DoubleBear ZRPG Design Update
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Category: News ArchiveHits: 1330
Shields and bracers must be carried in the secondary weapon slot to be considered equipped, but they are never a primary weapon. Bracers can be worn without impacting operation of a two-handed weapon. Shields, due to their size and needing a free hand to hold them, cannot be used with two-handed weapons. This means that to get the benefit of a shield, the player has to have a one-handed weapon (either melee or ranged) in their primary slot.
Shields and bracers add to the character's defense and resistances. For example, the dog sleeve (a bracer) contributes to the player's bite resistance and provides a tiny defense boost. Shields (not bracers)have the additional benefit of offering up a bash attack, which can knock enemies down or back. There are some accuracy penalties for using shields, and sometimes penalties to AP from the larger, bulkier shields. This tends to make them better for melee weapons than guns, since diminished accuracy is less of a problem for close-combat fights. Wearing the shield also means that switching to another weapon requires opening up the inventory screen, which can sometimes be an unwelcome cost in combat.
