Opinions: 3-slot or 4-slot newly improved click-type ally shields?

I've traditionally slotted the click-type ally shields (the ones that just got the new, improved function, like Force Field bubbles) with 4 slots, because they're worth fully enhancing, and it was useful to reduce their end cost so I could spam them on a whole team. 4 slots lets me put in an end reducer and 3 regular enhancements, or get a 4-piece set bonus and still hit the ED cap using mid-30s IOs.

But the new changes seem to promise we won't have to cast these nearly as often. So I could, in theory, save a slot in each of these by just three-slotting with plain enhancements of the appropriate type. More slots is good!

Of course, then I wouldn't be getting that 4th slot set bonus. I know the correct answer is "it depends on what you're doing with the character," but I thought it would be worth discussing: will you 3-slot or 4-slot these now, or vary it character-by-character?

I haven't changed any characters yet, but I'm thinking that on characters I plan to fully IO out, that 4th slot bonus is still pretty attractive.

My slotting probably wont change much. I was already giving them the bare minimum slots for maximum benefit.

It really depends on what kind of bonuses you want/need. That 4th slot in Luck of the Gambler gives you accuracy. You may or may not need accuracy. The 4th slot from Gift of the Ancients or Impervium Armor gives an endurance boost -- you may or may not need that, too.

The valid point you are bringing up is that EndRdx will be less needed for enhancing the power itself, so there is no need to add EndRdx to the power unless you want the set bonus that 4 slots will bring.

It will vary for me.

Sometimes I go with 3 LotG.
Sometimes I go with 4 LotG
Sometimes I go with 3 LotG and 1 or 2 of something else.
Sometimes I go with 5 Serendipty.
Sometimes I go with 5 Red Fortunes.
Sometimes I go with 6 Red Fortunes.

Gonna just use HOs so I only need 2 slots. The other slots can go towards attacks now that I have endurance to use them.

My Sonic/Sonic Defender only ever 2-slotted. My Grav/FF Controller 4 slotted. It usually comes down to bases numbers(Defenders are higher) and what set bonuses I'm after.

3 slot will probably be enough. +Def or +Res is the most important to slot for, with End and Rech reductions secondary(if at all).

Now that endurance reduction is largely useless in these powers, I would only ever put more than two slots in these powers if I aimed for specific set bonuses.

If I still played my FF defender I'd likely just use 2 slots and invention IOs. For my cold defenders that I do still play I'm not going to bother respecin', and I think they 're sitting at 3 slots. Not positive.

I've got full sets of Red Fortunes in mine at the moment to help softcap ranged defense. I don't plan on changing them out.

Hmmm...I must of been the only one who kept their shields with the original slot and slotted either a LotG: +RCH or a KB Resist IO >_>

Not slotting for defense or resistance at all in targeted ally shields is a terrible idea, so you may indeed be the only one.

I dunno, this is kinda tough while leveling, because I am not going to yell at the team to group hug constantly. I started up a ff/sonic defender when the update hit, and he's 13 now and on top of running maneuvers and dispersion it's kinda end hungry.

Currently I am running 3 slots in the two main shields but I haven't decided if they will stay that way. I probably will, but as the change encourages more blasting I am struggling for end at the moment.

I usually 3 slot them, except in instances where I'm going for specific IO set bonuses in which case I could use anywhere from 3 to 6 slots per shield.

My standard practice when levelling is, depending on endurance issues, 3 generic def or res enhancements, or 2 generics and one def/end (or res/end).

At 50 (or 47) I go for Def, Def/End, Def/End/Rech (substitute Res for Def as appropriate). That doesn't quite reach the soft cap, but it's usually less than 1 percent of actual buff difference. The set I use for that varies depending again on what set bonuses I'm after, but more often than I default to Titanium Coating for +res and Luck of the Gambler for +def (in which case the Def/End/Rech is eventually replaced by a +rech special), for the +hp.

I usually go a similar route for toggle armours, too (again, unless I'm chasing specific set bonuses).

I would 2 or 3 slot, depending on if I need to stick an LOTG:recharge in there. If 3 slot, I would go pure LOTG, DEF, DEF/END, DEF:+rech. This is assuming level 50. If not 50, the would likely go 3 slot for sure, if I need a slot for LOTG +recharge, then 2 Def IOs and the LOTG. Otherwise just 3 DEf IOs or SOs, depending. I don't usually bother with IOs in non attack powers until I get to level 30.

It depends on what you're playing, what your build goals are, and how tight your build is for slots.

Like someone else commented I'm leaving mine six'd with Red Fortune for the ranged defense, but my Force Fielder is a Mastermind, so I'm not exactly hurting for slots or set bonuses.

I24 Proc Chance = (Enhanced Recharge + Activation Time) * (Current PPM * 1.25) / 60*(1 + .75*(.15*Radius - 0.011*Radius*(360-Arc)/30))
Single Target Radius = 0. AoE Non-Cone Arc = 360.

I plan to go 3 slots: 2 full IOs of def/res, and the third is either def/rech or /end (res/rech or /end) except as folks noted for my forcefield defenders that six slot for red fortunes.