Weapons / Shields

Elden Ring Shields

Compare all shields by Guard Boost, damage negation, weight, requirements, skills and locations. 79 shields total — 69 base-game and 10 from Shadow of the Erdtree.

All Shields Best Shields Guard Boost

Shields Index

All Shields

Base Game

DLC

Base Game69

Shadow of the Erdtree10

Small / Medium19 / 31

Great / Thrusting27 / 2

Map pins / nearby landmarks37 / 21

All shields

All Elden Ring Shields

Loading shields…

Ranked by use case

Best Shields in Elden Ring

Situation picks based on unupgraded (+0) Guard Boost and physical guard — not an S–D tier list, and not mixed with fully upgraded numbers. Heavy Greatshields can force Heavy Load; check weight before you commit.

General Medium

Brass Shield

High Guard Medium · DLC

Golden Lion Shield

Heavy Blocking

Fingerprint Stone Shield

Parrying

Buckler

Strength Defensive

Golden Greatshield

Skill / Buff

Jellyfish Shield

DLC Defensive

Verdigris Greatshield

General-purpose Medium

Brass Shield

+0 Guard Boost 61, 100% physical guard, weight 7, STR 16. Go-to sword-and-board medium in the base game: full physical negation without Greatshield weight, and No Skill so your right-hand ash stays available. Not the highest Guard Boost medium once Golden Lion (DLC) is in play.

Pick when you want one medium shield for most of the base game. Skip if you dislike multi-region farming, need a dedicated parry tool, or already have Golden Lion in the DLC.

Compare with: Heater Shield for an earlier 100% physical buy; Golden Lion Shield (DLC) for higher medium Guard Boost.

Guard Boost +0: 61
Physical Guard: 100
Weight · STR: 7 · 16
Skill: No Skill
Requirements: STR 16

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

High Guard Medium · DLC

Golden Lion Shield

+0 Guard Boost 64, 100% physical guard, weight 5.5, STR 11. Shadow of the Erdtree medium with Roaring Bash. Beats Brass on raw +0 Guard Boost while staying in the medium weight range — only after Freyja's DLC line.

Pick in the Realm of Shadow when medium roll and stronger block stamina matter. Skip base-game-only runs, or if you still want Brass's No Skill flexibility before changing ashes.

Compare with: Brass Shield for the base-game general-purpose analogue.

Guard Boost +0: 64
Physical Guard: 100
Weight · STR: 5.5 · 11
Skill: Roaring Bash
Requirements: STR 11

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

Heavy Blocking

Fingerprint Stone Shield

+0 Guard Boost 77, 100% physical guard, weight 29, STR 48. Stamina-turtle greatshield with madness buildup on the kit. STR and equip load are the real gates — Heavy Load is easy if you also wear fortress armor.

Pick when blocked stamina is the whole plan and you can stay medium or better after the weight. Skip light/medium-roll melee that cannot pay the shield weight plus armor.

Compare with: Golden Greatshield for a less extreme heavy kit, or Verdigris Greatshield (DLC) for peak Guard Boost.

Guard Boost +0: 77
Physical Guard: 100
Weight · STR: 29 · 48
Skill: Shield Bash
Requirements: STR 48

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

Parrying

Buckler

+0 Guard Boost 45, 74% physical guard, weight 1.5, STR 8. Built around Buckler Parry. Bandit start or Gostoc purchase. You are buying the parry window, not a chip-free wall — +0 physical guard stays well under 100%.

Pick for dedicated parry practice and reads. Skip any kit that holds block through long boss strings and needs 100% physical guard.

Compare with: Perfumer's Shield or other Parry small shields when you want Parry with a resist passive instead of Buckler Parry.

Guard Boost +0: 45
Physical Guard: 74
Weight · STR: 1.5 · 8
Skill: Buckler Parry
Requirements: STR 8 · DEX 13

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

Strength / Defensive

Golden Greatshield

+0 Guard Boost 70, 100% physical guard, weight 17, STR 34. Cleaner Strength turtle than Fingerprint: no madness package, still heavy enough that armor choice decides whether you keep medium roll.

Pick for high Guard Boost without Fingerprint's madness or Verdigris's DLC gate. Skip if the shield weight already forces Heavy Load with your armor, or if you only need a medium 100% physical shield.

Compare with: Fingerprint Stone Shield when maximum Guard Boost is the only priority; Brass Shield when you should stay medium.

Guard Boost +0: 70
Physical Guard: 100
Weight · STR: 17 · 34
Skill: No Skill
Requirements: STR 34

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

Shield Skill / Buff

Jellyfish Shield

+0 Guard Boost 52, 100% physical guard, weight 8, STR 20. Contagious Fury skill-led buff shield. The number that matters is how often you press the skill, not a top-tier Guard Boost rank.

Pick when Contagious Fury is part of the rotation. Skip pure hold-block turtles that never use the unique skill; they are better on Fingerprint / Golden / Verdigris.

Compare with: Icon Shield for a passive HP-regen greatshield that does not depend on skill uptime.

Guard Boost +0: 52
Physical Guard: 100
Weight · STR: 8 · 20
Skill: Contagious Fury
Requirements: STR 20 · DEX 14

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

DLC Defensive

Verdigris Greatshield

+0 Guard Boost 82, 100% physical guard, weight 28, STR 49. Shadow of the Erdtree greatshield with Moore's Charge. Highest +0 Guard Boost among the shields here — and one of the easiest ways to hit Heavy Load if STR or equip load is unfinished.

Pick for end-game DLC turtle stacks once Equip Load says medium roll is still possible. Skip early base-game characters, glass cannons, and anyone who cannot finish Moore's line.

Compare with: Fingerprint Stone Shield for the base-game heavy block analogue.

Guard Boost +0: 82
Physical Guard: 100
Weight · STR: 28 · 49
Skill: Moore's Charge
Requirements: STR 49

View Stats Where to Get Equip Load

Guard Boost

Elden Ring Shield Stats and Guard Boost

Guard Boost reduces stamina damage taken while blocking. Guarded Damage Negation (Physical / Magic / Fire / Lightning / Holy) reduces HP damage through the shield. A shield at 100% physical guard still spends stamina on every blocked hit. All table numbers on this page are +0 (unupgraded).

Simplified stamina example

Guard BoostIncoming stamina damage

Stamina damage taken: 39
Stamina saved: 61

Simplified example only. Real hits can apply extra guard modifiers; talismans and in-game rounding are not included.

Guard Boost

Higher values keep your stamina bar healthier through long enemy strings. Compare +0 stats like-for-like.

Physical Guard 100%

No physical chip through the shield on standard blockable hits. Stamina still drains.

Elemental Guard

Magic, Fire, Lightning and Holy columns are independent. A great physical shield can still chip hard vs magic.

Weight & STR

High Guard Boost Greatshields often push Heavy Load. Check the Equip Load Calculator before locking a kit.

Acquisition routes

Elden Ring Shield Locations

Full table for all 79 shields. Multi-drop shields such as Brass Shield list a practical farm route plus other regions. Each row covers how you get it, the main route, and a short note when a bare location name would be easy to misread.

58 shields link to the map: 37 open a precise pin, and 21 point to a nearby landmark (farm grace, merchant, quest NPC, or dungeon entrance). The rest stay as written routes only.

Shield	Method	Location / how to get	Map
Albinauric Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Albinaurics — Liurnia of the Lakes Enemy drop from Albinauric shield carriers. Strong magic guard for a medium shield. Other locations (1) Consecrated Snowfield	Text route only
Ant's Skull Plate Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Nokstella, Eternal City — Ainsel River underground Loot in Nokstella. Poison buildup + Immunity passive.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Banished Knight's Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Banished Knights — Stormveil / Castle Sol / Farum Azula routes Multi-castle Banished Knight drop. No Skill default with solid medium Guard Boost. Other locations (3) Cathedral of Dragon Communion (Caelid) Castle Sol (Mountaintops) Crumbling Farum Azula	Text route only
Beast Crest Heater Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Stormhill — Limgrave Early heater-family shield on the Stormhill path.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Beastman's Jar-Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Beastmen — Crumbling Farum Azula Enemy drop in Farum Azula. Physical guard is not 100% at Base +0.	Text route only
Black Leather Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Caria Manor Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Text route only
Black Steel Greatshield Greatshields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Boss Drop	Fog Rift Fort clear — Gravesite Plain (DLC) Shadow of the Erdtree. Dump labels Guaranteed Drop for the Fog Rift Fort path (treated here as a fort clear reward, not a random field drop).	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Blue Crest Heater Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Blue-Gold Kite Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Limgrave Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Saintsbridge merchant stretch
Blue-White Wooden Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Academy Gate Town Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Brass Shield Medium Shields · Base Game · Popular route	Enemy Drop	Godrick Soldier shield carriers — Gatefront Ruins farm (Limgrave) Multi-region enemy drop, not a fixed chest. Gatefront is the practical early farm; later regions keep dropping the same shield from related soldiers. Other locations (3) Weeping Peninsula soldier camps Liurnia / Caelid / Altus / Mt. Gelmir soldier variants Deeproot Depths / Miquella's Haligtree late variants	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Gatefront grace (soldier farm)
Briar Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Elemer of the Briar — The Shaded Castle (Altus Plateau) Guaranteed from Elemer. Blood loss buildup is on the shield passive.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Shaded Castle Inner Gate
Buckler Small Shields · Base Game · Popular route	Starting Equipment	Bandit starting gear, or buy from Gatekeeper Gostoc (Stormveil Castle) Two clean routes: start Bandit, or purchase from Gostoc once his shop is available. Guard numbers are secondary to Buckler Parry timing. Other locations (1) Stormveil Castle — Gostoc shop inventory	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Gatekeeper Gostoc (shop route)
Candletree Wooden Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Sage's Cave Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Carian Knight's Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Moongrum, Carian Knight — Academy of Raya Lucaria Guaranteed from Moongrum before the elevator to Rennala.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Carian Thrusting Shield Thrusting Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree · Popular route	Chest / Loot	Specimen Storehouse — Shadow Keep (DLC) Thrusting Shield class. Storehouse loot in the Realm of Shadow only.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Coil Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Volcano Cave — Mt. Gelmir Cave loot with Viper Bite and poison buildup.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Crossed-Tree Towershield Greatshields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Altus Plateau Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Hermit Merchant's Shack (Altus purchase)
Crucible Hornshield Greatshields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Crucible Knight — Siofra Aqueduct Underground aqueduct Crucible Knight drop.	Text route only
Cuckoo Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Cuckoo knight greatshield carriers — Liurnia of the Lakes Liurnia enemy drop with strong magic guard for a greatshield.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Foot of the Four Belfries / Liurnia
Distinguished Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Hermit Merchant's Shack Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Hermit Merchant's Shack
Dragon Towershield Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Crumbling Farum Azula Late-game towershield loot in Farum Azula.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Dragonclaw Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Draconic Tree Sentinel — Capital Outskirts / Leyndell approach Guaranteed from the Draconic Tree Sentinel that gates the capital.	Text route only
Dueling Shield Thrusting Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Chest / Loot	Specimen Storehouse — Shadow Keep (DLC) Second Thrusting Shield. Same DLC storehouse family as Carian Thrusting Shield — not a Lands Between pin.	Text route only
Eclipse Crest Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Mausoleum Knight / eclipse greatshield carriers — Castle Sol route (Mountaintops) Enemy drop across mausoleum routes. Also carries the +50 Focus / Immunity / Robustness passive — value beyond Guard Boost alone. Other locations (3) Liurnia of the Lakes Deeproot Depths Consecrated Snowfield	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Castle Sol Main Gate
Eclipse Crest Heater Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Minor Erdtree Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Erdtree Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Tree Sentinel encounter — Altus Plateau Guaranteed boss-style drop on the Altus approach. Holy damage on the shield kit.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Fingerprint Stone Shield Greatshields · Base Game · Popular route	Chest / Loot	Subterranean Shunning-Grounds — Frenzied path beneath Leyndell Deep sewer route under the capital. The weapon pin sits on the shunning-grounds path, not a surface chest on the main boulevard.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Subterranean Shunning-Grounds entrance
Flame Crest Wooden Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Ailing Village Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Gilded Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Godrick Knight / related greatshield carriers — Limgrave & Weeping Peninsula Multi-region early-mid enemy drop. Heavier than Brass; check equip load. Other locations (1) Weeping Peninsula	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Castle Morne Lift (Weeping Peninsula knights)
Gilded Iron Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Church of Pilgrimage Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Golden Beast Crest Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Grafted Scion — Chapel of Anticipation (tutorial return) Return to the Chapel of Anticipation via the Four Belfries teleporter to fight the Grafted Scion again for the shield.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — The Four Belfries (Chapel of Anticipation return)
Golden Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Leyndell / Capital Outskirts — Tree Sentinel & capital knight greatshield carriers Multi-region enemy drop from golden greatshield soldiers. Capital approach is the usual hunting ground. Other locations (3) Liurnia of the Lakes Altus Plateau Mt. Gelmir	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Capital Outskirts region
Golden Lion Shield Medium Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree · Popular route	Quest Reward	Redmane Freyja quest reward — Specimen Storehouse / Realm of Shadow (DLC) Shadow of the Erdtree only. Finish Freyja's line; not available in the base game.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Redmane Freyja (DLC quest)
Great Turtle Shell Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Weeping Peninsula — seaside tower among the turtles Climb the tower on the southern beach turtle stretch. Barricade Shield default skill plus stamina-recovery passive.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Haligtree Crest Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Haligtree knight greatshield carriers — Elphael / Miquella's Haligtree Late-game Haligtree enemy drop. High Base +0 Guard Boost among smithing greatshields.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Loretta / Haligtree approach
Hawk Crest Wooden Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave Wooden medium shield on the Stormveil route.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Heater Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Nomadic Merchant — North Limgrave (Saintsbridge area) Early merchant medium shield with 100% physical guard. Some dumps list Roundtable Hold; the reliable early buy is the Limgrave nomadic merchant near Saintsbridge.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Saintsbridge (nearby Limgrave merchant)
Horse Crest Wooden Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Murkwater Cave (Limgrave) / Liurnia of the Lakes / Volcano Manor Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region. Other locations (2) Liurnia of the Lakes Volcano Manor	Text route only
Ice Crest Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Caria Manor Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Icon Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Woodfolk Ruins — Altus Plateau Somber greatshield with HP regeneration passive. Tables on this page stay Base +0.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Inverted Hawk Heater Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Siofra River Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Inverted Hawk Towershield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Enemy drop — Nokron, Eternal City Enemy drop in the listed region. Not a fixed world chest unless a separate loot pin exists.	Text route only
Iron Roundshield Small Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Limgrave Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Limgrave merchant stretch
Jellyfish Shield Greatshields · Base Game · Popular route	Chest / Loot	Foot of the Four Belfries — western Liurnia jellyfish camp chest Fixed chest among the jellyfish near the Four Belfries footpath, not a random lake drop.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Kite Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Liurnia of the Lakes Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Liurnia merchant / lake approach
Large Leather Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Lordsworn's Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Lordsworn soldiers — Limgrave and later soldier camps Very wide enemy-drop footprint. Early Limgrave camps are enough for a first copy. Other locations (5) Liurnia of the Lakes Caelid Deeproot Depths Altus Plateau Miquella's Haligtree	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Gatefront grace (early soldier camps)
Man-Serpent's Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Man-serpents — Volcano Manor / Mt. Gelmir Enemy drop inside the manor volcano routes. Strong fire guard for a small shield.	Text route only
Manor Towershield Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave Towershield loot inside Stormveil.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Marred Leather Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave Stormveil loot with blood loss buildup.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Marred Wooden Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave Stormveil loot with blood loss buildup.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Messmer Soldier Shield Medium Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Enemy Drop	Messmer soldiers — Realm of Shadow (DLC) Random DLC soldier drop. No single Lands Between farm.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Belurat, Tower Settlement (DLC soldiers)
One-Eyed Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Guardians' Garrison — Mountaintops of the Giants Somber greatshield with Flame Spit from the garrison clear path.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Perfumer's Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Perfumer enemies — Altus Plateau / Leyndell Base-game shield. DLC areas can drop it too — do not re-tag the item as DLC just because Scadu Altus appears in location text. Other locations (1) Scadu Altus / Shadow Keep (DLC carriers can also drop it)	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Capital Outskirts (Perfumer carriers)
Pillory Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Gaol Cave — Caelid Small shield loot in Gaol Cave (+50 Vitality passive).	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Red Crest Heater Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Altus Plateau Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Text route only
Red Thorn Roundshield Small Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Redmane Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Redmane knight greatshield carriers — Caelid Caelid enemy drop. Strong fire guard among greatshields.	Open nearby landmark Landmark — Cathedral of Dragon Communion (Caelid)
Rickety Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Rift Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Riveted Wooden Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Round Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Weeping Peninsula Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Text route only
Scorpion Kite Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Purchase	Merchant purchase — Altus Plateau Shop inventory shield. Merchant stock can unlock as you progress the region.	Text route only
Scripture Wooden Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Starting Equipment	Class starting equipment Listed as starting / equipped gear in the weapon dump. Check character creation kits — this page does not assign a class without a verified source.	Text route only
Serpent Crest Shield Medium Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Chest / Loot	Gravesite Plain loot — Realm of Shadow (DLC) DLC medium shield. Strong fire guard for its class relative to many base-game mediums.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Shield of Night Small Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Quest Reward	Swordhand of Night Jolán — Bonny Gaol / Manus Metyr line (DLC) Shadow of the Erdtree. Dump lists Loot at Bonny Gaol; acquisition is tied to Jolán and the Iris choice after Count Ymir's quest.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Shield of the Guilty Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Demi-Human Forest Ruins — Weeping Peninsula Blood loss small shield in the forest ruins.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Silver Mirrorshield Medium Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Apostate Derelict — Consecrated Snowfield High magic guard medium shield at the derelict.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Smithscript Shield Small Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Chest / Loot	Taylew's Ruined Forge — Ancient Ruins of Rauh (DLC) DLC small shield with Discus Hurl. Forge / smithscript cache route.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Smoldering Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Volcano Manor Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Spiked Palisade Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Caelid loot route Greatshield loot in Caelid with blood loss buildup.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Spiralhorn Shield Small Shields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Loot — Uld Palace Ruins Fixed loot / corpse / chest route in the listed area.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Sun Realm Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Enemy Drop	Sun Realm shield skeletons — Limgrave and later catacomb routes Multi-region skeleton drop. Useful parry medium, not a single chest. Other locations (4) Liurnia of the Lakes Caelid Capital Outskirts Crumbling Farum Azula	Text route only
Twinbird Kite Shield Medium Shields · Base Game	Boss Drop	Deathbird — Capital Outskirts (Altus) Guaranteed from the Capital Outskirts Deathbird. Low-HP attack/defense passive.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Verdigris Greatshield Greatshields · Shadow of the Erdtree · Popular route	Quest Reward	Moore quest outcome — Scadu Altus (DLC) Shadow of the Erdtree. Tied to Moore (dump also labels a guaranteed drop). Weight is extreme — open Equip Load before locking it as a main.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Visage Shield Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Caelem Ruins — Caelid Somber greatshield with Tongues of Fire skill.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Wolf Crest Shield Medium Shields · Shadow of the Erdtree	Chest / Loot	Castle Ensis — Gravesite Plain (DLC) DLC medium shield inside Castle Ensis.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin
Wooden Greatshield Greatshields · Base Game	Chest / Loot	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave Early greatshield option inside Stormveil if you want a heavier block before capital gear.	Open map pin Exact weapon pin

Default skills & ashes

Best Shield Ashes of War

Skills below and in the list filter are each shield's default skill. Not every No Skill shield can equip every ash. Unique skills such as Buckler Parry stay on their own shield.

No Skill

Keeps the right-hand weapon skill ready while you block. Brass Shield and many mediums start this way. The list filter uses default skills only — whether a shield can take a given ash still depends on that shield and ash in-game.

Parry

Standard small/medium parry window on many starting and loot shields. Useful once timing is practiced; it does not fix low physical guard on its own.

Buckler Parry

Buckler's unique default skill. Tighter parry feel than generic Parry — not an ash you can freely put on every small shield.

Carian Retaliation

Popular ash for magic deflection and parry-minded kits. Confirm the shield can accept it in-game before you rebuild around it; this guide does not list every ash pairing.

Barricade Shield

Temporarily strengthens guard for a hard string. Great Turtle Shell starts with Barricade; other shields may take the ash when the game allows it.

Shield Bash / Shield Crash

Offensive shield skills for posture pressure. Bash is the shorter poke on many greatshields; Crash is the charge-style option. Neither replaces planning around Guard Boost.

Play patterns

Elden Ring Shield Builds

Four short play patterns. Open the calculators when you need attribute targets or equip load math.

Sword and Shield

Medium shield · 100% physical · weight control

Brass Shield, Heater Shield, Banished Knight's Shield

Filter Physical Guard = 100% and sort by Guard Boost, then keep total equip load in medium roll. No Skill on Brass lets the right-hand ash stay active. Use Build Calculator for STR/DEX, and Equip Load before stacking heavy armor.

Open Build Calculator Equip Load

Greatshield Strength

High Guard Boost · STR · heavy armor risk

Fingerprint Stone Shield, Golden Greatshield, Verdigris Greatshield

Guard Boost roughly 70–82 at +0. Weight 17–29 means fortress armor often forces Heavy Load — check Equip Load with your real armor set, not the shield alone. Fingerprint also applies madness buildup.

Open Build Calculator Equip Load

Parry Build

Small shield · Buckler Parry / Parry

Buckler, Perfumer's Shield, other Parry small shields

Ignore top Guard Boost ranks. Practice on Gatefront soldiers before bosses. Pair with a thrusting sword or curved sword you already know; stats matter for the right hand, not the parry window itself.

Open Build Calculator Equip Load

Shield Poke / Thrusting Shield

DLC guard attacks · hybrid offense

Carian Thrusting Shield, Dueling Shield

Their own class — not Greatshields. Build around guard-pokes and Specimen Storehouse access. Guard Boost still matters, but the moveset is why you pick them.

Open Build Calculator Equip Load

Passive effects

Shields with Passive Effects

18 shields have passive effects (resist bonuses, status buildup, HP regen, and similar). Listed by name — not ranked by strength.

Shield	Passive effect	Type	Weight	Acquisition
Ant's Skull Plate	Boosts Immunity (+60) Causes poison buildup (90)	Greatshields	12.5	Nokstella, Eternal City — Ainsel River underground
Briar Greatshield	Causes blood loss build-up (70)	Greatshields	8.5	Elemer of the Briar — The Shaded Castle (Altus Plateau)
Coil Shield	Causes poison buildup (72) +40 Immunity	Small Shields	1.5	Volcano Cave — Mt. Gelmir
Eclipse Crest Greatshield	+50 Focus, Immunity, and Robustness	Greatshields	15	Mausoleum Knight / eclipse greatshield carriers — Castle Sol route (Mountaintops)
Fingerprint Stone Shield	Causes madness buildup (70)	Greatshields	29	Subterranean Shunning-Grounds — Frenzied path beneath Leyndell
Great Turtle Shell	Boosts Stamina recovery rate	Medium Shields	5.5	Weeping Peninsula — seaside tower among the turtles
Ice Crest Shield	+40 Robustness	Small Shields	3	Loot — Caria Manor
Icon Shield	Regenerates HP	Greatshields	9	Woodfolk Ruins — Altus Plateau
Marred Leather Shield	Causes blood loss buildup (50)	Medium Shields	3	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave
Marred Wooden Shield	Causes blood loss buildup (50)	Medium Shields	4	Stormveil Castle — Limgrave
Perfumer's Shield	+40 Immunity	Small Shields	1.5	Perfumer enemies — Altus Plateau / Leyndell
Pillory Shield	+50 Vitality	Small Shields	3.5	Gaol Cave — Caelid
Rift Shield	+40 Focus	Small Shields	2	Class starting equipment
Shield of the Guilty	Causes blood loss buildup (50) +40 Focus	Small Shields	2	Demi-Human Forest Ruins — Weeping Peninsula
Smoldering Shield	Increases Robustness by +30.	Small Shields	3	Loot — Volcano Manor
Spiked Palisade Shield	Causes blood loss build-up (70)	Greatshields	9.5	Caelid loot route
Spiralhorn Shield	Causes blood loss buildup (45) +40 Focus, Immunity, and Robustness	Small Shields	2	Loot — Uld Palace Ruins
Twinbird Kite Shield	Increases Attack and Defense when at low HP	Medium Shields	4.5	Deathbird — Capital Outskirts (Altus)

Collection tracker

Elden Ring Shield Checklist

Mark shields as collected in the list above. Progress is shared with the Weapons hub and the 100% Checklist.

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Related Shields and Tools

Elden Ring Weapons

Full armory with every weapon type, including all shields.

Greatswords

Sister weapon-type hub for Greatswords locations and stats.

Katanas

Katana hub for bleed, INT kits and locations.

Equip Load Calculator

Check weight before stacking a Greatshield with heavy armor.

Build Calculator

Plan attributes around shield requirements and your main hand.

Weapon Calculator

Compare right-hand AR while your shield handles defense.

Interactive Map

Find weapon pins across the Lands Between and Realm of Shadow.

100% Checklist

Track every weapon and keep collection progress in one place.

Shield FAQ

How many Shields are in Elden Ring?+

There are 79 shields on this page: 69 base-game and 10 from Shadow of the Erdtree (Black Steel Greatshield, Carian Thrusting Shield, Dueling Shield, Golden Lion Shield, Messmer Soldier Shield, Serpent Crest Shield, Shield of Night, Smithscript Shield, Verdigris Greatshield, Wolf Crest Shield). That covers Small Shields, Medium Shields, Greatshields and Thrusting Shields.

What is the best Shield in Elden Ring?+

There is no single best shield. Brass Shield is the usual general-purpose medium with 100% physical guard and No Skill. Golden Lion Shield leads medium Guard Boost in the DLC. Fingerprint Stone Shield and Verdigris Greatshield anchor heavy blocking. Buckler is the dedicated parry tool. Use the Best Shields section for situation picks, not a universal tier list.

What does Guard Boost do?+

Guard Boost reduces stamina damage taken while blocking. In a simplified example, Guard Boost 61 turns 100 incoming stamina damage into 39 taken. It does not replace Guarded Damage Negation, which controls HP chip through the shield.

Which Shields block 100% physical damage?+

41 shields here have 100 physical guard at +0 (unupgraded). Use the Physical Guard = 100% filter on the table. Full physical negation still spends stamina on every blocked hit.

What is the difference between Small Shields and Greatshields?+

Small Shields are light and often built around Parry. Medium Shields balance weight and block. Greatshields offer higher Guard Boost at much higher weight and STR cost. Thrusting Shields (DLC) can attack while guarding and are their own class.

Which Shields can use No Skill?+

Many shields come with No Skill so your right-hand weapon skill stays available. That does not mean every No Skill shield accepts every Ash of War — affinity and ash compatibility still apply. The skill filter on this page uses each shield's default skill.

What are Thrusting Shields?+

A Shadow of the Erdtree weapon class (Carian Thrusting Shield and Dueling Shield) that supports guard-pokes. They are not Greatshield subtypes; use the Thrusting type filter to focus on them.

Where can I find Brass Shield?+

Brass Shield is an enemy drop from shield soldiers. Gatefront Ruins is a practical early Limgrave farm route; the same shield can drop from related soldiers in later regions. It is not a single fixed chest.

Which Shields are available in Shadow of the Erdtree?+

10 DLC shields are included here, among them Black Steel Greatshield, Carian Thrusting Shield, Dueling Shield, Golden Lion Shield, Messmer Soldier Shield, Serpent Crest Shield, Shield of Night, Smithscript Shield, Verdigris Greatshield, Wolf Crest Shield. Set Content to DLC in the list filters to show only those.

Can I track my Shield collection?+

Yes. Use Collect on each row. Progress is saved in this browser and shared with the Weapons hub and the 100% Checklist.