Disclaimer: I am a mid-30s gamer of low to middling skill/reflexes at best.

Shields seem terrible me, is there something I'm missing? I know you can parry with a well timed button press, but any time I try to use them, I just end up taking way more damage than if I focus on simply dodging and quickly killing the enemies with other weapons.

Personally I've found more use for offensive based shields like the spiked shield. You do a parry with that thing and it sends the enemy into next week! The "After Parry next attack deals %300 damage" is also a favorite buff of mine to use with broadswords or heavy crossbows. Then there's the perk where you regain health every time you parry.

Basically what I'm saying is, the utility of shields usually come more from the perks and buffs you get than their base function.

In the same boat, tried shield a few times but just didn't seem useful.

Some of the later game shields, like one you can get the blueprint for at the Clock Tower, are pretty great. Still, having said that, I just am not good enough an managing my character, the bad dudes, and my own desire to freak out and panic well enough to ever use them past basically, level 2 or 3.

Ahh, that makes sense. I tried the starting shield and thought it was terrible compared to the bow. So when I get in farther I never picked up the other shields over other things. I may unlock some more of the shield blueprints I have and try them out.

I havent tried a shield yet. I mostly go with range builds. I need to try one

Having played the earlier beta builds, I never found an incentive to use the shields. You basically are just putting yourself at risk instead of dodging out of the way. The shields always felt clunky to me, but maybe the latest release of the game has resolved some of those issues. I'd have to dig back in.