Shields & Parrying in 1.19

[Coglin]

cant parry with a shield, but u can parry with an axe...

Parry- 1 To ward off a weapon or blow. 2 To evade or turn aside.

Evade is to dodge completely, block is to obstruct the opponents action, parry is to turn an attack aside as with an axe.

[Jennestia]

I thought this was 'working as designed' since you should fight differently w/out a shield.

For example in sword fighting of most techniques you rarely if at all ever see parrying done while using a shield, maybe an arm guard, but almost never a shield. Why parry when you can just eliminate all risk and use your shield?

[Alderton]

Except you can slot parry+ materia into a sword, which seems kind of silly.

I find this a bit frustrating, personally. I'm going to forgo the rant for now, but i'm not a fan at all of this change.

[Jennestia]

Except you can slot parry+ materia into a sword, which seems kind of silly.

I find this a bit frustrating, personally. I'm going to forgo the rant for now, but i'm not a fan at all of this change.

Also remember there will be future classes and jobs which will no doubt utilize a sword (Duelist/Red Mage/Mystic Knight for example.) They do everything with long term in mind.

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

I wonder if there's a stat that improves the chance to block. Do yous all seem to block a good amount of the time? Enough to warrant shield-based skills?

<=== totally not thinking about going sans shield which has defense and sockets, just to wield a sword sans shield to focus on my sword arm... or am I?!

[Alderton]

For example in sword fighting of most techniques you rarely if at all ever see parrying done while using a shield, maybe an arm guard, but almost never a shield. Why parry when you can just eliminate all risk and use your shield?

Because attacks can come from many different angles.

[Brannigan]

Well that sucks.

[Stufoo]

I wonder if there's a stat that improves the chance to block. Do yous all seem to block a good amount of the time? Enough to warrant shield-based skills?

<=== totally not thinking about going sans shield which has defense and sockets, just to wield a sword sans shield to focus on my sword arm... or am I?!

STR helps, so does +Block rate from HQing shield and the Sentinel's Gauntlets. I'd like to see +Block rate materia for shields though, even just +5. I'm seeing about 35~40% block rate from low-mid 50s now with 320 STR, which is +100 from default GLA 50. Just eyeballing it.

[Jennestia]

Given that it's a full on mechanical change, we'll no doubt see more materia and gear that influences block rate.

[Lionix]

I always thought it was silly in games how a parry nullifies all damage while a shield block reduces damage. Even sillier that you can't parry with your shield, since parrying, contrary to popular belief, can be done with a shield (it's pretty much redirecting an incoming blow out of the way in any manner you chose).

Well, while we are at it, maybe it's my low level, maybe I was just spoiled from our blocking stance, but I feel I rarely get to block after the adjustment. No complains from me on that point, I understand the combat overhaul and welcome it, but a consequence from this is Phalanx isn't quite as interesting. I even forgo it sometimes, equipping something else, and that makes me sad.

Can we give Phalanx a fixup? Maybe make it work with dodges too so I stop having a preference on Haymaker over it?

Well at this point, I'd just settle for a way to hold aggro on AoE with more ease. I used to just punch Phalanxes everywhere, or break my target's face with Phalanxes and use the Provokes on the other targets or-- Well I made my point.