Gladiator shield and blocking questions

I tanked Irfrit last night for the first time, also my first time fighting him. Had no issues holding hate with cross job skills, and overall was a fun romp to the death at phase 5 each time, but did leave me with some shield questions:

1. Are AB II and Deflection even worth equipping in their current state?
2. How can you tell when you block? Does this show in the log.. I may just have it filtered.
3. Does +block rate really help.. has anyone tested it at all?
4. After 7 deaths my shield still showed 100% condition, has anyone noticed this, a glitch?
5. Do you have to not be using other skills or attacks to have block trigger?

Ifrit stops using blockable attacks when he starts using special moves. Aegis, Outmaneuver, and Deflection aren't needed for him.
Blocking does appear in the log, along with an animation.
+block rate might help, haven't really tested. There's only like one piece of gear in the game with it anyway. I've tested dex a little bit and it doesn't appear to do shit. Strength maybe raises block rate? but maybe not, I've had mixed results.
I don't know about your shield condition.
As far as I know animation lock doesn't prevent you from blocking.

Thanks! So I guess the +5 block skill trait isn't worth equipping either..

Shield and blocking seems pretty defunct right now. I haven't had a chance to fight ifrit specifically yet but what I have noticed is that right now when I block very rarely will it reduce the damage I take from an attack.

Hopefully it will see some heavy rebalancing in 1.20.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Radiator

Thanks! So I guess the +5 block skill trait isn't worth equipping either..

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Self-Preservation claims to raise block rate by 5%, which (probably) isn't the same as Block Rate stat +5 (which is what I was talking about - outside of shields, Block Rate is only found on Sentinel's Gauntlets right now). I keep Self-Preservation equipped in all situations because why not?

Like Ferth posted, it's hard to gauge the actual damage reduction from blocking right now. All we REALLY know is that the community team claims DEX governs blocking and that you can't parry with a shield equipped.

[QUOTE=Brannigan;433182]Self-Preservation claims to raise block rate by 5%, which (probably) isn't the same as Block Rate stat +5 (which is what I was talking about - outside of shields, Block Rate is only found on Sentinel's Gauntlets right now). I keep Self-Preservation equipped in all situations because why not?

Like Ferth posted, it's hard to gauge the actual damage reduction from blocking right now. All we REALLY know is that the community team claims DEX governs blocking and that you can't parry with a shield equipped.[/QUOTE

Because those slots are valuable and I'd rather have stat convertors than that if it doesn't do much. Again, thanks for the feedback. Hopefully this is getting fixed in 1.2 . Being able to see your sheild get raised would be nice too.

Blocking also produces a unique sound, but there's so much noise during the battle it is hard to catch. (not to mention it is drowned out by the screams of your teammates burning to death) It also shows in the log but is not emphasized and scrolls up quick especially in a big battle like that. Perhaps if they adjusted the animation so that the character staggers backward one step - like a tiny knock back - it would be easier to spot. Also, I wish they would remove the sound effect of stone skin, protect and shell whenever an attack triggers it. The graphics and damage indicator work fine...the sounds just gets annoying after a while.

4 times tanking Irfrit last night with 1/4 win. Shield still 100% condition.

Sent pants also have block, Boon's still nice to have for the first portion of the fight, with trait gloves and pants along with defense skills like featherfoot and diversion he bearly ever hit me till he started using skills.

Sentinel trousers have block power, don't they? Not block rate.