Shields in SWTOR

[Fatumx]

I have always played tank classes in MMOs, I enjoy the style of fighting. Nothing is more fun then smashing someones face in with a shield or blocking their best attacks with my shield....so I find this game to be a bit lacking....no tanks, no not even an animation as if I was blocking anything with my offhand shield generator. You can't tell me we don't have shields as the Zakul knights carry them. I don't mind if it was only a flair item, I'd love a shield and would actually pay CC for it. (That's saying a lot if you knew me). Just think of all the fun ideas we could put together for outfits, toons etc. It would certainly make playing a tank in this game more fun.

[SaerethDL]

this is actually a cool and original idea! I agree shields would be awesome (will be moving to a new mmo that has them)

[CaptainBlackjack]

But a hand held shield will leave you with one hand weapons and only cover the area in the direction you face the shield. A tech shield gives full circle coverage at all axis and allows for 2 hand weapons or dual wield. so theoretically you would be mental to grab a decorative arcane shield when you can save your yourself from blaster fire with modern technology.

Just saying lol

[Dashtardly]

But a hand held shield will leave you with one hand weapons and only cover the area in the direction you face the shield. A tech shield gives full circle coverage at all axis and allows for 2 hand weapons or dual wield. so theoretically you would be mental to grab a decorative arcane shield when you can save your yourself from blaster fire with modern technology.

Just saying lol

So, when the tech shield blocks it would be cool if your "off-hand" moved to the direction of the blow/shot and there was a glow/flash animation to show that it was blocked/shielded. I also like the lightsaber's blocking the bolt/attack too and wouldn't want to give that up (if there was a choice to be made).

[Dashtardly]

....so I find this game to be a bit lacking....no tanks, .

There are plenty of tanking classes - maybe you just haven't taken the one that can tank (i.e., if you took Sith Warrior ther are no tanking options, or Jedi Knight). If you took a Republic Jedi Guardian you have to then choose to be tank spec'd or DPS (or Jedi Shadow or Vanguard). Similarly, an Imperial Sith Assassin or Juggernaut (also I think PowerTech - but haven't played those)

[Elracor]

Regular Shields just doesn't really lend itself to Star Wars, at least I've yet to hear of any Jedi or Bounty Hunter using a regular shield as part of their gear.

Introducing shields would also mean introducing a new game mechanic and possibly a lot of new combat animations and I highly doubt they'd put that much effort into what is pretty much just a cosmetic change.

[DarkSaberMaster]

Regular Shields just doesn't really lend itself to Star Wars, at least I've yet to hear of any Jedi or Bounty Hunter using a regular shield as part of their gear.

Introducing shields would also mean introducing a new game mechanic and possibly a lot of new combat animations and I highly doubt they'd put that much effort into what is pretty much just a cosmetic change.

 

Tell that to the Zakuul Knights.

[MadDutchman]

Uh, there are shielding animations, you just need to be in a tank stance to turn the shield on. You'll see a partial bubble of blue energy flash around your character when you shield an incoming attack

 

As a hint, if you have a shield equipped but only have ~5% shield chance, you need to activate your tank stance (ex. soresu form for Guardians/Juggernaughts)

[Elracor]

Tell that to the Zakuul Knights.

 

Tell them what? I can't remember any of them using shields during in-game combat and the Exarch who does never blocks/deflects anything + has fugly combat animation:

 

Additionally, the Zakuul Knights aren't Jedi or Bounty Hunters. The tank classes we play in SWTOR are.

Edited January 3, 2016 by MFollin

[Roccobb]

So, when the tech shield blocks it would be cool if your "off-hand" moved to the direction of the blow/shot and there was a glow/flash animation to show that it was blocked/shielded. I also like the lightsaber's blocking the bolt/attack too and wouldn't want to give that up (if there was a choice to be made).

 

When you watch Star Wars, at what point does a droid with a shield on move their body part to block incoming fire? I could have sworn they had protection all around them, without moving a body part. That is what the circle around them are for.

[PorsaLindahl]

Uh, there are shielding animations, you just need to be in a tank stance to turn the shield on. You'll see a partial bubble of blue energy flash around your character when you shield an incoming attack

 

As a hint, if you have a shield equipped but only have ~5% shield chance, you need to activate your tank stance (ex. soresu form for Guardians/Juggernaughts)

 

Most people don't see the blocking animations because they're too worried about mashing buttons on CD or jumping around like a lunatic, which cancel out the block and dodge animations.

[Erevan_Kindelar]

Ironically, the original Ralph MacQuarrie concept art for Episode 4: A New Hope included a couple of pictures of early design stormtroopers and the character that eventually became Han Solo, all with large shields in one hand and a weapon that eventually became a lightsabre in the other (yes... the guy who shot first was almost a proto-Jedi, and we almost had Stormtrooper Sithy-type things ).

Then again, that same concept art also showed a large hairless creature standing protectively over "Han", and a female character in the role that eventually became Luke.

 

So shields could work, and while they would provide less than the all-round protection of a tech shield, they would probably compensate by having a nearer 100% chance to block in the direction the shield is facing. It would certainly make for an interesting tanking mechanic.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Erevan_Kindelar