Hi guys,
Just wandering which is the best class generally to combine with the Soldier class for a good tanky 1H + Shield combo?
Is it Commando with Fire Strike for default? Or would Warder be better with Savagery?
Also which weapon type tends to work better with 1H + Shield combo -sword, axe or mace?
Thanks for any feedback!
Warder is by far ( 200%) most durable class in the game. End game he can reach 30k hp, almost 2k regen, crazy armor, absorbtion and simply put - BE immortal. But damage will only be good if you have retaliation 
The best? Most likely the WhitchBlade!
Cadence + retaliation damage using Fevered Rage transmuter from the skill Bloody Pox will speed up your killing speed. Nine told me it’s still really good in B31 in terms of survivability. The reason I have asked him is because I was concernend with the damage received in Ultimate or vs Nemesis Bosses while using Fevered Rage.
That being said, to play this build efficiently you need to play solo only.
Futhermore, as always the main problem of shield builds are usually ranged mobs as they don’t come to you. Although if a monster can be both (melee/ranged) he will most likely switch to melee with Fevered Rage + War Cry.
For the weapon choice, I’m not quite sure but I know there are good ones that promote overall damage and retaliation damage too. I’m talking about epics/legendary items.
Haha thats awesome 
Decided to go Warder for survivability…
Would you advice to go Savagery as main single target attack + Blade arc as AOE attack or can I focus soley on Blade Arc as a single target + AOE attack?
Thanks
Personally like the Savagery with transmuted Blade Arc
In my mind there are 2 types of shield-focused builds in this game worth talking about:
One of them is a full retaliation build. This build dishes out completely godlike numbers at high levels but retal only works on melee. For this in my opinion, commando is best for 2 reasons: blast shield makes you even more godlike in defense and gives you large amounts of flat fire retaliation when it procs. Second, if i recall correctly the skill “Temper” gives around 100% all retaliation damage.
These two combined make commando the best retal build in the game by far, if you ask me. The warder isn’t bad either, you also get 100% retal bonus from one of the heart of the wild aura skills from shaman, and you also get like 40% bonus hp.
Occultist is also a good choice since you can get a relatively short cooldown
self-heal, that also provides a base 160ish acid retaliation.
The second type of interesting shield-focused build in this game is a non-retaliation shield-block skill proc build (So a build focusing on shield defense and lots of on-block skill procs and on-hit ones). I don’t know how viable these are in ultimate, but in theory they would not have the problem of dealing with ranged mobs, since with enough block chance skills (some of which hit ranged) you’d become a moving aura of undamageable area-spike tank, killing ranged and melee mobs alike in a ~ 5m radius aroudn you.
For this as well in my opinion commando is best for one reason: Vindictive flame with Ulzuin’s wrath (already 1 anti-ranged block skill)
It’s a bit sad imo. I would love to make a shield build, but I don’t like relying on retaliation.
I would love to have a shield build that just does about 20% less damage but receives 20% less damage. More or less. But using normal skills for damage, savagery, cadence, firestrike or such.
But for what I read, it’s not viable.
1 level in cadence and max deadly momentum, the blocking skills, try to get 22/12 in Menhir’s. Nightblade for stats, Pneumatic burst and Night’s chill.
Reforged chains belt and Unchained might gloves give additional flat damage, Markovian set lets you keep up Overguard almost 100% of the time, Ring of black matriarch is another physical res reduction.
Get the Anvil deovtion for the on-block proc and put Assassin’s blade on cadence. The rest can be either stacking %OA (Huntress, Chariot, Viper).
Your main source of damage is the Demonslayer pistol proc, of course.
It’s a silly build, but it looks really cool.
Wow thanks for the feedback so far!
I suppose the next thing is really which is better - going with swords or axe, mace, club?
It seems there some pretty decent devotion options with swords… however the need for cunning is going to be a pain!
Should I aim for a certain weapon type or just go for what ever gives me the most DPS? Also playing self-found so not likely to have much godly gear anytime soon.
Thanks
My vote goes to commando.