PLD Esoterics spending.

[Anger]

Should I get my Shield this week or my Sword next week? I'm itching to spend my esoterics.

[Akei]

Weapon

/end

[ZhycranaDranix]

Yeah don't fall into the shield temptation like some of the PLDs I've already seen just wait out your week.
+2 weapon damage on top of 6 strength + 6 DET....yea sword holds more value to get earlier. Especially since some of the lather turns are reliant on PLDs being able to sustain some high raid damage

[Sapphidia]

Hold off on the shield. Just get the sword and then work on other armor parts.

It's my belief that it's actually a downgrade from the Ravana Hive Scutum. The Ravana is a Tower Shield and has 28% damage reduction on its blocks. The esoterics is a Kite Shield, so whilst it has much higher block rate it has i believe only 21% damage reduction.
Whilst it might end up mitigating slightly more passively, Sheltron makes the Hive Scutum better in my mind - being able to use it to mitigate a predictable big hit like a Ravana Blinding Blade for much more.

Shield stats are comparatively low too. You're much better off getting the shield after you've got a full esoterics armor set, and maybe not even then as long as you have the Hive Scutum. And sure, you need both sword+shield to upgrade to the i210 variant later, but you need to be killing Alex 4 Savage to get the upgrade part, and if you're doing that the MUCH better Gordian sword/shield will be available.

[rawker]

Gordian Blade for the juicy det+crit and Eso Shield for even more crit and some skill speed. Screw useless parry.

[Faytte]

Get an axe or a great sword instead.

Probably best advice you can have. Savage A1 Tank Buster?
Magic.

You mitigate better in a2, but not enough to underline the damage war or drk are bringing to actually making the fight tone down quicker. No one can say beyond that, but despite the two world firsts bringing paladins, the videos from other guilds that didnt look considerably easier (and a bit shorter--more so A2 than A1).

[dragoelete]

Hold off on the shield. Just get the sword and then work on other armor parts.

It's my belief that it's actually a downgrade from the Ravana Hive Scutum. The Ravana is a Tower Shield and has 28% damage reduction on its blocks. The esoterics is a Kite Shield, so whilst it has much higher block rate it has i believe only 21% damage reduction.
Whilst it might end up mitigating slightly more passively, Sheltron makes the Hive Scutum better in my mind - being able to use it to mitigate a predictable big hit like a Ravana Blinding Blade for much more.

Shield stats are comparatively low too. You're much better off getting the shield after you've got a full esoterics armor set, and maybe not even then as long as you have the Hive Scutum. And sure, you need both sword+shield to upgrade to the i210 variant later, but you need to be killing Alex 4 Savage to get the upgrade part, and if you're doing that the MUCH better Gordian sword/shield will be available.

i think the esoteric shield is like a 30% chance to block or more... so that combined with bulwark...

[ZhycranaDranix]

Go watch a AS2 clear again PLD easily tanking all mobs and thrashing in Sword Oath.
Woo hoo 1 magic Tank Buster in AS1 isn't a reason to jump ship considering Sentinel makes it look cheap
AS1 Sentinel - HG - Sentinel ... done -___-
AS3 btw notice all the cleaves and physical damage from normal mode ? I bet its the same

AS1- DRK has nice advantage
AS2- Multiple Mobs , doing physical damage x Jag Dolls = I ll take PLD
AS3- Haven't seen mechs but if its anything like NM PLD again
AS4- DRK wins the last phase as Discoid is magic damage heavy but Sentinel x HG again can help a bunch. Not bias but I all tanks are viable in all content up to this point.

It'll be pretty hilarious when Alex 2 comes and its pretty much physical busters through and through

[dragoelete]

alex 2? you mean part 2?

[SwordCoheir]

i think the esoteric shield is like a 30% chance to block or more... so that combined with bulwark...

She's not wrong though, in the past we've primarily relied on Kite Shields for the best balance of block and mitigation. With Sheltron however it does give us somewhat more options to experiment with heavier shields, though it reduces overall usefulness of lighter shields in turn.