Few item balance suggestions

[San]

My problem with internal shield balance is that the shields of the same type progressively increase in weight as you go higher in difficulty (ex: Round Cavalry Shield is 3.5 weight (2 difficulty) while Elite Cavalry Shield is 4.5 weight (4 difficulty)).  The stat differences between the items is pretty underwhelming considering the lower tier versions have the same radius/width/height as their higher tier counterparts.  As a result, I find that I'm not really motivated to go more into shield unless I want a special kind  of shield like a Huscarl/Plate shield or I just have spare points to throw into shield.

Shields are similar to cav due to the fact that you get a double benefit from raising shield skill and gaining access to objectively better shields. 0-2 (and 5) skill shields were buffed, but they still have crappy durability with only 0-2 shield skill. If you have 4-5+ shield skill, you wouldn't have any incentive to use the lower tier shields outside of the slightly lower weight anyways. That's why I think that the stats don't need to be very far apart. The heavier round shields haven't changed their stats in a while, and Round->Heavy Round->Huscarls are roughly +3 armor and +50 hp at each step. The Elite Cavalry Shield has below average durability in its class because of its prowess in all areas, so the light round shields are all pretty close to each other with only minor durability increases.

I borrowed a +3 Round Cavalry Shield from the armoury and it still breaks very quickly in-game with 2 shield skill. I need to have my shield sheathed a lot of the time.

[Shatter]

Shields are similar to cav due to the fact that you get a double benefit from raising shield skill and gaining access to objectively better shields. 0-2 (and 5) skill shields were buffed, but they still have crappy durability with only 0-2 shield skill. If you have 4-5+ shield skill, you wouldn't have any incentive to use the lower tier shields outside of the slightly lower weight anyways. That's why I think that the stats don't need to be very far apart. The heavier round shields haven't changed their stats in a while, and Round->Heavy Round->Huscarls are roughly +3 armor and +50 hp at each step. The Elite Cavalry Shield has below average durability in its class because of its prowess in all areas, so the light round shields are all pretty close to each other with only minor durability increases.

I borrowed a +3 Round Cavalry Shield from the armoury and it still breaks very quickly in-game with 2 shield skill. I need to have my shield sheathed a lot of the time.

I agree that there should be some incentive to use the lower rank shields over the higher rank shields, but I feel that the weight differences are too much for certain shields.  Compare the Heavy Kite Shield to the Kite Shield.  For upgrading to the 1 difficulty higher requirement Heavy Kite Shield, you get +7 armor and lose 15 hit points at the cost of 1.5 weight.  I understand that the +armor makes it more durable despite the hp reduction but is that really worth 1.5 weight when you also put another point in shield just to get access to it?  Or look at the Horseman's Heater Shield vs. the Knightly Heater Shield.  A Knightly Heater Shield, which is 2 difficulty higher, gets +10 armor and +12 hp at the cost of 1.5 weight.  Of course, the +10 armor will make it a lot more durable, but I'm not sure its worth 1.5 weight considering it also takes an investment of 2 more shield skill which could go towards something like IF.

I don't think the durability should be increased on higher rank shields, but I think the differences between the weights should be slightly lowered or the shield speeds/radii should be slightly increased.  Even if you compare the shield situation to horses, compare the difficulty 4 and 5 horses to the unarmored 6 and 7 horses.  There is pretty much 0 reason to use those lower difficulty horses if you have 6 or 7 riding skill.  Though I think there should be some incentive to use lower rank shields, I don't see the problem of making the higher rank shields the more desirable choice if you invest into shield.

[San]

Interesting points.

At low armor, the damage reduction is close to 1:1, so you'll be saving ~6-7 damage * your shield skill damage reduction, usually around 4pts per hit. Kite shield has above average stats, but it's in the 16-18 armor tier where arbalests can shoot through them pretty easily. +10 armor would see a massive difference in durability, ~6 damage difference per hit. Going from 40 to 36 isn't a big deal, but usually it's something closer to 20 to 16, a 25% increase before factoring in health, assuming that damage to shields is similar to armor. -2 shield skill and the damage reduction is reduced by 12%. Going from 4 to 2, 34%->22%, close to another 20% durability loss. Both stack up relatively quickly.

Guess the gist is that +2shield and the better shield is close to a 50% durability increase (1.25 * 1.2). If you have higher shield skill, it's more durability in the realm of 2x% vs. weight.

Though I think there should be some incentive to use lower rank shields, I don't see the problem of making the higher rank shields the more desirable choice if you invest into shield.

I agree with this, but shield has a low difficulty threshold. I think many of the 5 difficulty shields are getting to ridiculous points in stats outside of the Triangle Shield which needs to be made 1 slot. And Fur Covered Shield is terrible.

Shockingly enough, some players want more weight on their shields to prevent block stun and crushthrough. The 4-6 weight section handles this just fine. I did ponder for a long time whether to change The Knightly Heater Shield's and Kite Shield's weight, but ended up just getting the former reduced from 5.5 to 5. I'm very hesitant to touch any widths except for ones that are blatantly out of place like the Green Crescent Heater or Long Pavise Shield. The way they worked were changed a few years ago and it's a bit confusing for me, especially coupled with the shield forcefield increase. The low width shields tend to just have better stats everywhere else.

[Shatter]

Interesting points.

At low armor, the damage reduction is close to 1:1, so you'll be saving ~6-7 damage * your shield skill damage reduction, usually around 4pts per hit. Kite shield has above average stats, but it's in the 16-18 armor tier where arbalests can shoot through them pretty easily. +10 armor would see a massive difference in durability, ~6 damage difference per hit. Going from 40 to 36 isn't a big deal, but usually it's something closer to 20 to 16, a 25% increase before factoring in health, assuming that damage to shields is similar to armor. -2 shield skill and the damage reduction is reduced by 12%. Going from 4 to 2, 34%->22%, close to another 20% durability loss. Both stack up relatively quickly.

Guess the gist is that +2shield and the better shield is close to a 50% durability increase (1.25 * 1.2). If you have higher shield skill, it's more durability in the realm of 2x% vs. weight.
I agree with this, but shield has a low difficulty threshold. I think many of the 5 difficulty shields are getting to ridiculous points in stats outside of the Triangle Shield which needs to be made 1 slot. And Fur Covered Shield is terrible.

Shockingly enough, some players want more weight on their shields to prevent block stun and crushthrough. The 4-6 weight section handles this just fine. I did ponder for a long time whether to change The Knightly Heater Shield's and Kite Shield's weight, but ended up just getting the former reduced from 5.5 to 5. I'm very hesitant to touch any widths except for ones that are blatantly out of place like the Green Crescent Heater or Long Pavise Shield. The way they worked were changed a few years ago and it's a bit confusing for me, especially coupled with the shield forcefield increase. The low width shields tend to just have better stats everywhere else.

Makes sense.  I do think it is pretty close balance-wise and was only suggesting tiny changes.  But I can see why you would come out on the other end. 

One thing I would like to note though is that, when the opportunity arises, you should consider adding a light-weight difficulty 4 shield.  There is Horseman's Kite Shield (difficulty 2/2.5 weight), Brown Lion Heater Shield (difficulty 3/2.5 weight), and Knightly Kite Shield (difficulty 5/3 weight) but nothing comparable at difficulty 4.  Lightest difficulty 4 shield is 4.5 weight.

[Leshma]

Shields now feel a lot lighter because some of them have reduced weight compared to a early cRPG stats, but when I put a shield on my back it feels just as heavy as before. Is there a chance that new shield weight stats aren't taken into account when you put a shield on your back, that is somehow hard-coded weight penalty?

[Kafein]

Shields now feel a lot lighter because some of them have reduced weight compared to a early cRPG stats, but when I put a shield on my back it feels just as heavy as before. Is there a chance that new shield weight stats aren't taken into account when you put a shield on your back, that is somehow hard-coded weight penalty?

Having any shield on your back carries a penalty which is in part independent of the weight of the shield, afaik. That's why you don't see anyone running around in plate with arena shields on their back, even though technically that could prove to be a good way to decrease ranged damage (and be hilarious in the process).