Loot table suggestion: New shield suffix - of Striking

[sirgog]

Here's a suggestion to help make shields (particularly ones that aren't raid loot) at least have some merit again.

Shield suffix: Of Striking
+ equivalent: +5

This shield contains a potent enchantment that bestows additional skill with one-handed weapons on anyone wielding it.
While this shield is equipped, all attacks made by the bearer receive an exceptional bonus to both To-Hit and damage rolls equal to the shield's enhancement bonus.


So a +4 Shield of Striking wielded in one hand, with a +3 Vorpal Longsword in the other, would make the longsword as effective as a +7 Vorpal Longsword. That's some serious loving for our poor maligned sword&board friends - whilst it won't get their DPS up to the highest echelons, it will help to make it more respectable, particularly against any future mobs with extremely high AC.

[Visty]

i like that

[mediocresurgeon]

I made a post a while back about how the reason nobody uses shields is because they don't affect the offensive capacity of a character.

Still, a shield should NEVER be as good of offense as TWF or THF, or there would be no point in those fighting styles.

I think a slight offensive boost would be welcomed, however. Like if they added crafted shields into the game, it might be cool to have a +5 shield that adds a Lighting Strike property to your weapon (so a S&B could have a Mineral II weapon with lighting strike).

[Letrii]

That would be the equivalent of epic level weapons. Dangerous territory there.

[Aesop]

Interesting... maybe instead of it equaling the Shield Bonus (because they seem to have issues along those lines)

Lesser Striking = +1 Exception Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Striking= +3 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Greater Striking= +5 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls


or something like that... maybe only have the + go up to 3.. causean extra +5 to attack and damage may be over the top


I'd still like to see some Passive Shield Bash attacks added in

just change up how a couple Feat Work

Make Shield Mastery and Improved Shield Mastery add one Shield Bash Hook each and instead of having a penalty for Shield Bashing just drop that and have Improved Shield Bash apply full Strength Bonus to Damage for Shield Bash attacks


Aesop

[SquelchHU]

That would be the equivalent of epic level weapons. Dangerous territory there.

+2 (weapon) of Greater (creature type) Bane. What level is that again? Because I'm quite certain it's a lot lower than 20.

If the concern is to hit, you hit on a 2 anyways, often while Power Attacking for 5 and possibly also when Combat Expertising for 5. If you think a couple points of damage will break the bank that train left the station a long time ago.

If anything 'of Striking' shields would be underpowered, but it certainly would help. /signed

[Letrii]

+2 (weapon) of Greater (creature type) Bane. What level is that again? Because I'm quite certain it's a lot lower than 20.

If the concern is to hit, you hit on a 2 anyways, often while Power Attacking for 5 and possibly also when Combat Expertising for 5. If you think a couple points of damage will break the bank that train left the station a long time ago.

If anything 'of Striking' shields would be underpowered, but it certainly would help. /signed

+5 bane weapon is not epic, it only applies to a certain set of foes. +5 weapon with +5 shield of striking is an +10 weapon for all foes, definitely an epic weapon.

[SquelchHU]

+5 bane weapon is not epic, it only applies to a certain set of foes. +5 weapon with +5 shield of striking is an +10 weapon for all foes, definitely an epic weapon.

It is a +6 or better weapon against specific kinds of creatures. Given that at the levels where you would have a Greater Bane weapon most enemies or at least most of the difficult enemies are a member of one of only a handful of creature types it is not too difficult to have Greater Banes when it counts.

Though if it makes you feel better you could also use this property:

http://ddowiki.com/page/Backstabbing

Remember, even if the wielder is not a Rogue. Which means either don't have aggro or blind the mob first.

It's not a big deal at all, and the 'don't want epic weapons' train left the station as soon as craftable artifacts were added to the game.

01/30/2008. Over a year and a half ago.

By comparison the first mod of the game came out 04/05/2006. I'm not sure when the game itself was released exactly, but it was a little before that. Regardless, the point is for nearly half of this game's life time you have been able to get epic weapons so to only complain now as if it were new is rather foolish.

[Letrii]

Didn't know about that, seems a very enhancement.

[Hafeal]

I like the OP's idea and your modification of it. My s&b fighter would likes it too.

Interesting... maybe instead of it equaling the Shield Bonus (because they seem to have issues along those lines)

Lesser Striking = +1 Exception Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Striking= +3 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Greater Striking= +5 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls


or something like that... maybe only have the + go up to 3.. causean extra +5 to attack and damage may be over the top


I'd still like to see some Passive Shield Bash attacks added in

just change up how a couple Feat Work

Make Shield Mastery and Improved Shield Mastery add one Shield Bash Hook each and instead of having a penalty for Shield Bashing just drop that and have Improved Shield Bash apply full Strength Bonus to Damage for Shield Bash attacks


Aesop

[RobbinB]

I like the suggestion, but I'm not sure that Turbine actually believes in adding new enhancements that are of anything but marginal benefit, so I can't see this getting into the game. Maybe if you proposed 9 or 10 useless weapon/shield enhancements that could be added at the same time?

[binnsr]

Interesting... maybe instead of it equaling the Shield Bonus (because they seem to have issues along those lines)

Lesser Striking = +1 Exception Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Striking= +3 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Greater Striking= +5 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls


or something like that... maybe only have the + go up to 3.. causean extra +5 to attack and damage may be over the top


I'd still like to see some Passive Shield Bash attacks added in

just change up how a couple Feat Work

Make Shield Mastery and Improved Shield Mastery add one Shield Bash Hook each and instead of having a penalty for Shield Bashing just drop that and have Improved Shield Bash apply full Strength Bonus to Damage for Shield Bash attacks


Aesop

sounds good .. something *anything* to help my s+b characters..

[rimble]

1) Allow normal weapon enchantments on shields. Also allow GS Shield crafting.

2) Have weapon enchantments that are on the shield instead apply to your main hand attacks. Much like Monks and the Mod 9 rings.

[Oreg]

****. Does a +7 Vorpal longsword roll 20s more often than a +1 Vorpal Longsword?

Just kidding - bad example but a very good concept. I approve. Means I can keep playing my S&B bastard sword Kensai/Pal/Rog build....

[salmag]

Interesting... maybe instead of it equaling the Shield Bonus (because they seem to have issues along those lines)

Lesser Striking = +1 Exception Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Striking= +3 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls
Greater Striking= +5 Exceptional Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls


or something like that... maybe only have the + go up to 3.. causean extra +5 to attack and damage may be over the top


I'd still like to see some Passive Shield Bash attacks added in

just change up how a couple Feat Work

Make Shield Mastery and Improved Shield Mastery add one Shield Bash Hook each and instead of having a penalty for Shield Bashing just drop that and have Improved Shield Bash apply full Strength Bonus to Damage for Shield Bash attacks


Aesop

1-3-5 may be a little too powerful but 1-2-3 would work nicely as exceptional bonuses. Of course, they should have minimum level requirements, as well. Maybe at levels 5-10-15?

What do you think?

OK, now that would give S&B a little love (the devs SHOULD implement this, especially since it is melee).

Time to focus on Range Combat, Devs.

[Aesop]

1-3-5 may be a little too powerful but 1-2-3 would work nicely as exceptional bonuses. Of course, they should have minimum level requirements, as well. Maybe at levels 5-10-15?

What do you think?

OK, now that would give S&B a little love (the devs SHOULD implement this, especially since it is melee).

Time to focus on Range Combat, Devs.

well... I figure it stacks up sorta like a +1 Enhancement +3 Enhancement and +5 Enhancement (for +1/+2/+3 respectively)

or maybe something a little less than that maybe +2/+3/+4 enhancement

Aesop