Shields are one of the best defensive items players can craft, especially when it comes to countering ranged combatants in PVP. So, today, we explore how to make a shield in Minecraft before decorating it with a banner to represent your team.

How to Make a Shield in Minecraft

Shields can be crafted on a crafting table with six wooden planks and one iron ingot. The top row of the crafting table is one plank, followed by the iron ingot, and then another plank, while the middle row is simply three planks across. Finally, a single plank is placed in the middle of the bottom row. Congratulations, you now have a shield!

How to Add a Banner to a Shield in Minecraft

A banner can be added to any shield by placing it to the right of a shield on a crafting table. If a banner does not sound familiar, they are crafted with six wool blocks and a stick and decorated using a loom block. Decorated banners can be anything from simple solid colors to elaborate art pieces and patterns. Should a crafted banner be of any importance, we recommend first making a copy by placing a blank banner next to it on a crafting table. This will allow the same design or pattern to be used across multiple shields or as matching decorations. Banners are otherwise lost when added to a shield.

Best Shield Enchantments

• Unbreaking III
• Mending I

Shields only have two compatible enchantments as of Minecraft 1.21.4. The first is unbreaking, which allows the shield to last much longer than it normally would, and the other is mending, which automatically absorbs picked-up XP to repair the shield as you go. It is important to note a shield can not be directly enchanted on an enchanting table. Instead, an Unbreaking III Book and Mending Book are required, which can then be applied to a shield on an anvil.