Hello people, I'm one of those weirdos who has been watching this forum from the shadow silently.Of course i do play the game, for long enough and know almost every corner of it. None of you ever know or hear from me before, so I guess this thread will be left burried deep down anyway. But since i have an idea which i thought to be good and unique, i ll just leave it here to see how people react to it (it's uniqe for real, i watch forum daily and no one has suggested this yet)
Why not turn shields into things that are more than just mere shields (not one of those "bring guardian or recon shields into pve" suggestion again, but well, they are really good for tatical gameplay, which spiralknights does not have (much).. but that's another thing, back to this):
So here are a few examples i have thought of:
*They will all be equipped in shield slot, use like a shield by pressing 'shield button'. These items come with special defense, kinda like a guardian shield (since these items will all have radius effect), but not focus on defending people from damage. Instead, they provide little damage defense and more status defense, or special functions. They are only available in 3 star version, but has the health of 5 star shield, since they need that much health for group cover.

-Magic books ?:
+Make new shield that looks like spell scrolls/books (imagine a knight holding it on his left hand).
+When used, this item will help you and people in the effect radius (like haze bomb radius) become immune to a type of status: which i think should be fire or curse. It also provides the user (only) some element defense (same amount as 3* buckler, and just element, no other type). When someone in the radius is inflicted with the right status, they will be freed from it immediately, and shield's health will be decreased a bit, the same if the user receive damage.
+Special: How to activate the special function: Can only be used if the item has full health (go for all item). While holding 'shield button', hold the attack button and the knight will start installing the item, simply just charging the shield (will be awsome if they make an animation for this). Bacsically, it is the same as setting up a tower that buff anyone inside it's effect radius. The time it takes to install an item will be the Charge time for Shield and varies differently depends on which shield is used. Once installed, the shield/item will remain on the same spot where it is installed, and the radius effect will remain the same. At this point, your knight will fight with no shield, but will gain the bonus at a higher rate while fighting inside (just inside the effect radius, and this goes for anyone) the effect radius. The item will last for about 30-50 sec, and then return to the user. Note that it gives only status and special functions, not dmg defense.
+Special function of this item: when installed, it will help people stand inside it gain the status effect (the same as mentioned above, adn just status immune, not dmg def), and a low dmg bonus, low ctr, low asi or even low msi, at this point, you guys can choose what those are (not really a big deal, just a small bonus). The radius effect may look like this when installed on the ground (or something similar, you know what i mean): http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSttuRp9Oi9ezBZJUU4C1UAzwrnbEoyX... After the 'installed mode' time is up, it returns to user, no health, broken and need to be charged before it can be used again.

-Lantern:
+looks just like a lantern (classic or modern lantern, both are good)
+when used will help all the people inside its radius, lets just say the same radius as haze bomb (3,4,5 stars version, you know what i mean), immune to freeze effect.
+A random bonus: help you light up the way in dark place (wild wood, haunted passage or candlestick keep) and prevent black cat from biting your butts in candlestick keep levels. This also provide the user (only) some shadow defense with same amount as mentioned above.
+Special: when installed, it helps giving light (like one of the candle in candlestick keep) and prevent black kat from popping out of nowhere in the effect radius, stun all mob in the radius for 1-2 sec when finish installing, provide freeze immune for about 30-50 sec (i dont know how long it should take effect, you choose) (but no dmg defense). If used in compund levels, it will attract mobs gathering around the item (not suck in like gravition bomb, but more like they are lured into the mysterious glowing light) and ignore knights (as long as the lantern lasts). When time runs out, it will return to the user, have no health and broken, need to be charge before can be used again (like a normal shield)

-Heater kit:
+Basically a reskin buckler adding weird particle (idk ?)
+when used it helps people inside the effect radius become immune to freeze, and sleep (too hot to fall asleep). It provides personal element defense for user when shielding (same as above).
+When installed, it provides freeze immune for knights inside the effect radius (but no dmg defense), gives everyone in the radius a fire def decrease (you dont bring a heater into furnace levels). Random bonus: does not set mobs on fire, but will weaken your freeze attack a bit, also despike the ice jelly cubes (you know what i mean). When time run out, same as above

-Small Air conditioner or fridge (something like that, help reduce temperature)
+Looks like a reskin heater kit
+When used it helps people inside the effect radius become immune to fire. It also provides the user personal element defense.
+When installed, it provides fire immune for knight inside the effect radius (but no dmg defense). Random bonus: anyone in the zone will have their fire attack weaken, recieve a freeze defense decreased., prevent oiler from having fire mode on, does not set anything freeze.

-Medical kit (no more healing item, yea i know):
+ it may looks like a reskin books, with white color and a red cross on the front.
+When used, it will provide the user (only) normal defense as same amount as swiftstrike buckler and health buff for all people in effect radius (0,5 bar every 5 sec or 3 sec if you think 5 sec are too long). no status defense for this one.
+Special: When installed it turned into a heal zone (but no dmg defense). If anyone in the radius stop taking dmg for a while (5 sec maybe ?) they will start healing slowly (1/2/3 bar every 3/5 sec ?, you choose). When used up, it will return to user. The recharge time of this item is especially long (20-30 sec)

-Remedy kit
+same model with medical kit, reskin (blue and white or .. ?)
+There is no effect radius when normally shield. It gives user element def like a normal shield, nothing more.
+When installed, it will have an effect radius (but no dmg defense). Inside radius effect, it gives an energy burst every 2 seconds: this will remove all the status from knights inside the radius, and do just that. You know what if time runs out.

-Guardian shield: Yay, im here anyway. Why do people keep suggesting these ? I guess people think it looks cool and improve tatical gameplay, when you can do the "cover me" thing in pve.(normal shield, meh, it's good, but it's too simple, too boring) which is impossible for a tiny shield (or all those shields of your). I know this part will be sunken by all the forum veterans anyway, but i ll give it a chance:
+Look the same as they are now, or different skin, or a reskin of any shield, your pick
+Work the same as Guardian Shield now, but may comes with different dmg defense. I guess people can use them to cover their teamates while they are charging weapon/items or spamming blitz at mobs. People inside the shield radius will be immune to the type of dmg the shield can def against, but still receive other type of dmg.
+Special: When installed, it will turn into a barrier that prevent mobs from entering or exit the zone, however, knights and their attack can go through this barrier freely. It lasts for a while like other shields above.

*Shields and buff:
-Gives the heavy tanky armor set, or magic owlite armor set Shield Charge Time Reducion, or Shield Health bonus, or Shield health regain time decrease, well, medium maybe ?

Does that sound good ? English is not my first language, so just ask if you find any part hard to understand.