I do not think shield is necessary in elites. If you die a lot, sure, but you might want to learn what your party could do better for your survivability so that you can be more effective at killing things. In pugs or random groups, like bigboyblue said, expect to die a lot unless you have a strategy laid out. I don't die very often in elites unless i'm lagging and I often run through maps without tanks, without deaths, and without a shield.
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