Phoenixmgs said:
1) If you backpedaled/strafed with a shield up, movement would only be easier on narrow edges because your character would move more slowly.
2) Releasing L1 before turning your character wastes less than a fraction of a second. Having to lock-on to backpedal wastes more time as the game my lock-on to the wrong enemy or not lock-on at all (like when an enemy is on the corner of a wall).
3) I shouldn't have to lock-on to strafe around an enemy.
1: a) I dont want to move slower with my shield up. I should be able to run away from one threat at full speed while still defending against lesser threats in front of me.
b) Not if the narrow ledge isnt completely straight, and you have archers or toxic blow dart hollows shooting at you about once every second or faster, like in Blightown.
If anything, your control idea would lead to a lot more cheap deaths by falling, because the shield you have up locked you to a certain axis of movement.
2: And that fraction of a second could kill you. Every frame counts. This isnt really an issue with locking on because the enemy you're locking onto is usually in clear view and a meter or two away, and there arent many situations where you aggro so many enemies that flicking to the right one is an issue, and if it is, you've probably done something really stupid.
3: Says who? What's wrong with it?