I have been thinking about getting a Barbarous Thorn Shield, but I have no clue on whether it is good or not... The damage bonus would be very handy for me, because i have A LOT of sword speed (double Vog Cub, and an Elite Quick Strike Module). Is the resistance any good? I need some info.
Barbarous Thorn Shield?
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 00:21
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 00:48
#2
For when you fight jellies
For when you fight jellies and beasts? It's a great shield. Can also be a swordsmen's default shield, as it is mostly offensively based.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 00:58
#3
It's not the best piercing
It's not the best piercing shield, defense-wise, but the sword damage largely makes up for it, if you are a swordsman, and it's enough for piercing enemies.
So yeah, as a piercing shield, go for it.
For other cases, if you are experienced enough to not need to shield that much, you can also use it pretty much everywhere to retain the sword damage bonus. Keep in mind that it'll break much faster than specialized shields. I am currently using it in FSC without any issue, and a lot of other swordsman are also doing that.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 07:03
#4
as others have said
I have nothing new to say, but I can at least reinforce the other posters: Yes, this is one of the most-loved shields in the game. Just about every serious sworder has it. It deserves its popularity, because offensive bonuses are great, and a blanket damage bonus is arguably the most valuable kind of offensive bonus.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 07:24
#5
SK is offense oriented
The two shields I use most often are BTS and Swiftstrike. Except in a small handful of situations, offensive bonuses trump defensive power. Unless the difference between a defensive shield/armor versus offensive becomes much larger (allowing the emergence of a tank style), defensive bonuses will usually be secondary to weapon enhancement bonuses.
Speaking of which, it might be possible to allow a tank style of play without breaking the system by imposing DMG and ASI penalties, much like the Plate series does already, but more severely (with commensurate boosts to defensive power). Although the apparently exponential nature or the defensive system works against it...
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 08:50
#6
The Barbarous Thorn Shield is
The Barbarous Thorn Shield is my default shield. I only swap it out when I know I'm going to be facing a lot of ranged monsters like puppies. undead (kats & howlitzers), or fiends (devilites) because it doesn't stand up to a lot of elemental or shadow attacks. The other two shields I have are the Grey Owlite and the Blackened Crest (need to find the recipe for Crest of Almire)
EDIT: forgot to add fiends to my list of reasons not to use a BTS
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 08:40
#7
Yup what everybody else said
Yup what everybody else said. I have Grey Owlite Shield, BTS, Dread Skelly Shield, & SS. I am geared for swords so I use my BTS everywhere (including FSC). Though I defiantly learned FSC with my Owlite. The only time I use other shields is for certain T3 maps like arenas where I know I will need to do some turret tanking (*note I still use BTS for polp arenas). I would use the SS more if I were geared for gunning, but I use it pretty often for lower tier work if I am not wearing full Vog.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 10:50
#8
The BTS is a great shield, as said.
The Barbarous Thorn Shield is a excellent shield for general clockworks.
I actually use Swiftstrike as my shield though, because I don't have the funds for making a BTS.
At this point, I'm really liking the SS. I use it for FSC, because it can take just about one hit of everything.
Including zombies, somtimes trojans, and sometimes not trojans.
The swifstrike is a really nice shield for vanaduke as well, via my Blitz.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 11:10
#9
I'd caution against the SS
I'd caution against the SS for FSC unless you have a lot of experience there (or in harder T3 clockworks). Just today I got pinned by a trojan and I died because I couldn't shield bump him out since my shield broke with the trojan charge attack that pushed me into the corner. My teamate tried to kill the trojan fast enough, but it didn't work because I also happened to be on top of a fire trap and Vog cap with fire high UV isn't enough protection :-P
yea, that was really bad. But, if I had my owlite sheild I probably could have bumped him back successfully and walked away from it.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 12:26
#10
The shield you need for FSC
The shield you need for FSC is 100% based on your own personal skill level. I have a guildmate that sometimes runs FCS (without dieing) without a shield equipped at all. Not being able to shield cancel would drive me crazy though.
It's one of the best shields in the game. That's pretty much all you need to know.