I'm noticing that the only times I feel like I want to shieldbash is when I'm in a corner surrounded by so many mobs I can't bump my way free. In these situations, I'm very likely to have already blocked a hit or two, so it's not working.
I propose that shieldbashing should work even if using it would break your shield, as it's otherwise locked off from the one opportunity in which it's actually useful.
I use Shield Bashing, but I agree, it's never available when I need it most.
I use it to disable Gorgos or to charge into crowds of enemies behind energy barriers.
But yeah, I agree, the bash should be usable at any charge level.
And a +1 to you, Zeddy.
Edit: Now that I think about it, just give the shield bash a cooldown timer like with the dash.
Have shield bashing always enabled as long as your shield has health remaining. Then change the damage/stun chance based on the amount of health left or something.
allowing us to charge at any time would really help, although there should be at least a 1 second delay between charges so people don't just spam it.
@ Kathrine
don't change the damage and stun of the charge, keep it flat damage
I recall making exactly this suggestion in Testing Feedback way back when...
shield bashing is a suicide move for me, since it doesn't have that 1 second invulnerability dash has, but bashing at a angle is really good since it still stuns them and you speed past too fast for them to hit you
The only effective tactic I've ever found with Shield Bashing was to push Zombies out of a Grim Totem's revive radius, as the Bash is more effective than Bumping.
But because I'm vulnerable while using it and I'm never able to perform it when I need it most eventually I just used it less and less until I never used it at all. Now the action's unbound and have still yet to regret it.
It's completely useless when I actually need it (doesn't work when a Trojan corners you either). I almost forget it exists.