It's funny how people are shocked.
But I understand it, if we had automatic blocking I would leave cRPG. Not a DaveUKR-leave, a REAL leave.
I think that actually that would make infantry even weaker than it is now, and archery even more attractive. You can't block projectiles.
Well, you can't block projectiles manually, either. So no change there. But if you liked to swing a two handed sword or axe, but you always get raped in melee and thus decide to shoot from distance (and I bet many archers made this experience), automatic blocking could bring you back.
Shooting pointy sticks into people is fun, but chopping them to parts with big, sharp metal things is even more fun.