Lets talk shield mechanics since theyre actually pretty crucial to master. The timing window for Perfect Block shows a green shield icon right before impact, and if you nail it youll get a free counter without any stamina cost. Watching enemy weapons is key here especially with multiple opponents since you need to angle the shield toward incoming strikes, and arrows too for that matter

For optimal positioning keep about two steps distance when blocking heavy weapons, as this gives you room to counter-push with shield bash which staggers them for roughly 1.5 seconds. Heavier shields like the Lord of Suchotlesky variant give amazing protection against armored enemies, but watch your stamina drain since each block eats away at it based on shield weight. The Steadfast perk helps a ton with this, cutting down the stamina cost by about 30%

When youre running one-handed weapons, especially maces against plate armor, youll want to time your blocks just as the enemy weapon starts its forward motion, then immediately follow up with either a bash or quick strike while theyre recovering. Really important detail - heavier shields will slow your movement more noticeably so practice switching between aggressive and defensive stances, particularly when dealing with multiple attackers since proper positioning becomes super critical there