Well most everyone in BtL already know this but I guess I'll share it with everyone else. Recently I've decided to give up on Relic shield, not because of the difficulty, instead I've found out some useful info on Shields.
Come to find out, like most everything else in this game. There is a ceiling to the amount of something you can do. Example: Haste cap, VIT cap, ACC cap ect. Well for shields, there is a ceiling for the amount one's shield can block. Now the shield cap has been proven to be 65% proc rate. Pre-patch for shields, Aegis was given that ceiling outright, thus making it simply uber because no other shield could proc at that rate. Due to the recent patch for shields and PLDs, Shield Mastery with the help of a little + shield skill (need 300 shield to attain 65%) a simple Koenig Shield could now proc as often as Aegis. Now look at the stats on Aegis, does it look that inticing anymore? Really, it's +5 VIT, +5 CHR, +3 Enmity vs -25% magic dmg taken and extra dmg on shield bash. Now, look at the prices of the two, 500k-1m (40 mil for Kaiser shield) vs upwards of 300 mil. I'm not saying Aegis is crap, but I am saying it's just like any other Relic as of late, "
better, but only slightly and in some situations actually lesser than an AH'able substitute." To me, I could spend my gil elsewhere and deck out multiple jobs instead of gimping others to make one "slightly better." This decision also comes because of the way PLD is used in end game now, PLD/NIN mainly which I actually prefer at times over /WAR due to haste build and MP saved.