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Author Topic: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?  (Read 12701 times)

adgriff2

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Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« on: August 03, 2010, 06:27:07 pm »
It seems from the wiki that shields are better than bucklers in every way. Should I equip my dwarves with shields or a 2nd Weapon?  Can you even equip 2 of any weapon? Is there any point to bucklers?
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Time Kitten

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2010, 06:31:32 pm »
I like bucklers, actually. I at least have them on til the armour stat is trained up.
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adgriff2

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2010, 06:32:20 pm »
any reason?
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Roder Agak

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2010, 07:12:12 pm »
Having a shield is definitely better than not having a shield.  It's a dwarf's only real defence against certain attacks (Dragonfire and Giant Desert Scorpion pincers come to mind).  It seems that the jury is still out regarding bucklers versus shields.  Bucklers are lighter than shields but have half the base chance to block.  Does their lesser encumbrance make up for this?  Nobody knows.

[Edit: An important factor is that against giant creatures dwarves will spend a lot of time on the ground, often stunned.  Against Giant Cave Spiders dwarves will spend a lot of time caught in web.  Presumably speed is relatively unimportant to dwarves in these predicaments, and therefore shields may be more effective than bucklers here.]
« Last Edit: August 04, 2010, 02:28:08 am by Roder Agak »
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kaijyuu

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2010, 07:18:36 pm »
Once you get adamantine, the weight difference is meaningless. Though I'm not sure what effects material has on shields, so wooden or otherwise light material might be just as good.
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Double A

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2010, 08:43:34 pm »
Quote from: Roder Agak on August 03, 2010, 07:12:12 pm
Having a shield is definitely better than not having a shield.  It's a dwarf's only real defence against certain attacks (Dragonfire and Giant Desert Scorpion pincers come to mind).  It seems that the jury is still out regarding bucklers versus shields.  Bucklers are lighter than shields but have half the base chance to block.  Does their lesser encumbrance make up for this?  Nobody knows.

Better slow than sorry.
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Flaede

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2010, 09:19:52 pm »
In adventure mode, Shield all the way.
Fortress mode? I would assume that this holds true, but really any shield is better than no shield.
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87

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Re: Shield vs Buckler vs 2nd Weapon?
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2010, 09:45:25 pm »
i did some experiments with this a while back and gave a squad all shields and one all bucklers and when the time came arrows and bolts dealt more blows to the buckler dorfs while the ones wearing shields barely sustained any damage at all.  I dont mess around with bucklers anymore.
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