Great Turtle Shell

Great Turtle Shell

Attack	81 Physical
Critical	100
Scaling	Str D
Requires	Str 14
Effect	Stamina recovery increased by 3 points per second.
Guard	94% physical, 54 guard boost
Type	Medium Shield
Attack Type	Strike
Skill	Barricade Shield
FP Cost	12
Weight	5.5
Upgrades With	Smithing Stones, to +25
Sell Price	100

The Great Turtle Shell is a Medium Shield in Elden Ring. It is available within the first few hours of a run.

The Great Turtle Shell is a shield fashioned from a great turtle shell, its natural curve helping it turn aside attacks, and like the turtle, a symbol of tirelessness, it boosts stamina recovery. It lies on a corpse atop a rampart tower near the Castle Morne Rampart Site of Grace on the Weeping Peninsula, reached by jumping from a nearby spiritspring. Its passive adds 3 stamina recovery per second, and it still works when carried on the back while two-handing, stacking with turtle talismans and pickled turtle necks. It has full physical negation with decent magic, lightning and holy negation, needs 14 Strength, and comes with Barricade Shield, which deflects most attacks for little stamina. It suits almost any character, either as a shield or as a stamina boost on the back.

Why Players Pick It

The Great Turtle Shell raises stamina recovery by 3 points per second while equipped, even while another weapon is two-handed, and it stacks with the turtle talismans and Pickled Turtle Necks. It carries Barricade Shield, can be infused, and offers 94% physical block and a 54 guard boost at 5.5 weight.

How to Get Great Turtle Shell Guide

Found in the tower to the south of Oridys's Rise.
Reachable by using the spiritspring near the Nomadic Merchant, jumping towards the tower.

Where to find Great Turtle Shell Location?

Great Turtle Shell map location:

Map credit by Map Genie.

Upgrades

Reinforcing it uses ordinary Smithing Stones, up to +25.

Level	Material	Amount	Attack	Scaling
+1	Smithing Stone [1]	x2	85 Physical	Str D
+2	Smithing Stone [1]	x4	90 Physical	Str D
+3	Smithing Stone [1]	x6	95 Physical	Str D
+4	Smithing Stone [2]	x2	99 Physical	Str D
+5	Smithing Stone [2]	x4	104 Physical	Str D
+6	Smithing Stone [2]	x6	109 Physical	Str D
+7	Smithing Stone [3]	x2	113 Physical	Str D
+8	Smithing Stone [3]	x4	118 Physical	Str D
+9	Smithing Stone [3]	x6	123 Physical	Str D
+10	Smithing Stone [4]	x2	127 Physical	Str D
+11	Smithing Stone [4]	x4	132 Physical	Str D
+12	Smithing Stone [4]	x6	137 Physical	Str D
+13	Smithing Stone [5]	x2	142 Physical	Str D
+14	Smithing Stone [5]	x4	146 Physical	Str C
+15	Smithing Stone [5]	x6	151 Physical	Str C
+16	Smithing Stone [6]	x2	156 Physical	Str C
+17	Smithing Stone [6]	x4	160 Physical	Str C
+18	Smithing Stone [6]	x6	165 Physical	Str C
+19	Smithing Stone [7]	x2	170 Physical	Str C
+20	Smithing Stone [7]	x4	174 Physical	Str C
+21	Smithing Stone [7]	x6	179 Physical	Str C
+22	Smithing Stone [8]	x2	184 Physical	Str C
+23	Smithing Stone [8]	x4	189 Physical	Str C
+24	Smithing Stone [8]	x6	193 Physical	Str C
+25	Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone	x1	198 Physical	Str C

Skill

Barricade Shield costs 12 FP. The wielder focuses energy into the shield, hardening it for 10 seconds so that heavy blows glance off while guarding. Blocking costs half the usual stamina with small and medium shields and 30 percent less with greatshields. The activation animation itself counts as a guard, so the skill can be used at the very start of an enemy combo. It is the weapon's default Ash of War, so another can take its place.

"Skill made famous by Sir Neidhardt. Focus your energy into the shield, temporarily hardening it to deflect greater blows."

Guarding

With a guard boost of 54, a blocked hit that would cost 100 stamina only costs 46. It lets 6% of physical damage through, and against the elements it holds up best to holy, at 46%, and worst to fire, at 39%. Running out of stamina mid-block breaks the guard and opens the wielder to a critical hit.

Build

Carried on the back while two-handing for its stamina recovery, or raised with Barricade Shield for low-cost blocking and guard counters.

Stats	Dexterity 80 to 85, Vigor 50, Endurance 38, Mind 20, Strength 10 to 14, in a Dexterity build that leans on stamina
Affinity	Heavy raises its Strength scaling to B for shield bashes and guard counters; elemental affinities trade some physical guarding for elemental negation.
Ash of War	Barricade Shield, its default, for early guard counter play, or No Skill so the main weapon's skill stays usable while holding the shield.
Talismans	Millicent's Prosthesis, Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman, Two-Headed Turtle Talisman
Pairs With	Greenburst Crystal Tear

All Medium Shields

Name	Physical	Magic	Fire	Light	Holy	Crit. Boost	Weight	Str.	Dex.	Int.	Sell Price	Skill
Albinauric Shield	78 100	0 66	0 42	0 23	0 47	100 56	4.5	D 11	0	0	100	Parry
Banished Knight's Shield	81 100	0 49	0 57	0 31	0 48	100 60	6	D 14	0	0	100	No Skill
Beast Crest Heater Shield	77 100	0 50	0 43	0 32	0 42	100 54	3.5	D 10	0	0	100	Parry
Beastman's Jar-Shield	71 98	0 30	0 55	0 60	0 55	100 53	5.0	E 10	0	0	100	No Skill
Black Leather Shield	75 93	0 45	0 31	0 46	0 47	100 46	3	D 10	0	0	100	No Skill
Blue Crest Heater Shield	77 100	0 43	0 42	0 32	0 50	100 53	3.5	D 10	0	0	100	Parry
Blue-Gold Kite Shield	80 100	0 47	0 53	0 35	0 45	100 58	5.0	D 12	0	0	100	Parry
Brass Shield	84 100.0	0 55.0	0 59.0	0 39.0	0 54.0	100 61	7.0	D 16	0	0	100	No Skill
Candletree Wooden Shield	76 93	0 42	0 32	0 50	0 43	100 49	3.5	D 8	0	0	100	Parry
Carian Knight's Shield	63 100	40 71	0 28	0 19	0 54	100 52	4.5	D 10	10	D 15	200	No Skill
Eclipse Crest Heater Shield	77 100	0 44	0 44	0 37	0 44	100 54	3.5	D 10	0	0	100	No Skill
Flame Crest Wooden Shield	76 94	0 43	0 32	0 42	0 50	100 49	3.5	D 8	0	0	100	Parry
Golden Lion Shield	97 100	0 44	0 43	0 41	0 49	100 64	5.5	C 11	0	0	500	Roaring Bash
Great Turtle Shell	81 94	0 44	0 39	0 43	0 46	100 54	5.5	D 14	0	0	100	Barricade Shield
Hawk Crest Wooden Shield	76 95	0 44	0 32	0 44	0 44	100 48	3.5	D 8	0	0	100	Parry
Heater Shield	77 100	0 43	0 43	0 27	0 43	100 52	3.5	D 10	0	0	100	Parry
Horse Crest Wooden Shield	76 93	0 50	0 32	0 43	0 42	100 49	3.5	D 8	0	0	100	No Skill
Inverted Hawk Heater Shield	77 100.0	0 49.0	0 49.0	0 34.0	0 49.0	100 53	3.5	D 10	0	0	100	Parry
Kite Shield	78 100	0 47	0 47	0 33	0 47	100 56	4.5	D 12	0	0	100	No Skill
Large Leather Shield	75 91	0 49	0 36	0 45	0 45	100 49	3	D 8	0	0	100	Parry
Marred Leather Shield	75 90	0 49	0 36	0 45	0 45	100 51	3.0	D 8	0	0	100	No Skill
Marred Wooden Shield	76 92	0 52	0 27	0 50	0 49	100 52	4	D 8	0	0	100	No Skill
Messmer Soldier Shield	80 100	0 43	0 43	0 43	0 43	100 59	5.0	D 10	0	0	100	No Skill
Red Crest Heater Shield	77 100	0 42	0 50	0 32	0 43	100 53	3.5	D 10	0	0	100	Parry
Round Shield	76 94	0 50	0 37	0 43	0 50	100 51	4	D 8	0	0	100	Parry
Scorpion Kite Shield	78 100	0 45	0 46	0 33	0 50	100 57	4.5	D 12	0	0	100	Parry
Serpent Crest Shield	82 100	0 39	0 63	0 39	0 38	100 60	6	D 12	0	0	100	No Skill
Silver Grooved Shield	61 100.0	0 52.0	0 44.0	0 24.0	0 48.0	100 50	3.0	D 9	12	0	0	No Skill
Silver Mirrorshield	70 100	45 89	0 31	0 19	0 27	100 49	3.5	D 12	10	D 10	100	No Skill
Sun Realm Shield	74 92	0 44	0 27	0 40	0 56	100 53	3.5	D 8	0	0	100	Parry
Twinbird Kite Shield	78 100	0 49	0 50	0 28	0 35	100 55	4.5	D 12	0	0	100	No Skill
Wolf Crest Shield	82 100	0 63	0 38	0 42	0 40	100 59	6.0	D 12	0	0	100	No Skill

Notes

"Shield fashioned from a great turtle shell. The natural curve helps it contend with foes' attacks. The turtle is a symbol of tirelessness, and this shield boosts stamina recovery speed."