ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

When playing a character with a shield, when do you typically block? Every time it comes off cool down, when everything else is on cool down, or some other strategy. I frequently just forget about it with classes that have a shield, which is probably why I tend not to be terribly effective using those classes.

Depends on the situation. If you're surrounded and have lots of skills on cooldown, it can be a good way to buy yourself some time. Or if you know your opponent has a powerful skill they are about to use.

Remember that you can block more than physical - each element of resist on your shield you can also block too. Great for those hordes of dragons when they breathe right away, negate most of that with block then kill them off.

But I'll admit even with my Bulwark I don't use it much. It's better to just kill things fast.

It really depends on if you have Riposte or not on the character for when using Block becomes a common occurrence or more fill in when you have nothing else to do with your time. If you have Riposte talent, then you can snap Counterstrike Debuffs on any enemy that you can Block damage against - then follow up with a high damage talent like Assault to inflict some serious carnage.

Any other time though, Block is more of a fill in between cooldowns.