There are far more negatives than positives for a gladiator who chooses not to use a shield.
- Shield Lob requires a shield and is your primary pulling skill. It generates 2x the enmity that it deals damage for. So if you hit for 100 dmg, that's 200 enmity.
- Shield Bash is your stun skill, and trust me, you want this on your bar. There are many mobs who do some devastating aoe skills that can really damage the party or apply some pretty harsh effects like paralyze and stun. As a gladiator, you're in the front line to prevent them from doing this as the mob charges the attack.Â
- Shield Swipe is one of gladiators strongest non combo attacks, sitting at 210 potency. The only non-combo attack that has a higher potency is Spirits Within, and that's locked exclusively to paladin. It also pacifies the target, meaning they can't attack for a short time (6 seconds). However, you can only use this skill following a block, and in order to block, you need a shield.
- Bulwark increases block rate, which again, requires a shield.
Take some bacon and I put it in a pancake.
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