Formicid Shields Training?

[arandomperson12]

Should a Formicid train shields beyond the minimum amount to use without penalty if it has reached mindelay but not maxed armour/dodging/fighting?

[VeryAngryFelid]

Yes. You can treat SH the same way as AC/EV and train skill that is more useful to increase at the moment: Armour, Dodging or Shields. Or alternatively you can train just all 3 simultaneously, it is not optimal but not too far from it after you have 9+ in each (assuming regular shield here of course). You will naturally have higher Armour and Shields than dodging this way.

[kuniqs]

There's ~8 SH difference for a large shield between 15 skill and 27 skill (and a lot of xp difference). Decide yourself if it's worth it.

[VeryAngryFelid]

There is ~7 AC (13*12/22=7.09) difference for plate armour and cloak/gloves/boots between 15 skill and 27 skill . That's why it is better to train all 3 defensive skills (4 if you count Fighting too).

[ZipZipskins]

There are several other skills in the game besides shields, armour, dodging, and fighting. Some of them are even attractive options!

[Airwolf]

You mean weapons?

[Rast]

Maybe he means evocations? Zip please clarify.

  Code:

      Skill           Level Cost   Apt       Skill           Level Cost   Apt
  a + Fighting        15.5  27.4   -1    f - Armour          13.1  16.0   +1
      Short Blades     0.0   1.2   -1    g - Dodging          4.4   4.2   +1
      Long Blades      0.0   1.0    0        Shields          0.0   0.8   +1
      Axes             8.6   4.2   +1   
  b - Maces & Flails  10.6  13.0    0        Invocations      0.0   0.6   +3
  c - Polearms         2.2   1.2   -1    i - Evocations      11.3   8.9   +3
      Staves           5.8   1.2   -1    j - Stealth         10.1   7.7   +3
  d - Unarmed Combat   0.0   1.2   -1   
                                         
      Bows             0.0   1.7   -3   
      Crossbows        0.0   0.8   +1   
  e - Throwing         1.7   2.4   -1   
      Slings           1.2   0.8   +1   

[VeryAngryFelid]

Obviously it is translocations. Lesser beckoning is really attractive.

[Shard1697]

I don't bother but it's not a terrible choice. I just don't go far enough to get enough XP that I wouldn't rather keep putting XP into fighting(and armor) instead

[lethediver]

There is ~7 AC (13*12/22=7.09) difference for plate armour and cloak/gloves/boots between 15 skill and 27 skill . That's why it is better to train all 3 defensive skills (4 if you count Fighting too).

Armor training improves spell success rate much longer than shields training

[ZipZipskins]

Evocations are okay yeah

[VeryAngryFelid]

There is ~7 AC (13*12/22=7.09) difference for plate armour and cloak/gloves/boots between 15 skill and 27 skill . That's why it is better to train all 3 defensive skills (4 if you count Fighting too).

Armor training improves spell success rate much longer than shields training

If you want to improve spell success rate, you should not train armour for that unless we are talking about level 7+ spells when skills become much more expensive.