Bow of the Autarch model

[Vogue]

The shield is there for when you pull aggro of the tank XD

Most aiming gear has usually a shoulder guard - adding this to the weapon would most likely clash with 99% of the gear.

The way I look at the shield is - it avoids getting hit in the hands while aiming.

Though I think most of the protection sleeves are there to avoid injury from the bow string and not really from getting hit.

True about the shoulder guard, but a sleeve would work, after all, Sephirot monk fists are a pair of metal gloves and it just overrides whatever is on the gloves spot.

But to be honest, I only hope they don't add shields to any more bows, it simply looks weird in my opinion, if there is a shield I demand a block rate added to it as well! :P