I'm glad someone tested shield versus no shield for scoundrels as to damage absorption.
As to a shield in the offhand, let's assume you have +1 strength on your gear and invest a single attribute point into strength, this could be worth 15% blocking, which is a possible 15% chance to take no damage from an attack (I saw blocked a number of times). It's a lot of damage mitigation, combined with leech, to greatly aid in survival.
But it's nice to know I don't need to reequip my shield after using a bow to ignite a barrel of oil.
