In order to balance shields we need to....

Zoal_AUG

Greetings warriors, lately there is alot of threads about shields and criticism most argue that cast time has to go or other defensive skills like (roll dodge mist form blocking) has to get a cast time too. So lets take a look at it shields got a a nerf and buff at same time for some players.
As now shields will be stronger for tanky players that build up their resistance instead of going for max resource pool (buff) very strong buff
Cast time is it really needed? Yes and no cast time does alot of good things like not letting people shieldstack and force you to use them tactically, noone seems to care, understand neither adapt build for it. Most arguements i saw was that other defensive abilities have to get cast time too in order to be equal.
Okay so the change we could do to move away from cast times that would be on pair with other defensive mechanics is this. While u are your magicka recovery equals 0 for example u still can stack shields but do to that ur magicka recovery is 0 u cannot spam it, u have the instant protection everyone want but u also have to use brain when to use it when to avoid. ex: Alot of you were talking about other defensive mechanics Mist Form has no magicka recovery Blocking has no stamina recovery Sprinting has no stamina recovery Alot of people where also talking about cloak. Cloak does not let you atack an enemy meanwhile u are protected this is a big difference also that it is an escape skill just like streak.
So please consider the option if we want shields to be in pair with other mechanics they have to get a nerf either cast time or resources penalty dmg output reduce. Something has to happen otherwise people will keep shieldstacking and building for max resources.

Mayrael

Just like stamina toons can stack max stamina just to have more dodges, blocks, stronger heals and better offensive and they can totally ignore magicka because when it's low you still can break free and so on?

Like magicka LA users run more stamina to actually be even be able to break free and dodge one or at best two times in a row?

Nah Ty I'll pass. The only change shields needed was implementation of minor/major buff system, period. Crit chance and resistances? I don't mind that change, time will tell.

EDIT:
Explanation.
Imagine you run in sets like whitestrake and combat phisician + ice heart for max troll, additionally you use healing ward and e.g. blazing shield or obsidian shield + shield enchant. All in heavy full resistances. Looks like balanced to you when you need to burn through all that shields and resistances, no cool down shields, you can sustain by doing heavy attacks and being argonian

Now if you would have minor/major buff system implemented, it doesn't matter what and how many shields you will have, you can have one major and one minor at a time. Simple and sure.

srfrogg23

I personally would have just agreed with preventing shield stacking by causing a new shield cast to override the current shield and increase the cost slightly. A cast time will throw a wrench into that old META just the same, though...

Zoal_AUG

No they should just make shields scale from max hp done like on dk and templar. Like it or not its getting nerfed shieldstacking will go one way or another we dont need overperforming classes again.

Nolphi

Short post on how shields should work in a fantasy game like ESO:

1. Shields have their own strength and should not scale of other defensive stats. So cancel that change.
2. Shields can be crit-table. Never understood the logic behind that one. That change can stay.
3. Shields cannot have a cast time. Light armor is punishing enough. Adding a cast time would favor medium and heavy armor too much and ruins the game play for light armor users. So cancel that change.
4. If it is too easy to shield stack then simply increase the resource cost. This would force more careful utilization of shields without messing up speedy game play and counter play. Try a 20% cost increase and see where that puts the balance.

There you go, I fixed shields. ZOS, implement please....

Zoal_AUG

Your changes would wreck any non sorc light armor user though. 20% cost increase for a sorc is a joke.

Urvoth

Nah, shields are fine as is. No need for a nerf. I can kill shield stackers fine, and it seems like most other decent players can as well since nearly all my BGs are filled with stam players.

Zoal_AUG

That is your opinion, you maybe are fine with shields other people are not neither developers and they know the best what is fine what is not.