Shield Use Rank?

[Krubby]

Shield Use Rank shows as "Tactical Damage Rating/Modifier" on a Legendary Guardian's Belt.

The only abilities that I see that I have as a Guardian that are tactical are...

1. Litany of Defiance: Tactical Skill, Increases threat over time.
2. Frey the Edge: Resistance Cry.
3. Shield-Taunt: Laugh at enemy after bashing them with a Shield-Swipe(a Melee Skill), taunting them.
4. Challenge: Forced Attack.

None of these (Litany of Defiance, Frey the Edge, Shield-Taunt, Challenge) describe any kind of damage at all.

To me it seems as if Shield Use Rank is completely useless for a Guardian's Belt, and this is the main stat before adding legacies... Am I wrong? Am I missing something here?

[Iracham]

Shield use rank affects shield damage. The thing about tactical damage is a display bug.

[Krubby]

Alrighty, If this is correct that it modifies Shield Damage, what would the +18 Shield Use Rank be worth? Is it worth me investing my legacy points in it? Is there something that I can see that shows the conversion?

[rawlingsst7]

Off the top of my head, each rank was adding about 3 damage to Shield-Blow. Might be different for other shield skills.

[Grungnar]

Alrighty, If this is correct that it modifies Shield Damage, what would the +18 Shield Use Rank be worth? Is it worth me investing my legacy points in it? Is there something that I can see that shows the conversion?

Funny this comes up, as I was just doing the math on it last night... After figuring the numbers, one rank of Shield Use = roughly +1.6% shield damage. So, 18 Shield Use Rank = +28.8%. The thing about it, though, is that you start out at Rank 9 (on a 60 FA) and that is already 14.4% of the max 24% at Rank 15. So, for the 230 points it takes to max out the rank, you only gain 9.6% damage. Now, I'm just not convinced that it's worth putting the points into this until you have everything else you want to use on the belt maxed out. This just seems to be yet another one of those legacies that just having it gives you over half of the buff. I really would like to see this revisited by the devs, maybe make it also effect amount of threat produced by shield skills (including non-damaging ones). That would make it worth putting the points into it, at least.

[AceItcher]

Quick table I did when I was figuring out my points. I don't know how to make it format nice but if you follow the order of the columns you can see what I mean. I looked at the tool tip w/o belt and then after I raised the points up. The % column is the amount it went up from the previous tier. SB = shield-blow and SWIPE = just the shield portion of shield-swipe (the other part is a main hand attack and not affected by these legacies.) So if you look, ranking up shield damage up is a net effect of about +3.76% per tier on shield-smash vs 1.8-2.2% for shield-use rank. The last list is showing the 10% increase for the FoS trait line bonus. I didn't write down my might so YMMV somewhat but the %s are pretty close. (Ignore that middle -% row, not sure what the deal was with that!)


BASE SB BASH SWIPE SMASH SB% BASH% SWIPE% SMASH%
NO BELT 184 188 61 266
+12, 1% SD, 3% SS 224 236 77 346 21.74% 25.53% 26.23% 30.08%
+12 & 4% SD, 3% SS 230 243 79 356 3.26% 3.72% 3.28% 3.76%
+12 & 7% SD, 3% SS 237 249 81 366 3.80% 3.19% 3.28% 3.76%
+12 & 10% SD, 3% SS 243 257 83 376 3.26% 4.26% 3.28% 3.76%
+12 & 13% SD, 3% SS 250 263 86 386 3.80% 3.19% 4.92% 3.76%
+12 & 16% SD, 3% SS 256 270 89 396 3.26% 3.72% 4.92% 3.76%
+12 & 19% SD, 3% SS 263 278 91 406 3.80% 4.26% 3.28% 3.76%
+12 & 22% SD, 3% SS 269 284 93 416 3.26% 3.19% 3.28% 3.76%
+12 & 25% SD, 3% SS 277 291 95 426 4.35% 3.72% 3.28% 3.76%
+13 & 1% SD, 3% SS 227 240 78 351 -27.17% -27.13% -27.87% -28.20%
+14 & 1% SD, 3% SS 230 243 79 357 1.63% 1.60% 1.64% 2.26%
+15 & 1% SD, 3% SS 233 247 80 363 1.63% 2.13% 1.64% 2.26%
+16 & 1% SD, 3% SS 236 250 81 368 1.63% 1.60% 1.64% 1.88%
+17 & 1% SD, 3% SS 239 254 83 374 1.63% 2.13% 3.28% 2.26%
+18 & 1% SD, 3% SS 242 258 86 379 1.63% 2.13% 4.92% 1.88%
+13 & 25% SD, 3% SS 281 296 97 432 2.17% 2.66% 3.28% 2.26%
+14 & 25% SD, 3% SS 284 300 98 439 1.63% 2.13% 1.64% 2.63%
+15 & 25% SD, 3% SS 288 305 100 446 2.17% 2.66% 3.28% 2.63%
+16 & 25% SD, 3% SS 292 309 101 453 2.17% 2.13% 1.64% 2.63%
+17 & 25% SD, 8.5% SS 296 313 103 480 2.17% 2.13% 3.28% 10.15%
+17 & 25% SD,8.5% SS. FoS 319 339 111 516 12.50% 13.83% 13.11% 13.53%

[Krubby]

Thank you everyone, this info helps me out.

[happyballs]

I threw code tags around what Ace posted (credit and rep goes to Ace for data)

BASE			           SB	BASH	SWIPE	SMASH	SB%	  BASH%    SWIPE%	SMASH%
NO BELT			           184	188	61	266				
+12, 1% SD, 3% SS	           224	236	77	346	21.74%    25.53%   26.23%	30.08%
+12 & 4% SD, 3% SS	           230	243	79	356	3.26%	  3.72%	   3.28%	3.76%
+12 & 7% SD, 3% SS	           237	249	81	366	3.80%	  3.19%	   3.28%	3.76%
+12 & 10% SD, 3% SS	           243	257	83	376	3.26%	  4.26%	   3.28%	3.76%
+12 & 13% SD, 3% SS	           250	263	86	386	3.80%	  3.19%	   4.92%	3.76%
+12 & 16% SD, 3% SS	           256	270	89	396	3.26%	  3.72%	   4.92%	3.76%
+12 & 19% SD, 3% SS	           263	278	91	406	3.80%	  4.26%	   3.28%	3.76%
+12 & 22% SD, 3% SS	           269	284	93	416	3.26%	  3.19%	   3.28%	3.76%
+12 & 25% SD, 3% SS	           277	291	95	426	4.35%	  3.72%	   3.28%	3.76%
+13 & 1% SD, 3% SS	           227	240	78	351	-27.17%   -27.13%  -27.87%	-28.20%
+14 & 1% SD, 3% SS	           230	243	79	357	1.63%	  1.60%	   1.64%	2.26%
+15 & 1% SD, 3% SS	           233	247	80	363	1.63%	  2.13%	   1.64%	2.26%
+16 & 1% SD, 3% SS	           236	250	81	368	1.63%	  1.60%	   1.64%	1.88%
+17 & 1% SD, 3% SS	           239	254	83	374	1.63%	  2.13%	   3.28%	2.26%
+18 & 1% SD, 3% SS	           242	258	86	379	1.63%	  2.13%	   4.92%	1.88%
+13 & 25% SD, 3% SS	           281	296	97	432	2.17%	  2.66%	   3.28%	2.26%
+14 & 25% SD, 3% SS	           284	300	98	439	1.63%	  2.13%	   1.64%	2.63%
+15 & 25% SD, 3% SS	           288	305	100	446	2.17%	  2.66%	   3.28%	2.63%
+16 & 25% SD, 3% SS	           292	309	101	453	2.17%	  2.13%	   1.64%	2.63%
+17 & 25% SD, 8.5% SS	           296	313	103	480	2.17%	  2.13%	   3.28%	10.15%
+17 & 25% SD,8.5% SS. FoS	   319	339	111	516	12.50%	  13.83%  13.11%	13.53%

[Alexmook]

Very nice. +rep for both of you.

Additional +rep to whomever can translate this into what is best. It has been a long week at RL work and I seem to be out of brain power at the moment.

I recall another thread that concluded that if the points needed to increase Shield Use was less than half of those for the next tier of Shield Damage, then increase the Shield Use.

That is how I am configured now, but am close to a point reset for another legacy configuration and would like to try something new if the previous thread is off base.

[CQ-Reborn]

Additional +rep to whomever can translate this into what is best.

Translation -
The buff you get from just having it on your belt in the first place is more than adequate.
If you have extra points to spend after all your other legacies are at the level you want them, go ahead, it won't damage your belt. Otherwise its up to you.

[Dom12]

From Jungo's numbers:

The Increase % columns are what is gained adding each level to the legacy addressed in that section. The large increase at the top of the Shield Damage Legacy section is the gain going from no belt to the belt w/ the indicated attributes.

Benefit from leveling Shield Use Rank with Shield Damage Legacy at 1% (Shield Smash Legacy at 3%)
__Shield__Shield_______ _______________ ____Shield
_____Use____Blow____Bash___Swipe___Smash______Blow______Bash_____Swipe_____Smash___Average
____Rank__Damage__Damage__Damage__Damage__Increase__Increase__Increase__Increase__Increase
_____+12_____224_____236______77_____346
_____+13_____227_____240______78_____351_____1.63%_____2.13%_____1.64%_____1.88%_____1.82%
_____+14_____230_____243______79_____357_____1.63%_____1.60%_____1.64%_____2.26%_____1.78%
_____+15_____233_____247______80_____363_____1.63%_____2.13%_____1.64%_____2.26%_____1.92%
_____+16_____236_____250______81_____368_____1.63%_____1.60%_____1.64%_____1.88%_____1.69%
_____+17_____239_____254______83_____374_____1.63%_____2.13%_____3.28%_____2.26%_____2.33%
_____+18_____242_____258______86_____379_____1.63%_____2.13%_____4.92%_____1.88%_____2.64%

_______ ______ (Corrected) Average Increase: 1.30%_____1.50%_____1.86%_____1.53%_____1.49%
_______ ________ ___ (Added) Total Increase: 8.04%_____9.32%____11.69%_____9.54%_____9.65%

Benefit from leveling Shield Use Rank with Shield Damage Legacy maxed at 25% (Shield Smash Legacy at 3%*)
__Shield__Shield_______ _______ _______ ____Shield
_____Use____Blow____Bash___Swipe___Smash______Blow______Bash_____Swipe_____Smash___Average
____Rank__Damage__Damage__Damage__Damage__Increase__Increase__Increase__Increase__Increase
_____+12_____277_____291______95_____426
_____+13_____281_____296______97_____432_____2.17%_____2.66%_____3.28%_____2.26%_____2.59%
_____+14_____284_____300______98_____439_____1.63%_____2.13%_____1.64%_____2.63%_____2.01%
_____+15_____288_____305_____100_____446_____2.17%_____2.66%_____3.28%_____2.63%_____2.69%
_____+16_____292_____309_____101_____453_____2.17%_____2.13%_____1.64%_____2.63%_____2.14%
_____+17_____296_____313_____103_____480*____2.17%_____2.13%_____3.28%____10.15%*____2.53%*

_______ ______ (Corrected) Average Increase: 1.34%_____1.47%_____1.63%_____1.55%*____1.48%*
_______ ________ ___ (Added) Total Increase: 6.86%_____7.56%_____8.42%____12.68%_____7.61%*
_______ _______ _______ ________ ____ *Shield Smash legacy increased to 8.5% _______ _______ _____ *Omits Smash increase

Benefit from leveling Shield Damage Legacy (Shield Use Rank at +12 / Shield Smash Legacy at 3%)
__Shield__Shield_______ _______ _______ ____Shield
__Damage____Blow____Bash___Swipe___Smash______Blow______Bash_____Swipe_____Smash___Average
_____Leg__Damage__Damage__Damage__Damage__Increase__Increase__Increase__Increase__Increase
No belt:_____184_____188______61_____266
______1%_____224_____236______77_____346____21.74%____25.53%____26.23%____30.08%____25.90%
______4%_____230_____243______79_____356_____3.26%_____3.72%_____3.28%_____3.76%_____3.51%
______7%_____237_____249______81_____366_____3.80%_____3.19%_____3.28%_____3.76%_____3.51%
_____10%_____243_____257______83_____376_____3.26%_____4.26%_____3.28%_____3.76%_____3.64%
_____13%_____250_____263______86_____386_____3.80%_____3.19%_____4.92%_____3.76%_____3.92%
_____16%_____256_____270______89_____396_____3.26%_____3.72%_____4.92%_____3.76%_____3.92%
_____19%_____263_____278______91_____406_____3.80%_____4.26%_____3.28%_____3.76%_____3.78%
_____22%_____269_____284______93_____416_____3.26%_____3.19%_____3.28%_____3.76%_____3.37%
_____25%_____277_____291______95_____426_____4.35%_____3.72%_____3.28%_____3.76%_____3.78%

_______ ______ (Corrected) Average Increase: 2.69%_____2.65%_____2.66%_____2.63%_____2.66%
_______ ________ __ (Added) Total Increase: 23.66%____23.31%____23.38%____23.12%____23.37%

So shield skills get an average increase of about 1.3% per rank of Shield Use, and an average of about 2.7% per rank of the Shield Damage Legacy. Clearly, you want to level the damage legacy before the use attribute from a damage perspective. AFAIK, we haven't had any indication that the "Shield Use Rank" gives any +threat in addition to the damage increase. If it does, that would tip the scales a bit. If damage is all we're getting tho, then it's clearly inferior to the straight damage legacy.

Translation -
The buff you get from just having it on your belt in the first place is more than adequate.
If you have extra points to spend after all your other legacies are at the level you want them, go ahead, it won't damage your belt. Otherwise its up to you.

I assume CQ was referring to the damage legacy here. I left the "No Belt" baseline in the section that looks at the damage legacy, even tho the numbers are a bit misleading. For the %s to mean anything, you'd really need to compare a belt w/ the legacy to a belt w/o it. Comparing a belt w/ to no belt also includes the benefits from shield use rank. So the 25%+ improvement we see in the above numbers is from adding the legacy and adding the shield use rank and adding the shield smash legacy. It would be interesting to see the numbers from a similar belt w/o the damage legacy.


EDIT: I was referring back to this from another Shield Use vs Shield Damage post and for the life of me, I can't figure out how I got the numbers posted here. The %s are all higher than they should be.

I'm not gonna redo all the numbers, but I made a couple changes (the rows in red) above with my math fixed. I also added a totals row to each group and edited (red text) my follow up comments.

[Alexmook]

+rep to both for the breakdown.

Very impressive charts DOM12 and net formatting skills! I have reset my belt and maxed the Shield Damage legacy and just left Shield Use alone (ran out of points). I will see how this works compared to the last allocation.

[Maxal]

very nice work. Thank you to all who worked on providing this information to us guards who do not have the time.

Now for the bad news... I need a new belt!

[AceItcher]

What I have done is take that last tier of Shield-Damage and pump it back into shield-use. Those 66 pts (at T6) that it takes to max that last tier of shield-damage can give like 3 levels of shield-use. But that is often the way with that last tier of any expensive legacy. I used to do +4 melee targets on my weapon but I am back down +3 because those points can be better spent in other places.

And thanks Dom for bringing my sheet to life. I wish I knew the formatting better on the forums. I can't even figure out how to post screen shots. =)

[Celadaeras]

Has anyone looked to see if shield use adds effective level to your ability to block against higher-level mobs?

Like if your default Shield use is say 52 (your level) your abilities are as stated against same level but down against higher level and boosted against lower level. So if you boost your shield use it raises your effective Level when fighting a Mob and thus penalizes their attack/defence which is why you block/bash better and for more damage. Meaning a Guard without a belt equipped is treated as their level thus no modifiers and the same Guard with +4 shield use blocks as if 4-levels higher. So a shield equipped by a Lvl 55 Champ and the same shield on a 55 Guard with a +4 belt Blocks as if he were 59th level?

It might seem like the same thing but I see it as differently. It specifically mitigates the challenges of tanking higher level mobs by reducing their ability to get past your block based just on their level.

[Jaunt]

Block is checked only against the level of the mob involved. You don't have a blocking "level", you only have a block rating. If a level 1 guardian somehow had 9000 block, he'd be way overcap against level 1 mobs. His tooltip would be like 15%+90% partial or something. As he levels up, his block percentage doesn't go down, he is merely being compared against higher and higher level mobs. The fact that a level 90 mob could ignore half your blocks has nothing to do with your level, and everything to do with its level and your rating.

9000 block is 9000 block no matter what level you are. It's the attacker that matters.

So in essence, what you're suggesting is that Shield Use acts as a hidden multiplier to block rating. Since it doesn't show in the tooltip, the only possible test would be a series of timeconsuming and laborious records of very long series of attacks being blocked or not blocked. With that in mind, I invite you to do the experiment yourself.

[Celadaeras]

You could very well be right. However, if I can devise a method to test it exhaustively I will.

Having my Guard fight with the Shield use maxed versus not maxed against a higher level Mob I'll see how linear the progression is ... and if it makes my blocking skyrocket against a lower level mob. I'll see if there's a combat logger that will be detailed enough.

See I still think the max effective might be affected by the Shield use rank ... so against your own level its X, against higher levels its less effective but with a higher shield use the amount it is capped at is better. Just a theory ... and may all be the same thing but I can't help but think the primary benefit of the belt is better than it might appear ... but maybe I'm giving the Devs too much credit ... but I hope not.

[Iracham]

Just a theory ... and may all be the same thing but I can't help but think the primary benefit of the belt is better than it might appear ... but maybe I'm giving the Devs too much credit ... but I hope not.

Considering that the LM book intrinsic only modifies 4 skills (Share the Power, Beacon of Hope, Inner Flame and Wisdom of the Council) I think you're giving them waaaaaay too much credit. Plus they couldn't come up with anything more exciting for burgs than +incoming healing for their bag intrinsic. Oh, and let's not forget warden javelin's DPS and hunter melee 1h's DPS.

[Tech6425]

heh, i was just discussing this with my kin tonight... i have a guard that just obtained his first belt and wondered what the shield use rank meant.. none of us could come to a conclusion... i wondered if it modified the level of your shield attacks. a lvl 50 guard with a shield rank of +2 would be treated as a lvl 52 for resistance checks vs. shield attacks

[Iracham]

If that were how it worked (and I'm not saying that it is) then it would be calculated by 50+ShieldUse, not PlayerLevel+ShieldUse

A lot of skills (for all classes) stop scaling upwards post 50 in lieu of being modified by legendary items.

[Gelugon]

I like to add some anecdotal evidence to Celadaeras' thoughts.

When I switched from a level 60 2nd age to a level 65 2nd age belt. I experienced a noticeble increase in crits and devastates using Bash ( you dont miss huge yellow 600+ devastates on every 3rd bash) and I now experience Crits and Devastates on Sheild Smash. Prior to this change I NEVER had either on SS, in fact I wondered what good SS was.... Now, I'll take the 1500+ Devatstates every 7-10 SS's Not to mention the HUGE red threat flowers that come with these hits from Bash and SS.

Now, If I look at the character sheet, sheild use rank starts at 50, so +19 yeilds a rank of 69. With the level 60 belt it was 64. If your crit and devastate chance is based upon this rank (and it indicates level), and your effective cry penetration is based upon this rank....

What is the monster level of bossmobs at this time? Hmmm level 68

My conclusion, you max shield use rank first.

Would you delay maxing the DPS on your LI until after filling some other legacy?

-Glias - Windfola

[Celadaeras]

I like to add some anecdotal evidence to Celadaeras' thoughts.

What is the monster level of bossmobs at this time? Hmmm level 68

My conclusion, you max shield use rank first.

Would you delay maxing the DPS on your LI until after filling some other legacy?

-Glias - Windfola

That was my thought too.

[Dom12]

I decided to do a cost analysis on the Shield Damage vs Shield Use legacies. Here's the cleaned up analysis I did a year ago using Jungo's numbers posted earlier in this thread, with the legacy ranks and costs added:

• The Average Increase column is the average damage increase from increasing the legacy by 1 rank (it does not take into account the fact that you'll use some of these skills more than others, since I don't think that has a significant bearing on this topic).
• The Increase Per Point column is the average increase, divided by the amount of points required to gain that rank.
• The Total Point Cost column lists the total points needed to achieve that rank (not just the incremental amount used to calculate Increase Per Point). Note, I'm using the point costs from a second age L65 belt with the Shield Damage legacy at Tier 6.

Benefit from leveling Shield Use Rank with Shield Damage Legacy at 1% (Shield Smash Legacy at 3%)
__Shield__Shield________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____Shield__Total
_____Use____Blow____Bash___Swipe___Smash___Average____Increase______Use__Point
____Rank__Damage__Damage__Damage__Damage__Increase___Per Point_____Rank___Cost
_____+12_____224_____236______77_____346
_____+13_____227_____240______78_____351_____1.44%
_____+14_____230_____243______79_____357_____1.39%_____0.0993%_______2______14
_____+15_____233_____247______80_____363_____1.47%_____0.0702%_______3______35
_____+16_____236_____250______81_____368_____1.28%_____0.0427%_______4______65
_____+17_____239_____254______83_____374_____1.74%_____0.0425%_______5_____106
_____+18_____242_____258______86_____379_____1.95%_____0.0360%_______6_____160
_______ ______ ___________ Average Increase: 1.55%_____0.0582%
_______ ________ ___ _______ Total Increase: 9.28%

Benefit from leveling Shield Damage Legacy (Shield Use Rank at +12 / Shield Smash Legacy at 3%)
__Shield__Shield________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____Shield__Total
__Damage____Blow____Bash___Swipe___Smash___Average____Increase___Damage__Point
_____Leg__Damage__Damage__Damage__Damage__Increase___Per Point_____Rank___Cost
______1%_____224_____236______77_____346
______4%_____230_____243______79_____356_____2.78%_____0.3479%_______2_______8
______7%_____237_____249______81_____366_____2.71%_____0.2261%_______3______20
_____10%_____243_____257______83_____376_____2.74%_____0.1520%_______4______38
_____13%_____250_____263______86_____386_____2.87%_____0.1197%_______5______62
_____16%_____256_____270______89_____396_____2.79%_____0.0870%_______6______94
_____19%_____263_____278______91_____406_____2.62%_____0.0638%_______7_____135
_____22%_____269_____284______93_____416_____2.28%_____0.0438%_______8_____187
_____25%_____277_____291______95_____426_____2.50%_____0.0397%_______9_____250
_______ ______ ___________ Average Increase: 2.66%_____0.1350%
_______ ________ __ _______ Total Increase: 21.28%

So shield skills get an average increase of about 1.55% per rank of Shield Use, and an average of about 2.66% per rank of the Shield Damage Legacy. Clearly, you want to level the damage legacy before the use attribute from a damage perspective.

From those numbers, assuming +damage really is all we are getting from Shield Use (SU), and assuming Shield Damage is at tier 6, you should always take Shield Damage (SD) to rank 5 before putting anything into SU. At that point, go with SU 2 > SD 6 > SU 3 > SD 7 > SD 8 > SU 4 > SU 5 > SD 9...


EDIT: Just wanted to note that this doesn't take into account the recent discussion that Shield Use may impact your perceived level when using shield skills. As has been mentioned, if that's the case, it changes the priority significantly.

[MithrilSoul]

I like to add some anecdotal evidence to Celadaeras' thoughts.

When I switched from a level 60 2nd age to a level 65 2nd age belt. I experienced a noticeble increase in crits and devastates using Bash ( you dont miss huge yellow 600+ devastates on every 3rd bash) and I now experience Crits and Devastates on Sheild Smash. Prior to this change I NEVER had either on SS, in fact I wondered what good SS was.... Now, I'll take the 1500+ Devatstates every 7-10 SS's Not to mention the HUGE red threat flowers that come with these hits from Bash and SS.

Now, If I look at the character sheet, sheild use rank starts at 50, so +19 yeilds a rank of 69. With the level 60 belt it was 64. If your crit and devastate chance is based upon this rank (and it indicates level), and your effective cry penetration is based upon this rank....

What is the monster level of bossmobs at this time? Hmmm level 68

My conclusion, you max shield use rank first.

Would you delay maxing the DPS on your LI until after filling some other legacy?

-Glias - Windfola

This is very interesting. If shield use does indeed not only increase damage a small amount, but in essence gives you the "appearance" (to the game engine) of being a higher level then you actually are, when using shield based attacks, then it would make sense that crits and dev crits would go up.

However...this would be a huge pain to test. The only way I could see doing it was finding an area with a bunch of mobs (probably elites) all of the same type and same level, and attacking them with nothing but bash repeatedly, and marking down how often you crit. And doing that both with and without a belt equipped that had Shield Use maxed out (or close to maxed out). You'd need a pocket healer to keep you alive likely (since you'd get the best results fighting at-level or above-level mobs). And you'd need a ton of data points...probably at least 300-400 bashes each (with and without the LI), minimum.

Not sure I'm up to testing that, but if the theory is right, then it totally changes the game in terms of the value of the Shield Use inherent "legacy" on belts.

[DavadaOT]

Maybe there's an easier way to test this (or at least establish a correlation).

As a player naturally levels up from 1 to 50 (maybe further, I'm not sure), their shield skills will increase in damage. If the 'graph' of shield-bash damage, smash damage, etc, from 1-50 matches the graph of a post-50 player w/ 'Shield Use Rank' 12 (virtual level 62), 13 (virtual level 63), etc, then that at least strongly indicates that shield use rank uses the 'virtual level' as suggested.