One of the great things well-nigh FromSoftware's Nighttime Souls franchise is they provide players with the freedom to arroyo encounters in their own preferred means. Shields are naturally not as exciting as weapons, especially since their importance is reduced in the later Dark Souls games. For some, the proper mode to play Dark Souls three is to not use a shield at all; however, that is non due to a lack of options.

Including the DLC, Nighttime Souls three has over sixty shields, which are by and large split into iii categories: Pocket-size, standard, and peachy. Each shield comes with a Weapon Fine art, some have auxiliary furnishings, and it is by and large wise to swap out shields depending on the enemy or boss fight. Well-nigh chiefly, while most shields are serviceable, the best of the bunch render the lesser items obsolete. What are the best shields in Nighttime Souls 3 ?

Updated August 24th, 2021 by Marking Sammut: Dark Souls never grows old. As hype forms around the upcoming debut of Elden Ring, players seeking a helping of FromSoftware goodness can look dorsum at the studio'southward defining franchise. Nighttime Souls three is a brilliant game and, if no sequel is forthcoming, a worthy terminal entry for the IP. The title's robust selection of weapons and shields is a large reason why Nighttime Souls 3 has such legs, as there are almost endless builds that players can try. Shields might not be as exciting as a Claymore or staff, but they tend to be the difference betwixt survival and decease. To provide a more all-rounded wait into these items, their stats take been provided.

Stats Summary

The following stats and their percentages will be provided for each shield:

  • Physical Defence force – The percentage dictates how much concrete impairment the shield will negate.
  • Magic Defense – The percentage dictates how much magic damage the shield will negate.
  • Burn Defence force – The per centum dictates how much fire damage the shield will negate.
  • Lightning Defense – The pct dictates how much lightning damage the shield volition negate.
  • Dark Defence – The percent dictates how much dark impairment the shield will negate.
  • Stability – This determines how much Stamina is drained when the shield blocks an attack. The higher the percentage, the meliorate.
  • Durability – The least important stat, this one refers to the weapon's longevity as they can eventually break. Shields can exist repaired by visiting the Firelink Shrine's Blacksmith or casting Repair. The latter tin can be purchased from Orbeck of Vinheim in the Road of Sacrifices.

xv Warrior's Round Shield

Warrior's Round Shield Dark Souls 3
Physical Defense force 62%
Magic Defense 68%
Fire Defense 45%
Lightning Defense 46%
Nighttime Defense 36%
Stability 54%
Durability 55%

Naturally, the Ashen 1 does not simply first with the best weapons, armor pieces, and shields. He has to work for them, and that means picking up lesser items along the way. Bachelor to buy from the Shrine Handmaid at the Firelink Shrine, the Warrior'south Round Shield will become obsolete rather quickly. Some might argue its poor stability and inability to parry ways it is never a viable candidate even amongst small shields.

While far from great, the Warrior's Round Shield has i thing in its favor: It can activate the correct-hand weapon's skill. Not only is this near unheard of for small shields, but this also means the Warrior's Round Shield weighs far less than the items that typically offer this option.

xiv Giant Door Shield

Dark Souls 3 giant door shield
Physical Defense 100%
Magic Defense 75%
Fire Defense force 45%
Lightning Defence force 80%
Dark Defense 75%
Stability 60%
Durability 150%

Nighttime Souls 3 has its share of deadline joke items, with the Porcine Shield being a prime example. On the surface, the Giant Door Shield seems like just another example of FromSoftware'southward sense of sense of humour, just this DLC add-on amounts to far more simply a gag. The Giant Door Shield is institute on a cliff near the Earthen Peak Ruins bonfire in The Ringed Metropolis.

Permitting someone does not bring a flamethrower to the political party, the Giant Door Shield will provide an incredible defence tailor-made for tank builds. Its 45 Force requirement is a hefty investment and there are better greatshields in Dark Souls 3, only the Behemothic Door Shield nonetheless earns its identify in the game's roster.

13 Silver Eagle Kite Shield

Dark Souls 3 Silver Eagle Kite Shield
Physical Defense force 100%
Magic Defence 44%
Fire Defense 45%
Lightning Defence 33%
Dark Defense force 43%
Stability 45%
Durability 60%

The Silver Hawkeye Kite Shield has a modest window of relevancy as it just stands out due to being available quite early in the game. Establish in High Wall of Lothric, the Silver Eagle Kite Shield comes with a low Forcefulness requirement of just 11, which is fantastic for a standard shield that blocks all physical damage.

Once any of the Crest Shields are acquired, there is really no bespeak in using the Silvery Eagle Kite Shield. Nevertheless, it serves a purpose for a few hours.

12 Llewellyn Shield

Physical Defence force 68%
Magic Defence 69%
Burn down Defense 63%
Lightning Defense force 44%
Dark Defense 61%
Stability 45%
Durability 70%

Small shields are not particularly viable in Dark Souls 3, but they have their uses in the early game and benefit from having extremely depression weight. Out of the base game, the Llewellyn Shield is the best, even if it is not quite as adept as the version in Night Souls 2. This shield can be obtained from Horace the Hushed, an NPC found near the Road of Sacrifices' Halfway Fortress Blaze.

The Llewellyn Shield has the "Parry" Weapon Art, which allows attacks to be deflected and a critical hit to be inflicted. It can as well be infused with Gems to provide a defensive heave confronting Magic attacks, an surface area this shield is already superior to most of its similarly-sized brethren.

xi Dragonhead Shield

Dark Souls 3 dragonhead shield
Physical Defense 70%
Magic Defence force 65%
Fire Defense 90%
Lightning Defense 35%
Dark Defence force 55%
Stability xl%
Immovability 85%

Whatsoever shield that spits out fire is automatically amazing, and that is hardly the simply positive in this item's favor. Included in Nighttime Souls three's The Ringed Urban center DLC and found near the Purging Monument, the Dragonhead Shield has the highest resistance to fire out of all the shields in the game. This is peculiarly impressive considering information technology is a small shield.

Due to it dropping in the DLC, the Dragonhead Shield faces an uphill battle as players will already ain plenty of Dark Souls iii'south best shields. Even so, when used for its offensive capabilities, this tool tin be very useful.

10 Yhorm'southward Greatshield

Concrete Defense 100%
Magic Defence force 74%
Burn down Defense force 76%
Lightning Defense 63%
Dark Defense 74%
Stability 73%
Durability 205%

Greatshields are an caused gustatory modality. They non just require loftier stats to utilise but they besides limit a player's movability. That said, tank builds will observe a lot to love in these massive defensive walls. Yhorm's Greatshield's best asset is that it increases Poise by 15, permitting more than hits to exist taken before the player staggers. Unfortunately, Poise is somewhat unpredictable and difficult to rail, so this benefit has a ceiling.

Yhorm'southward Greatshield is an all-around solid selection for those seeking a greatshield, as it provides above-boilerplate resistance to magic and elemental attacks while naturally having 100% resistance to concrete hits. Naturally, acquiring this shield entails acquiring Yhorm the Giant's Soul.

nine Havel's Greatshield

Dark Souls 3 havel's greatshield
Physical Defence 100%
Magic Defence force 83%
Burn down Defense 83%
Lightning Defense 82%
Dark Defense 83%
Stability 75%
Durability 270%

Located in Archdragon Peak and obtained every bit a drop from a Havel Knight, the Havel's Greatshield provides stellar stats at a lofty toll. As it is far heavier than any other shield in Dark Souls 3, the Havel's Greatshield either needs to be left for New Game + or be the focal bespeak of a build. Permitting someone can carry the thing, this greatshield offers fantastic resistance beyond the board, making information technology a one-terminate store for all of the game'due south boss fights.

Havel's Greatshield's Weapon Art, Rock Flesh, is a defensive skill that requires some getting used to, but information technology tin be a lifesaver in the right situations.

8 Stone Parma

Physical Defense 100%
Magic Defence force 58%
Burn down Defense 52%
Lightning Defense 53%
Night Defence 57%
Stability 57%
Durability 70%

If a actor decides to use a shield, they are near likely to gravitate towards mid-level ones. Typically, they provide good protection while also non requiring absurdly high stats to use. The Rock Parma is found relatively early in the entrada, as information technology is located close by to the Farron Go on bonfire, and has solid only unspectacular stats.

What really allows the Rock Parma to polish is that it can exist infused, unlike some of the better mid-level shields. When fully maxed out, it has a respectable stability stat of 63, which determines the stamina that is consumed when an set on is blocked.

seven Wolf Knight's Greatshield

Physical Defence 100%
Magic Defense 68%
Burn Defense 65%
Lightning Defense 52%
Nighttime Defense 68%
Stability 67%
Durability 140%

The Wolf Knight'south Greatshield is a contender for the best of its bracket, and that comes down to a few dissimilar factors. Information technology requires a Strength stat of xxx to be wielded, which is relatively depression for a greatshield that is really decent.

Furthermore, the Wolf Knight'due south Greatshield is not only i of the lightest greatshields in the game but information technology is also 1 of a select few to come up with the "Weapon Skill" Weapon Art. This permits the chief weapon'southward skill attack to be used without the shield having to exist put away. It likewise provides a resistance boost to condition furnishings. To obtain this shield, reach Rank 2 in the Watchdogs of Farron Covenant.

half dozen Dragon Crest Shield

Physical Defense 100%
Magic Defence force 67%
Fire Defense 89%
Lightning Defense 43%
Night Defense force 53%
Stability 49%
Durability 90%

While all of the Weapon Arts have their uses, "Parry" is the most desirable. Once a thespian comes to grips with the timing required to execute parries, information technology can exist an absolutely devastating tool to have at one's disposal. The small shields would exist almost completely pointless if information technology were not for the fact most of them have the "Parry" skill.

All of the Crest shields are worth using, but the Dragon Crest Shield has an edge due to possessing the highest burn resistance in the base game. While The Ringed City DLC would take this crown away from the Dragon Crest Shield, the latter is still a superior accommodating option than the Dragonhead Shield. To discover this shield, head to the Sometime Wolf of Farron bonfire and have the lift upstairs.

5 Shield Of Desire

Concrete Defense 100%
Magic Defense force 61%
Fire Defense 63%
Lightning Defense 43%
Dark Defense 61%
Stability 58%
Durability 110%

Located at Smouldering Lake, the Shield Of Want is not only a cool artifact due to its connectedness to Dark Souls two's Male monarch Vendrick but it too boosts collected souls by 20%. While this characteristic is not quite equally appealing during the endgame or subsequent playthroughs, it can be very useful during an initial run.

Withal, the Shield of Want's usefulness does not get-go and end with its auxiliary ability. It counters a fairly high Strength requirement of eighteen to equip with depression weight, decent stability, and above-boilerplate damage reduction to near assail types as well burn.

iv Ethereal Oak Shield

Physical Defense force 100%
Magic Defence force 65%
Fire Defense force 35%
Lightning Defense 70%
Nighttime Defense 60%
Stability 50%
Immovability 80%

Nighttime Souls 3'south DLC packages introduced 5 new shields. The Behemothic Door Shield standouts as one of the better (and most ridiculous) greatshields in the unabridged game, while both Dragonhead variants should get the task done. However, out of all the DLC'southward options, the Ethereal Oak Shield is the all-time shield. This item requires heading to a tower in the Millwood Ruins in the Painted World of Ariandel.

The Ethereal Oak Shield is perfect for nigh scenarios, offering more than adequate resistance to magic, lightning, and night attacks. Its stability of 50 could be better and it should be swapped out against a burn boss; however, these shortcomings are made acceptable due to its auxiliary skill that regenerates health.

3 Greatshield Of Glory

Physical Defense 100%
Magic Defense 70%
Fire Defence force 65%
Lightning Defence 52%
Dark Defense 63%
Stability 80%
Immovability 190%

In truth, the best shield in Dark Souls 3 is situational. For tank characters with a propensity for magic, the Greatshield of Celebrity is unbeatable. This all comes down to the fact that information technology has the highest stability in the game, including the two DLC packages. Now, this does come at a cost, as the Greatshield of Glory slows down stamina regeneration by xx%, making it the only shield in Dark Souls 3 with a negative auxiliary effect.

However, this is rendered moot by casting Magic Shield, which increases stability past eighteen. Therefore, once the Greatshield of Celebrity is upgraded twice, this spell increases the shield'due south stability to 100. Consequently, blocking stops reducing stamina. Prior to entering Yhorm the Behemothic'due south dominate area, players should see a Mimic that will drop the Greatshield of Glory.

2 Lothric Knight Shield

Physical Defense 100%
Magic Defense 59%
Fire Defence 53%
Lightning Defense force 87%
Nighttime Defence 51%
Stability 54%
Durability 75%

The Lothric Knight Shield is nearly perfect. Information technology is a mid-level shield that has the "Parry" skill, tin can be obtained relatively early on from the Lothric Knights at the Loftier Wall of Lothric, and has an impressive stability rating of 66 when fully upgraded. It is also highly resistant to lightning attacks, making it an ideal weapon confronting bosses like Dragonslayer Armour and Nameless Rex.

The Lothric Knight Shield tin can as well exist infused. This is not an especially vital feature for shields, but infusing a Blessed or Simple Gem would provide some HP or FP regeneration respectively.

1 Black Knight Shield

Physical Defense 100%
Magic Defence force 65%
Burn Defense force 85%
Lightning Defense force 52%
Night Defense 63%
Stability sixty%
Durability 130%

The Black Knight Shield has stats befitting of a greatshield at the cost of a mid-level one. Once fully upgraded, information technology has a stability rating of 69. This is not only the highest of all the standard shields but it is only a few points short of the Wolf Knight'south Greatshield and the Lothric Knight Greatshield. Unlike the latter ii, the Blackness Knight Shield tin exist equipped with eighteen Strength and merely adds vii.5 to the player'due south equipment load.

While information technology does not take "Parry," the Black Knight Shield does not need to be put abroad for the main weapon'due south skill to exist used. Lastly, information technology has astonishing resistance to fire attacks while being adequate in every other surface area. This is the type of shield that does non demand to be replaced. Equally its proper name implies, this shield can be nerveless from Blackness Knights, which are found in the multipole areas like Farron Keep and the Untended Graves.

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