Shield

There are several types of Shields in RuneScape, including other items that can be worn in the shield position, but the most common are the metal square and kite.

Most square and kite shields can be made with the Smithing skill and some can be purchased or sold to the shield shop identified with a shield icon on the map.

Free players can only access a limited number of off-hand items, with very few of them not being a shield (Tome of frost, magical blastbox) but members can access a large variety of items.

Square shield

File:Rune sq.png

A person wielding a Rune Square Shield.

Square shields are actually rectangular in shape, and may be made using the Smithing skill, although black and white square shields can only be bought. It is weaker in all areas than the kite shield, but has lower magic penalties. The smithing level required is 8 above the base level for any metal, and the highest non-degradable square shield available in free-to-play is the rune square, while the highest degradeble square shield is the corrupt dragon sq shield, for free-to-play. Shields come in various sizes and metals. There is no wooden square shield.

The Anti-dragon shield also has the same shape as a "square shield" and is an excellent shield for the pure mage, since it has no penalty to magic attack and a small amount of magic defence, otherwise comparable to an iron square shield. The wooden shield can be also used, but doesn't have the bonuses that the Anti-dragon shield does.

Template:Metal item

Kiteshield

An Adamant kiteshield

Kiteshields are better in all areas than the square shield, other than the magic penalty. Getting hold of a good kite shield in free-to-play requires a high smithing level, or trading with other players who are either members or accomplished smiths of high level, or buying one from the G.E.. The smithing level required is 12 above the base level for any metal, and at 62 for a mithril kiteshield, the gap between levels is already becoming large.

Template:Metal item

Spikeshield

File:Adamant spikeshield 0 equipped.png

A player wielding a spikeshield

Spikeshields are shields that are shaped like square shields, but with spikes on the front. They are only available in Adamant and Rune. They give better defence bonuses than the square shield of the same metal, but worse than the kiteshield, in addition to providing a small bonus to strength. They can only be acquired from the Fist of Guthix activity. They cannot be made by players using the smithing skill. They are only tradeable once they have been completely uncharged.

Berserker shield

Berserker shields are shields that are shaped like kiteshields, but without the brown lines and instead spikes on the front. Like the spikeshield, they are only available in Adamant and Rune. They have the highest defence bonuses of any shield of the same metal, and offer a strength bonus as well. Also like spikeshields, they can only be acquired as a reward from the Fist of Guthix activity and cannot be made or traded with other players unless it is purchased from the Grand Exchange for a fully uncharged version.

Other shields

Other items in shield slot

A player wielding a Penance master horn, and doing the emote with all four roles mastered.

File:Book of balance equipped.png

A player wielding a Book of Balance, or a Guthix god book

Books

Penance horns

Defenders

Comparison tables

Shield			Attack		Defence						Notes
Shield											Notes
Training shield	1		0	0	4	5	3	1	4	0	A decorative kiteshield obtained from Beefy Bill, in the cowfield north of Lumrbidge.
Anti-dragon shield	1		0	0	7	9	8	2	8	0	Available from Duke Horacio at Lumbridge castle after starting the Dragon Slayer quest. May be traded.
Elemental shield	1	20	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	0	Members only, Elemental Workshop I quest required. Excellent against magic, useless for anything else except fighting Skeletal Wyverns.
Mind shield	1	20	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	0	Members only, Elemental Workshop 2 quest required. Excellent against magic, useless for anything else aside from fighting Skeletal Wyverns. also has +25 Summon Defense
Body shield	33	33	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	0	Members only, Elemental Workshop 3 quest required. Excellent against magic and summoning, useless for anything else aside from fighting Skeletal Wyverns. also has +30 Summon Defense
Cosmic shield	40	38	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	0	Members only, Elemental Workshop 4 quest required. Excellent against magic and summoning, useless for anything else aside from fighting Skeletal Wyverns. also has +40 Summon Defense
Chaos shield	50	42	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	0	Members only, Elemental Workshop 4 quest required. Excellent against magic and summoning, useless for anything else aside from fighting Skeletal Wyverns. also has +50 Summon Defense
Mirror shield	20		0	0	10	15	5	5	10	0	Members only, Purchased from Slayer masters. Used to protect from Basilisk and Cockatrice special effects.
Fremennik roundshield	25		-10	-10	17	17	31	-4	33	0	Members only, Needed for the The Fremennik Isles quest. Used to protect from Ice Troll ranged attacks.
Bronze square shield	1	8	-6	-2	5	6	4	0	5	0	A common Goblin drop; also sold at Cassie's.
Bronze kiteshield	1	12	-8	-2	5	7	6	-1	6	0	Sold at Cassie's in Falador.
Iron square shield	1	23	-6	-2	8	9	7	0	8	0
Iron kiteshield	1	27	-8	-2	8	10	9	-1	9	0
Steel square shield	5	38	-6	-2	12	13	11	0	12	0
Steel kiteshield	5	42	-8	-2	13	15	14	-1	14	0
Black square shield	10	0	-6	-2	15	16	14	0	15	0	Dropped by Moss Giants.
Black kiteshield	10	0	-8	-2	17	19	18	-1	19	0	Dropped by Ice giants, available to members in Keldagrim.
Mithril square shield	20	58	-6	-2	17	19	13	0	14	0	The highest shield available from Cassie's.
Mithril kiteshield	20	62	-8	-2	18	22	20	-1	20	0
Broodoo shield	25	0	3	-7	10	10	15	5	0	5	Crafted from a Tribal mask, 2 Snake skins and 8 nails. This was the only non-book off hand item with a magic attack bonus before the introduction of the Arcane spirit shield.
Adamant square shield	30	78	-6	-2	24	26	22	0	24	0
Adamant spikeshield	35		-6	-2	25	27	23	0	25	0	Reward from Fist of Guthix, +1 Strength bonus
Adamant kiteshield	30	82	-8	-2	27	31	29	-1	29	0
Adamant berserker shield	35		-8	-2	28	32	31	-1	30	0	Reward from Fist of Guthix, +2 Strength bonus
Rune square shield	40	93	-6	-2	38	40	36	0	38	0
Rune spikeshield	45		-6	-2	39	41	37	0	39	0	Reward from Fist of Guthix, +3 Strength bonus
Rune kiteshield	40	97	-8	-2	44	48	46	-1	46	0	Most often seen as part of a "full Rune" set made only by the most accomplished smiths.
Rune berserker shield	45		-8	-2	45	49	47	-1	47	0	Reward from Fist of Guthix, +4 Strength bonus
Spirit shield	40		0	0	39	41	50	1	45	1	Reward from Summer's End , requires level 55 prayer to wield.
Granite shield	50*		-12	-8	40	42	38	0	65	0	* Also requires 50 Strength. Possible drop from Troll generals, Ice Trolls and other variants of troll.
Dragon square shield	60	60*	-6	-2	50	52	48	0	50	0	Members only; smithing is used to join the two halves, one a rare monster drop, the other from the Legends' Guild.
Dragon kiteshield	60		-8	-2	59	62	60	-1	51	0	A very rare drop from the Queen Black Dragon
Crystal shield	70		-10	-10	51	54	53	0	80	0	Reward choice from Roving Elves quest. Degrades and requires recharge, stats are for full charge (10/10)
Toktz-ket-xil (Obsidian Shield)	60		-12	-8	40	42	38	0	65	0	The TzHaar-Ket will drop it in an uncommon drop or you can buy it for 67,500 Tokkul.
Third age warrior shield	65		-10	-4	63	65	61	-3	63	0	Part of the Third age warrior armour set, very rarely obtained from level 3 Clue scrolls.
Dragonfire shield (fully charged)	75	90*	-10	-5	70	75	72	10	72	0	*Made by combining a Draconic visage with an Anti-Dragon Shield. Players under 90 smithing can bring the items and 1,250,000 coins to Oziach to make it. Holds 50 charges, and is charged by absorbing dragonbreath attacks. It also has the highest strength bonus of any shield, at +7.
Blessed spirit shield	70		0	0	53	55	73	2	52	3	Made by using a Holy elixir on Spirit shield, requiring 85 prayer or paying one million coins to Brother Jered
Arcane spirit shield	75	85	20	0	53	55	73	2	52	3	Level 70 prayer and level 65 magic are required to wield it. Level 90 prayer is needed to attach the sigil as well as level 85 smithing.
Spectral spirit shield	75	85	0	0	53	55	73	30	52	3	Level 70 prayer and level 65 magic are required to wield it. Level 90 prayer is needed to attach the sigil as well as level 85 smithing.
Elysian spirit shield	75	85	0	0	63	65	75	2	57	3	Level 75 prayer is required to wield it. Level 90 prayer is needed to attach the sigil as well as level 85 smithing.
Divine spirit shield	75	85	0	0	63	65	75	2	57	3	Level 75 prayer is required to wield it. Level 90 prayer is needed to attach the sigil as well as level 85 smithing.
Chaotic kiteshield	80	0	-15	0	83	90	86	-5	89	0	Reward from Daemonheim. Level 80 dungeoneering is required to wield it. Soaks up 14% of ranged damage and 7% of melee damage.
Eagle-eye kiteshield	80	0	0	4	50	50	70	25	50	0	Reward from Daemonheim. Level 80 dungeoneering is required to wield it. Soaks up 14% of magic damage and 7% of ranged damage.
Farseer kiteshield	80	0	17	-15	55	55	55	5	40	0	Reward from Daemonheim. Level 80 dungeoneering is required to wield it. Soaks up 14% of melee damage and 7% of magic damage.