Shield Types

[Phafi]

As it currently stands, there is one type of shield added per content, and that is the option Paladin is stuck with, essentially leaving us with a useless variable. What I am proposing is creating additional shields per content that have the same primary and secondary stats, but have different block rates and strengths.

As an example I will use Leviathan's Tidal Wave, as this is the only level I have stats for all three shield types for:

Tidal Wave Shield (existing shield, buckler type) - bstr 106 brate 307 STR 11 VIT 12 crit 8 det 8
Tidal Wave Kite - bstr 193 brate 193 STR 11 VIT 12 crit 8 det 8
Tidal Wave Tower - bstr304 brate 119 STR 11 VIT 12 crit 8 det 8

All three shields have the same VIT/STR/CRIT/DET, but the different block strength and block rates would provide us with options, making these block stats feel useful.

Since level 50, the following are the item levels where there have been more than one option for shield types.
level 50 content
---iLv90 buckler/kite
---iLv100 buckler/kite/tower (only option for all three)
---iLv110 kite/tower

skipping the 51-59 range as there is only one shield per ilvl/lvl

level 60 content
---i180 kite/tower (tower is bismarck crafted)
---i210 kite/tower

[Lone-wolfe-02]

What you propose wouldn't help, sooner or later it would be figured out which shield is better and we're back where we started.

[Brannigan]

I don't know about 3 of each shield, but at the VERY least the raid drop shield and tomestone shield should be different types. Primal should probably be the third type as well.

This tier is pretty BS with only kites available at all. Bucklers are usually not worth it now that Sheltron exists, but I'd still like them to be there occasionally. I think they're trying to avoid giving us tower shields because they destroy physical tank busters and you can't have paladin being good at blocking I guess. I miss my Gordian shield.

They should make Shield Swipe lower its cooldown each time you block. That way, you'd have buckler for offense, tower for defense, and kite for a balanced approach.

[Phafi]

What you propose wouldn't help, sooner or later it would be figured out which shield is better and we're back where we started.

in 5,6,7 i'd use a buckler for more shield swipe procs and in 8 i'd use a tower.

[Khalithar]

Better idea, let's just ditch the shield types completely, paladins nowadays just equip the highest ilevel one they can get anyway.

[KitingGenbu]

Wont work since savage exists and they wont make two types for it. Also would have to take into account the relic. Those things tied with what Khalithar is saying. People will just go with highest item level. Waste of development time.

[Phafi]

The whole point was for them to make more than one shield type per content.

[Khalithar]

The whole point was for them to make more than one shield type per content.

Right, I understand what you're asking for. But at this point we have to ask: does this really add anything to the gameplay overall? The answer is no. It does not. It's not efficient for them to make that many shields for one class and with the current trend of just making one type of shield anyway, it's time to just ditch the shield classifications and just standardize them across the board.

[SirBrighton]

What do you mean by "per content"? Your entire post was rather perplexing to me because I couldn't see the problem anywhere.
You say Paladins are stuck with one shield per content, but that's quite false. You can either get the weapon and shield from the new content's duty, or upgrade your anima weapon and shield, just like every other class.

[Phafi]

does this really add anything to the gameplay overall? The answer is no. It does not.

It would provide further differentiation from the other two tank classes. Simple things which can help differentiate and improve job diversity is a step forward in my book.

What do you mean by "per content"? Your entire post was rather perplexing to me because I couldn't see the problem anywhere.
You say Paladins are stuck with one shield per content, but that's quite false. You can either get the weapon and shield from the new content's duty, or upgrade your anima weapon and shield, just like every other class.

Sorry if this was confusing, I meant that like (as of 3.2-3.3 content) Lore tomestones would have three shields, Sephirot would have three shields, Alexander Midas: Savage would have three shields, Nidhogg would have three shields. All of which have the same stats except for block strength and block rate.