Shield Defense

Overview

Shield Defense is a defensive powerset released in Issue 13, it is available to Tankers, Scrappers, and Brutes. The original information release included Stalkers in the list to get Shields, but was corrected. [1]

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

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.

Possible Shield Customizations.

Power Table

The Shield Defense powerset is available as a primary for Tankers, and as a secondary for Brutes and Scrappers. The following table shows which powers are available and at what level:

Power	Level as Primary	Level as Secondary	Effect
Deflection	1	1	Toggle: Self +DEF(Melee), +Res(Smash, Lethal)
Battle Agility	1	2	Toggle: Self +DEF(Ranged, AoE), +Res(DEF Debuff)
True Grit	2	4	Auto: Self +Res(Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative, Toxic), +Max Health
Active Defense	6	10	Self +Res(Disorient, Hold, Immobilize, Sleep, Fear, Confuse, Repel, Knockback, DEF Debuff)
Against All Odds	8	16	Toggle: PBAoE, Foe -DMG, Self +DMG
Phalanx Fighting	12	20	Auto: Self +DEF(Melee, Ranged, AoE)
Grant Cover	18	28	Toggle: PBAoE, Team (but not self) +DEF(All)
Shield Charge	26	35	PBAoE, Superior DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown, Self Teleport
One with the Shield	32	38	Self +Res(All DMG but Psionics, Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize, Repel, Knockback), +Recovery, +Max Health

Powers

Active Defense

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

Recharge Very Long Minimum Level 10 (Brute) 10 (Scrapper) 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 also suffer from reduced damage as your shield deflects a portion of their damage. Recharge: Slow

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

Battle Agility

Your incredible reflexes allow you to position your shield to deflect incoming ranged damage. While Deflection is active you will benefit from increased Ranged and AoE defense as well as some moderate protection from Defense Debuffs. Recharge: Fast

Recharge Fast Minimum Level 2 (Brute) 2 (Scrapper) 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 Active Defense is active the user will gain defense to melee attacks and some minor resistance to lethal and smashing damage. Recharge: Fast

Recharge Fast Minimum Level 1 (Brute) 1 (Scrapper) 1 (Tanker) Effects Toggle: Self +Defense(Melee), +Resistance(Smashing, Lethal) Enhancements Enhance Damage Resistance Enhance Defense Buffs Reduce Endurance Cost Increase Attack Rate 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. (NOTE: The defense bonus from this power is only applied to nearby team mates, but not yourself.) Recharge: Slow

Recharge Slow Minimum Level 28 (Brute) 28 (Scrapper) 18 (Tanker) Effects Toggle: Point Blank Area of Effect Team (but not self) +Defense(All) Enhancements Enhance Defense Buffs Reduce Endurance Cost 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

Recharge Very Long Minimum Level 38 (Brute) 38 (Scrapper) 32 (Tanker) Effects Self +Resistance(All Damage but Psionics, Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize, Repel, Knockback), +Recovery, +Max Health Enhancements Enhance Damage Resistance Reduce Endurance Cost Set Categories Resist Damage Healing/Absorb Endurance Modification

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 ingame 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 +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 in a long cone in front of you, most foes that are struck by your Shield Charge will be knocked down. Damage: Superior, Recharge: Very Long.

Recharge Very Long Damage Superior (Smashing) Minimum Level 35 (Brute) 35 (Scrapper) 26 (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 Set Categories Melee AoE Damage Knockback Taunt (Tank/Brute Only)

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) 2 (Tanker) Effects Auto: Self +Resistance(Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative, Toxic), +Max Health Enhancements Enhance Heal Enhance Damage Resistance 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.

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 Tankers at City of Data v2.0