Along with the best armor sets in Tears of the Kingdom, you’re going to want a comparable shield to go along with it to give you that extra boost in combat. Luckily, akin to armor, there are a bunch of fantastic options in the shield department, all offering slightly different advantages.

Below, we’ll be taking you through our picks for the best Tears of the Kingdom shields, showcasing a top five list for you to digest and hopefully aid you in your efforts throughout the main questline and beyond!

Best Tears of the Kingdom Shields¶

5. Dragonbone Boko Shield¶

First up on our best Tears of the Kingdom shields list is the Dragonbone Boko Shield. Now, you might instantly be thinking “how has such an early-game shield made it onto this list?” well, the reason is twofold.

The base defence stat of the Dragonbone Boko is 25 which when compared to the extremely defensive shields in the game may appear on the low end, but considering how early you can get it, is absolutely perfect to make it through large chunks of the experience.

Additionally, it’s a frequent drop from Monster Camps and other areas so you’ll be able to fill out your inventory pretty quickly so no matter if one breaks, you’ll have a back up right away.

4. Savage Lynel Shield¶

There are a couple different Lynel Shields in Tears of the Kingdom but the Savage variant comes out on top as the pick of the bunch.

It boasts a defence rating of 62 which is right up there with the best damage repelling shields in the game. It’s also rather durable too meaning you can use it for some time without replacing.

However, where it falls down is its difficulty in getting. This is due to the fact that it is a drop from one of, if not the most difficult enemies - the White-Maned Lynel. So, because of this, you’re not going to be securing one until the later game, well, unless you’re the LetMeSoloHer of Tears of the Kingdom that is.

3. Sea-Breeze Shield¶

Sneaking into the top three is the Sea-Breeze Shield. This shield, as you will clearly be able to see from the image above, is a throwback to The Wind Waker, and in our opinion, could be the best looking shield in the game.

While this is a must-get for any lover of the franchise simply due to its aesthetics, it’s also extremely impressive in the protection department with its defense stat being 65, even more than that of the Savage Lynel Shield. It is very durable, but if it does break, due to it being a shield that you can only find out in the wild once, you can simply purchase it from a vendor.

This will set you back a whole lot of the Depths Poes, but is well worth the grind for a repurchase.

2. Royal Guard’s Shield¶

The Royal Guard’s Shield, a returning bit of equipment from Breath of the Wild, is a shield that is a bit of a glass cannon so to speak. This is because it has incredibly high defense, coming in with a 70 rating, but the durability is rather poor, making it fantastic but only in short bursts.

Previous shields on this list have had a better defense to durability ratio, but in our eyes, because the Royal Guard’s has such a high defense rating, it’s worth the risk. What’s more, you can take advantage of fusion and slap a gem onto the shield, enhancing the durability dramatically thus making it last much longer.

To find the Royal Guard’s Shield, you will be heading to Hyrule Castle, which can be visited early on, but keep your wits about you as you’ll likely be one shot by the enemies that roam this area if you do go at the start of the game.

1. Hylian Shield¶

Finally, you’ve made it to the creme de la creme of defensive measures - the highly coveted, and legendary Hylian Shield. Yes, if you weren’t aware, the Hylian Shield makes a return, and boy is it one that you should be picking up when you can.

Obviously you’ll be getting an iconic look by donning the Hylian Shield, but while fashion is important, it’s all about the defense and durability of this beast.

Initially looking at the defense stat, without beating around the bush, it’s the best in the whole game. It sports a huge 90 number, far and above that of any shields we’ve already featured in this list. Moreover, it has stellar durability, meaning that you’ll be able to use it for extended periods of time without having to switch to the next one in your inventory.

Even though it is mighty, you can pick up the Hylian Shield pretty much as early as you want to as it’s just out in the wild, further cementing its place as the number one shield in Tears of the Kingdom. And, as it’s a ‘special’ shield, if it breaks, you can just go and buy a new one.

And there you have it, a complete list of the best shields in Tears of the Kingdom. Obviously we recommend making a beeline for the Hylian Shield as early as you can, but if you’d rather have a more ‘natural’ experience, simply pick up a bunch of Dragonbone Boko Shields and you’ll be good to go.