I’ve been experimenting with the Ballistic Shield (BS) in various loadouts, and I’m really fond of it. It works great against automatons as long as you steer clear of those pesky rocket devestators. Plus, there’s something really satisfying about stealthily walking up to a factory strider and dropping thermite in its eye! But now, I’m scratching my head over the Directional Shield (DS). It feels like it breaks almost immediately, and from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t hold up well against explosives. I get that it can protect teammates, but I hardly find it worth it when it shatters so fast. At least their cooldowns match up, which is a plus. Can anyone explain why I might choose the Directional Shield over the Ballistic Shield? What situations actually favor the DS instead of the BS?
4 Answers
I prefer the Ballistic Shield since it protects from attacks coming from behind, which is a serious tactical advantage. The Directional Shield was cool for a short time—especially when playing with friends and using it as an area-of-effect barrier—but I find it less useful overall.
There are definitely some key differences. The main one being that the Directional Shield is larger, so it can protect more people, which isn’t insignificant. But the armor is where things get tricky—Ballistic Shields have heavy armor and perform better against light gunfire. If the Ballistic Shield breaks during a firefight, it’s gone for good. So really, in tougher missions, the DS might be better since it can handle damage from stronger foes.
One thing to consider is that the Directional Shield can recharge if it breaks, while if your Ballistic Shield breaks, you’re stuck waiting for the cooldown. Plus, the DS has a broader area of coverage, which makes it easier to shield teammates. But you’re right, it does seem to break pretty quickly, and that might need some adjustments from the devs.
I’ve noticed that the Directional Shield can sometimes break entirely with a strong hit, which could be a bug or just its design. It’s something to keep in mind!