Shield Skill

Shield skill is a combat skill that determines a player's ability to activate an equipped shield to block an incoming physical attack. When a physical attack is successfully blocked by a Shield, the damage taken from the attack is significantly reduced.

• Shields can block any physical attacks coming from the front of the player
• The player does not need to be engaged to an enemy to block an attack.
• All shields have a hidden game statistic: Shield Size.
  • While not viewable in game, it is programmed into the game to each individual shield and can be seen on the individual wiki pages for each shield.

Shield Size Size Damage Reduction Size Base Block Rate 1 -20% 55% 2 -40% 40% 3 -50% 45% 4 -65% 30% -55% 50% -40% ~108%

The amount of damage reduction from a successful shield block is based on the shield size, its DEF, Damage Taken, and total Shield Defense Bonus, such that: Total Damage Reduced from a Shield Block = Base Damage × (1 - 0.PDTtotal) × (1 - 0.SizeDamageReduction - 0.(Shield'sDEF ÷ 2) - 0.Shield Defense Bonustotal) This reduction is not subject to the -87.5% PDT cap. A shield's block rate is determined by the attacking enemy's combat skill (determined by their level), the shield's Size Base Block Rate, and the player's shield skill, such that: Total Block Rate = SizeBaseBlockRate + ((ShieldSkilltotal - Attacker'sCombatSkill) × 0.2325) 0.2325 is the average skill:block rate conversion over all skill ranges. For example, some skill levels the conversion factor is 0.25, for others it is 0.2. This average is used as all the Shield Skill:Block Rate tiers are currently unknown and this yields fairly accurate observable results. The spell Reprisal and the Job Ability Palisade artificially increases the shield block rate by a set percent independent of the above formula.

• The job trait Shield Mastery prevents the casting of spells from being interrupted by a physical attack if all hits while casting are successfully blocked and allows successful blocks to generate additional TP return for the player.

While all jobs can equip certain shields and several jobs have innate shield skill (see below), Paladins are the shield masters with the widest and most powerful variety of equipable shields, as well as several job traits and abilities to enhance the use of shields.

Shield Skill Caps

Job	Grade	Level 49	Level 99
PLD	A+	150	424
WAR	C+	139	378
WHM	D	133	334
BST	E	124	300
RDM	F	114	265
THF	F	114	265

Equipment Bonuses

Item	Level	Slot	Jobs	Amount
Fighter's Mufflers +1	74	Hands	WAR	15
Gallant Leggings +1	74	Feet	PLD	12
Acheron Shield +1	75	Shield	WAR RDM DRK BST BLU	11
Ker's Mask	99	Head	WAR PLD DRK DRG	11
Testudo Mantle +1	99	Back	WAR MNK RDM THF PLD DRK BST BRD RNG SAM NIN DRG BLU COR DNC	11
Acheron Shield	75	Shield	WAR RDM DRK BST BLU	10
Boxer's Mantle	70	Back	All jobs	10
Fighter's Mufflers	54	Hands	WAR	10
Gallant Leggings	52	Feet	PLD	10
Master Shield	52	Shield	WAR WHM RDM THF PLD BST SAM	10
Rogue's Culottes	56	Legs	THF	10
Steadfast Shield	99	Shield	PLD DRK	10
Testudo Mantle	99	Back	WAR MNK RDM THF PLD DRK BST BRD RNG SAM NIN DRG BLU COR DNC	10
Warlock's Boots	52	Feet	RDM	10
Warlock's Boots +1	74	Feet	RDM	10
Creed Armet +2	85	Head	PLD	7
Fazheluo Radiant Mail	90	Body	WAR PLD DRK BST SAM DRG	7
Shield Torque	65	Neck	All jobs	7
Fazheluo Mail +1	90	Body	WAR PLD DRK BST SAM DRG	6
Kaiser Schaller	73	Head	WAR PLD	6
Skeld Sword	90	Weapon	WAR PLD DRK	6
Creed Armet +1	85	Head	PLD	5
Fazheluo Mail	90	Body	WAR PLD DRK BST SAM DRG	5
Knight's Earring	72	Earring	All jobs	5
Koenig Schaller	73	Head	WAR PLD	5
Light Buckler	40	Shield	WAR WHM RDM THF PLD BST SAM	5
Portus Annulet	94	Ring	All jobs	5
Sinfender	69	Weapon	PLD DRK	5
Storm Shield	70	Shield	WAR WHM RDM THF PLD BST SAM	5 (Assault)
Pilferer's Aspis	30	Shield	All jobs	5 (THF Sub job)
Shield Belt	30	Shield	All jobs	5 (PLD Sub job)
Buckler Earring	35	Earring	All jobs	3
Creed Earring	90	Earring	PLD	3
Fortified Chain	60	Neck	All jobs	3
Mu Necklace	75	Neck	All jobs	3 (Salvage)
Shotel +1	42	Weapon	WAR THF PLD DRK SAM DRG BLU	-3
Shiva's Shotel	72	Weapon	WAR THF PLD DRK SAM DRG BLU	-5
Shotel	42	Weapon	WAR THF PLD DRK SAM DRG BLU	-5

References

• Shield Skill vs. Block Rate Testing (Martel, BG/FFXIAH)
• Block Rate Unified Formula Testing (Showmo, FFXIAH)

• Size 1+2 Block Rates (Martel, BG/FFXIAH)