Skyrim - Shields
Shields are armor held in the off hand to block blows. A raised shield cuts the damage from swords, axes, claws and arrows. A shield also adds its own armor rating, so it protects a little even when it is lowered.
Shields come in light and heavy versions, just like body armor. A light shield weighs less, and a heavy shield usually protects more. The type of shield makes no difference to the Block skill. A character in light armor can carry a heavy shield, and the reverse works too.
The Block Skill governs how well a shield works. The game describes it as the art of blocking an enemy's blows with a shield or weapon. Blocking reduces both the damage and the staggering from physical attacks. A shield bash can also stagger an enemy and break its attack.
Armor Categories
How Blocking Works
Hold the block control with a shield in the left hand to raise it. A raised shield blocks attacks from the front. Movement slows while the shield is up, until the Block Runner perk removes that limit.
A block reduces the damage and the stagger of a physical hit. The damage that gets past the shield is then cut again by the armor rating. A raised shield and good armor together make a warrior very hard to wear down.
With the right perks, a shield does much more than stop swords. It can stop arrows, soften power attacks and even cut fire, frost and shock damage. Shields are also a strong answer to a dragon's breath.
Materials
Shields follow the same material ladder as armor. The Hide Shield is the first light shield, and the Iron Shield and Banded Iron Shield are the first heavy ones. Both need no Smithing perk to forge.
Steel, Dwarven, Orcish and Ebony shields climb through the middle of the game. The Daedric Shield is the strongest heavy shield in the base game. The Dragonscale Shield is the strongest light shield in the base game, and the Glass Shield sits just below it. The Dragonplate Shield is a heavy shield that weighs very little for its strength.
The add-ons add Chitin, Bonemold, Nordic and Stalhrim shields. Every hold guard also carries a shield with the badge of the hold. These guard shields weigh very little, but they protect little too.
Unique Shields
Several unique shields have special powers. Spellbreaker, the Daedric artifact of Peryite, raises a ward against spells while the shield is up. It is the reward for The Only Cure. The Shield of Ysgramor adds magic resistance and health, and it lies at the end of Ysgramor's Tomb in Glory of the Dead.
Auriel's Shield from the Dawnguard add-on stores the energy of blocked attacks. A power bash then releases it as a blast. The Dawnguard Rune Shield hurts vampires and the undead. The Targe of the Blooded makes the target bleed after each bash. The Shield of Solitude, Falk Firebeard's reward for The Wolf Queen Awakened, adds magic resistance and blocks more damage.
Some quests give a shield as a reward. Aela the Huntress carries her own shield, and Roggi Knot-Beard in Kynesgrove sends for his ancestral shield. Hrolfdir's Shield is tied to its own quest too.
Block Perks
Shield Wall is the base perk, and its five ranks make blocking more effective. Deflect Arrows makes arrows that hit the shield do no damage. Elemental Protection halves fire, frost and shock damage while blocking with a shield.
Power Bash unlocks a stronger bash. Deadly Bash makes every bash deal five times more damage. Disarming Bash gives a chance to knock the weapon from an enemy's hand. Quick Reflexes slows time when an enemy starts a power attack against a raised block.
Shield Charge is the last perk, at skill 100. Sprinting with a shield raised then knocks down most targets.
Training and Skill Books
Njada Stonearm of the Companions in Jorrvaskr trains Block up to Expert. Chief Larak at Mor Khazgur trains it up to Master.
Five skill books raise Block. Three of them are Death Blow of Abernanit, The Mirror and Warrior. The other two are The Battle of Red Mountain and the second volume of A Dance in Fire. The Oghma Infinium raises Block by five points when the Path of Might is chosen.
Block trains fastest against hard hitting enemies. Each block gives experience based on the damage stopped. A single mudcrab or wolf works early, while giants and Draugr Deathlords work later in the game.
All Shields
Light Armor
All light armor shields are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Heavy Armor
All heavy armor shields are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
