Do I pick shield skill+ or "chance of successful of block"?

[Gwydion]

Hello SE/folks,
I notice many pieces for Paladin in the same slot have augments like "Shield Skill +17" or "Chance of Successful block +3"

Can you tell us what the ratio is or how these two stats work?

Thank you.

[dasva]

Chance to block is just that. 4-5 skill is about 1% to blockrate

[Karbuncle]

There is however a block rate cap for each shield based on its size, which the "Chance of" will bypass as far as I know. I know for sure there is a cap per shield based on its shield size, simply not if the "Chance of" will bypass it. I think it does.

But as the above poster said. Skill increases your block rate up to the shields cap, where as Chance of Successful Block just directly adds a % chance increase.

[dasva]

From what I recall the tests of "caps" were from long ago and were quite possible more really max you could get with gear limits. I don't think more recent tests with much higher shield skills have shown any caps per se other than gear limitations.

edit: yeah Martel did some on pre nerf Killedar and got all the way to 100%

[Cabalabob]

My assumption is that by "chance for block" it's referring to like a second "chance". As in another block check. So if you had 90% block from shield skill and failed to block and had +1 chance for successful block, you'd then get a second block roll with a 1% chance. Kind of like rolling 2 dice instead of 1.

This is all an assumption mind you, I have no evidence to back it up.

[Karbuncle]

From what I recall the tests of "caps" were from long ago and were quite possible more really max you could get with gear limits. I don't think more recent tests with much higher shield skills have shown any caps per se other than gear limitations.

edit: yeah Martel did some on pre nerf Killedar and got all the way to 100%

Yah,,, I recently found those tests and was quite surprised.

My assumption is that by "chance for block" it's referring to like a second "chance". As in another block check. So if you had 90% block from shield skill and failed to block and had +1 chance for successful block, you'd then get a second block roll with a 1% chance. Kind of like rolling 2 dice instead of 1.

This is all an assumption mind you, I have no evidence to back it up.

Not a bad guess based on some other things but in this case, negative.

I wish I could dig up the tests but you can actually hit 100% Block rate with certain shields with enough +Block Rate... they mentioned the Dark Matter augments (which go up to +10...), So it essentially just adds +1% to your block rate, up to 100.