For those talking about the usefullness of bash the other night..
http://www.thesteelwarrior.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15815&highlight=furious+bash
http://www.thesteelwarrior.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14248&highlight=furious+bash
i used to have a bandolier for bash too.. back before i reached the lvl were bash stunned and kicdk didn't... would like to get a nice one for tanking someday though. where as my shield is more then 5ac higher then my weapon lol..
To be honest i dont bash or kick.. i'm way too lazy to hit the button that much 
I have been working on my bash skill for quite some time now, it's nearly maxed now at 310 and along with the AA's which increase your mainhand damage when using a shield, it's a decent agro. generating combination. I have also purchased the Strengthened Strike AA's which boosts the damage of kicking too. I do kick as part of my regular combat, as it does offer the occasional stuns.
I've found that I can generate a decent amount of agro. using a shield and a 1hs. I wouldn't say that it's as good as wielding (2) 1hs weapons with agro. augs., but it is effective. I think if I had a better shield, it could prove to be a decent alternative to the traditional dual wielding.
Theres no denying a shield can be useful... Especially when offtanking and no real worries about people stealing agro (see endurance trial) and with shield block aa.Â
I can certainly verify the aggro increase by using an FB shield, even if you use with bandolier just to "ghetto bash". Ghetto bashing is also very handy for those casting/healing/gating/running mobs. While I would not trade a proccing weapon for a shield any day, I will gladly pop a mob in the kisser with my shield everytime bash refreshes. I know the guys over at TSW have kinda taken some of the wind out of the sails of this argument, but all I can see from the tests I have doner personally, show that Ghetto Bashing helps. I no longer have the records, lost them in a move, but on three occassions, in three different groups, on multiple mobs, in different zones, I tested the aggro benefit FBashing gave me personally. I lost aggro significantly fewer times when using ghetto bash, than I did when just straight tanking. It has also saved my butt numerous times in WoS with no snarer in group and no proc of my snare wep.
I have not been in a tanking situation where I took the opportunity to throw on a shield to stay alive...but I use my ghetto bashing on almost every mob I tank.
Defender's Battletested Round Shield is a decent FB3 shield that can be purchased from the good DoN vendor, of course there is also an evil version.
Also, on the other side of the shield discussion, Reinforced Kromrif Buckler from Dain 1 MM (I know, don't hate me) has 70 AC and decent HP if you are in a pnch looking for a "decent" shield. But, of course, there are several shields that are alot of shileds that are much better, but this just gives a quicky option.
Finally maxed my Bash skill yesterday at 320. With the Shield Block and Shield Specialist AA's, my 1hs crits increased by about 114. I was able to maintain decent agro in a group scenario using my shield, although my shield doesn't haven't the Furious Bash feature. I think I need a better shield for regular tanking though.
This is what I'm using:
http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=46088
I think there is a nice one that drops pretty regularly in Dreadspire as follows:
Grats on maxxing Bash! I have used Bash/Slam all along so mine stays maxed as I level.
On a side note, the Dain MM Shield that I listed in my post above has 15 more AC and the same HP as the one you are using. If you ever wanna run a Dain or 2 to get you that shield til you can get the NICE one you listed from Dreadspire, let me know. I have done a few Dain's on nights when it was tough to get a group...learned all the tricks...usually easilly doable in less than 30 mins.
There are also a few options that may not be very far off, as far as, raid loots:
Battleworn Dented Aegis from MPG: Endurance
Aegis of Midnight from Tacvi
As well as, a couple options once we break Anguish, including:
Shield of the Lightning Lord off AMV.
Just some ideas for stuff to look for in the future.
We elves don't get the ability to slam, so I had to raise my bash skill with just a shield. It did take a while, but I finally finished it.
Thanks for the offer to run through the Dain mission. I think I'll wait until I can get one that has the Furious Bash feature. Since I don't often tank with a shield, there isn't any urgency to do it right now.
I understand completely...and I really couldn't care less about running another Dain...well, I would kinda like to get a Dain2 & 3 in, for the seal...but w/e.
