Shields complement the player's armor, increasing defense and elemental resistance when raised. Shields have a durability rating that decreases as the shield is used, and as it decreases, the effectiveness of the shield decreases. When the player returns to Arcanus Cella, the shield is restored to full durability.
While the shield is raised, the player can move but not attack. The defense boost from raising the shield is effective regardless of which direction the player is hit from. The Knight Shield can increase the players Defense whether the shield is raised or not. As with regular armor, carrying a shield can speed up or slow down the player's attack and movement, whether the shield is raised or not.