The Shield System

[snowstriker]

I really wish you could move "Guard" on the action bar, really annoying!!!

Also agree about animations seeming glitchy with shields

[RyoFujo]

I believe Guard goes into the leftmost empty action slot when you equip a shield, so you can "move" it in a sense. Someone please correct me if I'm mistaken.

[Alderton]

Yeah, it will go to the first free slot when you equip.

But like any other action, you can make it swap places with an ability that is already on your bar. So, for example, if Guard is currently in slot 3, but you want it to be in slot 5, you could place Provoke in slot 5 (to get it onto your hotbar), then try placing Provoke in slot 3 (on top of Guard). This will swap the two abilities, moving Guard to 5 and equipping Provoke to 3.

[Xatsh]

I like the shield system honestly, as others said put in some timers and fix animations and I have nothing I can complain about with it.

[Kroguys]

Need an elbow stool to take into combat with me. Something to rest my arm on so that the shield can stay up all the time.

[Guiler]

Aion had a great shield system. You raised your shield and then your attack was slowed but the shield would stay raised till you canceled the skill. This would be nice. Stinks wasting the stamina and the lag and time repeatedly hitting the guard skill. Just my 2 cents. =D

[Lunasacre]

I'm a new GLD and new to FFXIV all around. I played FFXI for years, and my first job to 75 was Paladin, but tanking on these two classes already seems quite different. My GLD is now level 15, and after reading this thread I'm realizing that the guard ability is actually useful! When I first got it, I used it a couple of times, but all that seemed to happen was I just stood there with my shield in front of me while mobs wailed away on me. As soon as I attacked, it seemed that my "guard" stance went away. From what I could tell, it wasn't very useful.

Same thing for that Aegis Boon ability. Every time I use it, I seem to put up my shield and just stand there watching the mobs stare right back at me while nothing happens. Again, after reading this thread that's obviously not what's going on, but I had no idea! Can anyone point me to a website that can teach me how I should be using guard+phalanx? I haven't used phalanx at all because I never could tell when my shield blocked, however now it seems that it will *only* block if I use that guard ability? Any tips and directions would be great! Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Finally getting the hang of it. Would be nice to not worry about it, but I don't mind it.

[ThugHunter]

There are actually 4 moves you learn from Sentinal that will allow you to raise your shield, blocking damage and allowing you to use Phalanx/Phalanx II.

Level 1 - Guard :- Readies your shield. During this time, you have a chance to partially block (reduces damage) or block (eliminates or nearly eliminates damage).
Level 10/Level 40 - Aegis Boon/Aegis Boon II :- Recover behind the safety of your shield, increasing defence against frontal attacks and converting blocked damage into HP
Level 20 - Outmanouver :- Strategize for survival, increasing defence against frontal attacks and increasing TP generated by blocks.
Level 50 - Deflection :- Focus on your shield arm, increasing defense against frontal attacks and negating a portion of blocked damage

As I said before, each of these allows you to use Phalanx/Phalanx II after blocking damage. The only one thats hard to spot is Aegis Boon/Aegis Boon II, as you may have noticed you don't get hit, you get healed, when you see The "insert Name Here's" hit heals you for XXX Hp, you can then use Phalanx/Phalanx II.

As a side note, Shield don't block TP moves from mobs, well at least as far as i can see they don't, and Phalanx/Phalanx II won't work after TP moves either.

[Zacko]

I like the way shield/guard works right now but as already mentioned i wish we could move it around the action bar.

[SeraviEdalborez]

/eaction (a number 1 through 30 without parenthesis) Guard

ie /eaction 11 Guard
will put it on the first slot of your 2nd bar.