Why the disparity in implicit shield mods?

I'm just curious for the reason why some implicit shield mods are amazing (read, energy shields with +% spell damage and armor/es shields with +24% all resists!) whereas other shields have absolutely useless mods, or worse no implicit mods at all (nothing on pure armor shields or pure evasion shields, block recovery and thorns on the other hybrids).

Seems weird that certain shield builds (casters, armor/es tanks) would get such a higher utility out of their shields than others (any dodge build or dodge/es hybrid).

It's often balanced around chance to block. Not sure if it's really 'balanced' though.

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Lunares wrote:

I'm just curious for the reason why some implicit shield mods are amazing (read, energy shields with +% spell damage and armor/es shields with +24% all resists!) whereas other shields have absolutely useless mods, or worse no implicit mods at all (nothing on pure armor shields or pure evasion shields, block recovery and thorns on the other hybrids).

Seems weird that certain shield builds (casters, armor/es tanks) would get such a higher utility out of their shields than others (any dodge build or dodge/es hybrid).

Pure str shields have some insane base (armor) values, which makes them quite valuable IMHO

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Jojas wrote:

It's often balanced around chance to block. Not sure if it's really 'balanced' though.

Chance to block is generally similar, 24-30%. 6% block, unless you go for a rare max block strategy, is rarely that important.

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Sony_Black wrote:

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Lunares wrote:

I'm just curious for the reason why some implicit shield mods are amazing (read, energy shields with +% spell damage and armor/es shields with +24% all resists!) whereas other shields have absolutely useless mods, or worse no implicit mods at all (nothing on pure armor shields or pure evasion shields, block recovery and thorns on the other hybrids).

Seems weird that certain shield builds (casters, armor/es tanks) would get such a higher utility out of their shields than others (any dodge build or dodge/es hybrid).

Pure str shields have some insane base (armor) values, which makes them quite valuable IMHO

True, pure str/ev shields have great base values and that could make them useful. But why thorns/block recovery on the es-ev and ev-armor hybrids when es-armor hybrids get +24% all resist?

The thorns on the Ev/Es shields is just rubbish.

Typically, a kite shield with 24% all resists would have 24% block chance, while one with 8% resists might have 28% block, etc. Block chance does actually make a very big difference, so if you can cap your resists anyway you are better off with a high block chance shield.

Similar with spirit shields. The one's with 15% spell damage are great at lower levels, but once your spell damage is really high you might be better off with a higher block chance instead.

For the tower shields, the ones with really high base armour have 24% block chance, etc.

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hzflank wrote:

The thorns on the Ev/Es shields is just rubbish.

Typically, a kite shield with 24% all resists would have 24% block chance, while one with 8% resists might have 28% block, etc. Block chance does actually make a very big difference, so if you can cap your resists anyway you are better off with a high block chance shield.

Similar with spirit shields. The one's with 15% spell damage are great at lower levels, but once your spell damage is really high you might be better off with a higher block chance instead.

For the tower shields, the ones with really high base armour have 24% block chance, etc.

Yea most of my complaints stem from the fact that I do want to use an EV/ES shield. I really do. But thorns? really? You give me thorns as the implicit mod? I can't think of a more useless implicit mod to have as a ranged character.

If you are ranged and not using a spirit shield, I am guessing that you are using a wand? Maybe check out one of the unique shields that blocks spells instead of attacks?

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hzflank wrote:

If you are ranged and not using a spirit shield, I am guessing that you are using a wand? Maybe check out one of the unique shields that blocks spells instead of attacks?

I want to try out a build idea I have of an ES/EV hybrid defense utilizing arrow dodging. It only works as a phys wander because I don't have to go over and grab the cataylse node + there are some great crit multiplier nodes by the arrow dodging keysotne. Idea is to get 30-40% dodge chance and use that to avoid stuns + alpha's howl to avoid freeze, this way I can use any amulets/rings I want.

Need to keep my health up so plan on keeping with a pure es chest, alpha's howl is a pure ev helm. So the bulk of my EV will come from grace (lvl 22 = 1500+ inner force) and then my shield, hoping to get about 1500 EV from. Additional EV from gloves/rings/amulet/dex/boots will be considered.

But in doing so I have to use a shield with thorns for it's implicit mod. Thorns! Why not chance to avoid status elements or spell block or mana anything that's actually useful for me.

^Basically this, if you evade an attack then your shield recharge timer isn't reset. That's arguably better synergy than the Armor/ES shields get.

In any case, Thorns really isn't that bad. Unlike in D2, monsters don't seem to have stupid-high HP values relative to the damage they deal, requiring something crazy like 3000% damage return just for it to matter.

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XCodes wrote:

^Basically this, if you evade an attack then your shield recharge timer isn't reset. That's arguably better synergy than the Armor/ES shields get.

In any case, Thorns really isn't that bad. Unlike in D2, monsters don't seem to have stupid-high HP values relative to the damage they deal, requiring something crazy like 3000% damage return just for it to matter.

It's more like as a ranged character if I am getting hit by melee attacks I'm doing it wrong.

It's nice for afk/desynch of low mobs while farming though.