Shield bash is the opposite of what shield users want to do

"Shield bash" should probably "Bash".  So the unit is pushed back a tile and knocked down.

Edit: to make it cooler, it should do the above and then give the defender another turn immediately.  (Give shield bash a cooldown so you can't spam it.)

I actually appreciated shield bush more and more.

Due to the fact that AI never moves if it is adjacent to an enemy, I can shield bush enemies to force them into attacking troops of my choice. If you have more than one shield wielding troop, you can bash enemies into ZoC of your tank. Actually, that the only way you can force enemy to attack your hero in a first place, since they tend always to go after your weak units, leaving heroes to the end of fight.

It also helps to put enemy into being swarmed or cleave. In general, it is a very useful skill and tactically offers lots of interesting options. 

Shield bash is great for breaking swarm lines.  It's not always useful, but when it is it's pretty awesome.

I like sweaty's idea about a stronger SB that also knocks the victim prone.

Maybe call it Shield Charge, and it could allow you move in a straight line up to 3 tiles and then bash the shit out of your enemy.

A really awesome play is to web a stack, swarm them, and then bash them back with a shield bash or a tamed Hergon.  You get to repeat two or three times or until dead if the initiatives work out right.

Shield Bash could cause a Daze instead of Knockback, this would make it alot more worthwhile.

Yeah.. or a "Bash" like the name says  

I just want to 'stun'/daze/delay the mob while keeping them in reach. 

Since stun is at the end of the defenders tree for some reason, it might be considered overly powerful.  If that's the case, maybe a 2-3 turn reduction in initiative, something significant though like -5 or -10.

Knockback is of limited use if they can just retake that spot next turn.

I mainly just wish that I could use shield bash on a horse!

Shield bash is great for 'moving' opponents troops into lines so spear troops can shaft them, two at a time.

Oh pahleeeze how you gonna use a shield bash sitting up 5ft on a horse? Thats so silly and ridiculous. Ge get on a horse with a shield and try it. lmao

+1 bash should definitely add "dazed" condition, but with a chance for the victim to resist the daze where the resist chance is initiative based.  Basically, the quicker units are better able to avoid getting hit hard enough to be dazed.

OK, I've mad a mod and tested it.  I am new to modding, so am unfamiliar with all the tricks of the trade.  I found Shield Bash in CoreSpells.xml and modded it in-place.  Perhaps parrotmath or Heavenfall could provide the knowledge of adding a mod which replaces functionality without changing the core files themselves.

Here's the mod.  I spaced around my addition to make it clear (apparently changing font color doesn't work in code blocks):

This adds "Daze" to shield bash with a target initiative * 2 chance of not happening.

As parrotmath has said in another thread, modding a beta is not really recommended because it alters the game experience and potential constructive feedback the devs are looking for.  I would have modded vanilla FE, but shield bash doesn't exist there.  

So, test this mod if you wish, but keep in mind it is not base game and make comments accordingly.

This

Shield bash is awesome for 'directing traffic' and that is definately a job for the 'meat shield' of the army to be doing.

I still would like to split shield bash into "real bash" and "knock back". Of which one would reduce initiative/dmg other - kicks 1 tile off. And obviously i would give knock to non shield units (most likly spearmens, because impale is not often to get a formation so it could be alternative skill to use) and bash to shield units. Also i would suggest to desing shield skills so they would keep its users in defence stance. As long if i equiped them with shiled then i want to get that shield defence bonuss from defending.

The nice thing about spells is that you can copy that entire file into a new .xml file, save that .xml file and put it in your mods directory. Enable mods and it will overwrite the original spell, so all you get is your new spell (ability). Thus, no need to edit core files.

It might be nice that instead of dazing the opponent, there should be a chance that the unit is knocked prone

Thanks, parrottmath, +1 karma.  So do I really need to copy the entire CoreSpells.xml? or can I create a file called OverrideSpells.xml with just the spells I've modded?

Also, apparently my guess about the "chance to not be dazed" was wrong.  I looked at the context of where I copied Daze from and SD had Value=100.  Other Value=100 items there were % chances.  In my play testing I think I saw exactly once where a unit was not dazed, although now I'm not so sure.

I have seen you post that much of what you learned has been from trial and error.  Have you learned what would make % chance in this instance?

No not the whole things... I miss wrote. Just the particular spell with the same internal name should overwrite that spell.

There is always apply random modifier, but you are doing two modifiers. I think that would be sufficient with shield bash anyway. Either the person moves back 1 tile or is dazed for 1 turn. Depends on how the other unit took the hit (but then you might do damage some of the time). Not sure how to use that calculation in general, never tried anything.

You can always add the bash effect to the shield (dam% chance to stun for 1 turn), while keeping the current move back effect.  I think that would be great.