The shields in The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild are some of the best combat items in the game, and their designs are all incredibly different from each other. There are tons of different shields to obtain throughout the open world of Hyrule, ranging from small pieces of wood to shields made out of ancient bones. Some shields even match up well with specific armor sets.

Adventures that want to obtain the strongest shields in BOTW, or simply want to add a shield to their collection, will need to know all about the different shields that reside in Hyrule and where they are located - so that you can find and equip these shields during your adventure.

​​​​​​Updated on August 12, 2021, by Michael Caruso: Zelda has always been a franchise that values a sturdy shield, and longtime fans of the series know this quite well. Breath Of The Wild has more equipment customization than the majority of the games that came before it, and as such, it has a lot of shields for you to collect and use during combat. Here are the damage, durability ratings, and locations of each of the best shields in BOTW.

11 The Best Shield For A Beginner - Boko Shield

BotW Boko Shield menu
  • Damage Protection: 4
  • Durability: 8
  • Location Found: Great Plateau, Bokoblin Camps

Boko Shields aren't particularly powerful compared to other items that you can find in Breath Of The Wild; however, it's one of the essential pieces of equipment at the beginning of a new playthrough.

Luckily, Boko Shields are found all throughout the Great Plateau, and most low-level Bokoblins carry them, which means that you will have an endless supply if you decide to defeat Bokoblins and collect their dropped items. The Boko Shield is one of the strongest and most abundant shields for a beginner in BOTW.

10 Shield Of The Mind's Eye

shield of the mind's eye in botw
  • Damage Protection: 16
  • Durability: 16
  • Location Found: Inside Of Chests

The Shield of the Mind's Eye has 16 damage protection and a durability of 16. What really makes this shield stand out is its quick speed while shield surfing, which is an important mechanic in BOTW that is used very commonly throughout your adventure.

The Sheikah created the Shield of the Mind's eye, and they are rare in BOTW; however, they are common enough that every player will stumble across a few of them while playing.

9 Gerudo Shield

gerudo shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 20
  • Durability: 20
  • Location Found: The Gerudo Desert

Gerudo Shields are one of the most beautiful types of shields in BOTW. Their design features a red gem in the center with a gold plating around the rest of the shield. These shields are commonly carried and used by Gerudo women, and this is because they are a standard in their culture.

The Gerudo Shield has a damage protection rating of 20 and a durability of 20, making them one of the strongest types of shields in BOTW. With how common the Gerudo shields are, it makes them a perfect candidate for a shield to use.

8 Steel Lizal Shield

steel lizal shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 35
  • Durability: 15
  • Location Found: Outer Regions Of Hyrule

The Steel Lizal Shield is very barbaric in appearance; it has many different pieces of metal that are reinforcing its base, with spikes sticking out of its sides, which make for an incredibly intimidating appearance.

This shield has a damage protection of 35 and a durability of 15, which is somewhat imbalanced but still very strong. These shields are found at Lizal camps in BOTW, and it is definitely worth obtaining one for your collection.

7 Dragonbone Boko Shield

dragonbone boko shield in inventory, botw
  • Damage Protection: 25
  • Durability: 8
  • Location Found: Outer Regions Of Hyrule

The Dragonbone Boko Shield is distinct because of its appearance. It has bones on the side of it and wood in the middle, and although it isn't as strong as the best version of the Lizal shield, it is much more unique and is somewhat hard to find in different regions of BOTW.

Obtaining one of these shields is tough, but it is possible if you travel to the Hyrule Ridge. The Dragonbone Boko Shield has a guard of 25 and a durability of 8, so be careful with how often you use it because it breaks easily.

6 Ancient Shield

crafting ancient shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 70
  • Durability: 32
  • Location Found: Acquired By Cherry Inside Of The Akkala Ancient Tech Lab

The Ancient Shield is very interesting compared to many other shields found in BOTW because it has a unique effect. This shield is extra useful for blocking attacks from guardians, which are one of the strongest types of enemies in the game.

Obtaining the Ancient Shield isn't easy; it requires 1,000 rupees, 1 giant ancient core, 10 ancient gears, and 15 ancient springs. After obtaining these items, you can create an Ancient Shield at the ancient oven in the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab.

5 Royal Guard's Shield

royal guard's shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 70
  • Durability: 14
  • Location Found: Inside Hyrule Castle

The Royal Guard's Shield grants 70 damage protection, but unfortunately, it has a downside. This shield only has 14 durability, which means that it breaks relatively quickly when compared to its overall damage protection.

This shield is incredibly powerful, though, and should be reserved for the toughest fights with the strongest monsters in Hyrule. This shield is found in Hyrule Castle, which makes obtaining it quite difficult until you have high-tier gear.

4 Guardian Shield++

guardian shield plus plus in botw
  • Damage Protection: 42
  • Durability: 20
  • Location Found: Complete A Major Test Of Strength Shrine

There are a few different levels of the Guardian Shield; however, the Guardian Shield++ is the strongest of these variants. This shield has an interesting appearance; it glows blue and has an oval shape.

Luckily, guardian shields are common in BOTW, and completing shrines often yield this shield depending on the types of enemies found inside. The Guardian Shield has a damage protection of 42 to 76, depending on what type of enemy is being fought, and it has a base durability of 20.

3 Savage Lynel Shield

savage lynel shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 62
  • Durability: 20
  • Location Found: Defeat Silver Lynels And White-Maned Lynels

The Savage Lynel Shield is themed around and used by the Lynels that roam Hyrule in BOTW, which makes this piece of gear incredibly challenging to obtain and also quite rare. Lynels are a type of boss enemy, and fighting them requires high-tier gear and many heart upgrades.

Luckily, its rarity means that the Savage Lynel Shield is very powerful: it grants 62 protection and has 20 durability. This is a shield worth adding to your collection if you get the chance.

2 Daybreaker

daybreaker shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 48
  • Durability: 60
  • Location Found: Obtained After Defeating Thunderblight Ganon

Daybreaker not only has a distinct name, but it is also one of the most colorful shields in BOTW. It once belonged to Urbosa, but Link obtains it during the events of BOTW.

This special shield is fun to look at, but it is also incredibly tough. It boasts a damage protection of 48 and a durability of 60, making it perfect for long-term shield use. The shield can even be remade after it is broken by speaking with Buliara and bringing her 5 flints, a diamond, and a Gerudo Shield.

1 Hylian Shield

hylian shield in botw
  • Damage Protection: 90
  • Durability: 800
  • Location Found: Inside The Hyrule Castle Lockup

The Hylian Shield is, without a doubt, the strongest shield in BOTW because of its high stats. It has a damage protection of 80, and it has 800 base durability. Its durability alone makes it a top contender for the best shield, and it's tough to compete with.

Obtaining the Hylian Shield is tough. To find it, you'll need to travel inside of Hyrule Castle and into the Hyrule Castle Lockup, where a Stalnox must be fought and defeated. Another attribute that makes the Hylian Shield stand out is its appearance, which is all too familiar to longtime fans of the Zelda franchise.

NEXT: Link's Awakening vs. Breath Of The Wild: Which Is The Best Zelda Game On Switch?