. I've seen a similar avatar Bob.. but instead, the penguin trips another one.

Classic.

[Soulpieced]

No, if the shield was damage padded, which is just a tag so the shield can't be enchanted, it would sing as damage padded. And there is no such thing as a tower shield bonus.

[StrayRogue]

The "bonus" was a small natural enchant, +3 or something. Only a few have it, and is why there is so much confusion these days about the effects of a tower shield against say a buckler. This will of course all change come GS4.

[Morstanya]

Well you guys are about as much help as a Glacei building a campfire...

So, if a bard sings and hears about a 'special ability', it has one ? One that actually can be used ?

Morstanya, oh hell, you know.

[Back]

I used to know this... but its been 3+ years...

[Ylena]

It means someone enchanted the shield.

When someone's enchanted an item, you see "special ability" at loresong three, and sometimes, the person's name who enchanted it at loresong four.

Ylena
(trying to be helpful)

[Soulpieced]

The "bonus" was a small natural enchant, +3 or something. Only a few have it, and is why there is so much confusion these days about the effects of a tower shield against say a buckler. This will of course all change come GS4.

.

No, tower krodera shields were 5x. Not "naturally" 1x with 4 enchants. There is no such thing as a tower shield bonus. And the reason you get +39 to defense in offensive with a +35 shield is the way shield use mechanics work. There is a sliding scale between enchant rank and amount of shield use. So a 10x shield in offensive would be about +58, while a 7x shield will give 39. This is regardeless of shield type. There is no difference between a buckler and a tower shield.

[Soulpieced]

You glance down to see a sonic buckler in your left hand.
>'Swing
You say, "Swing"
>
Edaarin swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +35 vs DS: +604 with AvD: -7 + d100 roll: +54 = -522
A clean miss.
>glance
You glance down to see a sonic buckler in your left hand.
>stance o
You are now in an offensive stance.
>'Again
>
You say, "Again"
>
Edaarin swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +35 vs DS: +361 with AvD: -7 + d100 roll: +98 = -235
A clean miss.
>eat buck
Your sonic buckler dissipates.
>get shie
You already have that.
>get tower shie
You already have that.
>rem shie
You sling a laen-bound tower shield off from over your shoulder.
>'Again
You say, "Again"
>
Edaarin swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +35 vs DS: +361 with AvD: -7 + d100 roll: +94 = -239
A clean miss.
>
You feel at full magical power again.
>stance g
>
You are now in a guarded stance.
>'More
You say, "More"
>
Edaarin swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +35 vs DS: +604 with AvD: -7 + d100 roll: +66 = -510
A clean miss.

[Soulpieced]

Now here is an 8x shield, vs. my 10x sonic buckler and 10x tower shield.

Edaarin swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +35 vs DS: +572 with AvD: -7 + d100 roll: +57 = -487
A clean miss.
>stance o
You are now in an offensive stance.
>'One more
You say, "One more"
>
Edaarin swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +35 vs DS: +344 with AvD: -7 + d100 roll: +86 = -230
A clean miss.

[Soulpieced]

361-344 = 17. Should be +10. Due to shield use training taking into account mostly on shield enchant base.

I tried to put that as simply as possible so any peon could understand.

[Soulpieced]

So if you knew the enchant on Edaarin's shield (8x) and tried to extrapolate the enchant of MY shields, you would come up with +57.

[Soulpieced]

And that number would be even larger if you tested using a shield enchanted lower than 8x. But I think I've pointed out enough about shield use and shield enchant mechanics for one night.

[Morstanya]

Heh, someone is definitely not getting it here.

Mors.

[Warriorbird]

Might be one of those useless damage padded shields.

[StrayRogue]

Thats what I said. SP renounced this as it would read as padded on the AI crystal.

[Soulpieced]

Heh, someone is definitely not getting it here.

Mors.

.

Actually, I got some before I came back and started posting last evening. Thanks.