Shield Maneuver - Adamantine Bulwark

[tallkris3]

Anyone using this one?

I've had it for a while and I think I've only ever seen it activate 1-2 times.

I thought it might help against cmans and such but I think this has to be a purely physical attack that inflicts RT for this one to active, or am I wrong?

Debating throwing it back for the final rank of Prop Up for the CML defense unless someone has a better suggestion.

3x in shield, with a large enscrolled shield here's what I have today

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Large Shield Focus lfocus 5
Shield Bash bash 5
Shield Charge charge 5
Shield Pin pin 5
Prop Up prop 2
Adamantine Bulwark bulwark 2
Guard Mastery gmastery 1
Shield Strike strike 5
Shield Strike Mastery strikemastery 1
Shield Trample trample 5
Shield Trample Mastery tmastery 3


Available Shield Training Points: 11

[Aganii]

Anyone using this one?

I've had it for a while and I think I've only ever seen it activate 1-2 times.

I thought it might help against cmans and such but I think this has to be a purely physical attack that inflicts RT for this one to active, or am I wrong?

Debating throwing it back for the final rank of Prop Up for the CML defense unless someone has a better suggestion.

3x in shield, with a large enscrolled shield here's what I have today

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Large Shield Focus lfocus 5
Shield Bash bash 5
Shield Charge charge 5
Shield Pin pin 5
Prop Up prop 2
Adamantine Bulwark bulwark 2
Guard Mastery gmastery 1
Shield Strike strike 5
Shield Strike Mastery strikemastery 1
Shield Trample trample 5
Shield Trample Mastery tmastery 3


Available Shield Training Points: 11

When I used shields I loved Bulwark. It definitely works against CMANs that give roundtime like sweeps, subdual strikes etc...basically most of what bandits do. I would imagine it also works against creature maneuvers that have roundtime but I did not encounter any creatures with those while I had the skill. This skill and shield trample are the two things I miss most about being a shield user

[Donut]

Is there messaging when it is active? or is the roundtime reduction silent?

I have it, but haven't seen any messaging for it.

[tallkris3]

I thought there was a message (I saw some weird message once about using my shield to stand myself up or something, don't remember it), but I recently did some testing with a buddy of mine's rogue and sweep. It's just a flat RT reduction, no message.

So turns out the move is in fact working and I will be keeping it afterall.

My question now is do a throw back Shield pin or Shield strike for something else... I never use those.

[Donut]

I saw some weird message once about using my shield to stand myself up or something, don't remember it),

Sounds like the messaging for Prop Up.

How often do you use shield charge? I find between bash and trample (with trample mastery) that's all the offensive skills I ever use.

Shield forward is great if you use bash/charge/pin/strike often. Also if you hunt things that hurl or use bows you might like deflection training.

[Ardwen]

Shield strike works great on stuff that turtled since ya do the bash first, and yea Bulwark is awesome

[tallkris3]

Deflection is pretty cool... just had this happen.

A human thief is revealed from hiding.
A human thief fires a plain wooden arrow at you!
You skillfully interpose your aegis between yourself and the missile!
You manage to block with the exact angle needed to deflect the attack right back at the human thief!
AS: +467 vs DS: +80 with AvD: +38 + d100 roll: +16 = +441
... and hits for 134 points of damage!
Beautiful shot pierces both lungs, the human thief makes a wheezing noise, and drops dead!
The human thief falls to the ground and dies.
A human thief seems a bit less imposing.
A faint silvery glow fades from around a human thief.
The wooden arrow breaks apart and crumbles away.

[Archigeek]

I have deflection and it's great when it works, but more often than not the arrow/bolt just breaks. When it works it's great though. I think I'll look into the bulwark thing a bit more.

[Donut]

I had deflection maxed while I was doing a lot of warcamps. It was awesome in there with so many archers spawning. Gotta love free attacks.

[tallkris3]

Sounds like the messaging for Prop Up.

How often do you use shield charge? I find between bash and trample (with trample mastery) that's all the offensive skills I ever use.

Shield forward is great if you use bash/charge/pin/strike often. Also if you hunt things that hurl or use bows you might like deflection training.

Outside of the extra CvA Trample/Trample Mastery was hands down the best thing about the shield maneuvers. I constantly use trample.

I never use pin, I'm seriously consider giving it back what I can and going with more deflection or bulwark.

Im trading out block mastery 3 for two more ranks of focus, so that hurts deflection a little.

[Klinor]

Sounds like the messaging for Prop Up.

How often do you use shield charge? I find between bash and trample (with trample mastery) that's all the offensive skills I ever use.

Shield forward is great if you use bash/charge/pin/strike often. Also if you hunt things that hurl or use bows you might like deflection training.

I have never seen prop up have messaging.

[tallkris3]

I'll see if I can find it in my logs but odds are slim.

What I do remember was it was a CS based spell that damaged me and gave me round time. It was then I got some sorta message about using my shield to help. I'll see what I can find in my logs.

[Aganii]

Since we mentioned shield strike and shield pin does anyone use those moves regularly? From my limited testing I only saw about 10 points of weighting added on shield pin and shield strike was situational for me mostly. Does shield strike force stance or just knockdown according to the unbalance crit.table? Also, does anyone know the penalties for using smaller shields with shield trample?

[SpiffyJr]

Shield strike is pretty horrible. Takes bash ranks to be effective, on top of shield strike ranks, and if you want it to be decent it needs mastery which is another 30 points. Way too many points for what you get. Much more beneficial to get most the passives first.

[Klinor]

Much more beneficial to get most the passives first.

your Shield Specialization training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Tower Shield Focus tfocus 3
Prop Up prop 2
Adamantine Bulwark bulwark 3
Deflection Training dtraining 3
Block the Elements eblock 3
Deflect the Elements deflect 3
Spell Block spellblock 3
Shield Trample trample 3

Available Shield Training Points: 3

Level 75 and 3x shields
>

[Aganii]

Also, does anyone know the penalties for using smaller shields with shield trample?

Found in another thread that it is -10, -5, 0, +5 for small, medium, large and tower.

[tallkris3]

your Shield Specialization training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Tower Shield Focus tfocus 3
Prop Up prop 2
Adamantine Bulwark bulwark 3
Deflection Training dtraining 3
Block the Elements eblock 3
Deflect the Elements deflect 3
Spell Block spellblock 3
Shield Trample trample 3

Available Shield Training Points: 3

Level 75 and 3x shields
>

I'm surprised that you haven't already gotten 5 ranks of Focus. That is worth two CvA and helps with all other shield maneuvers, I'd think you'd want rank 4-5 of that before you got some of those other moves.

Also maybe it's just me but do you really need the Block/Deflect the Elements? As a shield user my bolt DS is so stupid high there's no need for that move, I never had an issue with bolts being 3x. Now I was capped by the time these moves came out, so maybe that's a precap problem but not one I'm recalling.

[Roblar]

I agree bolt DS is too high to usually get hit outright, but the benefit lies in splash damage when a critter or someone else gets hit, as well as flaring weapons.

Try it out in EN with those crystal weapons.

[tallkris3]

I agree bolt DS is too high to usually get hit outright, but the benefit lies in splash damage when a critter or someone else gets hit, as well as flaring weapons.

Try it out in EN with those crystal weapons.

This helps with weapon flares? Man that would have come in SOOOOO much handy earlier. Being 3x shield and almost 3x in dodge (12 ranks to go) my DS is high enough I don't have to worry about them anymore, but I've died so many times to them I lost count.

If that works on weapon flares that's a huge win for that move in OTF.

[Aganii]

I'm surprised that you haven't already gotten 5 ranks of Focus. That is worth two CvA and helps with all other shield maneuvers, I'd think you'd want rank 4-5 of that before you got some of those other moves.

Also maybe it's just me but do you really need the Block/Deflect the Elements? As a shield user my bolt DS is so stupid high there's no need for that move, I never had an issue with bolts being 3x. Now I was capped by the time these moves came out, so maybe that's a precap problem but not one I'm recalling.

I agree with the bolt blocking move but the one that reduces/negates elemental flare damage is pretty good depending on what you are fighting since that covers a lot more than just bolts or ball spells

[loxe]

Since we mentioned shield strike and shield pin does anyone use those moves regularly? From my limited testing I only saw about 10 points of weighting added on shield pin and shield strike was situational for me mostly. Does shield strike force stance or just knockdown according to the unbalance crit.table? Also, does anyone know the penalties for using smaller shields with shield trample?

My paladin uses strike and strike mastery with moc all the time. Flaring great shield, double flare ohe (bonded guiding light)with tier 5 ensorcell. Flares everywhere.

[Aganii]

I actually got a lot of use out of strike mastery when I had it. Almost guarantees they are dead or knocked down after a focused mstrike + the extra damage and spike/flare chance. Shield strike is still kinda meh for me but its nice when everything flares and you get a knockdown. You can also hit the arms/legs/hands and not get a knockdown or flare even with a good endroll when you could have just ambushed or bashed.

[tallkris3]

My paladin uses strike and strike mastery with moc all the time. Flaring great shield, double flare ohe (bonded guiding light)with tier 5 ensorcell. Flares everywhere.

Wish I could get my shield flared, that's about the only thing it's missing.

[loxe]

Wish I could get my shield flared, that's about the only thing it's missing.

Check the pawnshop that's where I found mine. 5x perm sanctified with plasma flares.

[Aganii]

Check the pawnshop that's where I found mine. 5x perm sanctified with plasma flares.

Wow! That was a good find

[tallkris3]

Check the pawnshop that's where I found mine. 5x perm sanctified with plasma flares.

Your not going to find my shield at the pawnshop.

7x, Large, Three Slot fusion, T4 enscrolled

I would convert it to tower but with my dodging skill I actually get more benefit out of a large shield instead of a tower.

[Archigeek]

Your not going to find my shield at the pawnshop.

7x, Large, Three Slot fusion, T4 enscrolled

I would convert it to tower but with my dodging skill I actually get more benefit out of a large shield instead of a tower.

I always find this an interesting comparison. I presume by "more benefit" you mean higher DS. But how many more blocks would you get out of a tower? Also, towers are sexier. You'd get the womens with a tower.

[Warriorbird]

I always find this an interesting comparison. I presume by "more benefit" you mean higher DS. But how many more blocks would you get out of a tower? Also, towers are sexier. You'd get the womens with a tower.

Tower shields are more like muscle cars. You know who they're for picking up, right?

[tallkris3]

I always find this an interesting comparison. I presume by "more benefit" you mean higher DS. But how many more blocks would you get out of a tower? Also, towers are sexier. You'd get the womens with a tower.

Well I do get increased block chance with a tower over a large, however I also get lower dodge chances with a tower over a large. While I've not done the math, I'm assuming that the lost block with the large is made up at least mostly by the additional dodge chances (Not completely due wear plate while trying to dodge). Not to mention the extra raw DS of approximately 6 points when I finish dodge (5 points currently)

[Klinor]

I'm surprised that you haven't already gotten 5 ranks of Focus. That is worth two CvA and helps with all other shield maneuvers, I'd think you'd want rank 4-5 of that before you got some of those other moves.

Also maybe it's just me but do you really need the Block/Deflect the Elements? As a shield user my bolt DS is so stupid high there's no need for that move, I never had an issue with bolts being 3x. Now I was capped by the time these moves came out, so maybe that's a precap problem but not one I'm recalling.

Not being capped I am more limited in the number of shield skill points I have so I chose to focus on as many defensive and passive skills as possible. I also do not use any offensive shield maneuver other than trample from time to time on bandits, don't have to defend against sunder shield or think 2 CvA will do much for me currently, so the extra 2 ranks in focus mean less to me. My DS against bolts is fine, but the reason I picked up Block/Deflect is because of how they both help with flares and splash damage. Both flares and splash damage are things that are much harder, if not impossible, to defend. Learning both Block/Deflect the Elements allows me the opportunity for increased defense and survival.