Tears of the Kingdom offers a wide variety of fun and useful shields to help you survive throughout the game. Whether you’re searching for a shield with the most durability, the most pizazz, or just trying to scrape by, these top five best shields will help you with all of your needs.

5. Daybreaker Shield

Dressed head to toe in Gerudo garb, with the Scimitar of the Seven and the Daybreaker Shield to match, Link is ready for any and every battle.

The Daybreaker Shield is a throwback to the Champion Urbosa from Breath of the Wild. With a powerful defense rating of 48, and an even more powerful durability rating of 60, this shield is sure to withstand some of the toughest enemies you’ll face in the game. Not to mention, there’s probably no shield quite as pretty as this one.

Stats

• Base Defense Level: 48
• Durability: 60

How to get the Daybreaker Shield:

• Getting the Daybreaker Shield is a bit rough, but with proper planning, it will be a breeze. In Gerudo Town, preferably after completing the main Gerudo questline (though you can do this quest before if you’d like), you’ll want to find Cara in the jewel and accessories shop. She’ll give you “The Missing Owner” quest, which requires you to rescue shop owner Isha from a Molduga in Toruma Dunes.
• After this quest is complete, Isha will want to reward you by making you the Scimitar of the Seven and the Daybreaker Shield. You’ll need to provide Isha with four diamonds, 10 flint, a Gerudo Scimitar, and a Gerudo Shield in order for her to craft these powerful items for you. If you happen to break the set, you can always come back with the same materials to have her craft them again.

Why the Daybreaker Shield is one of the best:

• With a gorgeous design, and one of the best durability ratings in the game, the Daybreaker Shield is no doubt one you’ll want to get your hands on as soon as you can.

4. Royal Shield

Link wielding his mighty Royal Shield is certainly a sight to behold.

The Royal Shield has a sleek design that boasts a high defense stat of 55, often with buffs that increase that number quite a bit. All around, it’s a good shield to get, and one that’s pretty common once you get a decent way into the game. Despite the Royal Guard’s Shield having a much higher base defense stat of 70, its comically low durability makes the Royal Shield a much better choice overall.

Stats

• Base Defense Level: 55
• Durability: 29

How to get the Royal Shield:

• The Royal Shield is most commonly found in and around Hyrule Castle. It’s often dropped from Like Like’s, found in chests, or dropped from various mobs around Hyrule once you’re further into the game. 

Why the Royal Shield is one of the best:

• The Royal Shield often comes with some pretty good bonuses. Anything from high durability to a large addition to the defense stat will make this shield even more powerful than its base level. But aside from this, the Royal Shield is an all around good shield to use, no matter your circumstance.

3. Savage Lynel Shield

As both a method of defense and a weapon itself, the Savage Lynel Shield shimmers beautifully in the sunlight.

The Savage Lynel Shield is the best of the Lynel shields with a striking 62 defense stat! Not only is this a great shield for defending, but it’s also built to do damage to your enemies when you parry or block an attack with this shield.

Stats

• Base Defense Level: 62
• Durability: 20

How to get the Savage Lynel Shield:

• In order to get this powerful shield, you’ll need to defeat a White-Maned or Silver Lynel. Either of these Lynels will drop the shield, and they can be found all around Hyrule and the Depths, typically in the Akkala region or underneath where stables are found aboveground.

Why the Savage Lynel Shield is one of the best:

• Despite not having the best durability stat, this shield can both take a punch and return one as well. Once you’re late enough in the game that White-Maned and Silver Lynels are common, you can collect quite a few of these shields for any battle you may come across in the future.

2. Sea-Breeze Shield

With a simple, but very pleasant, design, the Sea-Breeze Shield is a necessity for every Zelda player.

The one of a kind Sea-Breeze Shield is a shockingly durable shield with an impressive 65 defense level. With the beautiful Wind Waker design, this shield is unique, classy, and highly durable as well.

Stats

• Base Defense Level: 65
• Durability: 90

How to get the Sea-Breeze Shield:

• If you happen to have the Toon Link amiibo, you can easily scan it to get this shield as often as once per day! But if you’re like me and don’t have the amiibo, you can set out toward Tabahl Grove in the Depths, which is just under Tabahl Woods in the Lanayru region. The chest containing this shield is hidden in a large, hollow tree stump.

Why the Sea-Breeze Shield is one of the best:

• While some of the Royal Shields and Royal Guard’s Shields can come with buffs that make their defense level higher than the Sea-Breeze Shield, none of them can compare to the incredible durability of this shield. You can also easily buy this shield again from the Bargainer Statues, should you end up breaking it.

1. Hylian Shield

Witness the Hylian Shield in all its glory in the best picture I've ever taken in Tears of the Kingdom.

Without a doubt, the best shield in the game is the Hylian Shield. Link’s token shield has a whopping 90 defense level, with nearly limitless durability. Not only is it extremely useful, but it also has the perfect look for the hero of Hyrule.

Stats

• Base Defense Level: 90
• Durability: 800

How to get the Hylian Shield:

• Getting the Hylian Shield is no small feat, but you can actually get it pretty early on in the game if you’re determined enough. On the northwest corner of Hyrule Castle, you’ll notice that a section of the moat goes underneath the castle, leading you to the Docks. In the Docks area, you’ll need to take on a set of Gloom Hands, defeat Phantom Ganon, and light the brazier just beyond your battle in order to unlock the chest that gives you the Hylian Shield.

Why the Hylian Shield is one of the best:

• The Hylian Shield is going to be the perfect match for any battle you face. It can handle normal enemies with ease, and will also do well against the countless bosses you’ll face in Tears of the Kingdom. Should you ever lose or break your Hylian Shield, you can always buy it again from Cece’s shop for 3,000 rupees after completing “The Mayoral Election” questline.

Final Thoughts

Shields are a great tool to use in Tears of the Kingdom, even more so with the countless fuse options you have at your fingertips. Seek out the best of the best so that you’ll never fall in battle, and keep finding new ways you can use these same shields to shield surf, rocket up a ledge, or face off against some of the most difficult enemies in the game.

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