Ok, so let me look at this. To make the diamond shield... goldsmithers have to get 4 diamonds (600k) and Platinum sheets (current price? I'm gunna guess a lot). So then, the shield goes to the alchemists and they turn it into an ice shield with a 12 gil item, and another item that people usually toss from their inventory? This, is, insane. It doesn't even make sense, salty water makes shields give ice spikes effect? -shakes his head- The world has gone mad...
On Ramuh the Diamond Shield sells for 3 mil and the ice shield for 2.5-3mil. Alchemist either break even or lose around 500k. I don't mind breaking even but it does suck when you have such large investments in a single item. Also, Diamonds are going for 250k on Ramuh atm; so on my server the Goldsmiths have the upper hand. *Sigh*
Possibly because salt allows water (and liquids with water in them) to go to a much lower temperature. Compair crystals of ice that can't go below 32 F then look at a liquid -32 F both affixed to a metal sheild, then decied which would be more fun to get hit by...
as a side note we alc still have to buy the diamond sheild and usually sell this for less....
The spikes effect of this shield kicks off randomly.. I would guess less than 30% chance for sure.
The dmg the spikes can do seems to cap at about 18dmg 'when' it does kick on. Also "when" the spikes kick on you have a 50% chance or so I would 'guess' for the monster to be paralyzed for the next 3 or 4 turns. On occasions I've seen the monster is paralyzed, then not, then paralyzed, then paralyzed... or any combo of 3 paralysis and then 1 not. But usually always 3 or 4 for sure directly after the spikes effect 'if' the effect causes paralysis.
This paralysis effect from this shield overwrites the spell "Paralyze" effect. So if your rdm casts paralyze and you as a pld wear this shield and the spikes effect happens to kick in and paralyze the monster then the spell paralyze is gone and the shield's paralysis effect is in place. (rdm should recast paralyze after the 3-4 paralyzed attacks in a row if you want to maintain some sort of paralyzed effect on the monster)
Overall the shield's spikes are aprox twice as powerful as the blm/rdm spell "Ice Spikes" with the real difference being that it's very random whether or not the effect will kick on.
Note: Most of my knowledge of this shield comes from tanking VT and lower as rdm/war in skill pts.
I think this is a waste of 1 mil gil. If you want to keep hate from the Drk in full Hauberk and thick gear you better stay with enmity especially in Xp party. I am not paying that kind of gil for an unreliable Ice Spikes spell. It does very little damage to ITs and 2-3 pts per and doesn't work on every hit. It's a novelty at best. I know several people that sold back with in a day of purchase. Hope this clears things up. I will wait for Koenig (1 more level!).
It doesn't always deal the ice spikes to the mobs. At least to the EPs i soloed. I have yet to try against ITs....maybe it will effect the rate of spike effect.
When fighting EPs it did ice spikes damage on average 3 times per battle. The ice spikes also do paralyze the mobs sometimes.
Augustin i am on fairy also and am working on alchemy i have it at 72 right now and i have 700k to put into it. send me a tell sometime. character name is Threndal
I truely believe this shield is called the "Ice Shield" do to its increase defense to ice and it has ice spikes on it , not just one or the other . This can be bought at the AH for around 600 to 700k . I have seen about a dozen RDMs with this and they all say its one of the best shields a RDM can buy .
I am currently a level 65 RDM on Fairy and been drooling over this for some time now . I plan to buy this as soon as I have the gil and place it into my mog safe.
This is a wicked shield! OMG ice spikes on the main tank! Rigged! Vit+2 and WICKED RESISTANCES! OMG! Kinda odd the beastmaster can use this. Pally's must be very happy right now.