I was just looking around at the trees I try and get a combat/balance hybrid that uses the Mind Crush proc(kinda like sages) when I noticed that kinetic ward did not physically say that you needed a shield to use it, just that it increased shield chance(so useful for pvp right? )

 

Has anyone actually checked to see of this still works? And if so does it actually provide any absorption? I doubt it but the shielding itself would be cool for the little force regeneration that you can spec in the tree, for more filler points that can be somewhat useful

The only way for you to shield an attack is for you to have a shield equipped. As such, you can use Kinetic Ward without a shield equipped, but it provides no benefit whatsoever, just like stacking shield or absorb when you don't have a shield. It's not a bug so much as either laziness or specific design. Either way, it doesn't impact anything.