[Top 10] Dark Souls 3 Best Shields and How To Get Them

Updated:

30 Jan 2022

The slow pace of Dark Souls 3 is what sets it apart from other FromSoftware games like Bloodborne and Sekiro. This gameplay mechanic makes your playstyle slower and more methodic, so you can approach combat from a safer perspective. Many players choose to forgo the shield and instead go for a purely offensive strategy utilizing sorceries and physical weapons, but shields should not be slept on. This article will cover the best shields in Dark Souls 3.

10. Havel’s Greatshield

How to get Havel’s Greatshield

One of the heaviest Greatshields in the game, Havel’s Greatshield is a monster of a heavy defensive option, and you need a lot of Strength to even pick it up. A trait that Havel’s gear has is that it possesses great elemental resistance, as well as solid damage, so it can act as a pseudo weapon.

What makes Havel’s Greatshield great:

Great stability
High damage
Good scaling
High elemental resistance

Havel’s Greatshield stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 83
Fire defense: 83
Lightning defense: 82
Dark defense: 83
Stability: 75/76/77/78/79/80

9. Yhorm’s Greatshield

How to get Yhorm’s Greatshield (45:43)

A powerhouse in terms of shields, Yhorm’s Greatshield provides excellent all-around defense and can handle itself easily in any build. The weapon Skill is great for catching enemies off-guard for some retaliation, and it deals solid damage the higher its level.

What makes Yhorm’s Greatshield great:

High damage
Strong weapon Skill
Good defense

Yhorm’s Greatshield stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 74
Fire defense: 76
Lightning defense: 63
Dark defense: 74
Stability: 73/74/75/75/77/78

8. Wolf Knight’s Greatshield

How to get the Wolf Knight’s Greatshield

The Wolf Knight’s Greatshield is a great choice for players that want a reliable and versatile shield to protect them throughout the game. While equipped, it adds a flat 50 points to all status resistances. The weapon Skill is fairly interesting, as it allows you to use the skill of the right-hand weapon. This can make for some interesting builds that focus on versatility.

What makes the Wolf Knight’s Greatshield great:

Versatile
Useful weapon Skill
Good defense bonuses
Decent damage

Wolf Knight’s Greatshield stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 68
Fire defense: 65
Lightning defense: 52
Dark defense: 68
Stability: 67/68/69/69/71/71

7. Stone Parma

How to get the Stone Parma (40:19)

Reliable defense is the name of the game with the Stone Parma, as it is a heavy, but very sturdy shield for its class. The defensive potential is excellent, and the weapon Skill allows the player to perform the weapon Skill of the right-hand weapon, as long as the shield is equipped in the left hand.

What makes the Stone Parma great:

Good defense
Strong weapon Skill
Great damage
Balanced stats

Stone Parma stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 58
Fire defense: 52
Lightning defense: 53
Dark defense: 57
Stability: 57/58/59/60/60/60/61/62/62/63/63

6. Dragon Crest Shield

How to get the Dragon Crest Shield (10:54)

Some shields are classic shields with straightforward defense and reliable resistances, while others have specialties in terms of defense. If you’re going through an area where you find yourself pelted with fire every waking moment, this shield is for you. It has extremely high Fire defense, so it’s great for those specific situations.

What makes the Dragon Crest Shield great:

Very high Fire defense
Reliable
Specialty shield

Dragon Crest Shield stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 67
Fire defense: 89
Lightning defense: 43
Dark defense: 53
Stability: 49/50/51/53/54/56

5. Ethereal Oak Shield

How to get the Ethereal Oak Shield

The Millwood Knights were introduced in the amazing Ashes of Ariandel DLC, and this shield along with them. It functions more like a quality-of-life weapon, that gives you passive HP regen as long as it’s equipped. The passive is very powerful for its weapon class and is great to have in a pinch, for general protection.

What makes the Ethereal Oak shield great:

Good passive HP regen
Solid defense
Good Lightning resistance
Strong overall choice

Ethereal Oak Shield stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 65
Fire defense: 35
Lightning defense: 70
Dark defense: 60
Stability: 50/51/51/52/52/53

4. Shield of Want

How to get the Shield of Want (35:07)

One of the best farming items, the Shield of Want is an amazing shield to make sure you’re raking in the souls by the bucket. What makes it a strong farming weapon is the fact that it stacks with other weapons with the same passive, like the Covetous Silver Serpent Ring or the Symbol of Avarice. Stacking everything effectively can lead to a 98% soul increase.

What makes the Shield of Want great:

Increases souls dropped by enemies
One of the best general-use shields in the game
Solid defense

Shield of Want stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 61
Fire defense: 63
Lightning defense: 43
Dark defense: 61
Stability: 58/59/59/60/61/62

3. Lothric Knight Shield

How to get the Lothric Knight Shield (28:07)

Like other Lothric Knight weapons, the Greatshield is an amazing Magic block weapon that has manageable weight and very nice stats. It offers a good weapon Skill that can bull-rush and stagger enemies, opening up opportunities for counterattacks. It is a very good overall choice for any player that wants a good way of defending themselves.

What makes the Lothric Knight Shield great:

Very high Magic defense
Good overall defense
Reliable
Strong weapon Skill

Lothric Knight Greatshield stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 83
Fire defense: 66
Lightning defense: 54
Dark defense: 63
Stability: 64/65/66/67

2. Greatshield of Glory

How to get the Greatshield of Glory (19:07)

A massive Greatshield with massive stats, the Greatshield of Glory is a powerhouse that guarantees you will be protected at all costs. This shield also boasts the highest Stability in the game, so it’s nearly impenetrable in most situations. Utilizing sorceries like Great Magic Shield can get the Stability to 100, which is an insane amount.

What makes the Greatshield of Glory great:

Highest stability in the game
Good defense
Strong weapon Skill
Amazing overall choice

Greatshield of Glory stats:

Physical defense: 100
Magic defense: 70
Fire defense: 65
Lightning defense: 52
Dark defense: 63
Stability: 80/81/82/83/84/85

1. Black Knight Shield

How to get the Black Knight Shield (2:36)

And now, we come to the best choice for a shield you can make in the game – The Black Knight Shield. Generally speaking, it has some amazing overall defensive stats, as well as extremely high Fire defense. The Stability is the highest of all Medium Shields, so that, in addition to all of the other benefits, makes this shield incredible in many regards.