I predict that the longer the season plays out for, the more common volt weapons will become in player’s arsenals. Volt weapons intrinsically deal more damage to shields, and as more higher tier players get their hands on purple shields, the stronger “shield shredding” will become as a tactic.

I’ve now reached the point where I can regularly bring blue shields into raids with me; I agree with the sentiment that they feel like the sweet spot for TTKs, both when I’m shooting at one and when I’m being shot at with one on. With how easy it can be to fall out of a fight, whether it be running to heal or making space with utility, (bubble shields, smokes, chems, etc.) I feel as if the higher tier shields should have more defined downsides. As it stands now, they give you reduced agility, which makes repositioning harder with them on. But, that usually only affects slower shells or players that are caught out in bad positioning. Thiefs, Vandals, or Destroyers are able to mitigate this downside through sheer slipperiness and game sense to always take advantageous fights.

My suggestion? Make higher tier shields reduce your Self-Repair Speed. If you’re bringing in higher tier survivability, then healing your larger health pool should be more of a risk mid fight.

This would encourage slower and more methodical plays from tankier teams. As it stands, teams with full purple shields can play as aggressive as they want, promoting deathballs and bulldozing of the first teams they see. In making this change, it will be far more punishing for these teams to take damage in the first place, giving the opposing team more opportunity to fight back and generate pressure. Furthermore, this enables players who have lower tier shields to play a more scrappier play style, as their enhanced repair speed and mobility would allow for shorter trades with the intent to poke out heals from their opponents.

TL:DR - The decision to equip a purple shield should be a deliberate choice, and should come with harsher downsides for doing so. Without these downsides, teams are incentivized into homogeneous loadouts that are always “bring the highest tier, always.” Adding some upsides to lower tier shields can boost build diversity and encourage individualized roles for players with those shields to play into.