Red Thorn Roundshield

Red Thorn Roundshield

Attack	70 Physical
Critical	100
Scaling	Str E
Requires	Str 8
Effect
Guard	81% physical, 47 guard boost
Type	Small Shield
Attack Type	Strike
Skill	Parry
FP Cost	-
Weight	1.5
Upgrades With	Smithing Stones, to +25
Sell Price	100

The Red Thorn Roundshield is a Small Shield in Elden Ring. It can be picked up early in a run.

The Red Thorn Roundshield is a small wooden roundshield bearing an ancient red thorn emblem, light and easy to use but without the damage negation of a metal shield. It is starting equipment for the Samurai and is sold by the Nomadic Merchant at the Castle Morne Rampart on the Weeping Peninsula for 600 runes. Its fire damage negation is higher than its other elemental negation, though still too low to block fire attacks well. It comes with Parry and suits an early agile character who parries rather than blocks.

How to Get Red Thorn Roundshield Guide

Starting gear for the Samurai class.
Can be bought from the Nomadic Merchant (Castle Morne Rampart) for 600 Runes.

Where to find Red Thorn Roundshield Location?

Red Thorn Roundshield map location:

Map credit by Map Genie.

Upgrades

Regular Smithing Stones take it all the way to +25.

Level	Material	Amount	Attack	Scaling
+1	Smithing Stone [1]	x2	74 Physical	Str E
+2	Smithing Stone [1]	x4	78 Physical	Str D
+3	Smithing Stone [1]	x6	82 Physical	Str D
+4	Smithing Stone [2]	x2	86 Physical	Str D
+5	Smithing Stone [2]	x4	90 Physical	Str D
+6	Smithing Stone [2]	x6	94 Physical	Str D
+7	Smithing Stone [3]	x2	98 Physical	Str D
+8	Smithing Stone [3]	x4	102 Physical	Str D
+9	Smithing Stone [3]	x6	106 Physical	Str D
+10	Smithing Stone [4]	x2	110 Physical	Str D
+11	Smithing Stone [4]	x4	114 Physical	Str D
+12	Smithing Stone [4]	x6	118 Physical	Str D
+13	Smithing Stone [5]	x2	122 Physical	Str D
+14	Smithing Stone [5]	x4	126 Physical	Str D
+15	Smithing Stone [5]	x6	130 Physical	Str D
+16	Smithing Stone [6]	x2	134 Physical	Str D
+17	Smithing Stone [6]	x4	139 Physical	Str D
+18	Smithing Stone [6]	x6	143 Physical	Str D
+19	Smithing Stone [7]	x2	147 Physical	Str D
+20	Smithing Stone [7]	x4	151 Physical	Str D
+21	Smithing Stone [7]	x6	155 Physical	Str D
+22	Smithing Stone [8]	x2	159 Physical	Str D
+23	Smithing Stone [8]	x4	163 Physical	Str D
+24	Smithing Stone [8]	x6	167 Physical	Str D
+25	Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone	x1	171 Physical	Str D

Skill

Parry costs no FP. Timed against a foe's melee attack, the parry deflects the blow and breaks the attacker's stance, opening them to a critical hit. It costs no FP, and the exact motion varies with the shield or weapon carrying it. It is the weapon's default Ash of War, so another can take its place.

"Use this skill in time with a foe's melee attack to deflect it and break that foe's stance. This provides an opening to perform a critical hit."

Guarding

With a guard boost of 47, a blocked hit that would cost 100 stamina only costs 53. It lets 19% of physical damage through, and against the elements it holds up best to fire, at 42%, and worst to magic, at 32%. A block that drains the last of the stamina bar breaks the guard, leaving an opening for a critical.

Build

A light off-hand shield for an agile build, used to parry melee attacks and punish the opening with a critical hit, and to block when a parry is not possible.

Stats	Strength 8 to wield it, Vigor 40 then 60, Endurance 20 to 30 for the stamina to hold a guard, with the main weapon's stats taking the rest
Affinity	Standard keeps its full guard values, since an affinity changes a shield's damage negation while guarding.
Ash of War	Parry, its default, or Golden Parry for a more forgiving parry that reaches from a short distance; Barricade Shield if it is used for blocking and guard counters instead.
Talismans	Curved Sword Talisman, Greatshield Talisman, Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman

All Small Shields

Name	Physical	Magic	Fire	Light	Holy	Crit. Boost	Weight	Str.	Dex.	Int.	Fai.	Sell Price	Skill
Blue-White Wooden Shield	72 85	0 45	0 35	0 22	0 42	100 49	2	E 8	0	0	0	100	No Skill
Buckler	68 74	0 30	0 30	0 16	0 30	100 45	1.5	E 8	D 13	0	0	100	Buckler Parry
Coil Shield	92 78	0 38	0 29	0 35	0 36	100 38	1.5	E 10	10	0	0	200	Viper Bite
Gilded Iron Shield	74 88	0 40	0 38	0 17	0 51	100 51	3	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Ice Crest Shield	74 87	0 57	0 41	0 18	0 35	100 51	3	E 9	0	0	0	100	No Skill
Iron Roundshield	74 88	0 42	0 42	0 18	0 42	100 51	3	E 8	0	0	0	100	No Skill
Man-Serpent's Shield	70 85	0 35	0 48	0 18	0 33	100 48	2	E 8	0	0	0	100	No Skill
Perfumer's Shield	67 78	0 35	0 35	0 16	0 33	100 45	1.5	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Pillory Shield	71 82	0 46	0 23	0 38	0 46	100 50	3.5	E 10	0	0	0	100	No Skill
Red Thorn Roundshield	70 81	0 32	0 42	0 37	0 37	100 47	1.5	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Rickety Shield	70 74	0 29	0 24	0 34	0 34	100 46	1.0	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Rift Shield	70 85	0 33	0 37	0 18	0 37	100 47	2	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Riveted Wooden Shield	72 86	0 43	0 31	0 24	0 45	100 49	2	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Scripture Wooden Shield	70 82	0 40	0 22	0 37	0 45	100 47	1.5	E 8	0	0	0	100	Parry
Shield of Night	78 74	50 70	0 45	0 45	0 45	100 43	2.0	8	D 15	0	0	500	Revenge of the Night
Shield of the Guilty	75 81	0 36	0 36	0 31	0 37	100 42	2.0	D 8	0	0	0	100	Shield Bash
Smithscript Shield	72 84	0 38	0 38	0 38	0 38	100 47	2.5	D 10	E 15	E 11	E 11	500	Discus Hurl
Smoldering Shield	58 89	0 38	37 56	0 14	0 38	100 51	3.0	E 10	9	0	D 12	100	Shield Bash
Spiralhorn Shield	75 75	0 35	0 39	0 39	0 32	100 44	2	E 8	10	0	0	100	Parry

Notes

"A small, wooden roundshield. It is light and easy to handle, but cannot offer the damage negation of a metal shield. Its emblem is an ancient thorn design. Though it isn't much, it boosts fire damage negation."