which shield is better

[seymorebutts]

which shield is better for making exile shield?
zakarum or sacred rondache? Im going to use it for pvm.

[MysticDragon]

Sacred Targe. Erm, anything is fine as long as it is Elite.

[thefranklin]

Well, go to the arreat summit. Check out: block % and strength requirements vs defense.

Generally sacred targes/rondaches are used due to their high block %. Vortex is also used because it has the largest defense.

[Dondrei]

Anything that has enough sockets, the elite versions of weapons and armour are all roughly the same. Some are slightly better than others; if you're rich and you really care you should check out the Arreat.

[seymorebutts]

what about the smite dmg?
i just checked
sacred rondache has smite damage of 35 to 58 and zakarum has 46 to 46.
I mean is that a huge difference?

[templecrasher]

that is actually the same average damage, which is what matters in the long run.

[maxusmag]

if you are looking for defense then an eth vortex shield will work.

i have a regular one with 14 res on it. 4 os.

i think exile gives good resists already though.

i like hoz myself.

[Eilo Rytyj]

Most people make Exile in ethereal (bugged or not) Vortex shields. Vortex has the highest base defense, and Exile has a huge defense bonus, as well as the Auto-Defiance aura. All combine to make for a HUGE defense.

[thefranklin]

I have an exile in a non-eth protector shield with 45 base resist and it works just fine for pvm (619 def). Only the PVP nuts really care about the extra defense vortex gives, and for pvm its not worth it str wise.

btw all elite pally shields average 46 smite damage.

[Dondrei]

Actually if Arreat is correct the Sacred Rondache has an average of 46.5, if you really care about that extra half a point of damage. I wouldn't though.

[kavehtabriaz]

vortex has the max block which means u need lots of dex for max block.also,vortex has one of the worsth average damage.

[templecrasher]

vortex has the lowest block % (51%), and as thefranklin already mentioned they all have the same average smite damage.

@ Maxus - Exile provides +max% boosts to resistances, but no actual res itself. That is why people make it in shields that have good base res.

[Flaming Banana]

depends on what pally you are. id probably use sacred rondache.

[Dondrei]

Hmm... personally I'd go with Sacred Targe or maybe the Sacred Rondache or Kurast Shield. They're all light, they all have the same max sockets and they all have the same Smite damage (except for that 0.5 extra on the SR). It's just a balancing act with higher defence and higher strength requirements vs. lower block rate... I'd say only certain really high DEF builds would really care about the defence gain, the blocking is more important and if you don't need a lot of STR for other gear you could save some on the lower shields.

[Eilo Rytyj]

vortex has the max block which means u need lots of dex for max block.also,vortex has one of the worsth average damage.

All elite pally shields have the same average damage, 46.

Vortex is 5-87 damage, which averages out to 46. I'd say Vortex is one of the better shields for Smite damage, as it has a chance to do higher damage (and conversely an equal chance to do lower damage).

The only exception, as Dondrei said, is Sacred Rondache, which has 46.5 average.

Oh, and 138 strength required for an eth Vortex is nothing really. Most Smiters these days follow everyone else and use Enigma as their armour, thus fulfilling any strength woes.

BTW the maximum possible defense on a non-eth Protector Shield Exile is 577 (and that's with a perfect def roll on a sup 15% ed). Perhaps you meant Gilded Shield or Kurast Shield?

[Angelus Dominus]

which shield is better for making exile shield?
zakarum or sacred rondache? Im going to use it for pvm.

I would go with the SR.

[Dondrei]

Vortex is 5-87 damage, which averages out to 46. I'd say Vortex is one of the better shields for Smite damage, as it has a chance to do higher damage (and conversely an equal chance to do lower damage).

Everyone can't help but think that, but in reality only the average matters. Makes no difference what the spread is, since the distribution is symmetric.


Oh, and 138 strength required for an eth Vortex is nothing really. Most Smiters these days follow everyone else and use Enigma as their armour, thus fulfilling any strength woes.

Yeah, thanks for that Blizzard. GIB NERF PLZ, YOU BASTARDS!!!

[Evrae Altana]

which shield is better for making exile shield?
zakarum or sacred rondache? Im going to use it for pvm.I prefer sacred rondache over the zakarum shield.

[Dondrei]

Sacred Targe: 142DEF 86STR 60%BLOCK
Sacred Rondache: 151DEF 109STR 58%BLOCK

I averaged the defence rating. Why do people prefer the Rondache over the Targe?

[SmittySixTen]

Given the build is pvm, I really do not think the shield matters in the least. If I remember right, the dex req for max block (provided your HS is staying at level 20), is something like a 12 point difference between a ST and Zak shield. If your HS level goes high enough to increase your Block% over 35, then it just decreases the variance that much more.

Also, depending upon equips, you're looking at likely NEEDING 110 str before you put on the final item that adds str (which is generally going to be 15-20 str). That means, technically, you'd only need 17 more str for a Zakarum shield than you would for a Sacred Targe. That number drops to 12 if you're using Tgods. If you use a Vortex the numbers go up by a mere 6 points.

I don't know the hard math, but in a pvm environment the Vit you lose doesn't make any significant difference, nor does the varying defense or smite damage. My advice: use whichever shield you think looks the coolest.

[seymorebutts]

well does sacred rondache like pwn zakarum shield?
Last night i had a eth zak 30% shield and made it into exile. the ed was 249% just and def just over 1000^^.

[Dondrei]

Heh, I think the moral of the story is that none of them pwn any of the others. Just use what's most convenient.