Summary
There’s nothing like a good shield between you and your opponent to prevent you from being hit in the face. In case your off-hand is free,Baldur’s Gate 3offers many shields to help you defend yourself, as well as some that offer good reactions and access to spells, and some even feature unique abilities.
The standard shield will offer you a +2 to your AC (Armor Class), which is the starting point for all shields here, with some increasing the number and others with the aforementioned unique features. Let’s see which option is best for you, among other great shields you’re able to leave with your companions if they’re not too good for you.
How To Wield A Shield
To wield a shield, you need proficiency. You can get it through the following options:
Updated on July 09, 2025, by Lucas Olah:If you still want more options when it comes to shields, so you have alternative options to pick up during earlier parts of the game or because you want alternative options for your companions as well as your character (we know the best shield will go to your Tav unless they can’t use it), then you’re in luck. We’ve added a few extra shield options for you that can be found in different acts of the game, and all have their interesting perks.
11Shield +1
A Simple +1 Can Go A Long Way
The simplest of all buffs, a Shield +1 means its AC bonus is increased by one. In other words, it offers you a +3 to your Armor Class rather than the basic +2.
Though that means little, it can be pretty helpful, and quite a few can be found throughout Act 3, meaning you can get your whole party wielding one of these if they have a hand available for shields. There isn’t much else to say about this shield, though.
10Glowing Shield
Temporary Hit Points In Times Of Need
Hidden in the Goblin Camp area, this shield will increase your survivability by giving you temporary health. Once per short rest, you’ll gain eight temporary hit points if your health reaches the 50 percent mark.
Eight is not a high number, but considering you’ll find this shield early in Act 1, this is a beautiful starting shield for you to have until you get later in the game and find better options.
9Ketheric’s Shield
A Boss' Shield Has To Be Good!
This is a powerful shieldfrom a powerful boss.The first notable thing is a feature many good shields have in this game, which is Shield Bash. If someone hits you, you can use your reaction to bash them, and if they fail the Saving Throw, they get knocked prone. Not only will it be easier for you to hit them back when it’s your turn, but being knocked prone ends their turn, so if they had more attacks to use on you, they don’t anymore.
Along with the Bash, Ketheric’s Shield also gives you an advantage in Dexterity Saving Throws — good for characters who didn’t focus on Dexterity to balance things out — and a +1 on Attack Rolls and your Spell DC, meaning enemies will have a harder time escaping your spells' effects.
8Absolute’s Protector
Works Better If You Have The Absolute’s Brand
Along with Shield Bash, Absolute’s Protector allows you to cast the chill variation of Fire Shield once per long rest. This spell will make you resistant to fire damage, and enemies who attack you with melee strikes will receive cold damage.
If you were marked with Absolute’s Brand during the events of Act 1, you would also get a little bit of damage reduction. Every time a spell hits you, the damage will be reduced by one. Yes, one is a low number, but it’s something.
7Justiciar’s Greatshield
Getting This One Is Tricky
Justiciar’s Greatshield also has Shield Bash, and, along with that, you get a unique feature called Darkness Cloak, which you can activate with your bonus action. Essentially, you’ll cast magical darkness around yourself and immediately use the Hide action along with it.
This is perfect to avoid damage when surrounded, as you can cast it and slip away from your enemies, and it’s also a fun trick to pull with a Warlock who has Devil’s Sight, blinding the people around you and attacking them right after.
6Shield Of Scorching Reprisal
Flame On
First of all, Shield Bash. Now that that’s out of the way, the Shield of Scorching Reprisal will also grant you fire resistance, which is always a nice thing to have, as many powerful spells in the game revolve around fire. The shield also comes with a neat trait called Blazing Retaliation, which you’re able to activate with your bonus action and use once per short rest.
When you activate it, your AC will increase by one, and whenever someone attacks you with a melee attack and misses, they will suffer a bit of fire damage. This damage isn’t super great, but it’s something, and being able to make a temporary Shield +1 this early is quite useful.
5Abdel’s Trusted Shield
Perfect For Tanking Ranged Attacks
Yet another shield that lets you use Shield Bash, Abdel’s Trusted Shield still has a particular use. You can use your action to concentrate on an ability called Protection from Missiles. This ability will force any ranged weapon attack against you to have a disadvantage.
In addition, the attack’s damage will be halved if it still manages to hit you, making sure the overall damage you’ll take won’t be much. Getting hit can break your concentration, though.
4Shield Of Shielding
You Can Cast Shield With Your Shield
May the Shield of Shielding shield you. This shield also features the Shield Bash ability, and it comes with a spell you may have guessed from the name — the Shield spell.
You’ll be able to use it once per long rest, increasing your AC by five for one round and protecting you entirely from Magic Missiles. Both Shield Bash and the Shield Spell come from your reaction, so you’ll have to choose which one you’ll want at a given time. Once the spell is used, you can still keep bashing people left and right, though.
3Adamantine Shield
You Have To Make It Yourself
The Adamantine Shield also has the Shield Bash ability, along with giving an enemy who misses you the Reeling condition, which will give you a -1 on their attacks, further increasing the chances of them missing you.
Along with all that, it also makes enemies incapable of landing critical hits on you. You’ll still get hit on a natural 20, but it’ll be like any other attack instead of a critical one. Just be careful if you want to get this shield;only two Adamantine itemscan be made in the game, and you have other forging options.
2Shield Of Devotion
Perfect For Spellcasters And Paladins
Following the same basis from the previous entries, Shield Bash is a feature here as well. The Shield of Devotion will also give you an extra first-level spell slot, making it particularly useful for casters of half-casters — an extra Smite always comes in handy.
It also lets you cast the spell Aid at the third level. Aid is one of the most useful spells in the game, increasing the whole party’s health - however, casting Aid with this shield will only increase the wielder’s health. In this case, a level three Aid will increase your by ten. Though a Cleric can do better by casting Aid at a higher level and affecting the whole group, this shield won’t consume a spell slot, and it appears at the beginning of Act 2, where you probably won’t have access to fourth-level spells or higher just yet.
