If Giants existed in BC times...

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by Sombre

Who says the shield of gleaming gold is better at parrying arrows because it's shiny? It's just that it's a magic shield.

The description strongly implies that the shininess is what gives it its high parry. You'll see the same thing for other high-parry shields like the Shield of the Accursed (?). High parry also gives good missile protection.

-Max

[vfb]

Originally Posted by MaxWilson

The description strongly implies that the shininess is what gives it its high parry. You'll see the same thing for other high-parry shields like the Shield of the Accursed (?). High parry also gives good missile protection.

-Max

But that's not at all how they should affect missile defense, if the mechanism is through interfering with the archer's vision. The shield should reduce the precision of any archer targeting the square the Gold/Accursed-Shielded unit is in. The shield should not be more effective against arrows coincidentally falling into the space where the unit is standing.

[JimMorrison]

Originally Posted by vfb

But that's not at all how they should affect missile defense, if the mechanism is through interfering with the archer's vision. The shield should reduce the precision of any archer targeting the square the Gold/Accursed-Shielded unit is in. The shield should not be more effective against arrows coincidentally falling into the space where the unit is standing.

Shield of Gleaming Gold is not a specifically anti-missile shield, it's is just fast, and heavily enchanted. The "shiny" part of this description is for the Awe effect, causing melee attackers to "avert their eyes" and miss the opportunity to strike.

Silver Hauberk "distracts the eyes of the enemy", such that missiles rarely hit - this is a bit odd to me, for reasons you describe.

Shield of Valor says "Symbols of power are inscribed on the surface of this shield to protect the bearer from missiles". So, totally unshiny reason for deflection there.

Interestingly, Valor is 8 Parry + 80% Air Shield, while Gleaming Gold is simply 9 Parry. You are virtually immune to missile fire with Shield of Valor..... simply well protected by Gleaming Gold, because it's a good shield.

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by MaxWilson

The description strongly implies that the shininess is what gives it its high parry.

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

Shield of Gleaming Gold is not a specifically anti-missile shield, it's is just fast, and heavily enchanted. The "shiny" part of this description is for the Awe effect, causing melee attackers to "avert their eyes" and miss the opportunity to strike.

Other high-parry shields like Aegis and the Shield of the Accursed have similar notation about how they're hard to look at, in addition to their other effects. It appears to me that they're trying to explain why they get such an insanely good Parry.

But okay, maybe I'm wrong. I'm not KO or JO or anything.

-Max

[JimMorrison]

Originally Posted by MaxWilson

Other high-parry shields like Aegis and the Shield of the Accursed have similar notation about how they're hard to look at, in addition to their other effects. It appears to me that they're trying to explain why they get such an insanely good Parry.

But okay, maybe I'm wrong. I'm not KO or JO or anything.

-Max

Aegis does not say that. Only other shield IIRC that says any such thing, is the Shield of the Accursed, which DOES have absurdly high Parry, and states that it is "painful to look upon". But again, I don't think that is intended to allude to missile blocking, but rather melee parries. I'm having a hard time believing that the runes are SO painful to "look in the general direction of" that they are really intended to be affecting archers at 100 yards.

[MaxWilson]

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

Aegis does not say that. Only other shield IIRC that says any such thing, is the Shield of the Accursed, which DOES have absurdly high Parry, and states that it is "painful to look upon". But again, I don't think that is intended to allude to missile blocking, but rather melee parries. I'm having a hard time believing that the runes are SO painful to "look in the general direction of" that they are really intended to be affecting archers at 100 yards.

Aegis does say that.

"This is a round shield of hardened leather with tufts of goat hair surrounding its edge. Upon the leather surface, the unknown maker painted an extremely vivid image of the Medusa. The image is so vivid that anyone who meets the mad gaze of the painted eyes will be instantly petrified. Anyone fighting the Aegis-bearer will thus have trouble watching and predicting the Aegis-bearer's moves as he tries to avoid the leering face of the Medusa." Emphasis added.

-Max

[JimMorrison]

Dammit, this thread has me running around in circles. I specifically went and looked at the description for..... Barrier.

And I admit defeat on the subject of the Niefels as well (size and chill). I will endeavor to stop using crack to sweeten my coffee, they always said it would catch up to me.

Though I have to say, in the case of Aegis, it's not that it's painful to look at or some such, you simply can't or you will die. You would think the enemy army would keel over in droves as they gazed in the general direction of the Aegis (or a Gorgon).