Best Shield Options (other than Ochain and Aegis)

[Ryce]

I'm looking for shield suggestions for the non relic/empy holder. As much as I'd LOVE an Ochain, I just don't have the playing time to devote to multiple empys. What's good?

[Greatguardian]

http://www.ffxiah.com/item/10803/weathering-shield

[Ryce]

Thank you.

[Alerith]

Is Weathering preferred over Seigneur? I just wanna be sure before I make the change.

[Greatguardian]

For sure. It's got 11 more def on it and the 10MDT is miles ahead of 5MDB. Honestly, Majorelle should trump Seigneur on its own. Weathering beats both, though. I'd imagine if the defensive properties of the shield were irrelevant (only time where Majorelle pulls ahead of Weathering in usefulness), then you'd just be using dual swords anyways.

[Karbuncle]

http://www.ffxiah.com/item/10803/weathering-shield

I think this is correct for most relevant fights.

Though on weaker things, Like sometimes i like to play in Campaign, I find Argos Shield is quite nice. The Elemental Resistant +25 Makes you resist the crap out of things in those events.

[Arcon]

I agree on Majorelle, Weathering doesn't really fit my playstyle. I gear for MDT in other slots already and it's really easy to cap in most situations (maybe unless you're fighting a heavily debuffing mob, where you can't guarantee Shell to be up). Especially PLD can gear so much for additional MDB, Seigneur Shield would be better for MDT alone (but its low Defense rating would probably be more of a hindrance for physical attacks). However, more than anything I'd get Majorelle for the Fast Cast, since the loss of damage mitigation from the Defense will be largely irrelevant in VW due to temp items, and probably even less relevant in other situations because they're simply not tough enough to warrant a fully defense buffed PLD. And it's just nice to get the Flash or Reprisal recast down just a bit more, provided you're not at the cap.

[Greatguardian]

No one's ever at cap any more, since the Recast time cap is now somewhere above 80%. You can flash every 9seconds if you want.

[Ryce]

What about skilling shield? Is there any particular shield recommended for skill ups?

[Arcon]

What about skilling shield? Is there any particular shield recommended for skill ups?

Buckler-type shields are generally the best. If you can get a Sipar, it would make it incredibly easy to skill up (as in, capped in minutes on a few mandies). Otherwise just remember to stack Haste and Fast Cast as much as possible (RDM sub), to get Reprisal recast down as well and go fight MNK mobs or Chigoes (Abyssea - Altepa is perfect for this) and just train as many of them as possible (you should take 0 damage from them, aside from the occasional critical hit).

[Greatguardian]

Sipar was ninja-nerfed ages ago. It no longer has a unique block rate cap.

Otherwise, everything else is spot on.

[Arcon]

Sipar was ninja-nerfed ages ago. It no longer has a unique block rate cap.

Wow, totally missed out on that. Good to know though.

[darkvision]

actually /SCH is better for Reprisal recast with the use of stratagems

[Babekeke]

New best non empy/relic shield. Probably from Legion, but possibly the final VW chapter that's not out yet?

Adamas (http://www.ffxiah.com/item/10806/adamas)

[Elagorn]

Where does dagda's fall in?

[Alistaire]

Where does dagda's fall in?

Dagda's is best non-relic (other than Adamas) unless the lack of mdt risks you getting killed. Which on most things, it shouldn't. MDT is easy to cap so weathering is overrated. Adamas > Dagda's > Seigneur > Weathering.