Does True Damage Affect Shields? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, true damage affects shields. Shields, in essence, act as temporary health and are susceptible to all types of damage, including true damage. However, the interaction is not always as simple as damage vs. shield. It’s vital to understand the nuances of how various game mechanics and specific forms of true damage interact with shields to fully grasp their relationship.
Understanding True Damage
True damage, unlike physical damage or magical damage, bypasses the traditional damage mitigation provided by armor and magic resistance. This means that the number displayed as true damage dealt is exactly the amount of health (or shield) that is reduced, making it a potent source of damage.
Why True Damage Matters
The significance of true damage lies in its unavoidability. Building resistances, such as armor and magic resistance, is a core strategy in many games. However, true damage completely disregards these defenses. This makes true damage a very reliable form of damage, particularly against enemies who heavily invest in defensive stats.
The Shield vs. True Damage Interaction
So, the crucial point here is that shields do not provide immunity against true damage. When a shield takes a hit of true damage, it will absorb the full amount of damage just like it would with physical or magical damage, until it breaks or the damage is mitigated.
Shields as Temporary Health
Think of shields as a temporary extension of your health pool. Just like your health points, they can be depleted by any damage type, including true damage. This means if you have 200 points of shields, and you receive 100 points of true damage, your shield will reduce to 100. If you were to receive 300 points of true damage with a 200-point shield, the shield would break and you will lose 100 points of health.
The Exception: “Finisher” Damage
There is an exception, however. Certain forms of true damage, often referred to as “finisher” damage, may interact differently. These types of true damage do not bypass shields; instead, they are often designed to be a finishing move that has a specific condition that bypasses shields. However, it is rare.
Factors Affecting Shield Efficiency
While shields absorb true damage, their overall effectiveness is also influenced by other factors:
Resistances and Penetration
The effectiveness of your shields can be affected by your armor and magic resistance. Generally, the higher your resistance, the more damage a shield will withstand before breaking. Therefore, investing in resistances can indirectly make your shields more effective. Similarly, penetration stats on the enemy’s team can make your shields weaker.
Shielding Effectiveness
Shielding effectiveness refers to the inherent strength of the shield itself. Some shields are designed to withstand more damage than others. When a shield is stronger, it makes more efficient use of your resistances and provides higher levels of protection.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To provide you with a more comprehensive understanding of how true damage affects shields and related mechanics, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions.
1. Can true damage bypass all shields?
Generally, yes. True damage affects all shields unless otherwise stated by a specific ability description.
2. Does armor or magic resistance affect shields against true damage?
Not directly. True damage ignores armor and magic resistance, but those resistances can still make the shield tougher against physical and magical damage allowing the shield to stay up longer.
3. Does “Press the Attack” (PTA) amplify true damage?
No, PTA does not amplify true damage. It increases overall damage taken, but true damage remains constant.
4. Does Exhaust reduce true damage?
No, Exhaust does not reduce true damage. It only reduces the physical and magical damage inflicted.
5. Can a champion’s passive break shields instantly?
Yes, some champions possess abilities that instantly destroy shields before damage is applied. These often include things such as executes. Examples of champions who have shield-breaking abilities include Blitzcrank, Rell, and Renekton.
6. Does Conqueror work with true damage?
Yes, Conqueror converts a portion of your damage to true damage. This does not ignore shields, and the shield is still affected by this true damage.
7. Does pure damage ignore shields?
Pure damage is a type of damage that ignores both armor/magic resistance, and shields.
8. Does Pantheon’s E block true damage?
Pantheon’s Aegis Assault (E) blocks incoming damage as long as he is channeling it, including true damage. However, any damage over time (DOT) effect will be applied after the channel ends.
9. Does a shield increase Armor Class (AC)?
In some games, a shield will directly increase your armor class, making it harder for enemies to hit you, but not all games function this way. In those that do, this is typically independent of any damage blocking that shield provides.
10. Do shields block trap damage?
Typically, no. Shields usually only protect against damage from attacks, and traps are considered environment or damage over time effects, not directly an attack.
11. Can you damage your own Guardian Shield?
Yes, in some games you can damage your own Guardian shield.
12. What type of shielding is most effective?
This depends on the game or context. In chemistry and physics, the s-orbital has the highest shielding effect, while lead is the most effective material for shielding against x-rays and gamma rays. But when considering a game, this would depend on the items, abilities and passives.
13. What is the most effective shielding material?
Lead is often considered the best for radiation shielding due to its high atomic number, flexibility, and availability.
14. Do shields work against bullets?
Ballistic shields are bullet-resistant but not bulletproof. They offer protection against specific types of threats.
15. What are the best weapons against shields?
Lasers, plasma accelerators, and railguns are often effective against shields in a fictional or sci-fi setting.
Conclusion
True damage does, indeed, affect shields. While true damage bypasses armor and magic resistance, it does not ignore shields. Shields serve as temporary health and will absorb true damage like any other type of damage. Understanding the nuances of these interactions, along with the other factors discussed here, can be the key to strategic success. By considering these aspects, players can effectively employ shields and true damage to achieve their goals.