A lot has been written on Rivers of Blood and the Moonlight Greatsword – but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Rivers of Blood might win online battles, but it’s the fun, unusual stuff that sticks with you after you’re done with the game. Elden Ring has an incredible collection of shields, and they’re all substantially better than they were in Dark Souls III. The following are 10 shields that’ll turn your Elden Ring build into something to remember the game by.
10. Perfumer’s Shield
We’re starting with a relatively standard pick in the Elden Ring meta. The Perfumer’s Shield is favored by players with lighter, more agile builds who can’t bring themselves to abandon the protection of a shield – at least a small one. It’s also one of the most attractive shields you can put the Parry skill on. What made me want to include it is the great-looking design. The unique shape, golden color, and intricate ornamentation make it a fantastic addition to any sleek Elden Ring outfit. Obtained by: Defeating Perfumers who brandish this shield. You’ll find plenty of them near the Shaded Castle Inner Gate site of grace.
9. Shield of the Guilty
Talk about a gnarly-looking shield. If you want something that’ll remind anyone you meet of the suffering awaiting your enemies, this is it. According to the lore, it’s modeled after a maiden whose eyes were crushed by the Briars of Sin. Fittingly, this thorny shield can inflict bleed through the Shield Bash weapon skill. My favorite use, however, is replacing Shield Bash with something else. Everyone expects you to use this for the blood loss build-up, so it’s easy to catch others off-guard with Parry or Carrian Retaliation. Obtained by: Heading into the underground cellar in the Demi-Human Forest Ruins at the Weeping Peninsula. You’ll have to defeat a Demi-Human Queen mini-boss first.
8. Ant’s Skull Plate
Do I really need to explain what’s cool and unique about this? It’s literally a giant ant’s head! Along with protecting you from damage very effectively and making you look like a Monster Hunter character, the Ant Plate raises your immunity. Can’t become poisoned if your shield is toxic, I guess? It’s also one of the best shields to deflect blows. Even a one-handed greataxe might just bounce off of it, leaving your opponent open for a devastating counter. Obtained by: Opening a chest near the Nokstella, Eternal City site of grace.
7. Coil Shield
Most people think of shields as a tool for defense – but, as you’ll see several times in this ranking, they make excellent weapons. The Coil Shield doesn’t look too protective. At beast, it’s an ornamental shield fashioned after a snake. At worst, it’s literally just a snake coiled on a plate. However, this lack of protection is greatly compensated by its ability: Viper Bite. As you might have figured out by now, Viper Bite makes the coiled snake leap forward to bite and poison enemies in front of you. It’s an Area of Effect move, so it’s advantageous against crowds of weaker enemies. Obtained by: Heading deep into the Volcano Cave northeast of the Ninth Mt. Gelmir Campsite site of grace.
6. Fingerprint Stone Shield
One of the best and most well-documented strategies in FromSoftware games is coupling a heavy greatshield with a light thrusting weapon infused with a status ailment. This allows you to deal passive damage without ever lowering your shield. The Fingerprint Stone Shield is ideal for this strategy in Elden Ring. If you really like it, you can go even further and just equip two of these giant stone slabs to make your enemies go mad facing an unmovable object. Obtained by: Overcoming a grueling platforming section in the Cathedral of the Forsaken, beneath Leyndell’s Subterranean Shunning-Grounds.
5. Jellyfish Shield
Just as some people prefer the heaviest, most protective shields, others are willing to forego defense in the pursuit of offense. That’s the only logic I can see behind strapping not even a physical jellyfish but a Spirit Jellyfish to your arm and expecting it to protect you from dragons and demi-gods. The Jellyfish Shield is one of the most prevalent meta-build picks thanks to its ability – Contagious Fury – which increases your overall damage a whopping 20% for 30 seconds. It’s also a decent pick for defense, so give it a try if you haven’t yet. Obtained by: Investigating a broken wagon surrounded by Spirit Jellyfish north of the Foot of the Four Belfries site of grace.
4. Visage Shield
One of the most unique enemies in Elden Ring is the Flame Chariot – a medieval fantasy tank shaped like the head of a Fire Giant and equipped with a potent flamethrower. The Visage Shield offers much the same functionality on the go. This shield looks like the face of a Fire Giant trying to smoke four cigars at once. If that’s not hardcore, I don’t know what is. All that heat is spat back at your enemies through the Tongues of Fire ability. Obtained by: Opening the chest behind the Mad Pumpkin Head Duo in the underground catacombs close to Caelem Ruins.
3. Erdtree Greatshield
Reality in the Lands Between depends almost entirely on the Erdtree. It stands to reason that a shield crafted by its stalwart protectors – the Tree Sentinels themselves – would be one of the most powerful in the land. The Erdtree Greatshield offers great physical and magical protection, but what makes it special is how it can use your enemy’s strength against them. Its ability, Golden Retaliation, transforms the energy of any blocked sorcery or incantation into a golden burst of Holy power you can shoot back at your foes for tremendous damage. Obtained by: Defeating the Tree Sentinel Duo guarding Leyndell’s Westernmost entrance, just before the Outer Wall Phantom Tree site of grace.
2. Great Turtle Shield
Years of living on this Earth have taught me that nature knows best. Turtles have evolved to retreat into their carapaces and deflect aggression until predators give up and leave. Its shape has been optimized over millennia to offer the most protection for the least weight. That said, you won’t be getting this shield due to its stats. Instead, you want it because it looks funny when carried on your back. Ever wanted to look like a kappa? This shield will get you there. Obtained by: Climbing a tower close to the Castle Morne Rampart site of grace. You’ll need to “git gud” at platforming with Torrent to get this one.
1. One-Eyed Shield
We’ve covered several “offensive” shields in this list – but the best one has to be the One-Eyed Shield. Shaped in the face of the Fell God worshipped by the Fire Giants, this cyclops contraption can shoot a mighty fireball with its Flame Spit skill. To get the most out of it, equip the Shard of Alexander, the Fire Scorpion Charm, and the Ritual Sword Talisman. You can also drink a Physick with the Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear and throw in a Flame, Grant Me Strength for good measure. The result is a devastating one-hit KO that’ll destroy your enemies if you learn to cast it at just the right time. Obtained by: Defeating the Chief Guardian Arghanthy mini0boss inside the Guardian’s Garrison at the Mountaintops of the Giants.
