Remove shield skill from shields

[Torben]

approach could be to have a shield with requirement above your skill usless for fighting by making it
 
a) unsheathable
b) not usable with a weapon (drawing a weapon makes you drop the shield immediately) 

so you could basically only hold it in front of you,  dropping it if you wanna do anything else.

[Kajia]

[Remove shield skill from shields]

yes yes yes yes yes

[XyNox]

Only if I get 0 slot sheathable pocket long spear so I can stop raging about cav

[Voncrow]

unless by one shield skill implies the abilty to strap it on, you shouldn't need it.

[Thovex]

Only if I get 0 slot sheathable pocket long spear so I can stop raging about cav

But you one shot the cav so what's the point?

[WITCHCRAFT]

I'd say that old or plain board shield are good to block ranged with 1 or 2 shield skill, but against a high level archer/xbow with looms your shield will break long before you can close the distance and engage in melee. Shields, especially large ones like board shields, are very heavy. It wouldn't be worth lugging one around just for those late round skirmishes.

Buffing low level shields would benefit characters with high level shield skill too much. What if you got +1 shield skill at level 25 or 30 for free? That sounds exploitable too, though.

I don't know if anything can be done without upsetting the balance of everything else. A 3-4 point dip into shields and a +3 shield are enough, but that might cost you the next tier of PS/IF in exchange.

[Ulter]

I don't think removing shield skill is neccesary. Investing even 3 points into shield already gives acces to decent shields, which are very effective against most ranged. The only problem here is the mentality of players. They'd rather suffer from ranged damage (and whine about it endlessly) than sacrafice a few points into shield.   If an archer took no meele weapon and complained about being killed too easily in meele, he'd be laughed on. Yet some people do exactly that that - refuse to defend themselves and complain.

[XyNox]

But you one shot the cav so what's the point?

Because cav totally gives a fuck when he can oneshot me one second afterwards while I try to crawl away at 1mph.

[CrazyCracka420]

You should be able to pick up any item in the game if you have enough strength to pick it up.  That being said, you should be absolutely terrible with them if you don't meet the difficulty requirement.  So you can pick up shields, but if you're not up to the proficiency, it will raise very slowly, and break a lot easier than normal.

Same with a bow and arrow.  Someone with 0 PD should be able to pick up any bow in the game (if they have enough strength) but the arrow will go completely off target when you go to shoot it. 

I think this would be nice just for the fact that you no longer will be trying to pick up a weapon and a bow is covering it, and makes it impossible to pick up.  You could also then run bows/shields back for teammates in strat battles.

I know I've suggested this same thing before, and I think others have as well.  But don't get your hopes up.

[BlueKnight]

Because cav totally gives a fuck when he can oneshot me one second afterwards while I try to crawl away at 1mph.

You can always hold downblock.

[Falka]

I don't think removing shield skill is neccesary. Investing even 3 points into shield already gives acces to decent shields, which are very effective against most ranged. The only problem here is the mentality of players. They'd rather suffer from ranged damage (and whine about it endlessly) than sacrafice a few points into shield.   If an archer took no meele weapon and complained about being killed too easily in meele, he'd be laughed on. Yet some people do exactly that that - refuse to defend themselves and complain.

Huh, I have bought training lessons and did respec my 24-18 shielder into 27-18 pure 1h

[Gurnisson]

If an archer took no meele weapon and complained about being killed too easily in meele, he'd be laughed on.

pickaxe and hammer + complaining (from both sides, mind you ) = great 0-slot swords

(click to show/hide)

Not that I mind, I prefer an archer with a decent chance in melee over a Wolves_Nelo type of archer, who carried no side-arm because of the weight, and then kited non-stop

[Teeth]

I don't think removing shield skill is neccesary. Investing even 3 points into shield already gives acces to decent shields, which are very effective against most ranged. The only problem here is the mentality of players. They'd rather suffer from ranged damage (and whine about it endlessly) than sacrafice a few points into shield.   If an archer took no meele weapon and complained about being killed too easily in meele, he'd be laughed on. Yet some people do exactly that that - refuse to defend themselves and complain.

Putting 3 points into shield skill is a big fucking expense if you play a 2h or polearmer as it's use is extremely limited. You spent most of your time fighting where you simply are not going to use it. Also, you risk being caught with your shield out with a crappy dagger or something which makes using one quite risky as a non 1h.

[Banok]

I actually had this idea a while ago but didnt bother to write a post because I'm not really playing but also because crpg community tends to hate even good ideas simply because it loathes any form of change.

Anyway the reasoning was using a shield with 0 skill by your self is pretty useless so it doesn't gimp spent point in the skill, however if there is a bunch of 2h heros left at end of round vs a horse archer retard; instead of running in circles until death they can pick up shields and form a shield wall. plus anyone can help in shield walls, a big deal in strategus.

[polkafranzi]

I see the words "cover area" mentioned a lot in this thread.

Surely a shield is just a shield, and it's surface area IS the cover area.  It's kinda silly when on my xbow I shoot someones feet and his shield draws the bolt in from chest height :/