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So shields have been in a mechanically linear place for balance. Mechanically strong but balanced by straight nerfs and hard counters, rather than by creative combat skill. The be all end all move is press F. There is no need to try any other way to get around shields, pressing F is all thats needed. Morph to kick, chamber to kick, or just kick, doesnt matter. Its not interesting and doesnt provide any meaninful change in gameplay either way except when shields are involved with 1 v x or x v x and kicking is too dangerous to try.
So what should shields be like for more realism mechanically and for balance? I'd want to see more shield sizes that were seen in history, so the balance system needs to scale between shield sizes. They need clear advantages and clear disadvantages to match up to non shield users and between shield sizes. No one move should be a total guaranteed win against shields. Shields should be competitive, balanced and diverse in skills used, and vastly different between each type of shield.
I want shields to be balanced and fun to play with and against, and to be potentially competitive with non shield users. Not using a shield always means getting to use a two handed weapon. Two-handing a weapon should always be better than one handing it. I think the long spear should be one handable, but be much slower on recovery and release while one handing.. Long spears are well known to be used with shields in large formations by so many nations in history, it would be lovely to see that in gameplay. The big two handed weapons like eveningstar, bardiche, longsword etc will deal higher stamina damage against shields, and have the range and drag capabilities to attack around shields better.
My ideas for new shield mechanics
Shields have a set hitbox for blocking attacks, it is there passively and while held up. If your passive shield is hit you will gain all the same effects of being hurt, but without the damage. Shield hitbox will match what the shield visually looks like. This will be an important part of play with and against shields. To beat shields, you need to attack where the shield is not covering. Aim for the feet, use overhead attacks, use trickery to make him block the wrong place. Shields will take skill to use effectively. Shield hitboxes can be a problem when navigating cramped environments. Having something as wide as a roman shield would be bad inside a tight doorway, cancelling the block.
Shields can not be brought up to block attacks instantly. Heavier and larger shields are slow to move, and may require body manipulation to get them around in time. The buckler is the smallest shield, and can be brought into position almost instantly, as if a normal parry. The larger the shield, the more debuff there is to ripost release time due to needing to move the shield out of the way. The buckler wont have any debuff to ripost time, but something as big as a roman shield would seem as though it is incapable of riposting.
Being kicked isnt so bad anymore, whether passive or active shield being kicked, it will cancel attacks, stun movement, deal health and stamina damage and prevent the shield from being pulled up but will still allow a chamber attempt to counter the opponents follow-up attack. This will make the all powerful F key no longer a total guarantee of victory. The kick must physically connect with the shields hitbox though, pressing F in the general direction isnt enough anymore, or it might be if their shield is fkin huge and they hold it up all the time.
You can ripost attacks while the shield remains held up, though it comes with more disadvantages than advantages. Since the shield is held, you cannot accel or drag in any real way. The turn rate penalties from the shield and the swing stack, and you basically cannot turn in any meaningful way. Anyone dedicated to abusing you will easily dodge your attack by running to your side and beating you up around the shield. This mechanic is meant for teamplay, with teammates either side of you. Ideally for shield formations, which might become common when shields are better to play with and against.
Large shields vs Small shields
Larger shields benefit from more cover area and can be used for better passive protection and better active held protection. They are harder to get around from the front, and are incredibly good when used alongside teammates, which is historically where large shields were known to succeed. Larger shields are not as badly affected by kicks and retain stamina better from attacks. Larger shields have stronger stamina negation.
The downsides of larger shields are their weight and awkward size, making them slower to bring up to block and turn around with while held. Larger shields also block more of your own vision, leaving you vulnerable to trickery, and attacks from where your shield blocks the view of like underswings and kicks. Easier to kick. 3P might need to be disabled for shield users to bring this disadvantages' weight in. Larger shields have slower ripost release times, due to having to move the shield out of the way.
Smaller shields benefit from being lightweight and easy to move around, offer lower visual obstruction, respond to attacks near instantaneously and allow you to turn around at a very reasonable speed while held up. harder to kick. Smaller shields have faster riposts. (But not beating the ripost time of non shield users)
The downsides to smaller shields is that they cover less area passively and while held. Something as small as the buckler is smaller than most weapons, and as such require more accuracy to make the block hitbox meet attacks. Smaller shields have weaker stamina negation. Statistically the buckler might be the best choice in most stats, but only if you can reliably block anything with such a small hitbox.
In conclusion, smaller shields would be the better choice for 1v1 and competitive play. while big shields last longer, work well among teammates but are a hinderence to speed, agility and vision while fighting.
End
Does this sound like it could be more fun and competitive to fight with and against? Or have you already been traumatised by shields in mordhau too much to consider shields ever having a place in mordhau other than rapier-shield OP troll/free kill mode? (depending on whether you know how to chamber-kick)
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