Reworking of shields - For Bashing.

[Alanim]

Well, with the slight re-work to shield bashing to increase it's viability(most the 20% chance to do a free shield bash) we've run into a problem with the shields, in that ALL BUT ONE(Aegis of Flame) cannot bypass DR unless you have the paladin capstone, I'm going to suggest some changes to hopefully help remedy this problem. Starting with named shield changes, and then randomly generated shields.

As a side note, are metal properties currently/NOW applying to shields for DR bypassing purposes?

(all of these changes should fit properly with the respective items)
Named Shield Changes
Light and Darkness - give this shield Good and Evil for DR bypassing purposes.
Lorikk's Champion - Give this shield Good for DR bypassing purposes.
Levik's Defender - Give this shield Good for DR bypassing purposes.
Carved Bone Shield - Give this shield Evil.
Dalorent's Shield - Give this shield Good.

Randomly Generated Shield Changes
Let them generate with offensive attributes such as shocking burst/pure good/etc.
(Broad statement here) give them more offensive abilities on them like weapons ave, such as Keen/Impact/Stunning/etc.


Thoughts/opinions anyone? Hopefully this will help shields with their shortcomings against DR.

[somenewnoob]

I think this is definitely a good idea, another step towards making S&B more viable.

[chodelord]

the true fix

1. give shields the same affixes as weapons
2. make shield affixes and materials apply to your main hand attacks but not stack like arrow affixes don't stack with bows

so a holy mithril shield of pure good

would add 2d6 holy, silver, and 1d6 good damage to your main hand

it wouldn't be overpowered, it would just be more fun

[richieelias27]

Except that mithril is not silver. Mithril is mithril. Besides that, you arent striking with a shield when you strike with your sword, thus I can see no reason why a bonus to your shield (especially material type) would apply to your mainhand weapon.

However, adding weapon effects to shields sounds pretty logical to me. Don't know why they havent been there since the beginning. Especially the stunning effect. That would certainly be useful for S/B tanks.

[coolpenguin410]

Except that mithril is not silver. Mithril is mithril.

Eladrin did state that mithril will bypass silver DR. Mithril is similar enough to silver that I am willing to accept this.

I agree with the DR bypassing option the OP mentioned.

I am curious, can shields be crafted with weapon enchantments? I'd really like a +5 Holy Mithral Tower Shield of Bashing.

[Alanim]

I am curious, can shields be crafted with weapon enchantments? I'd really like a +5 Holy Mithral Tower Shield of Bashing.

I think so.

[Ralmeth]

/Sarcasm on
No way man! That would make too much sense. Instead, you need to craft yourself a DR breaking shield in the new crafting system and throw away that raid shield that you spent a long time to get. Then once you craft your new DR breaking shield they will introduce some new raid DR breaking shields so you can spend more time getting one of those! Then once you finally get the perfect shield they'll change the animation to improved shield bash so that it makes you squeel like a little girl everytime you shield bash, thus making everyone point and laugh at you, but the shield will be too uber not to use! LOL - the joke's on you!
/Sarcasm off

Just kidding. I like your idea so long as they include the epic swashbuckler in the list.

[Valindria]

My idea that is now burried:
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=310502

Turn the shield bash procs into damage similar to glancing blows so it is easy for the shield to bypass DR. It's not like a 20% chance would be OP. Figure if you have NO twf feats you still get a 20% chance to trigger an offhand (with hit penalty).

[Aesop]

I suggest leaving the Shields as they are now and adding in Shield Spikes than can be crafted on to current shields.

These spikes could hold weapon properties like any weapon does but would be applied to a persons shield.

Only allow them to hold upto +5 worth of enhancements.

This way the weapon half of the shield is effective and the defensive half is effective.

This may sound powerful until you realize that even with weapon effects on par with Greensteel weapons (which I'm not actually suggesting) they would still strike less often and do less damage.

Even with the change to have Shield Bashing use full strength mod it doesn't come close to the effectiveness of TWF

Aesop

[Valindria]

I suggest leaving the Shields as they are now and adding in Shield Spikes than can be crafted on to current shields.

These spikes could hold weapon properties like any weapon does but would be applied to a persons shield.

Only allow them to hold upto +5 worth of enhancements.

This way the weapon half of the shield is effective and the defensive half is effective.

This may sound powerful until you realize that even with weapon effects on par with Greensteel weapons (which I'm not actually suggesting) they would still strike less often and do less damage.

Even with the change to have Shield Bashing use full strength mod it doesn't come close to the effectiveness of TWF

Aesop

I would be on board with something something like a stone of change recipe or an epic style color slot (or all shields). Add a DR type to a shield. That would at least make it better for the current raid shields out there.

[Alanim]

Just kidding. I like your idea so long as they include the epic swashbuckler in the list.

Swashbuckler wouldn't make sense to have good or silver, so that's what I didn't include it :P I was keeping mostly to a believable upgrade for the shields.

[Shade]

we've run into a problem with the shields, in that ALL BUT ONE(Aegis of Flame) cannot bypass DR unless you have the paladin capstone

missed the epic ones then:

Khundarak warding shield - can be slotted with any type of DR break crystal
Ward of undeath - ditto
Shield of Scropion - yep
Coronation shield - yes

possibly any craftable shield too. Prety sure they accept holy.

[Memnir]

I think that shields with an effect on it should have the same visual flair as a weapon with like effect.

[Alanim]

missed the epic ones then:

Khundarak warding shield - can be slotted with any type of DR break crystal
Ward of undeath - ditto
Shield of Scropion - yep
Coronation shield - yes

possibly any craftable shield too. Prety sure they accept holy.

Arn't those the super rare 100 hour crystals? If so, that's not a very fair assessment.

I think that shields with an effect on it should have the same visual flair as a weapon with like effect.

I agree with this, but perhaps just the border of the shield? If done wrong, the shields could look pretty bad.