The shields really do need to use energy.

Right now, if you're using an appropriate shield for the threat level of the planet, you can simply hold down the shield infinitely and not be damaged. It should go back to using energy when you take damage with the shield, to open up a higher risk for using it, and make it more skillfull to use. Having the shield use up energy when it blocks damage would open up a lot of interesting gameplay mechanics, especially for PvP.

 

This is not how shields work at all, playing @ 40 and shields dropped there reduce damage by 0% from anything, i get one hit killed whenever i dare using one.
I've tried multiple, all dropped on the same world they where used at, never worked.

 

Also, you take damage anyway if you're hit multiple times.
I know this from taking on two people with guns while using a sword and shield. I the damage I took went from "blocked!" to 2 and then kept growing until I had to run through a door, jump up above it, then jump down and cleave them in two with a two-handed sword when they ran through.

 

Actually as far as I can tell the shields reduce damage on high level planets a negative amount, I take 4s when not using a shield, 100s when I am.

 

I think shields should have a timing mechanic. The longer you hold your shield up, the less it blocks. This would reward reflexes and skillful blocking, but also make
prolonged blocking still better than just face tanking a hit.

An idea would be for it to block 100% damage (based on AP of shield, higher TL would still do the difference in damage)
This, in conjunction with an idea I posted in another thread (TL difference only being 10% per level instead of 50% per level, to really smooth out the damage curve)
would be ideal, imo. Every second the shield remains raised reduce blocking efficiency by 20%

After 5 seconds your shield is useless until you raise it again (which would have a short delay, could vary between shields/shield types if larger/smaller shields are introduced)
This would allow you to block significant amounts of damage, without being an "invincible button for anything lower than my shield AP"

 

I think that Energy would work better because it requires you to make some skillful gear choices, especially in PvP. For example, if a melee character wants to use his shield, he would have to use armor that blocks less, but gives him the Energy to do so effectively. He's effectively changing his method of survivability by giving himself less defense but having a shield, so his survivability has to be triggered, but is perhaps more effective in the hands of somebody who really knows how to use it.

 

See... I despise using energy as Tech already easily uses over half your bar after only a couple uses. Using a shield would do more than cost energy, it would effectively turn your everything off for a few precious seconds.

 

Keep in mind that they still have to implement armors that actually *do* stuff other than heat and defense. They're definitely going to make armors that increase your Energy total, or perhaps decrease your Energy consumption.