Smoldering Shield

Smoldering Shield

Attack	58 Physical, 37 Fire
Critical	100
Scaling	Str E, Fai D
Requires	Str 10, Dex 9, Fai 12
Effect	Robustness +30
Guard	89% physical, 51 guard boost
Type	Small Shield
Attack Type	Strike
Skill	Shield Bash
FP Cost	10
Weight	3
Upgrades With	Smithing Stones, to +25
Sell Price	100

The Smoldering Shield is a Small Shield in Elden Ring. It has the highest guard boost of any small shield in the game. It is a mid-game find in Volcano Manor.

The Smoldering Shield is a small shield made on Mt. Gelmir from uncooling lava, whose heat resists frost. It lies on a corpse in the low graveyard among the lava deep in Volcano Manor, below the Prison Town Church Site of Grace. Attacks with it deal fire damage, it raises robustness by 30 for better frostbite resistance, and its default skill is Shield Bash. It suits a Faith character who wants a frost-resistant shield that also strikes with fire.

How to Get Smoldering Shield Guide

Looted from a corpse in an low area filled with explosive Living Jars within Volcano Manor.

Where to find Smoldering Shield Location?

Smoldering Shield map location:

Map credit by Map Genie.

Upgrades

It upgrades with regular Smithing Stones up to +25.

Level	Material	Amount	Attack	Scaling
+1	Smithing Stone [1]	x2	61 Physical, 39 Fire	Str E, Fai D
+2	Smithing Stone [1]	x4	64 Physical, 41 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+3	Smithing Stone [1]	x6	68 Physical, 43 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+4	Smithing Stone [2]	x2	71 Physical, 45 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+5	Smithing Stone [2]	x4	74 Physical, 47 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+6	Smithing Stone [2]	x6	78 Physical, 49 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+7	Smithing Stone [3]	x2	81 Physical, 52 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+8	Smithing Stone [3]	x4	84 Physical, 54 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+9	Smithing Stone [3]	x6	88 Physical, 56 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+10	Smithing Stone [4]	x2	91 Physical, 58 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+11	Smithing Stone [4]	x4	95 Physical, 60 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+12	Smithing Stone [4]	x6	98 Physical, 62 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+13	Smithing Stone [5]	x2	101 Physical, 64 Fire	Str D, Fai D
+14	Smithing Stone [5]	x4	105 Physical, 67 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+15	Smithing Stone [5]	x6	108 Physical, 69 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+16	Smithing Stone [6]	x2	111 Physical, 71 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+17	Smithing Stone [6]	x4	115 Physical, 73 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+18	Smithing Stone [6]	x6	118 Physical, 75 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+19	Smithing Stone [7]	x2	121 Physical, 77 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+20	Smithing Stone [7]	x4	125 Physical, 79 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+21	Smithing Stone [7]	x6	128 Physical, 82 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+22	Smithing Stone [8]	x2	132 Physical, 84 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+23	Smithing Stone [8]	x4	135 Physical, 86 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+24	Smithing Stone [8]	x6	138 Physical, 88 Fire	Str D, Fai C
+25	Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone	x1	142 Physical, 90 Fire	Str D, Fai C

Skill

Shield Bash costs 10 FP. The wielder braces behind the shield and rams forward with full body weight while keeping guard up. Weaker enemies are shoved back and can be staggered, and because the guard holds through the motion, the bash can be thrown out against incoming attacks.

"Brace behind shield before using bodyweight to ram foes while maintaining guarding stance. Weaker enemies will be shoved backwards, and can even be staggered."

Guarding

With a guard boost of 51, a blocked hit that would cost 100 stamina only costs 49. No other small shield guards better. It lets 11% of physical damage through, and against the elements it holds up best to fire, at 56%, and worst to lightning, at 14%. If a block empties the stamina bar, the guard breaks and a critical hit can follow.

Build

Kept in the off hand to guard against frost and to bash with fire; Shield Bash shoves weaker enemies back while the guard stays up.

Stats	Strength 10, Dexterity 9 and Faith 12 to wield it, Vigor 40 then 60, Endurance 20 to 30, with Faith raising its fire
Affinity	Cannot be infused; it keeps its own scaling.
Talismans	Carian Filigreed Crest, Ancestral Spirit's Horn, Curved Sword 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

"Small shield made upon Mt. Gelmir forged from uncooling lava. Resists frost with its heat, and can even be used to deal fire damage if wielded as a weapon."