Elemental Shaman Shield Usage

[durdyenglish 298]

As an elemental shaman, I've always highly valued the ability to use a shield. The armor it provides is alluring, however recently it occurred to me that I don't understand the full benefit it provides me as a non-tank. Does it simply provide additional protection from physical attacks (with the chance to block)? Is it just melee attacks, or are all sources of physical damage reduced? Is the additional armor valuable in progression/mythic+ content and does that value make it worth keeping at a minor sacrifice of weapon slot item level? 

[jinsu2301 273]

9 hours ago, durdyenglish said:

Does it simply provide additional protection from physical attacks (with the chance to block)? Is it just melee attacks, or are all sources of physical damage reduced? Is the additional armor valuable in progression/mythic+ content and does that value make it worth keeping at a minor sacrifice of weapon slot item level? 

Armor really only matters if you are tanking. Outside of taking melee hits it has basically zero value. You probably could make an argument for the 10% block chance in PvP (if it even works like that. Templates are weird.) but, in PvE, I would not sacrifice any other stats just for the slight chance of pulling aggro and taking a few percent less damage.