Buckler type shield vs Scutum type shield

[RhazeCain]

Speaking as a Warrior here.. I play Gladiator occasionally as 2nd class. Don't actually know which shield type is which, but I assume it boils down to choosing better block rate vs. better block amount.

Higher block rate wins (assuming other things equal). Here's why:

Compare the following 2 series of damage from enemy.
100, 75, 75, 100, 75, 75, 100, 75, 75 (higher block rate, smaller block amount, sum=750)
100, 50, 100, 100, 50, 100, 100, 50, 100 (higher block amount, smaller block rate, sum=750)
The total damage in the end is the same, but the point is to not die. The most likely times to die are when a big hit comes and you're low health. Thus the less frequently 100s occur, the better. The big hits occur more frequently in the high block amount/small block rate scenario.

Of course, should you have the choice between a big difference in block amount and just a small difference in block rate, then going for block amount is great.

Also, if you already have a really high block rate, even a mediocre increase in block amount could be a big reduction in total damage received. TL;DR: the "other things being equal" part matters a lot.

It's ye olde evasion vs. mitigation debate. One of the classics of MMO tanking across many games and has multiple forms in most games. Similar to HP vs. Def, Determination vs. Parry, and other flavors in other games. Mitigation always beats evasion when quantity is equal.

[Snugenz]

I tend to prefer block chance shields because of shield slash.