Active blocking? Sure, but not like that

Solvryn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw33dzhz21c

Fav system to date.

Taaku

It's hard to design a new blocking system for a mostly tab target type of MMO that actually feels / looks good.
To me I would like to see something like: You equip a shield, you always block x amount of dmg incoming while shield equipped. Unless... using active skills. possibly for a short duration after activating a skill.
So thus you always get to block / mitagate dmg if you are just standing there auto attacking. But as soon as you start using skills to do more dmg / gain more aggro, that's when you lose the blocking benefit of your shield. Again for a short duration... makes you think more when you should use your skills to grow more aggro or just add to yer teams dmg.

Edit: Shields could have variance in them as to if they block more physical dmg or more elemental dmg. Give more varity in shields and this system could also extend to any other class that uses a shield. (I.E. cleric. As a cleric should I heal my team more, or am i getting attacked right now and it's better to just block dmg?) More reactive gameplay.