How do shields work?

[Pavichokche]

I know this probably sounds very stupid, but I want to understand it well. Don't get me wrong, I've been using shields a lot, pretty much all of my characters carry one (or two). However I've always been puzzled by them.

What puzzles me the most is their stats. If the ATK stat determines how well they defend you, what's the point of the ACC stat, then? And if that's not the case, please elaborate...

[bscit]

ACC stat determines the atk for ranged weapons and your hit rate.

[Sio]

I'd really like to know about shields stats too. As far as I know the only time the shields stats seem to take affect is when you perfect block and is near enough to the enemy so that they get hit with reflected damage and possible status effect.

[Shakuri]

ATK doesn't determine how well it defends you, it determines how much damage they do with counter attacks. And since the damage doesn't use chains, its always low, worthless damage.

ACC determines if the counter will even hit in the first place.

How well they defend you is based on the shields rank.

Granted, I don't use Shields anyway, so if someone who bothers using them at higher levels and knows more about their mechanics, feel free to share.

[xBladeM6x]

Shields are weapons. Using the block feature is just the way they work. When they prefect block, that's them being used as a weapon, and their stats come into play.

[Hrith]

ATK does not determine how well they defend you, it determines the damage shields do. And ACC determines, well, their accuracy, odds of hitting or missing the target.
Shields do damage the enemies. When you do a perfect block with a shield equipped, the shield will trigger a counterattack which damages all enemies on front of you.

Shields do increase DEF by 5 x the number of stars. So Artemis, being a 10-star shield, will increase your DEF by 50.

[TsubasaJ]

So they work like the Shields from PS0?

[Ceresa]

All shields regardless of rank are 90% damage reduction when not perfect guarding(2handers are 70%)

ATK is your damage, ACC is your accuracy when perfect guarding, as stated by several above.

The DEF from category bonus is worthless because DEF is worthless. If you're not using Kazami for +40 evp, or Victory for +40 atk, then there's no reason to use higher than C rank shields, unless you got JP DLC which has some nice B shields.

[xBladeM6x]

The DEF from category bonus is worthless because DEF is worthless.
I don't agree at all. Not even slightly. :-?

[Ceresa]

So needing 5 defense to reduce damage by 1 when you're getting hit for 300 by the weakest crap on the totem pole on S difficulty is a viable stat?

[Hrith]

I'm Lv131, the weakest Lv170+ enemies hit me for 50 damage, not 300.

[Ceresa]

And the weakest 190 badiras hit me for 200, so I guess 300 was a bit much! Still not gonna stack defense to reduce damage by 10 when the bigger stuff is hitting for 300-400.

[ryokojr]

ATK doesn't determine how well it defends you, it determines how much damage they do with counter attacks. And since the damage doesn't use chains, its always low, worthless damage.

ACC determines if the counter will even hit in the first place.

How well they defend you is based on the shields rank.

Granted, I don't use Shields anyway, so if someone who bothers using them at higher levels and knows more about their mechanics, feel free to share.

Its a good opener. Also if chain is built up on them and you perfect block it then it can add to the chain. Which means no pain, more chain.

It's actually quite good.

[Pavichokche]

So they work like the Shields from PS0?
Sadly no ><

But wow, I had no idea that you can reflect damage [if you perfect block].

By the way, I kind of found a neat trick you can do to speed up slicers. If you're guarding with your shield and have a slicer equipped in the other hand you can press the square button once and send out one attack with the slicer. The shield then [very quickly] comes back to guarding position and you can shoot with the slicer again. Give it a try :D

edit: While keeping the R button pressed, you can do the entire slicer combo (if you press square very fast) and then start the combo over instantaneously without the usual break (when your character's arm goes back).

[Hrith]

That cancel tactic works with all PAs, to some extent :P
Great to speed up slow ones.

[Pavichokche]

I'm not talking about PAs, but the basic attack. And yeah, I noticed it works somewhat well with sabers as well. I'll have to test it with claws, I don't think it will improve daggers' speed much (not that it's needed).

I'm actually going to put a shield on all my slicer slots, it makes this cool weapon even sweeter. Great for all classes, fun for the whole family xD

[Nidramag]

until *someone* posts telling you how all your tactics suck and how to correctly play

[Akaimizu]

Take note that reflection can take on a short-range area effect. I noticed quickly when I reflected an attack, and was surrounded. All of the enemies, close by, took the damage.

[Eclipsed57]

heres a tip for shields. dont use them they are horrible. just block with your normal 2 hander / twins

[Alexandria]

By the way, I kind of found a neat trick you can do to speed up slicers. If you're guarding with your shield and have a slicer equipped in the other hand you can press the square button once and send out one attack with the slicer. The shield then [very quickly] comes back to guarding position and you can shoot with the slicer again. Give it a try :D


If you use a Shield+Dagger, you can actually build chains really fast. Just hold down block and mash square, and you keep doing the first hit over and over, which is 2 hits. Not that it'll be worth much in the long run, but if you like single daggers, try it.

[Tyreek]

heres a tip for shields. dont use them they are horrible. just block with your normal 2 hander / twins

That hardly sounds tip worthy. Anyway, shields are fine to use as long as you know how to work with them. They are meant to be defensive, not offensive, so keep that in mind, especially for the Force users.