Why is shield swipe so bad?

[Cherie]

In a way it's a lot like Awareness: a mediocre skill that I'll use because there's nothing else there, but if it got patched out tomorrow I wouldn't miss it at all.

Don't get me started on Awareness... Do you remember when that skill was, not only not very useful, but also was bugged to prevent you from receiving a critical heal?

They fixed it though... 6 months in to release? Not that it was their fault that it got patched so late.... Did people actually ever use that skill enough to notice it was bugged?

[SarcasmMisser]

Say shield swipe is bad dps to that 350dps pld off-tank in t8.

The only issue I have with shield swipe is that it's most useful as a off-tank with a war MT keeping up storms eye, but you can't actually get procs unless you are tanking where you will likely be in shield oath anyway. It's lack of enmity generation and the fact that it is GCD also makes it hard to fit in with halone combo in snap aggro situations. It's a theoretical gain but very hard to actually use.

[Jeykama]

Say shield swipe is bad dps to that 350dps pld off-tank in t8.

Sorry what? If a PLD is offtanking in T8, they aren't getting shield swipe procs. If you're talking about the 30 seconds he was holding a dreadknight, then sure I guess.

The main issue with Swipe as you said though, is that it relies on blocking. There are several fights that are exclusively magic damage, where Shield Swipe, Eye for an Eye, and untraited Protect are worthless - ADS, Ultima Weapon, and Ramuh (I think?). Sucks having buttons that are 100% worthless in those fights.

[SarcasmMisser]

Sorry what? If a PLD is offtanking in T8, they aren't getting shield swipe procs. If you're talking about the 30 seconds he was holding a dreadknight, then sure I guess.

I spent half my post saying exactly that and he did exactly what you described. Bulwark is used to give near constant procs and it's a huge TP saver. He was full DPS spec which would help keep threat I guess.

[Gardes]

Excellent damage to cost ratio and TP preservation aside, the pacification effect is pretty meh. I say either buff it or remove it. When I say buff, I think it should be viable on a mob tanking. Shield swiping during big mob pulls seems to hold less weight than flashing or trying to gain more mp to be able to keep going. I'm suggesting that the pacification be made a user centered melee range aoe. Paladin shield swipe, mobs directly around him gets pacified and now the paladin is free from multiple aoes directly stacked at him/her for a bried period. Now the paladin can choose to keep generating aggro or attempt to cut the potential damage he's taking. Adjust pacification timers if this is too strong, add something to warrior if this is unfair.

[Avalon_Albrook]

It blows my mind how many people complain about a PLD dps move that (1) allows for a net gain in TP, something no other TP-costing attack for PLD can do... (2) has a higher potency than a comboed Savage Blade... (3) does not interrupt your combo. I couldn't give a flying eff about how most endgame stuff can't be pacified with the attack -- it's still the most valuable cost-to-benefit attack a PLD has when it procs and, unless you're having threat issues, should be used at every opportunity.

[NintenPyjak64]

If you mean Shield Swipe, didn't exist in 1.0. And iirc, no player skill could pacify back then.

PLD did have a pacify skill back then that made Ifrit HM useless sometimes. It would stop him from Jumping or using Fire Breaths, but did not stop his eruptions or plumes.

[ispano]

PLD did have a pacify skill back then that made Ifrit HM useless sometimes. It would stop him from Jumping or using Fire Breaths, but did not stop his eruptions or plumes.

No they didn't.

http://mooglebox.com/ability/gladiator.php

http://mooglebox.com/ability/paladin.php

None of those abilities could pacify.

[Brannigan]

No they didn't.

http://mooglebox.com/ability/gladiator.php

http://mooglebox.com/ability/paladin.php

None of those abilities could pacify.

Riot Blade -> Contagion (Lv 50 thm, transferred your debuffs to the target). This was before PLD existed, though. Riot Blade used to pacify you for like 10s. I think it even prevented Hellfire.

Paladin having like 1 + 1/3 of a combo route with Shield Swipe sort've existing as some byproduct of a half assed idea that we should actually be doing stuff with our shields just makes it feel like a class that was never executed properly. Does it work? Yes. Could it work and actually feel cool? Certainly yes.

I pretty much agree with this (except I don't think Shield Swipe is that good, lol). Gladiator, unlike THM or CNJ, has no two handed options. You're expected to be using a shield 100% of the time. Unfortunately we only have two abilities that really interact with our shields, and Shield Swipe is pretty underwhelming. Even though Shield Bash and Shield Lob require a shield equipped, they could just as easily not and the abilities wouldn't have to change at all.

[Prototype909]

I think my problem with Shield Swipe is that it's a good ability but it doesn't feel good to use.

Keeping up maim + debuff route with Warrior -feels- good.

Paladin having like 1 + 1/3 of a combo route with Shield Swipe sort've existing as some byproduct of a half assed idea that we should actually be doing stuff with our shields just makes it feel like a class that was never executed properly. Does it work? Yes. Could it work and actually feel cool? Certainly yes.