Best Gear For PLD.

[Martel]

(Shamshir +2 when fighting Ironclads, as regular attacks are TP moves & cannot be shield blocked)

This is incorrect. I'm a bit startled that a pld thought this. Have you never noticed unusually low dmg hits from an ironclad? Or really low ws dmg from any mob really. Or that when reprisal's up it happens more often and you get stunned/amnesia'd less?

You most certainly CAN block Ironclad melee hits. Just as nearly any Physical(not ranged sadly) TP attack can be blocked with a shield. The only exceptions I can think of atm are the 1000 needles series, and apparently Mega scissors(which I'm not altogether sure is physical, PDT doesn't seem to help either.. player hp based?)

In addition to reducing the damage taken blocking a physical TP attack prevents additional effects(stun, stat downs) at a high rate.

This mechanic becomes immediately apparent when wielding an Ochain against an Ironclad. Since you nearly always block, you take very little dmg and almost never get stunned/amnesia'd, or interrupted for that matter.