Should make the kick animation slower, so if your fast enough, you can just take the f*ckers foot off at the ankle.... lol
but seriously, I dunno, I hate when I (very defensive shielder) am doing my job by taking front and blocking for people, am coming through a doorway, get blocked by my own guys behind me into 'being too close to avoid it' and get kicked and then smacked to death by some guy whose weapon shouldnt even be able to do anything in a doorway (but perhaps stab, although at kick distance, with a polearm thats arguably not likely). But I'm just complaining, I'm not saying I shouldnt be at that disadvantage because of the impatient numbskull behind me...
Kicks ARE OP - compared to rl, but they seem to be a good counter. And shielders can get good with them - the only reason you dont see me using them is I've run outta buttons on my keyboard that make it super fast to reach comfortably and consistently - But, if I put it where my jump button was, or pst button, etc, I'd be able to pull it off pretty regularly. It seems no harder to me as a shielder to use, than using timing to hit people just barely in range with your right-to-left swing etc, or some other moves that you get good at after a while.
How bout
if you counter kick
while the guy is in a kick animation you knock him onto the floor like he got hit with a mace? lol Just joking, but that thar would be funny
I tend towards sticking with what works, even though I'm a shielder, i'd say keep it in all likelyhood