15 Best Shields In Elden Ring, Ranked

When it comes to Elden Ring shields, there are a few that stand out as the best shields in the game.

Even though there is still more content to come out, like the DLC that some players found proof of before it was announced earlier in 2023, it’s not surprising that players all over the world think Elden Ring is GOTY material. Players still have a lot to do while they wait for the DLC. There are caves to explore, ruins to loot, and bad-luck creatures to kill.

But players shouldn’t expect Elden Ring to be easy, since they’ll need the best gear to stay alive. A shield is a piece of gear that can help a player defeat enemies because it can protect them from blows that could kill them. But because there are so many Elden Ring shields to choose from, it can be hard to know which one will do the best job.

Shield Of The Guilty

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 68	MAG: 36	FIRE: 36	LGHT: 31	HOLY: 37	Small	STR: 8		Shield Bash (10 FP)	2.0	Bleed buildup on Bash, and +40 Focus

Even though small shields aren’t the best at stopping attacks because of their size, Shield of the Guilty is an exception because it has 68 points of Guard Protection. Also, since it’s a small shield, players can avoid hits much faster and easier without using too much Stamina.

This shield is one of the best in Elden Ring because players can use the Shield Bash Ash of War, which can make most enemies stumble.

Shield of the Guilty Location

The Shield of the Guilty can be found in the Demi-Human Forest Ruins, which are in the northern Weeping Peninsula woods. If you see Castle Morne, you’ve gone too far. Find this right before the main building with the mini-boss, the Demi-Human Queen.

Beastman’s Jar-Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 95	MAG: 30	FIRE: 55	LGHT: 60	HOLY: 55	Medium	STR: 10		NO SKILL	5.0	N/A

The Beastman’s Jar-Shield is great for players who want the best of both a greatshield and a small shield. It balances damage reduction and speed. The fact that the Beastman’s Jar-Shield can be filled with Ashes of War, Magic, and other items makes it one of the best shields in Elden Ring.

The only bad thing about this medium shield is that it can only be found in Crumbling Farum Azula, which is the end-game zone of Elden Ring.

Beastman’s Jar-Shield Location

This item can be dropped by Beastmen of Farum Azula, but only those found in Farum Azula. Beastmen near the Crumbling Beast Grave Depths Site of Grace will sell this powerful medium shield to players who want to use it.

Fingerprint Stone Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 77	FIRE: 81	LGHT: 79	HOLY: 75	Greatshield	STR: 48		Shield Bash (10 FP)	29.0	Madness buildup on Bash

Even though it’s one of the heaviest shields in Elden Ring and needs 48 Strength to use, the Fingerprint Stone Shield is a good choice for any strength-heavy build. It has strong defences, blocks 100% of physical attacks, and can defend itself against strikes that lower Stamina.

But the Ash of War on the Fingerprint Stone Shield is one of the main reasons it is one of the best shields in Elden Ring. Unfortunately, it is not easy to get this greatshield.

Fingerprint Stone Shield Location

First, players will have to beat Morgott, the King of Omens, and Mohg. After beating these two strong bosses, players will have to go to the Cathedral of the Forsaken, which is deep below Leyndell, and keep going down a certain set of platforms until they reach the shield.

Jellyfish Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 52	FIRE: 52	LGHT: 31	HOLY: 40	Greatshield	STR: 20, DEX: 14		Contagious Fury (9 FP)	8.0	N/A

The Jellyfish Shield is one of the most interesting-looking greatshields in Elden Ring, but most players might not notice it because it looks like it’s made of jelly. But this greatshield belongs on this Elden Ring shield tier list because its Contagious Fury ability increases the player’s attack by 20% for 30 seconds.

But the buff only works on one-handed weapons, so players can’t use Ash of War and then switch to a two-handed weapon because that would cancel out the effects.

Jellyfish Shield Location

This strong shield can be found west of the Four Belfies in a field. Look next to a body guarded by four Jellyfish. You can get there quickly by heading north from the Foot of the Four Belfries.

Scripture Wooden Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 70	MAG: 40	FIRE: 22	LGHT: 37	HOLY: 45	Small	STR: 8		Parry (0 FP)	1.5	N/A

The Scripture Wooden Shield is the go-to shield for most players who like to use magic builds because it offers a decent amount of defence while still being light enough for players who don’t want to spend money on Stamina. But the Scripture Wooden Shield’s best feature is that it can block a lot of hits from bosses like Malenia, Blade of Miquella.

Even though the Parry Ash of War can be bought and put on other shields, this one is found early enough in the game that it is a useful shield for witches. It takes time and practise to learn how to block strikes, so players who are just starting out should practise on smaller enemies before taking on bigger ones.

Scripture Wooden Shield Location

Farming the skeleton enemies in Deathtouched Catacombs is an easy way for players to get this small shield. You can also find it later in the Hero’s Grave of Auriza.

Blue-Gold Kite Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 47	FIRE: 53	LGHT: 35	HOLY: 45	Medium	STR: 12		Parry (0 FP)	5.0	N/A

Even though it’s big and slow, it’s a great shield that can reduce damage or stop certain attacks. Also, a well-timed Parry can make most enemies and bosses lose their balance, which can change the way a fight goes. And if a player has a Talisman like the Viridian Amber that boosts maximum Stamina, they can block more attacks.

Even though it has good stats, there are better shields that can do the job. However, the Blue-Gold Kite Shield is one of the best because it is much easier to get than the other shields on the list.

Blue-Gold Kite Shield Location

For 1000 runs, you can buy the Blue-Gold Kite Shield from the Nomadic Merchant in Eastern Limgrave. Just north of Fort Haight, the dealer is just out of sight. It’s a great place to stop early in the game for classes that didn’t start with a 100% Physical block shield.

Visage Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 62	FIRE: 81	LGHT: 65	HOLY: 62	Greatshield	STR: 44		Tongues of Fire (5 FP)	24.0	N/A

Greatshields are, without a question, very powerful shields that can save players from certain death, but they require a lot of Strength to use. And the Visage Shield is a useful Greatshield because it not only protects players but also shoots fire from its front.

Players can also boost Tongues of Fire’s power with Magic and Consumables. But using this skill will use up FP, so players should get the Cerulean Hidden Tear, which gives them infinite FP for a short time.

Visage Greatshield Location

The only place to find the Visage Greatshield is in the Caelem Ruins, which are across the road from the Smouldering Church. Watch out for enemies that are infected with Scarlet Rot and scream “Pizza Tower” when they are about to explode.

Marred Leather Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 75	MAG: 49	FIRE: 36	LGHT: 45	HOLY: 45	Medium	STR: 8		NO SKILL	3.0	Bleed buildup on Bash

Even though the Marred Leather Shield doesn’t have any Ash of War, it does have a passive one that causes Blood Loss, which does a lot of damage when it goes off. So, since both the Marred Leather Shield and a Bleed weapon like the Uchigatana cause Blood Loss to build up, they can be used together to kill.

To get this shield, players must use a secret entrance to Stormveil Castle. This makes it one of the oldest (and easiest) Status Effect shields in Elden Ring.

Marred Leather Shield Location

After finding the second Site of Grace, players will find the Marred Leather Shield just past the sword birds and just before entering Stormveil Castle. If you want to get here as quickly as possible, Gostoc will show you a way to get around Stormveil Castle.

Coil Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 65	MAG: 38	FIRE: 29	LGHT: 35	HOLY: 36	Small	STR: 10, DEX: 10		Viper bite (8 FP)	1.5	+40 Immunity

Since the Coil Shield is a Small Shield, it is light and good for players who like to roll around and avoid hits, which is what the Bandit class does best. But, as you might have guessed, for such a light load, this shield does very little or nothing to stop damage.

Even though that was a small loss, FromSoftware gave this shield a unique skill called “Viper Bite.” This skill lets out a viper that bites enemies. Also, the poison from Viper Bite spreads to enemy players faster than poison from other sources. It’s a must-have for Poison builds.

Coil Shield Location

The Coil Shield is in the Volcano Cave of Mt. Gelmir, just north of the Ninth Campsite Site of Grace. Players will have to find their way to a small room on a cliff where enemies are waiting for them. Once you get past the trap, the Coil Shield will be on the ground.

Great Turtle Shell – Medium Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 87	MAG: 44	FIRE: 39	LGHT: 43	HOLY: 46	Medium	STR: 8		Barricade Shield (8 FP)	5.5	Boosts Stamina Recovery

Even though some players call this shield the “Great Dog Shell,” which is a running joke in the Elden Ring community, the Great Turtle Shell has a good mix of defence and weight. But the Ash of War is what makes the Great Turtle Shell one of the best Elden Ring shields.

Barricade Shield briefly boosts Guard Boost and defence so much that players can deflect hits that would kill them and hit back without losing much or any Stamina. Also, the Great Turtle Shell has a passive skill that speeds up the rate at which stamina is restored. This is useful against strikes that keep coming in a chain. The good news is that players don’t have to fight an enemy to get this shield.

Great Turtle Shell Location

The Great Turtle Shell can be found on top of a tower in the Weeping Peninsula, just north of Castle Morne. When riding Torrent, jump into the spirit spring near the Castle Morne Rampart. The Tarnished will be taken to the top of the cliff, and this item will be on a body on top of the tower.

Carian Knight’s Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 71	FIRE: 28	LGHT: 19	HOLY: 54	Medium	STR: 10, DEX: 10, INT: 15		NO SKILL	4.5	N/A

When improved past +10, the Carian Knight’s Shield has one of the best Guard Boost stats in Elden Ring. This shield is also great for people who use magic because it has very good stats and low needs for Strength and Dexterity.

Even if you don’t use magic, the Carian Knight’s Shield is useful because it has a very high Magic defence. This can help you take on the Carian Study Hall and its bow-wielding guardian.

Carian Knight’s Shield Location

This shield can only be dropped by the Carian Knight Moongrum himself, who can be found in the Academy of Raya Lucaria right before the Rennala fight. He’s hard to beat, but jumping moves and using the nearby lift to make him fall are good ways to do it. This is the same strategy that some players use to get millions of Runes.

Brass Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 55	FIRE: 59	LGHT: 39	HOLY: 54	Medium	STR: 16		NO SKILL	7.0	N/A

The Brass Shield is one of the best early shields in 8 Ball Pool game because it has good stats, not too many conditions, and can be filled with new Ashes of War. Even though it can’t compete with shields that are lighter, better at defence, or better for building, the Brass Shield can get players all the way through Elden Ring.

The biggest problem with the Brass Shield is that it weighs a lot: 7.0 weight. If a player wants to keep a Light load, they should avoid this shield and instead use a Kite shield.

Brass Shield Location

The best place to farm for the Brass Shield is outside of Raya Lucaria Academy, where a group of Raya Lucaria soldiers are gathering. Also, players can farm Godrick Soldiers in the Gatefront Ruins and the rest of Limgrave, but they should only attack the ones wearing the shield. Even though it can drop in more than one place, the Brass Shield is one of the rarest shields to drop in Elden Ring (0.8% Drop Chance), so be ready for a lot of restarts.

Dragonclaw Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 52	FIRE: 52	LGHT: 76	HOLY: 47	Greatshield	STR: 28, DEX: 12		Shield Bash (10 FP)	13.5	N/A

The Dragonclaw Shield is a great shield that can stop even the strongest hits. It might be the shield with the coolest design in Elden Ring. The Ash of War is also useful in battle, especially for players who aren’t good at parrying, since Shield Bash will push weaker enemies away and stun bosses.

The best thing about this greatshield is how it looks, since it doesn’t protect as well as other greatshields. But because the Dragonclaw Shield isn’t too heavy, it can make room in your Equip Load for better armour.

Dragonclaw Shield Location

In front of the door to Leyndell, there is a Draconic Tree Sentinel that players must kill to get this huge shield. This extra boss is hard to beat, but luckily, he also drops the Colossal weapon Dragon Greatclaw, which looks and plays just like the shield.

Beast Crest Heater Shield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 50	FIRE: 43	LGHT: 32	HOLY: 42	Medium Shield	STR: 10		Parry (0 FP)	3.5	N/A

The Beast Crest Heater Shield is without a question the best small or medium starter shield in the Elden Ring. It has a great balance of defence for its weight, including a 100% physical block. It’s good for any class because it’s light and doesn’t require much in the way of stats. All you need to wear it is 10 Strength.

Players can also use Ashes of War to improve the Crest Heater Shield. The Barricade Shield skill is one of the best ones. The Beast Creat Heater Shield is a great choice for any play style, and it can be found very early on in the game.

Beast Crest Heater Shield Location

And getting the Crest Heater Shield is easy because players can just stay away from the enemies that are near it. Go to Saintsbridge, which is east of Stormhill, and look for a camp full of Godrick troops. Find a chest, quickly get off Torrent, open the chest, take what’s inside, and get back on to get out of there without getting hurt.

Erdtree Greatshield

Physical and Elemental Guard					Shield Type	Level Req.		Ash of War	Weight	Special Properties
PHYS: 100	MAG: 66	FIRE: 49	LGHT: 45	HOLY: 76	Greatshield	STR: 30, FAITH: 12		Golden Retaliation (4 FP)	13.5	N/A

The Erdtree Greatshield has one of the best Ashes of War and is also one of the best Elden Ring shields. Remember the Tree Sentinel at the start of the game? It shot a blast of Holy energy at the Tarnished to block spells. This Ash of War does just that. It blocks charms, both sorcery and incantations, and turns them into projectiles.

Some players have figured out how to take advantage of Golden Retaliation by using spells that hurt themselves, like Fire’s Deadly Sin, which sets a big area on fire.

Erdtree Greatshield

To get this shield, the player will have to kill the two Tree Sentinels that stand guard at the southern entrance to the Outer Moat of Leyndell. Even though both of them have to die for the shield to appear, one can be separated from the other behind the gate so that players can focus on the other. In either case, the shield will only fall when both Tree Sentinels do.

Elden Ring is now available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X|S, and PlayStation 4 and 5.