"With a Steel Shield, you don't have to fear anything but axes and the heaviest of crushthrough weapons" - Dravic
"My shield is my armour, especially if it's a Steel Shield" - Dravic
Introduction
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Steel Shield
body armor: 74
difficulty: 6
hit points: 236
speed rating: 61
shield width: 31
5,211
So you want to know how to use a Steel Shield, huh? You have to know, that it isn't easy path.
As a Steel Shield user, if you take path I show you in this thread, you will have to play defensively.
Important thing: remember, it is only MY idea for a Steel Shielder.
If you don't agree with me, that Steel Shielder has to look this way, just make your own guide and/or stay away from this thread.
I am NOT saying that this is the best way to use Steel Shield for you - I am saying that this is the best way to use Steel Shield for ME.
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Advantages and disadvantages.
Steel Shield is one of the best and one of the most beautiful shields in cRPG (at least for me).
It is really powerful in terms of resistance - lasts really long if you fight weapons without bonus against shields.
I was witness of funny duel: Phyrex vs Steel Shielder
"I thought, that unbreakable shields are forbidden in cRPG!" - Phyrex after fight with a nameless Steel Shield user. Phyrex won, but that guy used a hammer. I asked that guy for build, he said he had less than 9 str and only 18 agi. Well, anyway, that duel was really long, until that guy tried to attack Phyrex and bounced off. But again, he used a hammer (yes, that 0 slot hammer) and had less than 9 str (thus less than 3 ps). The fact that guy lost was only because he failed with that bounce off - because his Shield didn't break, of course.
Even versus an axe, if you have 9 shield skill, it will take quite a lot time to break your shield. And considering you have a lot of athletics, you can even dodge some attacks!
Coverage of Steel Shield maybe isn't that great (1 point less than Elite Cavalry Shield), but 9 Shield Skill increases so-called "force field" of your shield. It means the more shield skill you have, the bigger is your shield coverage.
Why you rarely spot a Steel Shielder on battlefield, then?
Because it is slow and slows you down.
First. Raising and lowering speed, blocking speed, etc. is really low.
And that is a fact. Low speed rating means, that you almost can't feint.
These can be partially fixed by high shield skill which speeds up those things.
Second. Your running speed is affected by your weapons', shield's and armours weight.
Steel Shield's weight is 12. It slows you down a LOT itself, and to that you have to add your weapons' and armour's weight.
That's why, if you don't want to be slow turtle, you have to wear low armour.
But feel no fear! Steel Shield is your armor - block correctly and you won't die too fast.
Anyway, slower running = you need longer weapons, otherwise you may miss your opponent if he is agile enough.
These can be partially fixed by high athletics skill which speeds up running speed.
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Skills
Your most important skills (sorted from the most to the least important):
[descriptions are taken from cRPG wiki, you can find it here: http://wiki.c-rpg.net/ (http://wiki.c-rpg.net/)]
Shield
Base Attribute: Agility
Effect: Reduces damage to shields by 8% per level and improves shield speed and coverage and is the requirement of shields.
Agility Required Per Level: 3
My note: I am not sure, if this skill is raising shield's resistance by 8%, or it really decreases dmg received by your shield by 8%.
Athletics
Base Attribute: Agility
Effect: Increases running speed.
Agility Required Per Level: 3
Rumored* 5% increase in base movement speed per level.
Weapon Master
Base Attribute: Agility
Effect: Gives a number of weapon proficiency points for each skill point spent on this skill. The points given are Level of WM*10+30, where WM is the Weapon Master level gained (see table below).
Agility Required Per Level: 3
Weapon Master Level: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 50000000
WPF Points Given: 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130
Power Strike
Base Attribute: Strength
Effect: +8% melee damage per level
Strength Required Per Level: 500
You may ask, why I didn't put an IF here and why did I say that you shouldn't use too heavy armour.
Answer is simple: your shield is your armour.
***
My favourite Steel Shielder builds are:
Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)
Strength: 9
Agility: 27
Hit points: 44
Converted: 2
Ironflesh: 0
Power Strike: 3
Shield: 9
Athletics: 9
Riding: 0
Horse Archery: 0
Power Draw: 0
Power Throw: 0
Weapon Master: 8
One Handed: 173
Two Handed: 1
Polearm: 1
Archery: 1
Crossbow: 1
Throwing: 1
This build is meant to be extremely defensive.
9 shield skill + steel shield + athletics mean that you are able to dodge some attacks (hammer guys),
your shield is really powerful and regular weapons (without crushthrough/bonus against shields) are nothing to fear for you.
You trade a bit of your shield's resistance and a bit of your running speed for lack of ability to use long and/or powerful weapons.
Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)
Strength: 12
Agility: 24
Hit points: 49
Converted: 2
Ironflesh: 1
Power Strike: 4
Shield: 8
Athletics: 8
Riding: 0
Horse Archery: 0
Power Draw: 0
Power Throw: 0
Weapon Master: 8
One Handed: 173
Two Handed: 1
Polearm: 1
Archery: 1
Crossbow: 1
Throwing: 1
This build is meant to have a bit more attacking power while still not losing too much of speed and shield's resistance.
You can use Elite Scimitar, Long Espada, Broad 1h Battle Axe and many other powerful weapons with this build,
but as I said: you trade a bit of speed and shield's resistance.
Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)
Strength: 15
Agility: 21
Hit points: 56
Converted: 2
Ironflesh: 3
Power Strike: 5
Shield: 7
Athletics: 7
Riding: 0
Horse Archery: 0
Power Draw: 0
Power Throw: 0
Weapon Master: 7
One Handed: 164
Two Handed: 1
Polearm: 1
Archery: 1
Crossbow: 1
Throwing: 1
This build is meant to use higher tier weapons and do a lot of dmg. Here you trade a serious amount of speed and shields resistance if compared to first build, but you gain power to hurt others a lot. I don't like it personally, because I feel too slow with it, but if you want to use Steel Shield and play a bit more offensively - even though you are slow - this is build for you.
Of course you can use higher str builds, but then you lose speed and resistance of your shield. It's your choice. Of course you can do 21/18 and 1-2 hit people with some maces/hammers/picks, but then again, you trade dmg for other advantages. Personally, from my thoughts:
If you want to play offensively all the time and expect that you will move quite fast, Steel Shield isn't for you.
***
Equipment
Definitly, 1handers. Not 2h with 1h option, not polearms. Pure 1handers.
As I already said about weapons: 3 PS make it enough to not bounce off, if you use right weapons. Be ready, that if you trade weapon length for its power, you may sometimes miss with your melee attack (unless you have a lot of athletics, that solves a problem partially)
As to armour: again, Steel Shield's weight slows you down already a lot. If you will wear heavy armour, you will move even more slowly, but you can gain a chance to survive one or two mistakes, like misblock or something like that. That's why it's all up to you wether you choose light or heavy armor. I, for example, use different sets for different maps - sometimes I prefer to camp one place and don't need to move quickly and take heavy armor, sometimes i prefer to run quickly and be able to catch enemies even if they try to run away.
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Conclusion
Steel Shield has its advantages and disadvantages. for me it is clear: it isn't shield for everyone.
Who is it for? Why should you use it?
- it is for people no matter if you can or can't manual block
- it lasts long
- it has nice coverage, if you have high shield skill
- it provides fun, when 3 2handers with weapon without bonus against shield try to break your shield and do nothing to it for longer time
- it is great for teamplaying: if you use footwork, you can protect your teammates by blocking hits aimed at them with your steel shield etc.
- you don't have to think, what side you should block this time
Thank you for reading this guide. I hope it will encourage more people to use Steel Shield.
If you have any suggestion how to improve this guide or any tip for Steel Shielders, feel free to post here.
Discuss and comment!
Regards,
Dravic
PS This guide will be hopefully upgraded in future.
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I started using Steel Shield, because it looks awesome and it is really good shield - but not only!
Some people inspirated me to write this guide:
- Vicious666 - he is living evidence, that Steel Shield can be used both on foot and on horseback. He also showed, that heirlooming it is actually good choice and str builds with Steel Shield actually works.
- Artle's company: Rumaahinen, cuituoptiikka, Domusperkele - they all (except Artle himself I think) had/have at least one character using Steel Shield on horseback - and they all say that it was good choice.
- Many random people, who used Steel Shield for style.