Why is using a sword and shield combination now seen as outdated or cowardly?

>>717067556 (OP)
it isnt, but most games dont do shields interestingly and theyre often just a crutch instead of a more interesting tool

Just rollslop bro.

>>717067556 (OP)
what?

>>717067618
this, even games more inclined toward realism fail at making shields interesting

>>717067556 (OP)
Best games where you can be a sword and shield user?

>>717067618
>>717067669
What is doing shields "interestingly"? Are you complaining about how they don't also let you use them to surf down stairs while firing arrows at orcs or are you just bitching and moaning about shields being used as they were actually used?

>>717067713
i heard its fun in monster hunter

>>717067713
Elden Ring

>pick sword and shield
>never use the shield because it's more effective to just swing the sword and stagger the enemy
>dodging is easier and lets you still attack
>shield blocking eats your stamina so you cant hit the enemy
Sword and Shield is seen as bad because game devs can't bother making them good.

>>717067713
guild wars 2
every class that can use a sword and shied uses it differently

>>717067556 (OP)
soulsfags who thought pressing a single button at the right time was an accomplishment.

>>717067556 (OP)
What happened to incredibly crafted, stunning 2D animation?

>>717067556 (OP)
It's obsolete. Who needs a shield when you can ROLL?

>>717067762
You can use a shield offensively, 99% of games you just hold it up and the interaction is entirely passive, it's just oh you didn't take damage, boring

>>717067556 (OP)
because you have less damage which makes it harder to use

>>717067931
3D animation ended up replacing it by and large. Current animators may not actually have the skill to make good 2D animation anymore. Lilo and Stitch (the good one) had to call in favors from older animators on how to properly draw and animate the water color backgrounds used in the movie.

>>717067713
dark souls sword and board build is busted. enemies in the game are easy as fuck to parry in comparison to later games, also the shield makes it easy to strafe and fish for backstabs.
I did a sword + medium shield run once and loved it.

>>717067762
>you dont get to have interesting counter attacks
>you dont get to have interesting bashes and attacks

Let me give you three different examples
Lets suppose youre a kid playing Dark Souls 1 or Skyrim on release. The shields there work ideally for that slow dark fantasy gritty thing, even if you mostly just block attacks and do the occasional parry. But it sometimes comes off as crutchy with how you can avoid attacks more 'skillfuly' in more rewarding ways. Thats a middle of the road scenario
And then you have a game where shields are terrible, like No Rest For The Wicked. The shield only serves as a shitty boring crutch in an action-focused game that has little to no interesting use for it, otherwise its a stat stick because you can parry with literally every other weapon.

And then you have a sick shield, Black Prior from For Honor
>he can synchronize a shield clash and a sword swing to defend and attack at the same time
>his shield bash is a menace of neutral pressure
>cool spinning bash that catches people on a different timing
>also his giga-counter is that he can fucking flip you with his shield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOIaKczyht0

>>717067931
the animators they kept in chains died from malnutrition, and afterwards it was impossible to find anyone else to work for 2 cents an hour for their skilled labour.

>>717067762
by remembering that a shield is a weapon as well and getting hit by one actually is lethal/crippling

>>717068031
>enemies in the game are easy as fuck to parry in comparison to later games
i felt like dark souls 2 was also pretty easy to parry with a small shield
Dark souls 3 was harder to parry but on the other hand, you could destroy many bosses with parries

>>717067556 (OP)
soulsgroids

>>717067964
Shields are a terrible offensive weapons and were not designed to be used that way.

>>717068142
>attacking at the same time as you defend
>powerful pushes and rams alongside thrusts considering youre actually using a large ass shield
that is offensive

now what about a small buckler? small bucklers are actually very 'outright' offensive, their smaller but denser package makes them very powerful for punching shit
Also, its a videogame for fucks sake. 99% of videogames dont have remotely near realistic weapon attacks. You play something like Dark Souls or Skyrim and everyone is swinging their weapons like a retard. So why cant shields get a similar treatment?

>>717068117
>and getting hit by one actually is lethal/crippling
Not really. Shields, by design, spread out impact. That's why they work for defense and it's also why they don't work for offensive all that well. They're not designed to be wielded as an offensive weapon and all you really achieve by awkwardly attempting to pull that off is sacrificing a very effective defense.

>>717067931
The western industry? It died like 30-20 years ago because people prefer 3D and CGI slop over 2D.

>>717067713

Link in every 3D version of him.

>>717067762
>Are you complaining about how they don't also let you use them to surf down stairs while firing arrows at orcs
nta but that sounds sick, more games should do this. like the slide mechanics of the cardboard box in MGSV but for your shield.

>>717067556 (OP)
>>717067820
I genuinely think MoHun is the answer to OP's question though. I'm.notnsure about the most recent games but in the earlier ones sword and board was ridiculously OP to the point that the community would shit on SnS players.

>>717067820
even in monster hunter, you rarely use the shield on SnS outside of going for stuns like once a hunt.
its bad defensively, and the sword has better DPS and applies status/ele unlike the shield

>>717067931
Institutional knowledge on 2d largely went away in big animation studios with the proliferation of 3d and the old guard dying of old. Its also way more expensive in the US, Anime gets away with it cause they cheap out like crazy and they're closer to their inbetween studios. The demand for it in the US is also very low for non-childrens stuff, so even if a studio wanted to and could convince someone to finance it, they'd be met by a flop (and why would you spend an assload of money on childrens stuff when they're fine with 3d)

>>717067931
did you know we have accurate maps of the world that were made during the ice age over 10000 years ago
and we only became able to make similarly accurate maps about 250 years ago

>>717068569
We have maps from a time that predates the invention of paper? I find that hard to believe.

>>717068696
I'm pretty sure he meant 1000, the same way the Greeks were able to roughly estimate the size of the Earth as well as inferring the spherical nature of the planet centuries before anyone was able to verify that information.

>>717067618
>>717067762
The main practical issue with shields in games is that making them mechanically interesting depends on actual physics simulation of weapon strikes/collisions, which is really only found in a few VR games where it's basically the entire focus of the mechanics. Any modern game could handle the actual simulation part, but without motion controls it's not going to be fluid/intuitive for the player to control.

>>717067931
bro we don't even have good 3d animators and 3d animation is 10x as expensive and no longer cheaper.

>>717067931
Doing better now than during the "golden age" of disneyslop. If you actually cared about it, you'd know.

>>717067556 (OP)
I wanna fuck that dragon.

>>717068927
Is that from the same studio that made Song of the Sea and Book of Kells? Those were great, sadly a little niche outside of Ireland I bet.

>>717068772
you think the ice age happened 1000 years ago?

there are old maps that show europe being covered in ice and maps that show the antarctica shoreline with no ice
those maps could only have been made very long time ago
we don't have the original maps, but we have copies of them that were made 500 years ago

Most games overwhelmingly favor aggression. Even in games with more nuanced shield mechanics, an all-out offensive playstyle will be the most optimized way to play. And games that fall into this path will often die off.

>>717068994
>we don't have the original maps, but we have copies of them that were made 500 years ago
Why don't you think those maps from 500 years ago are the originals? That would actually be plausible. Your claim is not plausible.

>>717068373
>western
nigga, it died in the east too. most anime you watch is heavily 3D. when it isn't, everyone laughs at "QUALITY". redline was literally one of the last hand drawn, cel-by-cel films of its caliber ever made and that came out almost 20 years ago.

>>717068942
Same.

>>717067556 (OP)
Mainly because of le dodge roll shit. Has faggot who decided that it's such a useful spammable move ever tried to perform it himself? Rhetorical question of course, that lardass would break his neck if he tries.
The most nonsensical part is stamina related balance. Blocking vs an opponent of comparable mass is orders of magnitude less taxing than dodging.

>>717069060
hmmm... nyo

>>717069056
>Why don't you think those maps from 500 years ago are the originals?
because we didn't have the technology then to make those maps and europe wasn't covered in ice, meanwhile antarctica was covered in ice
I forgot that I'm dealing with low IQ brown people here, my mistake

>>717067556 (OP)
You only play fromslop
Try sns in monster hunter

>>717067556 (OP)
His shield projects more power than his sword here.

>>717068523
only because SnS was almost always the default starting equipment so it often meant those player never even tried any of the other equipment or were too dumb to figure out how to switch
performance of the weapon is also kind of poor unless you knew what you were doing, except in the one game they gave us blade oils, but then never brought that idea back

>>717067931
no one cared to learn it
no one cared to pass it on
people would rather go to US American Art colleges instead of aprenticing the people who spend their careers making animation like that

>>717067556 (OP)
>>717067713
>>717067762
For Honor Figured it out years ago
https://youtu.be/ztHs7o7PgVA

>>717068531
>barely use shield
Not in rise
https://youtu.be/ux4biV1_n9M?feature=shared

>>717067931
Nobody care about handcrafted art anymore, they rather have ai generated movies

>>717069524
clasical animation was dead long before generative AI anything

>>717069442
Rajang BETTER not show his dumb monkey ass in Wilds. We already have 3 monkeys, we don't need anymore.

>>717068886
3D animation was never cheaper than 2D. 2D just took longer, so Disney favored the quicker, but more expensive 3D to cycle revenue faster. And then now you've got talent drain with few animators left and fewer choosing the learn the craft.

>>717069060
i love redline :)

>>717068271
>Not really. Shields, by design, spread out impact.
That's why they have a rim, that used to be (especially later) actually reinforced metal. You attack with the rim, and let me tell you, helmet or not, you won't like taking a "left hook" shield rim to your gob, any more than you'd like the sword.
Otherwise, pushing/pressing with the flat of the shield for control over your opponent's actions/limb/vision is also brutally underutilized in games.

>>717069830
>choosing the learn the craft.

why blame them? AI will replace them in a few years

>>717068142
Interesting =/= realistic

>>717067556 (OP)
because some guide writer said that rolling around like a little faggot is more effective.

Face tanking no matter if with the whole armor or shield will and is always the real mans way.

>>717070508
>I sacrificed my effective defense to awkwardly try to attack someone in a way that is easily avoided using something not intended to be used as an offensive weapon and leaving me open to a potentially deadly counter attack
Historically, shields were used only as shields. They were reinforced to make them more effective as shields, not as weapons. I am an expert.

>>717067762
>Are you complaining about how they don't also let you use them to surf down stairs while firing arrows at orcs
Honestly now that you mention it, BOTW/TOTK did shields really well.

I like my shield BIG
I like my shield STOUT
I like my shield deflecting blows and redirecting the dragon's flame
So I will never
EVER
be outside of stabbing range
I like my wall with TEETH
Cowardly my ass. Do your fucking backflips. Dive into the bushes for cover. Dodge and hide like "the brave hero" you are. Have a quick jerk into each other's mouth while you wait for your turn. I'll be in the middle of the clearing.
Come get me, mother fucker.
Let's see those claws and teeth. I could use a new talon for my necklace.
You will not topple this rook.

>>717070981
i just started playing and wanted to try a new weapon after longsword. i was gonna do charge blade but you convinced me i should do lance instead

>>717071376
Lance is the best weapon of all time especially if you don't evade lance like everyone ends up doing eventually.

>>717067556 (OP)
modern fantasy prefers the longsword over the arming sword or viking sword. See the lord of the rings films where anduril is made into a longsword, or game of thrones where jon uses what is called in universe a bastard sword, but what is in reality a longsword.
this is in contrast to anduril in the lord of the rings books, which is almost certainly a one-handed sword, which fits the general technology level.
It seems that at some point popular fantasy advanced from early/high middle ages where one-handed swords and mail was common, to high/late middle ages with plate armor and two-handed weapons.

>>717067556 (OP)
Why use that when you can just ROLL?

>>717071883
The best fantasy media just lets the hero use a Longsword in one hand with a shield as the default.
It might not be actually viable, but the bigger blade looks better,.
Like in the OP that thing is at least half his body, but it looks cool.

>>717072897
yes it's obviously stylized, the shield is also oversized
but the point is that one handed swords are out of fashion

>>717067556 (OP)
sex with maleficent

>>717067556 (OP)
Because you can press a button to roll so you have i-frames. And modern game deva can do nothing but copy because they are talentless, soulless golems.

>>717067713
valheim

>>717067931
Cool it with the antisemitism.

>>717067762
If it were me, assuming the game as a button for each weapon Dark Soul style:
>Character automatically block attacks from the front if they are not doing something else.
>Shield attacks consist of bashing and tackling the enemies
>Normal combo is two-hit. The first move has the character bash the enemies, the second move is a much stronger strike using the edge of the shield.
>Run + attack is a tackle
>(Air) attack is you flattening the enemy below

Give me a game that lets you use a shield to block dragonbreath, but the breath interacts with the shield like pic related

Thanks Doc

>>717068531
The shield outdamages the sword in base World and even outdamaged sword rush spam in Iceborne before it was overbuffed.

>>717067713
Colosseum:Road to freedom

>>717067762
A shield is a big heavy chunk of wood with a metal rim, no different than being hit with a massive club

>>717067556 (OP)
she looks so hot like that

>>717067931
Toy Story happened.
It opened the door for 3d to be mainstream

>>717068142
retard

>>717075197
literally only runescape

>>717067618
This. SnS in Monster Hunter is a good example of how it can be cool, where you use the shield more as an additional tool to beat the shit out of things as opposed to a "press L1 to ignore mechanics" copout.

>>717067713
Mount & Blade really makes you appreciate shields when the enemy has massed archers.

>>717067556 (OP)
>lust provoking image

>>717076767
>evil dragon facing against sword and great shield with christian symbol
>lust provoking image
anon...

>>717076871
seeing christians get killed turns me the fuck on

>>717068772
Leather, clay, duh.

>>717067556 (OP)
Phillip is such a chad.

>>717067556 (OP)
Maleficient Dragon is the best dragon ever.

>>717076963
Then I have bad news for you: the dragon doesn't win. How uncultured can one be to have not seen Sleeping Beauty?

>>717077240
My headcanon is that he dies.

>>717067556 (OP)
>shield
What scared of getting hit like a woman? Twohanders and dual Chads got the right idea

vgh, sovl...

Sleeping Beauty is so good, how did they get it so right once and they never managed to repeat it.

>>717067931
Competency crisis.
Traditional art and animation was mostly a filter that got rid of shitty artists, digital art is a lot easier to get into so the average quality dropped but so did the height. If things are a lot easier theres no real reason to put effort in.
You can see it in manga too, traditionally trained artists like the artists for vagabond or berserk are a lot better then more modern artists who have only ever done things digitally. The guy doing the OPM redraw is very good, but he was old enough to be a traditional artist but now also uses a lot of digital effects and traces over 3d models.

>>717077413
>>717067556 (OP)
Because its ez-mode.

>>717077807
>traces over 3D models
Rotoscoping tho

You can't even remember the prince's name.

>>717067556 (OP)
I love how every tale white people especially blond Europeans have grown up with are now in 2025 classified as antisemitic, racist and sexist dogwhistles.

CHOP YOUR DICK OFF AND TAKE YOUR MEDS INCEL, THE VIKINGS WHERE NOT WHITE AND THEY WERE MUSLIMS, THE SCIENCE IS SETTLED.

>>717077921
Aurora
>bbut she's a girl
Idc

>717077983
>trying to destroy a good thread
Eugh

>>717067556 (OP)
Why give a shit what losers say?

>>717077983
I don't give a fuck about what a Jew says about my people's united history.

>>717067713
dragon's dogma: dark arisen

>>717067713
If you're open to survival/crafting games, Conan Exiles.

>>717077413
Some dragons use lightning bolts, how would you stop those.

>>717075197
I recall being able to block Fatalis' breath attack in MH World and the flames 'split' around your shield and provide a safe spot directly behind you for other players.

>>717067618
yeah, shields just aren't fun in most games. Pathfinder 2 ripped apart its action economy to try and make shields cool and failed.

>>717076414
yes
>>717068841
Protection warrior in wow is a ton of fun. You have mobility and you do big fucking shield slams by turning defensive buffs into offensive buffs.
>>717068841
we just need better RPG design

>>717078586
https://youtu.be/nFC8SbAI0CE

>>717067556 (OP)
That is a cute dragon. I bet its a girl.
Did the warrior try bringing her a gift and make friends instead of invading her liar and trying to kill her?

>>717067713
VR games like Blade and Sorcery

>>717078772
That dragon is a woman and they could have avoided all of it if they had invited her to the parties but no, the fairies are such bitches that they poisoned the king with lies, Maleficient did nothing wrong, she was just a lonely goth.

>>717075197
that's the entire idea behind Passage of Arms (paladin skill from FF14) but it's just visuals and dumb magic

>>717078586
God, Fatalis was such an excellent finale for World. "Evil fire-breathing dragon in a ruined castle" just played completely straight.

why didnt maleficent show price whats his name her pusy
thatd work, showing her hag pusy off
and if that doesnt work, turn into a dragon then show off her cloaca

>>717067713
Dragon's Dogma 1/2

>>717067713
Stranger of Paradise
Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen

>>717068927
You posted Cartoon Saloon's worst movie

Dagger and shield is too often snubbed.

>>717067713
Dragon’s Dogma. I liked beating the shit out of skeletons with a shield.

>>717067931
Disney killed off their 2d division because of shrek and the latest 3d movies being all the rage and the industry has never recovered since.

Magic shields are cooler

>>717067931
I watched the original Snow White for the first time a few weeks ago, and the animations are better than 99% of the stuff I've seen before it. I was genuinely floored; how the hell is everyone still being mogged by the very first animated product that came out almost 100 years ago?

>>717084891
that was my opinion when i last watched it with my kids. beautiful visuals from passionate people

Sword and board is literally the god their combination.