I was in mostly lvl 3 bronze armor and a lvl 3 bronze buckler, typical BF food, so deer stew, etc. Logger troll hit me badly with this.

Compare that to lvl 3 troll armor and a lvl 2 bone shield, and I could block them without getting staggered, taking not too much damage. I must say, though, that I was eating swamp food at that time, so sausages, probably deer stew and a muck shake. But it shouldn't make much difference.

Of course, if you miss-time a block, you will suffer. But that's what the shield is for. Armor only can do so much. ;)