Organized by James "Tao" Murphy
Please physically describe your shield; style, Heraldry colors etc?
My shield is a coffin/teardrop style punch shield, with a black border and background, and a gold dragon with its wings spread. The gold dragon is the symbol of Gold Squad, a subsection of the Chimeron militia that Ryu and I started, along with some other, when we joined. I've considered making a new shield or replacing the heraldry, but it really speaks to where I started from, and Hannah made such a fantastic little dragon that I don't really want to at this point.
How long have you had your shield?
The first picture I can find of it is paired with my newbie sword in mid-December 2021, so since then! Considering I started playing in October of 2021, that's almost my whole Realms career so far.
Is this your preferred shield style?
Frankly, a bigger shield just usually makes sense to me. It feels like the multi-tool of shields, I can be solid and steady, or I can take off after people without too much effort. The punch design rather than strap shield is also my preference, again for perceived versatility. I have and have used larger shields though, and those feel like something to lug around half the time. This size coffin shield makes the most sense for the way I play right now.
Have you ever tried a different style of shield?
Yep, I've got a 3' round, an 18" buckler, both punch style. I've also got a larger plywood strap shield, that one's definitely a door, albeit a small door. I've fought with all of them, they just don't hit that fighting sweet spot.
Who made it?
I made my shield! Stephen (Laika) invited Zack (Tony) and I over to his home in November/December of 2021 to help us make our first shields. He even got most of the materials for us, and cut out the designs on his Cricut.
Have you ever had to fix/repair/refoam it since it's original creation?
Yup, I have had to refoam (and thus retape) it once before. I think it's got another round of that coming up soon, though I try to store it well to avoid too much need for repair. I have to keep tightening the screws too, which like slowly backing out and turning the shield into a tambourine with the rattling washers. I'm pleased that the only part that I've had to replace so far has been the foam and tape!
What is your favorite move with the shield?
I am sure that I have a repertoire of moves that I do, but I haven't really spent the time to categorize and sort them. I do really enjoy when I fight folks who don't know me well and I get a small advantage due to them being surprised at the amount of forward aggressive movement I can have, rather than the expected solidity shield fighters often have. I have been trying to better learn and implement the move where you deflect a weapon to the shield, lift the shield, and come up to get your opponent in the chest. Perhaps I shouldn’t be giving away the moves I’m working on, but I’m very excited every time I pull it off so I’ve found myself telling folks anyways!
Do you have any interesting stories about the shield?
I have found that the shield is quite useful in helping me hide. Black is actually not as advantageous to hiding at night as some people think, but it certainly helps in a pinch when enemies are rushing by and the trees are already helping. The first time I deliberately hid behind it, I had regenerated near an incredibly difficult enemy, and I was all alone on the night quest. I started sneaking out of the area, ran, and we’ll say I deliberately and tactically went down into a dip in the ground. As the NPC was approaching I flipped my shield around so the gold was hidden. That bit of hiding bought me time so that allies could unknowingly distract the NPC from me. It felt really cool, to be able to use the tools I had for more than their intended purpose.
