Shield Defense

Overview

Shield Defense is a standard power set that is a primary set for Tankers and a secondary set for Brutes, Scrappers, and Stalkers.

"Your mastery over the shield protects you from all forms of attacks in the form of defense as well as some moderate damage resistance to most types of damage. Your training with the shield enables you to protect your nearby allies boosting their defenses."

Shield Defense is incompatible with the following power sets: Claws, Dual Blades, Katana, Ninja Blade, Spines, Staff Fighting, and Titan Weapons. When a shield is deployed, many emotes are blocked.

Possible Shield Customizations.

Power Table

The Shield Defense power set is available as a primary set for Tankers and as a secondary set for Brutes, Scrappers and Stalkers. The following tables show the levels at which each power is available:

Brute / Scrapper / Tanker

The Shield Defense power set is available as a primary set for Tankers and as a secondary set for Brutes and Scrappers. The following table shows the levels at which each power is available:

Power	Level as Primary	Level as Secondary	Effect
Deflection	1	1	Toggle: Self +DEF(Melee), +Res(Smash, Lethal)
Battle Agility	1	1	Toggle: Self +DEF(Ranged, AoE), +Res(DEF Debuff)
True Grit	2	4	Auto: Self +Res(Fire, Cold, Energy, Neg, Toxic), +Max HP
Active Defense	6	10	Self +Res(Disorient, Hold, Immob, Sleep, Fear, Confuse, Repel, Knockback, DEF Debuff)
Against All Odds	8	16	Toggle: Foe -DMG, Self +DMG
Phalanx Fighting	12	20	Auto: Self Special, +DEF(Melee, Ranged, AoE)
Grant Cover	18	24	PBAoE, Team (but not self) +DEF(All but Psi), Team +Res(DEF Debuff, Rech Debuff) (except Brute), Self (but not team) +RES(DEF Debuff (Brute only))
Shield Charge	22	28	PBAoE, Superior DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown, Self Teleport
One with the Shield	26	30	Self +Res(All DMG but Psi, Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immob, Repel, Knockback), +Rec, +Max HP

Stalkers

The Shield Defense power set is available as a secondary set for Stalkers. The following table shows the levels at which each power is available:

Power	Level	Effect
Hide	1	Toggle: Self Stealth, +DEF(Melee, Ranged, AoE)
Deflection	1	Toggle: Self +DEF(Melee), +Res(Smash, Lethal)
Battle Agility	4	Toggle: Self +DEF(Ranged, AoE), +Res(DEF Debuff)
True Grit	10	Auto: Self +Res(Fire, Cold, Energy, Neg, Toxic), +Max HP
Active Defense	16	Self +Res(Disorient, Hold, Immob, Sleep, Fear, Confuse, Repel, Knockback, DEF Debuff)
Against All Odds	20	Toggle: Foe -DMG, Self +DMG
Grant Cover	24	PBAoE, Team (but not self) +DEF(All but Psionic), Team +Res(DEF Debuff, Rech Debuff)
Shield Charge	28	PBAoE, Superior DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown, Self Teleport
One with the Shield	30	Self +Res(All DMG but Psionics, Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immob, Repel, Knockback), +Rec, +Max HP

Powers

Active Defense

When you activate this power, it grants protection from Sleep, Disorient, Fear, Immobilize, Confusion, Repel, Knockback, Hold and Defense Debuff effects for a short duration.

Recharge Very Long Minimum Level 10 (Brute) 10 (Scrapper) 16 (Stalker) 6 (Tanker) Effects Self +Resistance(Disorient, Hold, Immobilize, Sleep, Fear, Confuse, Repel, Knockback, Defense Debuff) Enhancements Reduce Endurance Cost Increase Attack Rate Set Categories None

Against All Odds

The harder pressed you are in combat the greater your offensive abilities become. Each enemy that stands toe-to-toe with you in combat will grant you a damage bonus. The first foe you engage in melee grants the highest damage bonus, and up to 10 foes can contribute to this effect. Each foe in melee range also suffers from reduced damage as your shield deflects a portion of their damage.

Recharge Slow Minimum Level 16 (Brute) 16 (Scrapper) 20 (Stalker) 8 (Tanker) Effects Toggle: Self +Damage Foe -Damage Enhancements Reduce Endurance Cost Increase Attack Rate Enhance Taunt Effectiveness Set Categories Taunt (None for Stalker)

Battle Agility

Your incredible agility allows you to position your shield to protect yourself from incoming ranged damage. While Battle Agility is active you will benefit from increased Ranged and AoE defense as well as some moderate protection from Defense Debuffs. Battle Agility also adds an Elusivity defense bonus to Range and AoE attacks in PVP zones (Brutes only).

Recharge Fast Minimum Level 1 (Brute) 1 (Scrapper) 4 (Stalker) 1 (Tanker) Effects Toggle: Self +Defense(Ranged, Area of Effect), +Resistance(Defense Debuff) Enhancements Enhance Defense Buffs Reduce Endurance Cost Increase Attack Rate Set Categories Defense

Deflection

Your mastery of the shield allows you to easily deflect melee attacks, and attacks that do get through your ironclad defenses tend to do less damage. While Deflection is active the user will gain defense to melee attacks and some minor resistance to lethal and smashing damage. Deflection also adds Psionic Defense and an Elusivity defense bonus to Psionic and Melee Attacks in PVP zones (Brutes only).

Recharge Fast Minimum Level 1 (Brute) 1 (Scrapper) 1 (Stalker) 1 (Tanker) Effects Toggle: Self +Defense(Melee), +Resistance(Smashing, Lethal) Enhancements Enhance Defense Buffs Reduce Endurance Cost Increase Attack Rate Enhance Damage Resistance Set Categories Defense Resist Damage

Grant Cover

You are able to use your shield to defend nearby allies. Any teammates who remain nearby gain a bonus to their defense. Additionally, while this power is active, the user and his teammates will gain some resistance to defense debuffs and recharge rate debuffs (Brutes only). As a stalker, you can also provide stealth to your teammates if you too are hidden (Stalker only).

Editor's Note:

The defense bonus from this power is only applied to nearby teammates, but not yourself.

Recharge Slow Minimum Level 24 (Brute) 24 (Scrapper) 24 (Stalker) 18 (Tanker) Effects Point Blank Area of Effect Team (but not self): +Defense(All but Psionic) Team +Resistance (Defense Debuff, Recharge Debuff) (except Brute) Brute only: Self (but not team): +Resistance(Defense Debuff) Enhancements Enhance Defense Buffs Reduce Endurance Cost Increase Attack Rate Set Categories Defense

Hide

Hide makes you almost impossible to detect. When properly 'Hidden', a Stalker can pull off Critical hits with his attacks, and even land a massive 'Assassins Strike' with an Assassins power. When you attack or are damaged while using this power, you will be discovered. Even if discovered, you are hard to see and retain some bonus to Defense. Unlike most stealth powers, Hide can be used at the same time as other Concealment powers, giving you even greater stealth capability. No Endurance cost.

Recharge Fast Minimum Level 1 (Stalker) Effects Toggle: Self Stealth, +Defense(Melee, Ranged, Area of Effect) Enhancements Enhance Defense Buffs Increase Attack Rate Set Categories Defense

One with the Shield

When you activate this power, you gain strong resistance against most types of damage and also to Disorient, Immobilization, Hold, Knockback, Repel and Sleep effects. One with the Shield costs little Endurance to activate and increases your recovery and maximum hit points for its duration, but when it wears off you are left exhausted, and substantially drained of Endurance. Note that One With the Shield is unaffected by Attack Rate changes.

Recharge Very Long Minimum Level 30 (Brute) 30 (Scrapper) 30 (Stalker) 26 (Tanker) Effects Self +Resistance(All Damage but Psionics, Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize, Repel, Knockback), +Recovery, +Max Health Enhancements Enhance Damage Resistance Enhance Endurance Modification Reduce Endurance Cost Enhance Heal Set Categories Resist Damage Endurance Modification Healing/Absorb

Phalanx Fighting

Fighting very near your allies allows you to deflect attacks much easier. You will gain a small bonus to your melee, ranged and area of effect defense. This bonus grows for each ally near you. This power is always on and costs no endurance.

Editor's Note:

The in-game description omits the fact the player gets a small unenhanceable bonus to melee, range and area of effect defense even without having allies in range.

Archetype	No Allies (unenhanceable)	1 Ally (base value)	2 Allies (base value)	3 Allies (base value)
Brute	3.75%	6% (+2.25%)	8.25% (+2.25%)	10.5% (+2.25%)
Scrapper	3.75%	6% (+2.25%)	8.25% (+2.25%)	10.5% (+2.25%)
Tanker	5%	8% (+3%)	11% (+3%)	14% (+3%)

Minimum Level 20 (Brute) 20 (Scrapper) 12 (Tanker) Effects Auto: Self Special, +Defense(Melee, Ranged, Area of Effect) Enhancements Enhance Defense Buffs Set Categories Defense

Shield Charge

You can throw all of your might behind your shield and charge through ranks of foes in the blink of an eye. Using this power allows you to teleport to a selected area to deal significant smashing damage to all foes near the location you teleport to. Most foes that are struck by your Shield Charge will be knocked down.

Damage Superior(Smashing) Recharge Very Long Minimum Level 28 (Brute) 28 (Scrapper) 28 (Stalker) 22 (Tanker) Effects Point Blank Area of Effect Foe Knockdown Self Teleport Enhancements Enhance Accuracy Enhance Damage Reduce Endurance Cost Enhance Knockback Distance Enhance Range Increase Attack Rate Enhance Taunt Effectiveness (Brute/Tanker only) Set Categories Melee AoE Damage Knockback Taunt (Brute/Tanker only) Universal Damage

True Grit

Your intense training has left you tougher than even the hardiest of heroes. You gain additional hit points and resistance to fire, cold, energy, negative energy and toxic damage sources. This power is always on and costs no Endurance.

Minimum Level 4 (Brute) 4 (Scrapper) 10 (Stalker) 2 (Tanker) Effects Auto: Self +Resistance(Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative, Toxic), +Max Health Enhancements Enhance Damage Resistance Enhance Heal Set Categories Resist Damage Healing/Absorb

Historical

This section contains information about changes that took place in City of Heroes/Villains. It is provided for historical purposes.

• This set was added to the game for Brutes, Scrappers, and Tankers in Issue 13.
• The original information release included Stalkers in the list to get Shields, but was corrected. [1]
• This set was proliferated to Stalkers in Issue 25.

External Links

• Shield Defense for Brutes at City of Data v2.0
• Shield Defense for Scrappers at City of Data v2.0
• Shield Defense for Stalkers at City of Data v2.0
• Shield Defense for Tankers at City of Data v2.0