Shields & UC?

[milo]

Is it worth using a shield as an unarmed combatant, generally? I take it you lose the attack with that hand...

More specifically, playing a grey DrMo^Sif (18AC) with transmutations. Haven't been lucky with armours or ?EA and wanting for defense.

[WingedEspeon]

As a DrMo with transmutations I would not use a shield because blade hands is amazing and if you do go for dragon form your shield Exp would be wasted. If you find a really good randart buckler you can use that, and getting shields to 4 is a very small investment.

Sif is not a good god for a melee dude or a transmuter type. Better choices wold probably include Oka, Fedas, Yed, Ely, Makleb, Nemlex, Ru, and Lugonu (if avalible). Jiyva could be good but stat shuffling can be a pain.

[milo]

Thanks, that makes a good bit of sense.

I know Sif might not be the best choice, just had it in my head from the start.

[nago]

I'd like only to add that is better to avoid buckler with UC as their defense isn't worth the loss of off hand punch and that I don't believe Ely is a good God for tm as she requires quite a lot exp and tm are already exp hungry

[WingedEspeon]

I'd like only to add that is better to avoid buckler with UC as their defense isn't worth the loss of off hand punch and that I don't believe Ely is a good God for tm as she requires quite a lot exp and tm are already exp hungry

By good I meant something really good, like one with Slay+6. Ely can be useful Even with not that high Ivo because divine protection is amazing and requires no investment, and greater self healing is like a wand of HW with like 9 invo.

[Airwolf]

I like shields generally and I think they work fine with UC. Transmutations do disfavor shields, as said above, but don't complete rule them out. Statue form, e.g. does not meld shields.

Gray draconian AC also means you have better defenses and could do without a shield.

I think either works.

[jejorda2]

Sif with a transmuter means you can cast dragon form at 66% failure and have no fear of miscasts, which leaves more xp for UC, fighting, and dodging.

And you'll eventually be guaranteed the little things like blink and swiftness, so you can reset fights and try again if the form doesn't work the first time.

[nago]

Or I don't know, instead of die tenfold times before reaching DF at 66% because Sif does nothing for a Tm and Tm is a weak background you could worship Fedhas and get to Vaults without doing NOTHING and being virtually invincible. Or things like that