Guild Wars 2

Shield’s could use a buff.

Now hear me out, the guardian shield seems to be only useful in bunker guardian which right now isn’t as viable as just bringing a Shout Bow warrior. The buffs are nice, but I think they need a buff to be used in this current meta. I’m not sure in which way, maybe reduce the cooldowns, or add a condi removal to one of the skills, or hell make it more offensive and give the shields the capability to be used in offensive builds. Right now the Focus is better for that reason, and almost even better for bunker builds because you get the extra blast/blind.

Warriors shield could use a buff as well, at this point I think the engineers tool kit shield out sustains the warriors shield block. Again I’d like to see the warrior shield buffed in a way that’d be a bit more offensive. If you put a reflect on one of the skills that’d be insane, or just a gain adrenaline for each block, or a damage buff to the stun skill that’d be neat too. Nothing too major.

As far as engineers I don’t really have a problem with their shield skills. I think they are in a good spot. If you reduced the cool downs I think that’d be a bit too much block for them. Right now that shield only seems to work on condi builds, and I guess that’s alright.

Overall I think shields should be a more viable weapon for the classes they seem to have been ignored for awhile, and it’s sad when an engineers Tool Kit shield is more viable than a warriors SHIELD block, because the shield is a mainhand weapon, and tool kit is just an extra skill set. I don’t know.

In terms of War, Shield isn’t really too weak, but warhorn is just way too good. Even in a meta where physical DMG spikes are the norm, War still uses the warhorn, because the teamsupport is so ridiculously strong.

For the Engis, the problem isn’t the shield, but the pistol: It does almost no physical DMG, so it’s not suitable for the current meta.

Uhm…what about a projectile reflect on Shield Bash, akin to how flamethrower’s air blast works? You would bash the projectile and deflect it back, basically. And it would require good timing, so you can’t just spam it.
I don’t think it would be too strong, more like an alternative use of the skill (well, unless an enemy shoots some slow projectile at melee range and you hit both it and the opponent).

Guardian shield needs a revamp, but this would upset the minority that enjoy it as it is (even though it needs it, the weapons bad compared to the alternatives).

Warrior shield is in a pretty good spot, the block and stun are decent and worth using every now and then, shoutbow is what makes the warhorn stronger.

Engineer Shield is also in a good spot and a decent weapon, toolkit shield however.. that’s a different story.

In order for shields to be more viable overall on all classes that use them, the traits that reduce the cooldown of the abilities by 20% need to changed, as it is now, most of them grant this plus a bit of toughness for wielding a shield, the toughness needs to be changed to something else like “Grants aegis on use” or “Grants Protection for x seconds on use”

Power – Yeah I don’t think Warrior shield is that weak, and I agree WH is just too good. I don’t like seeing nerfs, but if they put some more things on the shield that’d make people have a hard time deciding between the two that’d be pretty cool. If they made the pistol do more physical damage that’d be so neat.

Manuhell – I was thinking something like that, or even if they made the Warrior shield become like splintered and do bleed damage each time you were hit for a bit, or something like that. For Gaurdian do like burning shield, where projectiles melted and hit others with fire damage, that’d be insane. I do like that.

Joshua – I agree, but I’d hope these people would come around. Yeah I think they should just reduce the cool downs. I don’t want to see them nerf Gear Shield, but if the other blocks that warrior had were on par I think that’d be neat. Yes those traits would be cool.

On guard just use focus they’re even adding a trait for protection on focus skills,shield on war is decent in WvW roaming especially glass style in PvP conquest doesn’t support it,engi has enough shield(ing),chrono they are on to something.

all the warrior shield traits are going to be combined with specialisations. this will give us shorter cds, might when hit when blocking, and reflection all from one trait. warrior shield is about to get even better than it is right now.

engineer shield is great. offers 4 super useful skills. block, daze, reflect, aoe knockback, and a blast finisher. engineer use rifle for power, and pistols for condi. shield is widely considered better than off hand pistol, and i agree. most condi builds take tool kit, and will cycle blocks (at least i do this, and so do the streamers i watch).

I don’t have enough time on my guardian to confidently comment on the class.