Are shields viable in Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree?

Shields in Elden Ring have always been one of the most useful tools you can come across in the Lands Between. These have always been a viable option and will continue to be so with the arrival of Elden Ring's DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. Usually equipped in the off-hand, shields are capable of blocking, parrying, and even bashing enemies for a small amount of damage.

You can have two hand shields in this title for added stability and extra damage if you use them to bash your opponents. However, with the arrival of Shadow of the Erdtree, players might not need to settle for a small amount of damage with their shields. The DLC will introduce Thrusting Shields to the game, which will allow players to use Shields as their first-choice weapon instead of using them like other shields.

Let's take a closer look at how the role of Shields in Elden Ring will evolve with the arrival of the new DLC.

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Will Shields in Elden Ring become less important with Shadow of the Erdtree?

Thrusting Shields will mix up how Shields work in Shadow of the Erdtree (Image via FromSoftware || YouTube/VaatiVidya)

While it is true that Shadow of the Erdtree will add Thrusting Shields to the game, this won't necessarily make the other shields less useful. Shields in ER come in various forms.

There's the Jellyfish Shield, which reduces damage by 100%, and its Ash of War buffs attacks by 20%, making it crucial for some sorcery builds in Elden Ring. We also have the One-Eyed Shield, which is pretty much a long-range cannon. Finally, the base game also includes the Erdtree Greatshield, which is one of the strongest shields in the game and comes with one of the strongest Ash of War.

So, while Thrusting Shields will surely mix things up a ton, the ones we already have will still be useful. However, not every shield from the base game will still be viable once Shadow of the Erdtree comes out. Any shield that doesn't come with an additional bonus like a unique Ash of War or excellent damage negation might not be able to compete with the Thrusting Shields in Shadow of the Erdtree.

The Jellyfish Shield is one of the best in the game (Image via FromSoftware || YouTube/Cloud Plays)

The new shields are basically offensive weapons that also do an excellent job of protecting the Tarnished. So, all the shields that don't bring something useful or unique to the table will lose a ton of their viability when Shadow of the Erdtree comes out on June 21, 2024.

Then again, not everyone will use a shield and might instead go for a good dexterity or bleed build in Elden Ring. So, a lot of people might not be affected by the addition of Thrusting Shields in Shadow of the Erdtree.

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Check out our other articles covering Elden Ring:

• What are the requirements for ER Shadow of the Erdtree?
• ER stat cap, recommended level for Shadow of the Erdtree
• 5 things you might've missed in ER Shadow of the Erdtree story trailer
• Best Armor Sets to get before Shadow of the Erdtree