There are so many options when it comes to how you want to play Elden Ring. Whether you're looking to go in with dual katanas and slice up your opponents with bleed damage, blast away at enemies with ranged spells, or go full knight mode and tank hits while dishing them out with heavy blows of your own--the possibilities are truly endless.
You'll also be tasked with deciding if you prefer to perfect your dodge rolling to evade enemies or wield a shield capable of blocking--or at least mitigating--the damage you take. If you choose the latter, you'll obviously want to be certain you're sporting the best you can get for your respective build and weight limitations.
We've compiled a list of some of Elden Ring's best shields. Some are excellent due to their weight-to-protection ratios, while others have cool extra features or skills that help them stand out. Finding the shield that works best for you should always be your goal, and hopefully, our list will provide you with a good starting point toward finding which one that will be.
Great Turtle Shell Shield
The Great Turtle Shell Shield is particularly notable for not only being, you know, a turtle shell, but also for providing a really solid weight-to-protection ratio. It can be snagged easily in Weeping Penninsula and should last you well into the mid-game.
This shield requires only 14 Strength to wield and doesn't weigh too much, but it only blocks 87% of physical damage, meaning a bit will still bleed through. But because it also boosts stamina recovery speed by 8%, it's a perfect option for those who tend to stay mobile but would like some decent protection in a pinch.
Visage Shield
The Visage Shield, which can be obtained easily in Caelid, is a pretty useful tool for crowd control and more. However, due to its high equip load, it is definitely focused towards character builds that prioritize tanking over all else.
This hulking shield requires 44 Strength to wield, so even though you can get it quite early in the game, don't expect to be able to use it until you've pumped those stats up a bit. It blocks 100% of physical damage and has high mitigation for most magic types, too. But what sets it apart is its Tongues of Fire skill, which allows you to spray flames from the shield even while walking, making it a helpful tool for pushing enemies back and garnering yourself some space.
Dragonclaw Shield
Though the Dragonclaw Shield may not be the very best of the greatshields, it more than earns its spot on this list due to its low weight requirements and intriguing utility options. If you're looking for some solid guard boosting, high protections, and low Endurance needs, pick this one up in Altus Plateau.
You'll have to hit the stat requirements of 28 Strength and 12 Dexterity to wield this greatshield, but it'll block 100% of physical damage and a respectable 76% of lightning damage. To make things even better, it definitely looks cooler than most shields in the game, and it can dish out some pretty gnarly lightning damage of its own if you're into using a shield in that manner.
Jellyfish Shield
The Jellyfish Shield can be obtained relatively early on in your adventure by advancing into Liurnia of the Lakes, and not only is it a great option for a multitude of situations, but it also looks unlike anything else in the game.
This unique shield requires 20 Strength and 14 Dexterity to wield, and it blocks 100% of incoming physical damage. Its best feature, though, is its Contagious Fury skill, which boosts your damage output by 20% for 30 seconds, making it an exceptional option to bring along into tough fights. Plenty of blocking power and that extra utility is a hard combo to beat.
Carian Knight's Shield
The Carian Knight's Shield is an exceptional choice for a variety of magic-based builds due to its fairly low weight requirements and fantastic protection. It's obtained quite early within Raya Lucaria Academy in Liurnia of the Lakes, making it easy to snag before getting too far into the game.
This shield requires 10 Strength, 10 Dexterity, and 15 Intelligence to wield, which means that it's best for sorcery and hybrid builds. It blocks 100% of physical damage and a whopping 71% of magic damage. Though unexceptional on paper, it's simply a good all-around medium shield that can provide plenty of protection while remaining useful for parrying.
Erdtree Greatshield
The Erdtree Greatshield may require you to take down two Tree Sentinels at once in Altus Plateau, but you may find that it's very much worth the hassle. With great protections and a unique skill, this one sits among the best shields in the game without question.
To wield this big shield, you'll need to have 30 Strength and 12 Faith. It blocks 100% of physical damage, and it has above-average holy and magic damage negation, too. Best of all, its Golden Retaliation skill allows you to parry magical attacks and retaliate with a holy blast of your own. It's a fun shield to use and doesn't weigh too much, so it's worth rocking in basically any fight.
Golden Greatshield
The Golden Greatshield drops relatively frequently in Leyndell, Royal Capital, and it's worth any time spent farming. This large, oval shield may not look particularly special, but its balanced stat requirements help it sit among the best choices in the game.
You'll need 34 Strength to wield this greatshield. It provides 100% physical damage negation and fantastic protection against all other damage types, too. Although there are shields with better overall guard boost, this one can hit 78 when fully upgraded despite having much more manageable stat and weight requirements, making it an absolute beast for tanky builds.
Brass Shield
Unless you're seeking one of the unique skills from another shield, the Brass Shield is among the best all-around choices in the game. It can be farmed off Godrick Soldiers very early on in Limgrave, and with upgrades, it'll last you the entirety of the game with few problems.
You'll only need 16 Strength to wield this shield, so nearly any build should be able to meet those stat requirements. It blocks 100% of physical attacks and has solid damage negation against all other elements. You can equip it with most Ashes of War for whatever type of utility you need, and once it's upgraded to max, it can reduce your stamina loss from blocking by over 65%.
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