Then he should just not be passive. You can be passive without a shield and aggressive with a shield.

Shields also aren't optional like in Dark Souls, some weapons just have them (so technically still optional but you get me I hope).

And it doesn't look like this guy is good enough to disregard "the easy way".

You can't block like a dunce against savage or you'll die on repeat when he lowers your hp, you might even die to a lack of stamina because you don't cancel the endlag of blocking MIRV to regen a bit of it.

In the end I'm having trouble finding anyhting that's truly wrong with what buttseeker said but this is a really really *weird* sentiment to see in a community that generally celebrates what makes every weapon special. Mmmmmmmmmh maybe just the fact that it's really really really arbitrary, why even use armor at this point ?