Why can't Death Knights use shields again?

[JacobusRex]

Since Death Knights are Tanks, why can't they use shields? Druid bears and Vengeance Demon Hunters don't need shields because they're going to be meat walls so they're the special cases. Why can't they have "Rune Shields" to compliment their "Rune Blades". It's not like Rune weapons are their own weapon class like Warglaives after all. Don't get me wrong, I like Blood using anti-magic shields and bone barriers but that's not an actual blocking mechanic. Is it just that Blood DK's are the avoidance tanks now or is there a real reason they don't have shields? And besides, if they're going for avoidance, why not give Blood Dual 1-handers and give Frost the 2-handers? >.>

[A Chozo]

They don't need to.

Samurai Jack almost never used a shield and was quite capable of fending every single attack delivered against him!

Seriously now, it's, again, about the class flavor. They defend with their weapons.

[RuneDK]

By your last statement it seems like youre one of those dont get rid of 2H frost people complaining that blizzard is refining frost to dual wield only.

[Maxweii]

Especially with DK's tank spec being made specifically into Blood, it makes more sense for them not to have a shield. Why block the incoming damage when the more you take the more you can siphon back from the enemy? Of course some blows would naturally be dodged or parried as we are seasoned warriors of battle, but our true defensive power relies in siphoning back the damage we are dealt and otherwise protecting ourselves with magical shields/protective spells

[Luthadal]

Bone shield... there, you have it.

[Deleted]

Because we don't need it. We have spells for it. Blood Shield, Bone Shield, Anti-Magic Shell. When magic does it better for us than a shield why bother with a shield? We also steal life essence of others. Hurt? Steal life (Death Strike).

Our defense comes from our magic - yes, DKs use magic :P

Blood was pretty much always 2h as dps and as tank and later when they decided for blood to be the only tank spec (preferred it as dps) they stuck to 2h and it makes sense.

PS

DK in the past had very high parry. ~40-50% was easily reachable. We also have Dancing Rune Weapon that increases our parry.

[Maxweii]

DK in the past had very high parry. ~40-50% was easily reachable. We also have Dancing Rune Weapon that increases our parry.

Somehow I very easily forget that spell even exists haha. Even though it's really really awesome

[Sierra85]

i'd have no issue with monk tanks, DK's and bears using shields.

[Maxweii]

i'd have no issue with monk tanks, DK's and bears using shields.

I kinda want bears to have one now just because it would likely be stuck to their forehead in some sort of comical manner

[caervek]

Since Death Knights are Tanks, why can't they use shields? Druid bears and Vengeance Demon Hunters don't need shields because they're going to be meat walls so they're the special cases.

Originally, blood tanks were modified bears, unholy tanks were based on tankadin playstyle and frost tanks were kind of similar to warriors, when they reduced DK's from 6 specs to 3 so they could be tuned easier they reworked blood. It's now been it's own design for a couple of expans, and death strike generates shields.

[Zorish]

Shields? We don't need shields!
Let the enemy think that you are fragile! Let them come! Let them try to crush you! Till the very end - when they starting to understand that you CAN'T DIE - let them come! Drink their life, wash in their blood and bone! Let their own flesh betray them and serve you as a protection! Break bones and use them as a weapon wich don't need hands(bonestorm and bone shield)! Spill their blood and use it as a barrier between your skin and their weapons(Blood shield)! Drink their life essence to sustain yourself and continue fighting(self-healing)! THEY MUST BE SCARED TO DEATH! Why they attack us? CAUSE THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE MOST DANGEROUS THING ON THE BATTLEFIELD! Paladins and warriors - are wall, Demon hunters and monks are shuffle around amusing their enemy as bee, Bears just to fat to pass by them, but we... We are projection of Death! They think if they kill us - they will evade their end? Laugh at them when their last breath come from their mouth!

srsly we are the reapers! an abomination! We already know death better than noone!

[Deleted]

no, just no
play warrior or paladin if you want shields
and not everything sounds fitting for dks if you just put "rune" in front of it
a "rune shield" is just as a bad idea like a "rune jetski" and a "rune sombrero"

[Lady Velvet]

Because using a shield wouldn't be edgy enough.

[Sunnydee]

Im more curious of why you'd want dk to use one? there's 2 other classes out there that tanks with shield if you feel you need one.

[Nayami]

Death knights are way too bad ass to hide being shields. We either fend of attacks with our blade or dodge, if that fails we block the attack with our face, because that's how bad ass Death knights are.

a "rune shield" is just as a bad idea like a "rune jetski" and a "rune sombrero"

Lol'd at rune sombrero

[hydrium]

Lorewise.....

The first wave of Death knights were orc warlocks, they solely used magic.

The second wave of DKs were paladins who destroyed their armaments for a rune blade and steed.

The third wave of DKs (the ones we play) are just fresh out of the dirt corpses modeled after the second wave DKs which disregarded anything other than weapons of sheer brutality. Their only real purpose was to draw out Tirion Fordring.

[Lupinemancer]

Don't you remember that when it was released Blizzard said they wanted a Tank that didn't need a shield!?

[Moxal]

a "rune shield" is just as a bad idea like a "rune jetski" and a "rune sombrero"

Ahh... This made my morning, thank you so much.

On topic, it's the class theme (apparently "fantasy" now) to tank with a 2H.

Now that I think about it, even now (pre-DH) there are less tanks that use shields than ones that don't.

[Deleted]

If you want shields, go warrior or pala..

[Bluey111]

DKs dont use shields because they heal their damage back up by stealing the life force of their enemy, they brute force tank.