Shield

Basics

Shields are items that can be equipped in a character's left hand (sometimes called the "offhand") to increase his or her armor. This Armor is applied regardless of hit location or direction the character is facing. The maximum base Armor for a shield is 16.

Attribute Requirements

Any profession can equip shields, but most shields have requirements for a minimum rank in the warrior's Tactics or Strength or the paragon's Motivation or Command attributes ranging from 0 to 13. Without meeting that requirement, the Armor used is half of the normal Armor value. While shields with the maximum Armor have been observed with requirements as low as 7, maximum Armor shields with inscription slots have only been observed with attribute requirements as low as 8, and green shields, collector shields and crafted shields with the maximum Armor always have an attribute requirement of 9. Shields with a requirement of 0 and armor as high as 10 are available as loot.

The Tall Shield, a typical Shield

Modifiers

There are four main types of modifiers for shields: damage reduction, health bonuses, Armor bonuses, and +1 attribute. A shield may have up to two modifiers. The available shield modifiers are listed in full in a separate article. Shields from the Nightfall campaign have salvageable inscriptions and upgrades instead of fixed modifiers.

Damage reduction

Shields may have a received physical damage -x modifer. These always have specific preconditions, such as being enchanted. A shield can have up to -2 (while in a stance), -2 (while enchanted), -3 (while hexed), or -5 (Chance: up to 20%).

Health

Shields may have a health +x modifier. These modifiers can be conditional, like the damage reduction modifiers, or unconditional. The maximum values are +45 (while in a Stance), +45 (while enchanted), +60 (while hexed), or +30 unconditional. There can be a maximum of one health modifier.

Armor

Shields may have conditional Armor bonuses. The maximum such bonus is +10 against a specific damage type or monster type. A shield may have at most one Armor modifier.

+1 attribute

Shields may have a +1 attribute modifier. It has up to a 20% chance while using skills. The possible attributes that can have a +1 modifier on shields are most attributes of casters, Tactics, and Strength. A shield may have at most one +1 attribute modifier.

Warrior shield types

The following types of Warrior shields can be found in Guild Wars:

Core Variable attribute: Demonic Aegis Draconic Aegis Eternal Shield Gloom Shield Ornate Buckler Shadow Shield Wooden Buckler2 Strength: Aegis1 Defender PvP Tower Shield Tower Shield Tactics: Demonic Aegis PvP Shield (Tactics) Reinforced Buckler Round Shield Shield of the Wing Skeleton Shield Skull Shield Tall Shield Non-attributed: Gingerbread Shield Peppermint Shield Wintergreen Shield Bonus Mission Pack Variable Attribute: Charr Shield Mursaat Shield Tengu Shield Undead Shield Tactics: Turai's Shield

Prophecies Variable attribute: Deldrimor Shield Strength: Magmas Shield Tactics: Bulwark of Balthazar Crude Shield Skull Shield Stone Summit Shield Summit Warlord Shield Unique: Strength: Deldrimor Strength Shield (unique) Tanzit's Defender Thorgall's Shield Victo's Bulwark Tactics: Deldrimor Tactics Shield (unique) Malinon's Shield Grognar's Defender Collector-exclusive: Strength: Emboldened Carapace Shield Tactics: Crimson Carapace Shield Stalwart Carapace Shield Runic Shield Promotional: Tactics: Bronze Guardian Canthan Targe Serrated Shield Unknown Requirement Hog's Gluttony

Factions Variable attribute: Amber Aegis Bladed Shield Bronze Shield Celestial Shield Diamond Aegis Echovald Shield Emblazoned Defender Embossed Aegis Exalted Aegis Gothic Defender Guardian of the Hunt Iridescent Aegis Kappa Shield Ornate Shield Outcast Shield Plagueborn Shield Spiked Targe Zodiac Shield Unknown attribute: Bladed Buckler Tribal Effigy Shield Unique: Variable attribute: Exalted Aegis Strength: Arrahhsh's Aegis Merki's Gaze Reefclaw's Refuge Strongroot's Shelter Tactics: Baubao's Shell Geoffer's Bulwark Jacqui's Aegis Sunreach's Shield Tarnen's Shield

Nightfall Variable attribute: Sun and Moon Shield Tormented Shield Woven Shield Strength: Istani Shield Kournan Defender Lotus Shield Magmas Shield Shield of the Lion Tactics: Adamantine Shield Ancient Shield Crude Shield Diamond Aegis Iridescent Aegis Sea Purse Shield Sharktooth Shield Tribal Shield Unique: Variable attribute: Forgotten Shield Strength: Aegis of Terror Enadiz's Defender Mallyx's Courage Onwan's Aegis Tactics: Aegis of Augh Chumab's Pride Keht's Aegis Mallyx's Defense Sharptooth's Shield

Eye of The North Variable attribute: Asuran Shield Charrslayer Shield Darkwing Defender Destroyer Shield Draconic Aegis Militia Shield Norn Shield Oaken Aegis Shield of the Wing Spiked Targe Strength: Ebonhand Aegis Plated Shield Tactics: Amethyst Aegis Enameled Shield Equine Aegis Great Conch Signet Shield Stone Summit Shield Summit Warlord Shield Unique: Strength: Destructive Shield Droknar's Strength Shield Shield of the Kinslayer Tactics: Aegis of the Condemned Droknar's Tactics Shield Havok's Shield Hidesplitter's Shield Shield of the Hierophant

1. Some Aegis shields have recently been observed that require Tactics and not Strength. See Talk:Shield for details.
2. Wooden Bucklers with a Strength requirement are only available from Canthan Collectors, all other Wooden Bucklers have Tactics requirements.

See also Category:Shields.

Note: unlike weapons such as Bows - the shield type has no influence on the stats of the shield, apart from the required attribute. Which visual appearance you prefer is merely a matter of taste: a Crude Shield with Armor +12 is just as good as an Eternal Shield with Armor +12. That said, certain shield types are more likely to come with higher AL; for example, a Shield of the Wing is usually Armor +8 or higher and will require Tactics, and Eternal Shields nearly always have Armor +15 or 16 and require Strength.

Paragon shield types

Paragons also use shields. They have the same maximum armor value and bonuses as Warrior shields, and can be tied to the Command and Motivation attributes.

Core Variable attribute: Demonic Aegis Draconic Aegis Eternal Shield Shadow Shield Non-attributed: Gingerbread Shield Peppermint Shield Wintergreen Shield Bonus Mission Pack Variable attribute: Charr Shield Mursaat Shield Tengu Shield Undead Shield Prophecies Variable attribute: Deldrimor Shield Unique: Command: Deldrimor Command Shield (unique) Motivation: Deldrimor Motivation Shield (unique)

Nightfall Variable attribute: Aureate Aegis Diamond Aegis Eagle Defender Goldleaf Defender Iridescent Aegis Reinforced Defender Scarabshell Aegis Suntouched Shield Tormented Shield Tribal Shield Vabbian Bastion Vabbian Defender Vabbian Tower Shield Command: Ancient Shield Heraldic Shield PvP Shield (Command) (Heraldic Shield skin) Skull Shield Motivation: Copperleaf Shield Daedal Shield PvP Shield (Motivation) (Daedal Shield skin) Unique: Variable attribute: Forgotten Shield Command: Arneh's Fury Briahn's Guidance Eye of Argon Kunan's Bastion Mallyx's Supremacy Shagu's Anthem Stygian Defender Motivation: Churkeh's Defiance Mallyx's Motivation Stygian Aegis Wandalz's Refuge

Eye of The North Variable attribute: Amethyst Aegis Asuran Shield Charrslayer Shield Destroyer Shield Equine Aegis Iridescent Aegis Norn Shield Reinforced Defender Shield of the Wing Signet Shield Motivation: Plated Shield Unique: Command: Droknar's Command Shield Shield of the Condemned Motivation: Bastion of the Condemned Cyndr's Aegis Droknar's Motivation Shield Fenrir's Bastion

Related Skills

These skills require shields to trigger:

• Shield Bash, Shield Stance
• Burning Shield