Shields

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Shields (also called physical shields) have their own specific rules and mechanics, which are explained in this article.

Basics

The role of a shield is to provide a combatant with a portable means of defending themselves. In a sense, shields are effectively portable Cover, however, they only provide their protective capabilities in an active manner; the user must actively use their shield to benefit from it. Compare and contrast with cover and trauma plates, which are forms of passive defense - protecting you regardless of what you do.

Nevertheless, a shield does not leave you without a means to counter-attack. In a similar manner to Evasion, successfully repelling attacks with a shield opens the possibility to perform counter-attacks. And of course, you can always use the shield as a direct weapon, bashing targets and enemies with it.

Shield stats

All shields possess the following statistics:

• Weight
• Material type
• Hit points
• Armored or Unarmored
• Shop value and Rarity

All shields are Class 5 Long weapons, described in their own category.

Like cover and trauma plates, shields have a certain number of HP. When protecting the user, any incoming attacks will be 100% absorbed by the shield, blocking all Pain and transferring Limb Damage to the shield's HP counter.
Shields do not have an Armor Class (meaning there is no corresponding -1 to -5 reduction of incoming damage) but may count as Unarmored or Armored, for the purposes of damage calculation with certain ammo types.

Defensive order of priority

The defensive order of priority, illustrated (art by JadedPencil)

When behind multiple layers of protection (Cover, energy shields, physical shields, body armor), an order of priority comes into play.

• Priority 1: Cover: If you are behind cover, any incoming damage will be absorbed by cover before all other protective layers.
• Priority 2: Special shields: If you are not behind cover but have activated a special energy or magic shield ability (e.g., the shrine maiden's Angelic light shield), any incoming damage will be absorbed by that special shield over any other protective layers.
• Priority 3: Physical shields: If you are not behind cover and do not have a special shield active, but are currently using a physical shield (the subject of this article), then any incoming damage will be absorbed by that shield.
• Priority 4: Trauma plate: If you aren't behind cover, do not have a special shield up, and are not using a physical shield, but do possess body armor with a trauma plate, any incoming Bullet-type damage aimed at your torso will be absorbed by the trauma plate.
  • All other damage types and aiming locations (head, limbs, extremities, etc.) will ignore the trauma plate, thus preventing it from protecting the wearer.

Maintenance and repairs

You have two options to repair shields:

• With a melee repair kit: Divide the Condition restored by 80 then round up to obtain healed shield HP.
• By visiting a workshop: Repair rates depend on the shield's material. Broken (0 HP) shields may be repaired, but with a 150% overcharge.

Abilities

To benefit from a shield, it must be part of your equipped weapons. Although you can equip more than one, shields cannot be dual-wielded.

With a shield in your equipped weapons, you may perform the following:

• Active protection: Use the shield for its intended purpose; to block incoming attacks.
• Shield bashing: Use the shield as a blunt weapon.
• Shield counter: See the section below.

Active protection

Active protection is the act of using your shield to block incoming attacks.

Active protection always has an Initiative Speed of 1, regardless of the shield type you use. You can think of it as the shield equivalent of dodging, but with a focus on absorbing an incoming hit instead of avoiding it.

While in active protection, your shield will block any incoming damage while resolving the opponents' turns, according to the defensive order of priority. If your shield runs out of HP, it will break immediately. If other characters haven't yet resolved their turns and intend to target you, you may become vulnerable to their attacks.

Shield bashing

Shield bashing is the act of using your shield as a weapon, striking opponents with it.

The Initiative Speed of Shield bashing depends on your weapon's Weight, like a normal weapon. The damage tables displayed on each shield's page indicate what they deal when used for Shield bashing.

Shield counter

A Shield counter is the shield equivalent of the Counter, as outlined in the Evasion page.

To be eligible to perform a Shield counter, your character must meet these requirements:

• Used Active protection during the turn
• The shield has absorbed at least one hit
• Have a weapon or be able to perform some kind of attack, and if melee, you must already be on the same Side as your opponent

If you meet these requirements, you must signal your intention to perform a Shield counter. The principles are exactly the same as with the regular Counter; you may perform a Shield counter with any weapon or attack that is not considered an ability or technique, excluding natural attacks and Shield bashing.

Like with the regular Counter, on top of any limits placed by ammunition or maximum attacks per turn, there is a limit on the amount of hits allowed during a Counter. When performing a Shield counter, this limit depends on your Shields skill level instead of your Evading skill level. Whichever is the smallest maximum attacks per turn is the one that applies for your character.

List of shields

See here.

Shields skill levels

Skill Points are granted at varying rates:

• 1 Skill Point for every hit absorbed in Active protection
• 1 Skill Point for every kill performed while Shield bashing
• 5 Skill Points for every turn in which a Shield counter was successfully performed

Skill level	SP	Effects
Unskilled	0	Shield max HP x1.0. Shield bashing: FT +1, max 2 swings. Max 1 attack during a Shield counter.
Basic	50	Shield max HP x1.2. Shield bashing: Normal accuracy, max 3 swings. Max 1 attack during a Shield counter.
Skilled	100	Shield max HP x1.5. Shield bashing: IR -1, max 4 swings. Max 2 attacks during a Shield counter.
Expert	200	Shield max HP x1.7. Shield bashing: IR -2, max 5 swings. Max 2 attacks during a Shield counter.
Master	400	Shield max HP x2.0. Shield bashing: FT -1 IR-2, max 6 swings. Max 3 attacks during a Shield counter.