Category:Shields

Shields are equipped in the sub equipment slot. They can only be worn with a one-handed weapon or when one is not equipped with a weapon.

The effectiveness of your shield-blocking is based upon your Shield Skill. When the Shield Skill activates, it reduces the amount of damage taken from a melee hit. The higher your shield skill, the more often it will kick in, up to a maximum block rate of 65% . To activate your shield skill, you must fail your evasion and parry checks, and you must be facing the mob (under ~60 degree angle).

Listed by size from smallest to largest:

1. Buckler
2. Round
3. Kite
4. Tower
5. Aegis

The smaller shields block more frequently, but reduce the damage by a smaller amount, whereas the larger shields block more damage, but trigger less often. So, the smaller the shield, the more frequently blocking activates, and the higher the Shield Skill skill gain rate.

The Aegis is in a league of its own, being a fully upgraded Relic item: it blocks at the rate of a size 2 shield, but reduces damage more than a size 4 shield.

In addition to the type of the shield, the defense rating of the shield also affects the amount of damage absorbed during a shield block: each point of defense seems to be an additional 0.5% damage reduction.

Size 3 shields generally offer the most efficient balance of block rate and damage reduction outside of the Aegis. A Paladin with enough Shield Skill can get close to the block rate cap with a size 3 shield, but not with a size 4.

The Paladin job trait Shield Mastery gives extra TP and avoids spell interruption on shield blocks.

It is speculated that Horizon's era+ has changes in effect to increase block rate and block damage reduction but no data is currently available to verify this claim.

Job Ratings