Shield Use: Difference between revisions

The official GemStone IV encyclopedia.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 46: Line 46:


''Note: the use of a large shield benefits the defensive strength generated by the Shield Use skill and the shield, however, larger shields harm the defensive strength provided by the [[Dodging]] skill. The larger the shield, the more harmful the shield is. A small shield lowers dodge DS by 20% where a tower shield lowers it by 50%. Shields generated by the bard song, [[Sonic Shield Song (1009)]] may be less harmful depending on how much [[Elemental Lore, Air]] training the [[bard]] has.''
''Note: the use of a large shield benefits the defensive strength generated by the Shield Use skill and the shield, however, larger shields harm the defensive strength provided by the [[Dodging]] skill. The larger the shield, the more harmful the shield is. A small shield lowers dodge DS by 20% where a tower shield lowers it by 50%. Shields generated by the bard song, [[Sonic Shield Song (1009)]] may be less harmful depending on how much [[Elemental Lore, Air]] training the [[bard]] has.''

==Shield Maneuvers==

This system provides Warriors, Rogues, and Paladins with exclusive access to new options and abilities related to the Shield Use skill. The SHIELD verb provides access to this new system. The goal of this release is to provide new capabilities to the shield use character builds within the martial classes, so that those character builds can better compete with the powerful twohanded and ranged weapon builds.

The system is broadly similar to the existing CMAN and ARMOR systems. Each rank in the Shield Use skill provides the warrior, rogue, or paladin with one (1) Shield Training Point, which they may then use to buy ranks in the various SHIELD skills via SHIELD LEARN. Skills may be unlearned via SHIELD UNLEARN, and you may view the lists of skills to learn via SHIELD LIST. SHIELD HELP provides you with detailed information on each of the skills.


==List of Available Shield Maneuvers==

<small>Legend: '''P'''=[[Paladin]], '''R'''=[[Rogue]], '''W'''=[[Warrior]]</small>

*'''R/W'''[[Small Shield Focus]] - Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.
*'''P/R/W'''[[Medium Shield Focus]] - Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.
*'''P/W'''[[Large Shield Focus]] - Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.
*'''P/W'''[[Tower Shield Focus]] - Gain +2 bonus per rank to offensive shield attacks, a +2 bonus per rank against Sunder Shield, and a +1 bonus per rank to CvA.
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Bash]] -
*'''P/W'''[[Shield Charge]] -
*'''P/W'''[[Shield Push]] -
*'''W'''[[Shield Pin]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Shield Swiftness]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shielded Brawler]] -
*'''P/W'''[[Prop Up]] -
*'''W'''[[Adamantine Bulwark]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Shield Riposte]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Forward]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Spike Focus]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Spike Mastery]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Deflection Training]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Deflection Mastery]] -
*'''P/W'''[[Block the Elements]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Deflect the Elements]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Steady Shield]] -
*'''R/W'''[[Disarming Presence]] -
*'''W'''[[Guard Mastery]] -
*'''W'''[[Tortoise Stance]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Spell Block]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Mind]] -
*'''P/W'''[[Protective Wall]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Strike]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Shield Strike Mastery]] -
*'''W'''[[Shield Trample]] -
*'''W'''[[Shield Trample Mastery]] -
*'''P/W'''[[Steely Resolve]] -
*'''P/R/W'''[[Phalanx]] -



== Changes since GemStone III ==
== Changes since GemStone III ==

Revision as of 23:32, 2 April 2013

Shield Use is a skill a character trains in to increase their skill with a shield, therefore increasing defensive strength when the shield is in the character's off-hand.

Ranks and Training Point Costs

Type Square Semi Pure
Profession Rogue Warrior Monk Bard Paladin Ranger Cleric Empath Savant Sorcerer Wizard
Max Ranks Per Level 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 1
1 1
Training Point Cost 4/0 2/0 8/0 5/0 3/0 5/0 13/0 13/0
13/0 13/0

Defensive Strength Calculation: Blocking

Shield use is essentially the Blocking part of the Evade/Block/Parry system. The defensive strength generated by the shield is as follows:

((Shield Ranks + TRUNC(STR bonus/4) + TRUNC(DEX Bonus/4))/(1.5)) = Base DS bonus

Base DS bonus × Stance Modifier × (1.0 + Shield Size Modifier) + 20 + Shield enchant = Final DS bonus

0.5 + (Stance/2) = Stance Modifier

where shield size modifiers are as follows:

  • Small shield: -0.15
  • Medium shield: 0.00
  • Large shield: 0.15
  • Tower shield: 0.30

and stance is given by:

  • offensive: 0
  • advanced: .2
  • forward: .4
  • neutral: .6
  • guarded: .8
  • defensive: 1.

Note: the use of a large shield benefits the defensive strength generated by the Shield Use skill and the shield, however, larger shields harm the defensive strength provided by the Dodging skill. The larger the shield, the more harmful the shield is. A small shield lowers dodge DS by 20% where a tower shield lowers it by 50%. Shields generated by the bard song, Sonic Shield Song (1009) may be less harmful depending on how much Elemental Lore, Air training the bard has.

Shield Maneuvers

This system provides Warriors, Rogues, and Paladins with exclusive access to new options and abilities related to the Shield Use skill. The SHIELD verb provides access to this new system. The goal of this release is to provide new capabilities to the shield use character builds within the martial classes, so that those character builds can better compete with the powerful twohanded and ranged weapon builds.

The system is broadly similar to the existing CMAN and ARMOR systems. Each rank in the Shield Use skill provides the warrior, rogue, or paladin with one (1) Shield Training Point, which they may then use to buy ranks in the various SHIELD skills via SHIELD LEARN. Skills may be unlearned via SHIELD UNLEARN, and you may view the lists of skills to learn via SHIELD LIST. SHIELD HELP provides you with detailed information on each of the skills.


List of Available Shield Maneuvers

Legend: P=Paladin, R=Rogue, W=Warrior


Changes since GemStone III

The effectiveness of a shield in Gemstone III depended heavily on the enchantment of the shield, in a formula where the shield's benefit was calculated with (Enchantment Bonus + 20). Therefore, a 4× shield produced, literally, twice as much defensive strength as an unenchanted shield, where an 8× shield produced three times as much defensive strength as an unenchanted shield. Also, there was no difference, mechanically, between a buckler and a tower shield.

External Links

Retrieved from "https://gswiki.play.net/index.php?title=Shield_Use&oldid=38523"