Here are the best ways to defend yourself in Breath of the Wild, from the gear you start with to the biggest shields.

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, shields are some of the best weapons, and they all look very different from one another. In the open world of Hyrule, there are a lot of different shields to find, from small pieces of wood to shields made out of old bones. Some shields even go well with certain sets of armor.

If you want the strongest shields, you need to know all about them and where they are in Hyrule so you can find them and use them on your journey.

Shield Of The Mind’s Eye

Damage Protection	16
Durability	16
Location	West Necluda and East Necluda.

The Shield of the Mind’s Eye can take 16 damage and can last for 16 turns. Even though these stats aren’t very good compared to others in the game, what makes this shield stand out is how fast it is when shield surfing. This is a useful feature if you prefer to slide down hills instead of run.

The Shield of the Mind’s Eye was made by the Sheikah. This makes them something of a historical relic. But they are common enough that you will probably run into a few of them while playing.

Gerudo Shield

Damage Protection	20
Durability	20
Location	Gerudo Highlands and Gerudo Desert.

Some of the most beautiful shields in the game are Gerudo Shields. Gerudo often carry and use these shields, so you’ll find them most often in the Gerudo Highlands and all over the Gerudo Desert.

The Gerudo Shield has a 20 damage protection rating and a 20 durability rating, which makes it a good shield generally. Because Gerudo Shields are so popular, they are a good choice for a shield you can use often on your adventure and easily replace if it breaks.

Dragonbone Boko Shield

Damage Protection	25
Durability	8
Location	Hyrule Ridge and Necluda Sea.

The best Boko shield is the one made of dragonbone. It is different from the other shields in this series because it has more bones strapped to it and sides with spikes. This makes it stronger than the other shields in this series.

You can get one of these shields by fighting Bokoblins who are holding one in Hyrule Ridge or Necluda Sea. The Dragonbone Boko Shield has a guard of 25 and a sturdiness of 8. It is easy to break, so be careful about how often you use it.

Steel Lizal Shield

Damage Protection	35
Durability	15
Location	Hebra Mountains and Akkala Highlands.

The Steel Lizal Shield looks like it was made by savages. Its base is made of many different pieces of metal, and it has spikes sticking out of its sides, which makes it look very scary.

This shield protects against 35 points of damage and lasts for 15 points, which isn’t quite right but is still pretty strong. You can find these shields in Lizal camps in the Hebra Mountains and the Akkala Highlands. If you find one, it would be great to add it to your collection.

Radiant Shield

Damage Protection	35
Durability	26
Location	Gerudo Highlands and Gerudo Desert.

The Radiant Shield is better than the regular Gerudo Shield, but you don’t find it as often on your journeys. This shield protects against 35 points of damage and lasts for 26 turns.

Like its smaller version, it can be found in the Gerudo Highlands and the Gerudo Desert, but you’ll have to be much more careful when looking for it because there are only a few of them in the game at any given time.

Ancient Shield

Damage Protection	70
Durability	32
Location	Purchase from Cherry at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab.

When compared to many other shields in BotW, the Ancient Shield is very interesting because it does something different. Guardians are some of the strongest enemies in the game, so this shield is especially useful for blocking their hits.

But it’s not easy to get the Ancient Shield. You need 1,000 Rupees, one Giant Ancient Core, ten Ancient Gears, and 15 Ancient Springs. After getting these things, you can use the ancient oven in the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab to make an Ancient Shield.

Royal Guard’s Shield

Damage Protection	70
Durability	14
Location	Hyrule Castle

The Royal Guard’s Shield protects you from 70 damage, but it also does something bad. This shield’s longevity is only 14, which means it breaks pretty quickly compared to how much damage it can block.

This shield, on the other hand, is very strong and should only be used against the toughest monsters in Hyrule. This shield is in Hyrule Castle, which makes it hard to get unless you have high-level equipment. But for this strong shield, it’s worth taking a chance against the Guardians and Moblins.

Guardian Shield++

Damage Protection	42
Durability	20
Location	Dropped by the Guardian in A Major Test Of Strength shrines.

The Guardian Shield has a few different levels, but the Guardian Shield++ is the best of these. This shield looks different from most others because it glows blue and has an oval shape. Most other shields are made of metal and are round.

Guardian Shields are easy to find, and based on the type of Guardian you find in a shrine, you often get one when you finish it. The Guardian Shield has a base durability of 20, and it can protect against 42 points of damage. It can also block the beams of Guardian Scouts, which makes it a very useful item.

Mighty Lynel Shield

Damage Protection	44
Durability	15
Location	Dropped by Blue-Maned Lynels.

The Mighty Lynel Shield has numbers that show how powerful it is, just like its name suggests. If you want this shield, you’ll have to beat a Blue-Maned Lynel. Even though they aren’t the most powerful Lynel in the game, they’re still hard to beat.

The shield’s damage defense stat is 44, which means that when you block an enemy attack, you’ll do more damage to them. But because its longevity is only 15, you’ll want to be careful about when you use this shield. Maybe save it for when you face tough enemies.

Savage Lynel Shield

Damage Protection	62
Durability	20
Location	Dropped by Silver Lynels and White-Maned Lynels.

The Silver-Maned and White-Maned Lynels that roam Hyrule use the Savage Lynel Shield, which makes this piece of gear very hard to get and also very rare. To fight these high-level Lynels, you need high-tier gear and a lot of heart improvements.

The Savage Lynel Shield is very strong because it is so rare. It gives 62 protection and 20 durability. If you get the chance, you should add this shield to your collection. Just make sure you’re ready to fight monsters.

Royal Shield

Damage Protection	55
Durability	29
Location	Hyrule Castle and Hebra Mountains.

The Royal Shield is part of the Royal Gear set, which has some of the most powerful items in the game. Before the Calamity, guards of the Royal Family of Hyrule used this shield. You can find it inside Hyrule Castle, as it should be. If you’re not up for the task, you can also find it in the Hebra Mountains.

It can protect you from 55 points of damage, so you can use it to defend yourself and block enemy hits. It also has a good durability of 29, so it shouldn’t break in the middle of a fight.

Daybreaker

Damage Protection	48
Durability	60
Location	Obtained after defeating Thunderblight Ganon.

Daybreaker is one of the most beautiful shields in Drive Mad game. It also has a unique name. It used to belong to Urbosa, but Link gets it after he calms down Vah Naboris, the Divine Beast.

This shield is very strong. It has a damage protection of 48 and a longevity of 60, which makes it great for long-term use. If you talk to Buliara and bring her five bits of flint, a diamond, and a Gerudo Shield, you can even fix the shield if it breaks.

Hylian Shield

Damage Protection	90
Durability	800
Location	Hyrule Castle Lockup.

Because of its high stats, the Hylian Shield is without a question the strongest shield in the game. It can take 80 points of damage and has 800 base toughness. Its strength alone makes it one of the best candidates for the best shield, and it’s hard to beat.

It is hard to get the Hylian Shield, though. To find it, you’ll have to go inside Hyrule Castle and into the Hyrule Castle Lockup, where you’ll have to fight and beat a Stalnox to open the chest it’s in. Don’t worry if you break it; an NPC named Granté will sell you another one.