Shield

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

Any profession can equip shields, but most shields have requirements for a minumum Rank in the Warrior's Tactics or Strength attribute. Without meeting that requirement:
 * If the shield is a collector, crafter, quest reward, or unique shield, then the AL used is the one for a starter shield, which is 3.
 * If the shield is a dropped item, then the AL used is half of the normal AL value.

Shield Stance and Shield Bash can be used without equipping a shield, but their effects only trigger when a shield is equipped.

Modifiers
There are three main types of modifiers for shields: absorption, Health, and additional AL. A shield may have up to two modifiers. There are currently no upgrade components for shields, and no modifier may be salvaged from a shield. For a tabular form of the different shield modifiers, please see Weapon modifiers - Shields and Focus Items.

Absorption
Shields may have a Received damage -x modifer, which reduces damage taken from all sources. These always have specific conditions, such as being enchanted. A shield can have up to -2 (while in a Stance), -2 (while enchanted), -3 (while hexed), or -5 (up to 20% chance). Shields can have up to 2 absorption modifiers with different requirements.

Health
Shields may also have a Health +xx modifier. These can have requirements, but there is also a Health modifier with no requirement or condition. A shield can have up to Health +45 (while in a Stance), +45 (while enchanted), +60 (while hexed), or +30 unconditional. Shields may only have 1 Health modifier.

AL
Some shields have additional AL. These are always conditional. A shield can have up to Armor +10 against a specific damage type or monster type. A shield may only have 1 additional AL modifier.

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

Prophecies Campaign

 * Shields that require Strength:
 * Defender
 * Eternal Shield
 * Magmas Shield
 * Shadow Shield
 * Tower Shield


 * Shields that require Tactics:
 * Aegis
 * Bulwark of Balthazar
 * Crude Shield
 * Crimson Carapace Shield
 * Canthan Targe
 * Ornate Buckler
 * Reinforced Buckler
 * Round Shield
 * Runic Shield
 * Skeleton Shield
 * Skull Shield
 * Summit Warlord Shield
 * Stone Summit Shield
 * Shield of the Wing
 * Tall Shield
 * Wooden Buckler

Factions Campaign

 * Shields that require Tactics:
 * Amber Aegis
 * Bladed Shield
 * Bronze Shield
 * Diamond Aegis
 * Gothic Defender
 * Iridescent Aegis
 * Kappa Shield
 * Ornate Shield
 * Spiked Targe
 * Shields with an unknown requirement:
 * Non-Attribute (0 requirement) shields:
 * Outcast Shield

See also Category:Shields.

''Note that - unlike 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 AL +12 is just as good as an Eternal Shield with AL +12. That said, certain shield types are more likely to come with higher AL, for example a Shield of the Wing is usually AL +8 or higher and will require Tactics and an Eternal Shield is almost always AL +15 or 16 and will require Strength.''

Related Skills
These skills require shields to trigger:
 * Shield Bash, Shield Stance