The best defense can also be the best offense, especially in Valheim, where powerful shields can carry players through all kinds of dangerous encounters. Here we'll break down the best shields in Valheim, their stats, and how to get them.

Top 5 Best Shields in Valheim

Shields in Valheim come in three categories:

• Bucklers: Low block armor but provide high parry bonuses
• Round shields: Medium block armor and parry bonuses
• Tower shields: Prevents use of parry command but have high block bonuses

Despite the various shields in the game, you should focus your resources on crafting only the top-rated options, as they're just as available as many weaker alternatives. So, here are our top picks for the best Valheim shields.

5. Wood Tower Shield

Do you find it tough to parry attacks? Perhaps the Wood Tower Shield can be a good alternative, especially for beginners. This item is a good defensive item for taking on the game’s early bosses like Eikthyr. Crafting the Wood Tower Shield requires 10x Wood and 6x Leather Scraps. Fully upgrading this shield requires 25x Wood and 15x Leather Scraps.

Stats

Quality	1	2	3
Block Armor	10	16	22
Durability	200	250	300

4. Iron Buckler

Do you see yourself as a skillful gamer? Then, the Iron Buckler can be a good choice to help augment your parrying skills. Despite this shield’s fairly low defense, it’s superior for parrying attacks, which means it'll go quite far in the hands of a player who's up to snuff. Crafting the Iron Buckler requires 10x Iron and 4x Ancient Bark. Fully upgrading this shield requires 25x Iron and 7x Ancient Bark.

Stats

Quality	1	2	3
Block Armor	28	34	40
Durability	200	250	300

3. Silver Shield

As another round shield, the Silver Shield gives players access to the parry command without significantly reducing its defensive properties. Plus, the materials needed to craft this shield aren’t as rare as the likes of the Serpent Scale Shield or the Black Metal Shield. So, players can choose this item as an upgrade from their first shield. Crafting the Silver Shield requires 10x Fine Wood and 8x Silver. Fully upgrading this shield requires 40x Fine Wood and 20x Silver.

Stats

Quality	1	2	3
Block Armor	60	66	72
Durability	200	250	300

2. Serpent Scale Shield

A tower shield with overlapping scales, the Serpent Scale Shield is a unique defensive item that increases the player’s pierce resistance. Plus, it requires less Iron to craft than the less powerful Iron Tower Shield. Crafting the Serpent Scale Shield requires 10x Fine Wood, 4x Iron, and 8x Serpent Scale. Fully upgrading this shield requires 40x Fine Wood, 10x Iron, and 20x Serpent Scale.

Stats

Quality	1	2	3
Block Armor	60	66	82
Durability	250	300	350

1. Black Metal Shield

High defensive strength meets versatility – these are the properties offered by the Black Metal Shield. Despite the number of rare items needed to craft this item, the tradeoff for your hard work is a shield worthy of blocking many enemy attacks. Crafting the Black Metal Shield requires 10x Fine Wood, 8x Black Metal, and 5x Chain. Fully upgrading this shield requires 40x Fine Wood, 20x Black Metal, and 11x Chain.

Stats

Quality	1	2	3
Block Armor	78	84	90
Durability	200	250	300

Note: The items in this list aren’t exhaustive and may increase in number with future Valheim updates.