Best Shields Post Patch 1.14 (Brass Shield)

With the recent Patch 1.14 to Elden Ring, a variety of weapon and equipment changes have shaken up the meta once again. Small Shields and Medium Shields have had their damage negation and guard boost buffed in order to make them more viable across all content. While Greatshields have consistently been strong, they have always come with a massive Equip Load detriment, forcing players to build around them by using fewer or lighter weapons and armor.

Given that some Medium Shields can now contend with the Guard Boost stat of Greatshields, their ease of use has skyrocketed for the average player. This will allow the Shield playstyle to help many players find success against the toughest bosses in the Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC. However, there are nearly 100 different shields in Elden Ring, so the question remains about what are the best shield options for players to upgrade and build around.

Best Small Shields

For Buckler Parry Enthusiasts

The best Small Shield in the game, even after the buffs, is still the Buckler, which comes with a unique skill called Buckler Parry. This shield has been a main staple throughout the Dark Souls Franchise and has consistently been viewed as the most forgiving Parry option in the game. The Buckler can be found early in a playthrough at the end of Stormveil Castle. While the Buckler Parry doesn’t have as much range as Ashes of War, such as Golden Parry or Carian Retaliation, its sheer speed makes up for its short reach.

Due to the nature of Small Shields, the damage negation and guard boost buffs aren’t as noteworthy as most Small Shields aren’t used for their ability to block successive attacks. Rather, Small Shields have always been used as a Parry tool, as the default Parry skill on Small Shields has a 5-frame startup with a 5-frame Parry window. This is what makes Buckler Parry so strong, as its 4-frame startup window as well as its shorter recovery time make it quite approachable for all players.

Best Medium Shields

Brass Shield is Still King

The best Medium Shield in the game has always been and will continue to be the Brass Shield. With a higher average Elemental Damage Negation than other Medium Shields as well as the highest Guard Boost stat of all Medium Shields, the 7.0 Weight it has is more than justified. Given that this shield can be acquired from Godrick Soldiers and Raya Lucaria Soldiers, it’s safe to say that most players will have found one by the time they reach the Altus Plateau.

Another incredible Medium Shield option is the Twinbird Kite Shield, which at first glance may seem lackluster. However, it comes with an intrinsic ability that boosts attack by 5% and defense by 10% when below 20% maximum HP. Combo this shield with the Red-Feathered Branchsword and the Blue-Feathered Branchsword for an additional 20% attack boost and a 50% defense boost, respectively. Traditionally, lowering your HP for a damage buff would be considered an especially risky move, but with the increases to Medium Shields’ Damage Negation and Guard Boost, this trade-off is looking better than ever.

Best Greatshields

The Bane of Bosses

Greatshields have been an amazing option ever since Elden Ring was released, allowing players to easily tank devastating attacks and combos from even the game’s most challenging bosses. With the DLC’s bosses having longer combos than the base game’s bosses, Greatshields have become a necessity for some players in order to overcome certain challenges. The Remembrance Boss Commander Gaius is especially susceptible to Greatshields, as his hitboxes are incredibly misleading but can be negated by blocking.

It’s difficult to choose between the Fingerprint Stone Shield and the Verdigris Greatshield, as the Fingerprint Stone Shield has higher Elemental Damage Negation while the Verdigris Greatshield has higher Guard Boost. However, because the Fingerprint Stone Shield can be infused with Ashes of War such as Barricade Shield, it is effectively the better shield due to its versatility, as well as acquiring it much earlier in the game. Regardless, equipping either of these shields will improve survivability in boss fights by a substantial margin.

Honorable Mentions

Some Shields Have Specific Purposes

While the shields discussed above are the best in-slot for general play, there are some shields that can find even greater success in specific situations. For example, the Black Steel Greatshieldhas the highest Holy Damage Negation of all shields in the game, making it an excellent choice against bosses that deal Holy Damage, such as Promised Consort Radahn or Elden Beast. The Jellyfish Shield has the most versatile buff in the game, a 12.5% damage boost that stacks with every other buff in the game.

The Banished Knight’s Shield is quite similar to the Brass Shield, with only 1 less Guard Boost but also weighing 1.0 less. Given that fashion is the true endgame, the Banished Knight’s Shield may be the perfect choice for some players.

The Shield of Night is an excellent choice for PVP, especially for those who use the new Deflecting Hardtear. I have been able to counter players with the shield’s unique skill for up to 1,000 damage. With how well shields have been performing in PVP since Patch 1.14, more and more players will begin to keep a shield handy at all times in Elden Ring.

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