when is it used? I noticed most classes with shield block have dual parry and two handed is there a specific instance where shield block would shine over a two hander or dual wielding?
shield block
when is it used? I noticed most classes with shield block have dual parry and two handed is there a specific instance where shield block would shine over a two hander or dual wielding?
Shield block is the best defense in the game to my knowledge. Dual wield vs. all mages/communers. Do not use two-handed vs. giants.
It all depends on your opponents and how much offense you want vs. how much defense you want. Unfortunately, most things you want to use a shield against can get rid of your shield.
Depends on the RP your shooting for.
Faulch was a Feral Warrior Shield Expert, and I could do things with him I can not do with most combos such as grab myself a black dragon shield at will with little preperation.
Think about this combo, feral shield master. Throw in certain Herald only EQ, and I believe it was easily the most defensible combo in history. Shields do ONE thing Sandbox that gets forgotten, thay add to AC and often aid against spells, your dual parry won't.
Do not use two-handed vs. giants.
HORRIBLE advice. I use two handers 75% of the time with my melee vs giants.
HORRIBLE advice. I use two handers 75% of the time with my melee vs giants.
I may be drunk, but Valek is rifght.
Don't use two handed vs a giant, unless uyou are a giant.
Also the best time to use a Shield is versus one that is using a weapon you do not know about. Or when tyou need the extra AC so that they miss.
Think of fighting low Hitroll oponents.
If you can dual wield and dual parry, there is little use for shield for you.
Clerics with non-disiarm or no-drop shields can be defensive powerhouses.
I don't even practice shield block with me melees.
Spear + shield is perhaps as defensive as staff.
But with staff you get much more attacks. Also, as someone said before, you lose one of your most important bonuses as a melee - bows. That is a hard blow and no matter what shield you carry, it will be worthless.
If you don't know how to shield block your attacks will be less effective against a shield blocker. Always a good idea to master it even if you don't use it much. When I play a ranger or warrior it is very rare that I use one as well. Use one all the time on a zerk or hybrid if fighting a warrior for example.
If you don't know how to shield block your attacks will be less effective against a shield blocker.
What? o_O
What? o_O
If you don't know the PRINCIPLES of the shield, how would you know how to DEFEAT the shield?
Know your enemy. 
...
...
What?!?
Source ?
PARRY
Syntax: AUTOMATIC
If at first you fail to dodge, block it. Parry is useful for deflecting
attacks, and is successful more often than dodge. Parry requires a weapon
for full success, the hand-to-hand skill may also be used. **The best **
**
chance of parrying occurs when the defender is skilled in both his and **
**
his opponent's weapon type.** All classes may learn to parry with their weapons.
'SHIELD BLOCK'
Syntax: AUTOMATIC
Shield block is a rather fancy name for the art of parrying with a shield.
Characters with no shield block skill will not be able to defend themselves
well with a shield. Warriors, clerics, rangers, berserkers, dark-knights,
and paladins may learn shield block. Beware, it is hard to block attacks
by flails and whips with a shield. Some weapons may split shields in half.
No source. Good old fashioned logic. 
shrug
I don't even know what is that thing about whips and flails, on shield block.
We all speculate on what Z changes.
shrug
I don't even know what is that thing about whips and flails, on shield block.
We all speculate on what Z changes.
Used to be(go back ten years, not sure if its still true) a large -% to shield block a weapon that could efectively wrap around a shield. A morning star will likely fracture your arm even if you block the chain that connects it to the handle. In mudding terms the attack hits.
Good thing that that is gone.
We fall to using a shield to defend vs very offensive weapons.
Two handed is probably better vs a less offensive weapons.
Shield + sword/mace can be very useful in certain situations as a paladin. Don't really play pure melees enough to give an opinion on them.
I hate shields. I only train it because I feel obligated too, even on rangers. I always feel that two handed is a superior defense to shield block and dual parry. From Elf pallies, to FG zerks.
I have logs I that I can show 5-6 rounds of me not getting hit while blind vs another raged zerk using exotic/spear setup. I also have logs of me getting ripped into while wearing a shield. A fire giant with fire lance is ALOT more defense than you would think.
Darn Fire giants and their STEWPID fire lances. 