Shield Mastery

[Ironforge_Clan]

Devs I must say I am very pleased about the update to shield mastery. It appears to be work very, very nicely. Just running around Amarath it gives a sense that AC has some meaning again. My only objection is that you didn't do anything with improved shield mastery. I know there has been a discussion in a few other threads regarding this and I feel it is definitely something you should consider.

To be honest I wouldn't even mind a small reduction in shield mastery and then getting that reduction added back in with a bit more of an increase with improved if that would work to balance things out a bit more.

Again nice job

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Is this an only-when-blocking buff, or is it all the time?

[Aeolwind]

Is this an only-when-blocking buff, or is it all the time?

Improved Shield Mastery increases the amount of additional damage the character can block with a shield by +3 damage reduction for a total of +6 (when combined with its prerequisite Shield Mastery).

Description on Imp Shield Mastery from the wiki.

So, yes. Blocking only. A waste of a feat now it seems.

[Zack77]

Improved Shield Mastery increases the amount of additional damage the character can block with a shield by +3 damage reduction for a total of +6 (when combined with its prerequisite Shield Mastery).

Description on Imp Shield Mastery from the wiki.

So, yes. Blocking only. A waste of a feat now it seems.

What he was asking was if the new Shield Mastery Feat, which causes a static damage reduction, is only applicable while blocking, or if its always working.

As to that, I have no clue.

[Aeolwind]

What he was asking was if the new Shield Mastery Feat, which causes a static damage reduction, is only applicable while blocking, or if its always working.

As to that, I have no clue.

/facepalm, -5 internets to me.

[Propane]

From Release notes... Update 9

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=206066

Improved Shield Bash now grants a 20% chance to make a secondary shield bash while attacking with a melee weapon.

Shield Mastery's feat benefit has been changed to, "You are now skilled with the use of a shield, and your physical damage vulnerability is decreased by 10% when using a buckler or small shield, 15% when using a large shield, or 20% when using a tower shield."


The question still stands - is the DR passive or do you need to be "blocking"?

[Ironforge_Clan]

Based upon my testing the DR is not passive however the % resistance (as it is described) to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing granted from Shield Mastery is passive.

I did some additional test...the idiot I am forgot my armor also has DR on it so needed to remove it. I'm continuing to check but the corrected statement appears to be the way things are working. Sorry for the confusion.

[sephiroth1084]

Based upon my testing the DR is passive and the % resistance (as it is described) to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing is passive.

Wait, what DR is passive? The previous blocking-only DR from Improved/Shield Mastery?

Personally, I wouldn't mind ISM just getting deleted. S&B toons are already facing an uphill battle without also having extra non-DPS feats to squeeze in. The new SM looks like it will be really nice. I am a little disappointed, though, that I had just swapped to the Epic Swashbuckler as my main shield, and if I take the feat it will be a real decision on whether to go with that, the Epic KWS or Madstone Shield (no proficiency on my paladin, sadly).

Thinking probably the light shield for stuff like normal ToD and the KWS or Madstone for Elite.

[Ironforge_Clan]

Wait, what DR is passive? The previous blocking-only DR from Improved/Shield Mastery?

Personally, I wouldn't mind ISM just getting deleted. S&B toons are already facing an uphill battle without also having extra non-DPS feats to squeeze in. The new SM looks like it will be really nice. I am a little disappointed, though, that I had just swapped to the Epic Swashbuckler as my main shield, and if I take the feat it will be a real decision on whether to go with that, the Epic KWS or Madstone Shield (no proficiency on my paladin, sadly).

Thinking probably the light shield for stuff like normal ToD and the KWS or Madstone for Elite.

I corrected my observations on the ISM dr being passive.

I agree with your observations on SM. It is a very nice feat as it stands right now. Now if they would only carry over the new damage resistance that SM has into a new ISM then it would be a great thing for S&B characters.

[sephiroth1084]

I agree with your observations on SM. It is a very nice feat as it stands right now. Now if they would only carry over the new damage resistance that SM has into a new ISM then it would be a great thing for S&B characters.

I don't know..I know that I probably can't afford to include 2 shield feats, though I'm sure some can, especially fighters. I just don't know whether it is worth pushing S&B characters to pick up that many more defensive feats. We're already looking at Combat Expertise, Shield Mastery, maybe Dodge, maybe the Fighter Past Life. For a non-fighter, that's a lot of feats dedicated toward a style that everyone agrees is hurting in other ways already.

[Ironforge_Clan]

I don't know..I know that I probably can't afford to include 2 shield feats, though I'm sure some can, especially fighters. I just don't know whether it is worth pushing S&B characters to pick up that many more defensive feats. We're already looking at Combat Expertise, Shield Mastery, maybe Dodge, maybe the Fighter Past Life. For a non-fighter, that's a lot of feats dedicated toward a style that everyone agrees is hurting in other ways already.

I do agree with you that on a non-fighter it is very tough. However, if they boosted ISM I feel it would give a major boost to S&B and initimitanks. Fighters generally have feats to spare unless you are trying to push AC, Intim, and DPS as high as possible. I'm pretty much at my limit on my fighter because I've tried to balance all of those issues. Now if I were to TR I would have some tough choices, but would most likely drop ISM IF it were to remain as it is now. If they gave me another 10% or more of passive damage resistance then my choice would be much, much harder. I might have to drop GTWF.

[Trippy]

I don't know..I know that I probably can't afford to include 2 shield feats, though I'm sure some can, especially fighters. I just don't know whether it is worth pushing S&B characters to pick up that many more defensive feats. We're already looking at Combat Expertise, Shield Mastery, maybe Dodge, maybe the Fighter Past Life. For a non-fighter, that's a lot of feats dedicated toward a style that everyone agrees is hurting in other ways already.

I wanted to echo this, if they are going to fix shields to be useful, they should fix them to be useful to all shield using classes, not just pure fighters.

Yes, the fighter who has the room to spend an extra 3 feats on the style should get more, but there should still be a viable defensive reason for paladins, clerics and bards to have a shield equipped.

[kcru]

I corrected my observations on the ISM dr being passive.

I agree with your observations on SM. It is a very nice feat as it stands right now. Now if they would only carry over the new damage resistance that SM has into a new ISM then it would be a great thing for S&B characters.

They should probably just up the damage mitigation from 20% to 25% or 30% with improved.

[Propane]

Thanks for the quick info!

That makes the feat much more interesting to take...

[Ironforge_Clan]

Now if they only made Improved Shield Mastery build upon Shield Mastery then I and probably a number of others would be extremely happy. Getting only an additional 3 DR from the second feat is absolutely meh.

[Symar-FangofLloth]

So the new Shield Mastery is a passive buff as long as you have on a shield? Awesome.

[Ironforge_Clan]

So the new Shield Mastery is a passive buff as long as you have on a shield? Awesome.

Yes and awesome it is.

[dunklezhan]

imp shield bash: passive 20% offhand proc chance for a shield bash
Shield mastery: far as i can tell, always-on % damage reduction based on shield size, usual static DR as per the shield when blocking

Imp shield mastery: no change. which seems odd to me as the extra +3 DR when blocking probably isn't worth the extra feat.

probably worth the imp bash and basic mastery feats though.

[voodoogroves]

I personally will be looking at this first for my Tukaw, second for my PM.

Possible third one of my FVSes.

[justagame]

Is the damage mitigation before or after DR?

For example, let's say you have DR 10 and a tower shield (with shield mastery), for a 20% reduction. You get hit for what would have been 15 hp of damage. Is the actual damage

(15-10) * 80% = 4

or

15 * 80% - 10 = 2