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Random Thought about SoA
So after reading a bunch of random things... Shield of Absorption can not be stacked. However, you can put it on your armor for 100 credits more.. plus the 300 for the emboss thingy... so my thought was has anyone ever tried having an actual shield and the armor at the same time? Do they run on their own percentage chance? If the shield doesn't activate, can the armor? Just thought it was an interesting scenario and started wondering if anyone has actually tried it lol.
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edit: the armor version is designed for knights, blademasters, and monks who can't normally wear a shield, and it's more expensive both for balance and for revenue. If you're a class that can use an SOA, there's no reason not to buy one if you have the cash.
Hi, just wanted to ask here regarding SoA usability, since it seems to be related, because the HELP files seem to be a bit vague sometimes?
So what does that mean? You can buy a SoA as one of the above, WIELD it, get the bonuses, but it is going to be pointless because you won't be able to do class actions? Are any of the above going to benefit from a SoA at all if they cannot engage in combat/hunting with SoA Wielded? If you are an Apostate for example and buy SoA and reach Dragon and then hunt as Dragon, would that SoA be useless?
I'm a little confused here, any insight will be appreciated!
SoA can be wielded by any class even if they can't use normal shields, EXCEPT BM. It's more a matter of if you can hold it and do something useful, for a lot of others.
Afaik the list of ones who need armor paragon is: Knight specs (all but SNB), Blademaster, Monk (except for telepathy use). Druid and Sylvan wield quarterstaffs but I don't know if they're 2h weapons or if they have to be wielded for most stuff- I know all the Druids I see have a SoA+axe setup going on.
So, for example, a Pariah or a Dragon can buy a SoA and wield it.
Dragon can bash with SoA, not sure about Pariah but I...think so? Dragon doesn't require a hand free to attack so no limit there. Also unsure about Pariah.
Cost wise, SoA is better than artie armor with that paragon I believe- especially since it also gives extra armor (it has shield stats).
Pariah is funky. It can bash with SoA but it cannot be used in combat (you have to unwield it).
Quick edit: I recently learned you don't have to have a rondel artie to use a paragon - those are just if you want multiple embrasures, so you could have a blacksmith put a single embrasure in your armor and put the SoA paragon in it. Saves you a few hundred crs if you're not wanting the extra slots for more paragons
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With blademasters being the sole exception (because true warriors don't use shields!) every class can wield a SoA to gain the armor bonus and absorption effect.
Of course, that means using one of your hands to hold the shield, many classes have to wield weapons in both hands to attack, so you won't be able to actively use the shield and use those attacks at the same time.
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The weapons for the dual-cutting, dual-blunt, and two-handed specs of Infernal, Paladin, and Runewarden require two hands to wield, so you're unlikely to use SoA much. Sword and Shield is an obvious exception.
Tekura monks can't use their fist attacks while holding anything, so you'll only be wielding the shield during non-tekura attacks. Shikudo requires both hands to hold their staff.
Pariah need to hold their knife to do memorium attacks, and need a free-hand to use higher sorcery (most of pestilence, some of memorium). You'll never use higher sorcery in PvE so can wield knife/shield there. In PvP you'll need to have a free hand most of the time.
Druid and Sylvan have quarterstaffs that provide a defense boost when wielded and flailed, that takes up both hands. It used for some attacks, but the majority of their attacks don't need it, so you could wield a SoA instead for a slightly stronger defense.
That's pretty much all the exceptions. Bards swap between shield/rapier/instrument a lot, but you'll be wielding shield on any rapier attack.
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Long story short, there are some exceptions but SoA is a fantastic purchase that is useful on 90% of the classes/forms in the game. Unless you're very set on playing those exceptions, and nothing else, you really can't go wrong with getting one. And you can customize it into something fancy and unique to your char.
SoA is also good because it gives you the standard defense that some armour or ability to use shields can't provide. Like Pariah for hunting is great, or dragon/elemental lord which adds more protections. The paragon doesn't give that so its an added bonus unless your monk or bm.
Even on classes that can't wield shield during attack, defensive moves like wield shield/touch shield or wield should/tumble can always benefit from SoA. It's probably the one of the best artefacts.