Should You Use a Shield in Elden Ring? A Definitive Shield Guide

As a passionate Elden Ring gamer with over 200 hours of playtime, the question I see most often from new players is: "Should I use a shield?"

After extensive testing and researching opinions from top players, my verdict is an emphatic YES. While dodging and spacing remains critical, a quality shield adapted to your build amplifies survival dramatically.

Why Shields Are So Effective

Veteran Souls players may nurses bad memories of flimsy shields in Dark Souls. So what makes shields so much better in the Lands Between? The key lies in Guard Boost.

All shields have a Guard Boost stat that reduces the damage and impact you take when blocking attacks. At +25 upgrade, the best Greatshields exceed 85 Guard Boost, enabling you to soak colossal hits.

According to Fextralife wiki, an 85 Guard Boost translates to blocking a whopping 97.5% of physical damage! No wonder heavy Greatshield builds are popular for newcomers and boss tanks.

Shields also grant immunity or resistance to status effects like bleed, frost and scarlet rot while blocking. This prevents relentless buildup from enemies like the Bloodhound Knights.

So what happens if you block a hit that exceeds your Guard Boost? Your shield will be struck aside and you‘ll be guard broken, left vulnerable for a critical hit. Managing stamina remains imperative so you‘re not guard broken.

Best Shields For Different Situations

While almost any 100% physical block shield works in a pinch, some stand far above the rest. Here are top shield recommendations from my testing for different scenarios:

Best Greatshields

Best Shields for Parrying

For more top shields tailored to magic, elemental damage etc. see my Elden Ring Best Shields Guide.

Advanced Shield Tactics

While blocking hits is shields‘ main purpose, mastering these advanced skills elevates their potential:

Barricade Shield – This Ash of War temporarily boosts guard boost and stability far beyond normal limits. Timing Barricade with a boss ultimate move lets you block nearly anything.

Guard Counters – After blocking an attack, quickly press light attack for a guard counter, breaking the enemy‘s stance. Useful particularly on shielded foes.

Paired Greatshields – Wielding two Greatshields nearly doubles the guard power. Veterans can block Archdragon lightning with this.

Parry and Riposte – Medium shields let you parry enemy attacks during specific frames. Time it right to open them for a devastating critical hit.

Are Shields Worth It? Expert Opinions

While dodging is still critical against delayed attacks, top players endorse shields‘ power:

FightinCowboy‘s Elden Ring tips:

"Tower Shields can reduce so much headache. Investing in Endurance instead of Vigor helps against one and two-shot attacks."

Popular Taiwanese Souls streamer Ezani:

"Once you get Fingerprint Shield it really does feel like turning on God Mode."

So there you have it straight from the experts: quality shields transform Elden Ring‘s combat into a strategic dance instead of frustrating Russian Roulette. They open the joy of FromSoftware gameplay to many more players.

Conclusion

To sum up my key recommendations:

✅ Use Barricade Shield, Golden Parry, etc. weapon skills for temporary boosts

✅ Fingerprint and Eclipse Crest are lighter Greatshields that still block tremendously

✅ Prioritize high stability and elemental damage negation matching boss attacks

✅ Customize affinity for physical, magic, fire etc. protection

Hope this guide empowers you to master shield usage on your Elden Ring journey. Keep your shield arm steady, Tarnished!