Shields

[Longfangz]

<P>Just curious as I have only recently started this game, however have played both EQ1 and WoW.  I have a 28 zerker atm and have noticed something odd(compared to the others).  Adding a shield increases aviodance only and the actual mitigation number seems to be ignored as it doesn't seem to add to my mitigation figure.  Is this the way it's supposed to be?  I mean is it simply that a higher mitigation shield will increase aviodance rather than our actual mitigation(ac) value?</P> <P> </P> <P>I guess it seems odd manly because I also have a 23 defiler who uses a shield with some pitifully small number of mitigation value on it and the +aviodance it gives him is not much smaller than my zerker's +aviodance value with the highest ac I can get ahold of for his level (300 ac shield vs I think 18 ac on my defiler)</P>

[Kage8]

The whole  idea of a shield useing avoidence is that ur Block the attack, so in theroy your body dosent take the hit at all....kinda kewl, i like it. depends on how u look at it i guess. <p></p>

[kono]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Longfangz wrote:<BR> <P>Just curious as I have only recently started this game, however have played both EQ1 and WoW.  I have a 28 zerker atm and have noticed something odd(compared to the others).  Adding a shield increases aviodance only and the actual <STRONG>mitigation number</STRONG> seems to be ignored as it doesn't seem to add to my mitigation figure.  Is this the way it's supposed to be?  I mean is it simply that a<STRONG> higher mitigation shield</STRONG> will increase aviodance rather than our actual mitigation(ac) value?</P> <P> </P> <P>I guess it seems odd manly because I also have a 23 defiler who uses a shield with some pitifully small number of <STRONG>mitigation</STRONG> value on it and the +aviodance it gives him is not much smaller than my zerker's +aviodance value with the highest ac I can get ahold of for his level (300 ac shield vs I think 18 ac on my defiler)</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Shields do not have mitigation, or AC.  They have a 'shield factor', which is theoretically related to their avoidance.  In practice, currently, all that seems to matter is the shield type, and the quality.  A fabled tower shield gives a certain amount of avoidance, regardless of level. <P>najena.konk </P>

[Khal]

<P></P><BR> <P><BR></P> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> konofo wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <P> </P> <P> </P></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>They have a 'shield factor', which is theoretically related to their avoidance.  In practice, currently, all that seems to matter is the shield type, and the quality. <BR></P> <HR> <P> </P> <P>Ya, the guardians in my guild and myself have noticed this as well.  I have a T5 Fabled Shield with a shield factor of 740 i think it is and no agility.  I have an T6 ironwood legiondary shield whitch is 840 factor and also has 9 agility.  The T5 one grants about 1% more avoidence then the T6 one. </P> <P> </P></BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR></P>

[Longfangz]

<P></P> <P>Thanks for the replies.  Yes, I did realize that I was looking at a 'shield factor' rather than mitigation value once it was brought to my attention.  It is rather dissappointing to see how buggy this game can be though with comparisions of better gear/stats not giving the proper return simply due to legendary vs fabled.  I guess the most dissappointing thing I have sene thus far, at least in the lower game, is the total lack of gear of different types/stats unlike WoW and EQ1.  From just looking through people's profiles it seems everyone is pretty much wearing most of the same crafted gear 55+.</P> <P> </P> <P>Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that even at a lowly 29 my zerker has 10X the utility my 60 warr in WoW has, as well as more than most any class in EQ1, but the gear they seemed to scrimp on between availability of different types and looks(aside from color).  That and I have noticed they didn't fix any of the bugginess of pathing with mobs as they are constantly running into walls/floors etc.</P>

[Ary05]

<P>Sorry to be dense but maybe I am just not "getting" it.</P> <P>So, does shield type (tower, kite) etc Matter at all?</P> <P>Does Sheild Factor matter? ie. 740 vs 540</P> <P>Does Sheild class (ie. Legendary vs Fabled) matter most?</P> <P>Does the shield type affect the quantity of opponents you can block (say Tower more effective against many foes vs. Buckler)?</P> <P>I cannot figure this whole avoidance thing out.</P> <P>I just got the SBS....is this better then an imbued tower sheild?   Very confusing.</P> <P><BR>Thanks in advance for your replies.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[Khal]

<DIV> <P>So, does shield type (tower, kite) etc Matter at all?</P> <P><EM>no, tower and kites were made equal with combat changes </EM></P> <P><EM></EM> </P> <P>Does Sheild Factor matter? ie. 740 vs 540</P> <P><EM>Yes, this is the number you need to look at</EM></P> <P><EM></EM> </P> <P>Does Sheild class (ie. Legendary vs Fabled) matter most?</P> <P><EM>Yes, this has an effect currently, but its not supposed too as far as i know</EM> </P> <P> </P> <P>Does the shield type affect the quantity of opponents you can block (say Tower more effective against many foes vs. Buckler)?</P> <P><EM>No, its not like it is in DAOC</EM></P></DIV>

[Lechac]

<div></div>I saw a SK and a Pally from my guild test shields in duel, the pally hacking away at the SK who swapped Zalak's kite shield and the Crimson targe from Scornfeather. Just as I was making fun of their efforts, telling them that without doing it a hundred times their results wouldn't have any value, I realized what everyone one around could see with their own eyes : the t6 targe blocks much much more blows than the t5 shield. Things working as intended, what a shock. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Lechacal on <span class=date_text>10-29-2005</span> <span class=time_text>08:52 AM</span>

[fiercele]

Well thats interesting. I'm glad to hear you could see the t6 kite blocking more than the t5 tower. I was very curious as to what was going on there. Although im still skeptical becouse when I exchange the shields, I recicve no number differnece in avoidence or block so something must be going on in the background that we cannot see.  Have to wait and see if the devs give us some sort of visible information as to what is doing what soon. <div></div>

[-Aonein-]

<FONT color=#66ff00>Id like to add some things we have noticed here Khalad, been talking about it for awhile now because shield factor doesnt mean anything anymore.<BR></FONT> <BLOCKQUOTE><FONT color=#66ff00></FONT> <HR> Khalad wrote:<BR> <DIV> <P>So, does shield type (tower, kite) etc Matter at all?</P> <P><EM>no, tower and kites were made equal with combat changes </EM></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>This is correct, Tower and Kite both give a Base Shield Factor value of 15%. Then it comes down to Quaility.</FONT></P> <P><EM></EM> </P> <P>Does Sheild Factor matter? ie. 740 vs 540</P> <P><EM>Yes, this is the number you need to look at</EM></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>This is the part i wanted to correct Khalad on, i took my T5 Fabled Aegis of Alacrity and checked the changes to my Avoidance seeing as the Aegis is 740 Sheild Factor and Compaired it to my Crimson Rock Targe which is T6 Fabled which is 928 Sheild Factor and there was basically no difference.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>If you take a T5 Legendary and compair it with a T6 Legendary the only difference you will see in your Avoidance number will be because of the AGI you are gaining on the T6 Legendary.</FONT></P> <P><EM></EM> </P> <P>Does Sheild class (ie. Legendary vs Fabled) matter most?</P> <P><EM>Yes, this has an effect currently, but its not supposed too as far as i know</EM></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>This is the only part that determines how much more avoidance you are getting over Shield Factor. SO yes this is the only part that matters most.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>A T5 Fabled is acually better then a T6 Legendary.</FONT></P> <P> </P> <P>Does the shield type affect the quantity of opponents you can block (say Tower more effective against many foes vs. Buckler)?</P> <P><EM>No, its not like it is in DAOC</EM></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>Acually it does, because Tower and Kite are a base 15%, Round is 9% and Buckler is 4%, so the amount of Avoidance you are getting which is not acually Avoidance in the form of misses or Parry etc, its in the form of Block meaning you are acually going to get a higher block rate depending on the Quaility and Type of the Shield.</FONT></P></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>A Guardian on the Guard forums did some great parsing with a T5 Fabled Ageis of Alacarity and a T6 Crimson Rock Targe at lvl 55 vs lvl 59 <STRONG>^^^</STRONG> mobs and parsed over 300 mobs each while tanking them. The block rate per minute worked out to be 0.4% difference between the 2 sheilds so over a period of 5 mobs basically you blocked one more time over the T5 Fabled.</FONT></P> <P><FONT color=#66ff00>The difference in Sheild Factor is 200 and your getting a 1 extra Block every 5 mobs more or less making Sheild Factor completely useless and it all depends on Quaility, Type and Tier. I dont even use Sheild Factor as my indicator any more because it doesnt mean nothing, just gather some shields up and test it.</FONT></P>