Tree of Savior Forum

Shield based builds? Updated with potential build

To preface this post, I’m new to the game. Although I played during the beta and briefly after launch I didn’t get far as I was bound and determined to make a monk that had me going through dievdirby before that. Statues weren’t quite working properly, or if they were, I was doing something wrong. I’ve come back in the past week or so and have leveled an Inquisitor to 220ish. Suffice it to say, I’m an utter nublet.

Now on to my question. I’ve noticed that several swordsman classes have skills involving the use of their shields and was wondering if there were any viable builds that primarily focused on using those shield based skills? I suspect that there aren’t and various searches on the subject have been mostly fruitless.

Edit: Since there have been no bites, I’ve done a little bit of digging and figured that what I’m probably looking for is a Rodelero build. I considered Peltasta, but I think I ultimately want to focus more on doing damage with some utlity/cc on the side and from what I figure, Peltasta will hinder my damage in the long run. I basically want something that will be able to do something come end game. Though with me being a noob, I don’t really know what that consists of.

What I’ve come up with so far. A Rodelero/Barbarian/Murmillo build. Would this work? Are there any other viable combinations that I may have overlooked? Again, my goal is mostly to rely on shield skills for my main source of damage.

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i see, your aiming as an offensive shield type. yes, this could work.

Barb + Rodel + Murmi is easily the strongest dps using shield skills. It has pretty high skill factors because of buffs and high AoE atk ratio from the skills themselves.

However, the biggest flaw of this build is the lack of defense ignoring damage skills. Doppel has Sturtzhau, Dragoons have Dragon Fear + Dragon Soar and Dragontooth, Fencers have Sept Etoille, etc…

As for Rodel - Murmi - Barb, all you have is a 15% defense ignoring debuff through Shield Push. It’s not bad, because since it’s a debuff, it’ll apply to all your skills. But it’s still only 15% and Shield Push doesn’t have a good AoE itself, making it hard to debuff many mobs at once.

Some endgame content, like high CM stages, have mobs with insanely high pdef. Ignoring only 15% of defense is too weak and your dmg will drop from 200k to 20k. Meanwhile, a doppel’s Sturtzhau for example, will still deal 100k+ due to the crazy 50% def ignoring mechanic.

Still, due to the new pdef debuff stacking mechanic, where diminishing returns occur the more pdef reduction you stack, it’s hard getting Sturtzhau hitting much higher than that, while your rodelero skills can still gain a lot of damage if your party helps further debuffing the enemy’s defense (i.e. having a Linker or Zealot in your party).

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Just wondering what you think about barb > dopp > pelt for a AoE shield warrior for doing CM’s and farming? You seem to know swordsman quite well so wondering your opinion or if you suggest something else?

Other info is i play with a assassin friend and I’m not funded. I also have a 3x trans +10 1 handed spear from the event that expires in 25ish days and I’m lvl 270

Friendly piece of advice, unless they change something, you can have a shield in your offhand and use the auto switch mechanic to pull mobs and buff your defenses by 300% the value of your shield, while using a two handed sword. It also works vice versa, but then you’d need a really good sword and a really good two hander.

So I can buffs myself with a shield for 300% def from shield, then change weapons and not lose the buff?

That would be correct. You lose the def and stats from the shield tho.

Appreciate the insight. Is there any options for a solo build or is end game content too difficult for that?