Shield dok viable?

[Mournblade]

A lot of people focus too much on what’s optimal instead of what they actually enjoy. Shield DoK is a solid pick if you like a hybrid playstyle—it excels in small-scale fights, scenarios, and roaming, where its survivability and group utility shine. You can keep your team alive while still putting out respectable pressure.

That said, in large-scale warband play, it struggles. You’re not tanky enough to frontline like a true tank, and your healing output won’t match a dedicated backline healer. If you want to contribute in warbands, having a chalice set for pure healing is a good idea. Otherwise, if you prefer small-scale content, shield DoK can be a blast.

[Zxul]

Shield DoK is a solid pick if you like a hybrid playstyle—it excels in small-scale fights, , and roaming, where its survivability and group utility shine.

if you prefer small-scale content, shield DoK can be a blast.

So how exactly are you planning to deal with kiting am- probably the most common small scale roamer? Or, if you only plan to roam in party, with say a pair of kiting am and kiting sw?

[Mournblade]

So how exactly are you planning to deal with kiting am- probably the most common small scale roamer? Or, if you only plan to roam in party, with say a pair of kiting am and kiting sw?

Player skill is a huge factor. Most AMs I run into struggle with kiting and crumble as soon as they’re snared and pressured. The ones who can kite well stand out—you remember them and learn to avoid engaging on their terms. But kiting isn’t inevitable; you can anticipate and counter it, and not every zone is just an open field.

According to the Deathblow addon, I have the highest K/D ratio against AMs compared to any other class. Like I said, if you’re looking for the most optimal choice, play something else. But Shield DoK trades well for what it sacrifices and is one of the most fun playstyles in the game.

[Aluviya]

I'd urge you to watch some past streams of ranked (if they are still up on twitch) there are some very gifted SnB DoK's and WP's out there. They kinda show the odd's and benefits of an SnB in a nutshell. https://www.twitch.tv/uchoo might be a good stream to ask.