Fighter shield?

[arandomperson12]

Fighters start with a shield. Should you use it, or just immediately drop it?

[Sprucery]

I guess you should use it but don't train shields. Then you can switch to a good two-hander when you find one.

[Sandman25]

I think it's not a guess but some memories from previous threads where it was supported by fsim results and common logic

[Tungsten]

If I'm a long blade or mace user I'll train shields and stick with one-handers. Scimitars and morning stars will last you long enough until you find the top tier one-handers.
If I'm a using axes or polearms I'll ditch the shield as soon as I find a decent two-hander.
But then again, if I don't plan to use and train shields I wouldn't pick fighter. That's what gladiators are for.

[dowan]

With the recent changes to long blades, it's pretty sensible to stick with a 1h sword and shield throughout the whole game. A double sword is now just a 1h great sword, and triple swords are too expensive in terms of XP to really be worthwhile most of the time.

But, even if you don't intend to keep the shield all game, at least use it until you find a good 2h weapon.

[Sandman25]

If I'm a long blade or mace user I'll just train the shield and stick with one-handers. Scimitars and morning stars will last you long enough until you find the top tier one-handers.
If I'm a using axes or polearms I'll ditch the shiled as soon as I find a decent two-hander.

But then again, if I don't plan to use and train shields I wouldn't pick fighter. That's what gladiators are for.

I hope you train weapon to min delay and some fighting/armour/doding before training shield for those scimitars and morningstars. And then you find a great sword/great mace/dire flail before training shields.

[Tungsten]

If I'm a long blade or mace user I'll just train the shield and stick with one-handers. Scimitars and morning stars will last you long enough until you find the top tier one-handers.
If I'm a using axes or polearms I'll ditch the shiled as soon as I find a decent two-hander.

But then again, if I don't plan to use and train shields I wouldn't pick fighter. That's what gladiators are for.

I hope you train weapon to min delay and some fighting/armour/doding before training shield for those scimitars and morningstars. And then you find a great sword/great mace/dire flail before training shields.

I will train my skills in the optimal order. And then when I find a 2 hander, I will stick with a one-hander and shield (*) because I picked fighter to play a tanky shield using melee dude. Otherwise I might as well pick Be/Gl in the beginning.

(*) unless the 2-hander is extremely good.

[Sandman25]

I will train my skills in the optimal order. And then when I find a 2 hander, I will stick with a one-hander and shield because that is why I picked the fighter background.

I see, I am always going to use a shield when I start as Fi too. But then I find some 2h vampiric weapon in a different weapon category and have to switch if playing optimally

Edit. I believe switching to great mace from flail is optimal so it looks like you are training skills optimally while not using optimal weapon.

[Tungsten]

I will train my skills in the optimal order. And then when I find a 2 hander, I will stick with a one-hander and shield because that is why I picked the fighter background.

I see, I am always going to use a shield when I start as Fi too. But then I find some 2h vampiric weapon in a different weapon category and have to switch if playing optimally

I like shields for flavor and a different playing experience. If all I cared about was optimal play I'd pick MiBe every time. Plus I really hate "wasting" experience on skills that I won't use, even the small 3.0 in shields that a fighter gets in the start. I know its not truly wasted because it helps you in the early game, but it is what it is

[Sandman25]

Yeah, well if you're playing optimally wouldn't you always choose MiBe to begin with?

No. It's a common misconception, there are games (not crawl) where my win rate is higher but it does not mean I have to play them instead of crawl. The game starts after picking species/background.

Edit. It looks like we should stop editing our posts

[Tungsten]

Yeah, well if you're playing optimally wouldn't you always choose MiBe to begin with?

No. It's a common misconception, there are games (not crawl) where my win rate is higher but it does not mean I have to play them instead of crawl. The game starts after picking species/background.

That's subjective. For me, when I pick Fi, the goal is "play a tanky shield user optimally".

Edit. It looks like we should stop editing our posts

Haha yea