Path of Exileand itsever-changing metameans players will have to keep up in order to make their characters and build relevant. But despite some of the massive and game-changing updates introduced with each new League, some items, particularly certainPath of Exileunique shieldshave somewhat stood the test of time.
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Certain ones were buffed while others have found a new spot in the currentPath of Exilemeta. It’s still worth noting that for min-maxed builds, crafted rare shields might still be the best (depending on the build). Those looking for specific mechanics or better accessibility will find some good uses for these following shields.
+12% to all Elemental Resistances
Socketed Gems Cost and Reserve Life instead of Mana
Socketed Gems have 25% reduced Reservation
+(20-30) to Dexterity
+25% to all Elemental Resistances
Those looking for a shield’s intended purpose, which is to protect its wielder, will not find Prism Guardian wanting. It’s a good tool for covering some poor resistances, particularly in builds that are still progressing or want to remain ina manageable budgetcategory.
As an added bonus, players can toy around with the mini Blood Magic quirk of the shield. It looks like it’s meant for aura gems but nonetheless a versatile option for those looking to make their spells more spammable.
(300-400)% increased Armour and Energy Shield
(10-15)% increased maximum Life
Cannot Block while you have no Energy Shield
Damage from Unblocked hits always bypasses Energy Shield
Glancing Blows
Anyone running Energy Shield instead of life or even a good hybrid of both will certainly find this shield appealing. Emperor’s Vigilance is one of the most optimal shields for builds revolving around Shield Crush, mostly due to the high amounts of protection.
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Moreover, the added Energy Shield value synergizes well with a Divergent Shield crush since every 100 Energy Shield adds a crit multiplier to the skill. So this shield is hitting two birds with one stone and it also looks great; no need for cosmetics.
+(20-30) to maximum Life
(200-250)% increased Armour
20% increased Stun and Block Recovery
+(160-180) to maximum Life
5% reduced Movement Speed
-25 Physical Damage taken from Projectile Attacks
+5% Chance to Block
Good old Lioneye’s Remorse has seen better days, and while it’s not as special or as build-enabling as other shields, it’s still a decent option for those who need aquick tanky fix. The armor values it provides are just huge, and after that, it piles on so many layers of damage mitigation.
The movement speed negative is quite unfortunate but givenPath of Exile’s numerous movement skills, the reduced movement speed is negligible. In the hands of an accomplished Gladiator build, this budget shield can go a long way.
+(30-40) to maximum Life
(130-170)% increased Armour
+(65-80) to maximum Life
Recover 250 Life when you Block
+6% Chance to Block
+1500 Armour if you’ve Blocked Recently
A good upgrade from a budget option like Lioneye’s Remorse, especially if players are still intent onusing a melee buildinPath of Exile’s current state, is The Surrender. The Reckoning Skill is a huge plus and helps players save up on gem slots in their gear.
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Moreover, this shield heavily favors maximum block chance and can easily make players too tanky if their block chance is already at 75 percent. Of course, if that fails, players can always rely on their bloated Life pool to survive.
+(10-20) to maximum Life
(150-250)% increased Armour
+(20-25)% Chance to Block
-1% Chance to Block Attack Damage for every 200 Fire Damage taken from Hits Recently
(10-20)% of Cold Damage taken as Fire Damage
(10-20)% of Lightning Damage taken as Fire Damage
(10-20)% of Physical Damage taken as Fire Damage
Scorch Enemies in Close Range when you Block
Speaking of maximizing block chance, Dawnbreaker revolves around that godsent mechanic. It has one of the highest block chance boosts out of all the shields in the game, with additional damage mitigation values. It does have some pretty active negative stats or drawbacks but even those are easily countered.
The roll of the armor range can also dictate just how much this shield can cost in trading, along with the lowered negative roll. Overall, farming for this kind of shield is quite a curious gamble due to how many of its stats come in randomized ranges.
+4% to all Elemental Resistances
(20-30)% increased Spell Damage
+10% to all Elemental Resistances
+4% to all maximum Resistances
Cannot Block Attacks
A more popular option for Templarand Witch builds, Saffell’s Frame is a good budget enabler for certain builds that rely on stacking up spell damage. Saffell’s Frame excels in that department, even if players get unlucky with a low roll.
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Moreover, this shield is also great for covering elemental weak spots though it’s best not to rely on it for overall damage mitigation since it’s only good against spells. At best, it’s a considerable damage boost for players who haven’t properly min-maxed their builds with crafted rare shields.
(80-100)% increased Armour
+(50-60) to maximum Life
20% increased Taunt Duration
50% increased Warcry Cooldown Recovery Rate
Warcries have infinite Power
The Redblade Banner shield might look like a budget early-game option, but it has one awesome quirk that lets Warcry builds have more fun, which is the Warcries have infinite power along with the numerous Warcry boosts and buffs. It allows players to use Warcries more liberally.
Right now, that’s one of the more viable melee builds inPath of Exileand uniques like Redblade Banner make it competent. It’s not great for defense, of course, since it’s easily outclassed by higher-level shields but at least the Life bonuses are quite big.
120% increased Block Recovery
All Sockets are White
+(5-8)% to Quality of Socketed Support Gems
Socketed Support Gems can also Support Skills from your Main Hand
(100-150)% increased Armour and Evasion
+(3-5)% Chance to Block
The Squire is essentially the Tabula Rasa for shields, and likewise, it also comes with defensive stats that are easily outclassed by mostly everything past level 70. Still, it has some highly useful quirks, like being able to give a one-handed weapon six-sockets instead of just the usual three and making them an automatic six-link.
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As far as block chance boosts go, it’s not really that bad and players can still go the more defensive route but with a bit more effort. In any case, shields like The Squire are meta crutches for one-handed weapon builds.
(100-120)% increased Armour and Evasion
+(10-20)% to all Elemental Resistances
+(3-6)% Chance to Block
+20% Chance to Block Attack Damage if you have Blocked Spell Damage Recently
+20% chance to Block Spell Damage if you have Blocked Attack Damage Recently
Daresso’s Courage, like Lioneye’s Remorse, has always been one of the more welcoming budget staples for builds transitioning into their more min-maxed form. Those who are in dire need of survivability will also do well to equip this shield.
It plays around with alternating block chance mechanics, making it a well-rounded defensive tool against all kinds of attacks. The global physical damage increase makes it more appealing for melee, but that’s not the shield’s main draw anyway.
+5% to maximum Cold Resistance
Replenishes Energy Shield by 2% of Armour when you Block
(10-20)% increased Elemental Damage with Attack Skills
The Aegis Aurora has seen many changes from its overpowered Facebreaker and Energy Shield build phases, and now, it has more or less regained its status as one of the best shields in the game. Apart from being a good shield for maximizing block chance, it’s also great for Energy Shield builds.
It’s all thanks to the unique interaction where it replenishes the Energy Shield with every block, ensuring that players remain invincible with the right combination of items. Everything else is just a big bonus, but the elemental damage boost makes itideal for spellcasters.
Path of Exileis available on Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and macOS.
