I know this has probably been answered before but I would like to know because I am a little confused.
Now Energy Shield says this:

"When this character or an adjacent character is hit by an attack from an enemy that is not adjacent to either, that character takes no damage and the attacker takes damage equal to the prevented damage; the attacker can avoid this effect with a save of 11."

So does the say prevent the damage that the attack takes or does it save for the whole effect? So if the attacker makes the save does the shield bearer take damage?

If the attacker fails the save, no damage to the target and the attacker takes the damage back.

If the save is made, the target takes the damage, assuming no other effects would prevent/redirect it (bodyguard etc).

That is incorrect.

If the attacker makes the save, the character under the effects from Energy/Molecular Shielding would take damage as normal. If the attacker fails the save, it would take damage equal to what would have been inflicted.

Also, Special Abilities and Force Powers are not attacks, some may generate attacks, but they are not considered attacks in and of themselves.
An attack is defined as rolling a d20, adding the results to the character's attack value and comparing the number to the target's defense value. If you're not doing that, it's not an attack.

That makes no sense, think about it If I have a shield and I knock back an attack toward you, You A) avoid the attack (with a roll) or you B) don't avoid the attack (Roll misses) the attack has already been knocked back at you. As the attacker you aren't baseballing your shot back at me after I have knocked it back at you.

Think of it more like this. You have your shield. If I make the save, my shot was so accurate (or forceful) that you couldn't block it and you take the damage. If I miss the save, I was so focused on hitting you that you easily blocked it and it came straight back at me and hit me.

There are only 2 possible outcomes. Someone has to take the damage. If the attacker makes the save then the guy with the shield takes damage. If the attacker fails the save, then the attacker takes the damage.

Let me just clear this up for once. Here is the direct quote of what the Bloomilk glossary says:

When this character or an adjacent character is hit by an attack from an enemy that is not adjacent to either, that character takes no damage and the attacker takes damage equal to the prevented damage; the attacker can avoid this effect with a save of 11.

I am going to go about this in a word by word manner, but first let me give you my credentials. I am one of the rules experts and interpreters in my local group. I have played with squads that use this squad considerably, mostly with the squad at the following link: http://www.bloomilk.com/Squad/121477/yodas-blues.

The way I read the rule is that when an attack takes place, therefore a 20 sided die is rolled, first the character with energy shield or an adjacent character do not take damage. That is the first and foremost clarification. The defendant in the attack cannot take the damage. It then states "and the attacker takes damage equal to the prevented damage." The damage was "prevented." There is no way around it being prevented. It cannot happen. The attack has been thwarted. After that is a semicolon ";" ending the current verbage and moving on to a separate but linked idea (basic grammar rules). Following the semicolon it say "the attacker can avoid this effect with a save of 11" and that is all it says. Nothing on the negated affects of the shield. The effect the save is avoiding is the damage "prevented" by the shield being reflected back at it. Another reason I come to this conclusion is its similarity to Lightsaber Reflect (http://www.bloomilk.com/ForcePower?Id=1). It is worded nearly the same so shouldn't the effect be similar.

Thank you for responding so bluntly

Thank you for your response using www.swmresources.com as your source. I was just going to ask if any one had another credible source. I understand your position. Every rule in the book could be argued over for hours, entirely based on interpretation. No rules system is entirely idiot-proof. No offense was meant. I sometimes get a little over-passionate about my rules interpretations. Although this doesn't solve the initial problem, I think we can agree to disagree. I do see you are a rules guy here on Bloomilk, Sithborg, so you probably have a little more say than I do, and I can respect you for that.

I understand, thanks. I've been in the game a while but I am not familiar with the behind-the-scenes personnel. I only just found this site about a year ago at most. I am very much a by the rules-and-nothing-but-the-rules sort of player. Sometimes I might read between the lines a little too much, but I do feel my interpretations are of enough value to be in the least bit respected, as are most of us I would assume. As to the initial question posed by Darth Vito, I would then have to suggest the opinions of Sithborg, although I have not played by his presented method ever.

How ironic!!! My forum ranking just went up to a Gungan Shieldbearer! Who plans that out.

Except that is not the correct way. However you play is up to you, just so you are aware if you play with other groups.



http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75862/19463850/About_energy_shield?post_id=331135134#331135134

Pay attention to the post in blue. Nickname was official from WOTC.