In fantasy, when someone goes into battle, he doesn’t just wield a weapon capable of ending someone’s life, he brings a measure of protection with him. Something that will help him live to fight another day. That measure of protection is a shield and it’s designed to absorb the blow from the enemy’s weapon. Fantasy shields are one of several iconic elements associated with the genre, being on par with swords and magic.
While there’s many different designs, they all share the same core function: protection. The vast majority of shields share similar designs, right down to the shape and color used. In all shields, there’s a symbol that represents something like the type of species who created it. However, there’s a number of those with wholly different shapes, colors and styles used. They don’t resemble anything like a typical shield, yet that’s what they are.
They see most of their use on the battlefield, that’s what they were built for, after all. But the battlefield isn’t the only time they’re used. In some cases, they’re designed to be nothing but decorations to be hung in homes or places of businesses like inns. These guys don’t offer much protection and they’re only meant to be used as a last resort. Some wealthy families or families with a long history of serving in the military pass ceremonial shields down through the generations.
This article will focus on the three types of fantasy shields you see throughout many worlds. Without much ado, let’s hunker down and learn about these objects and see why they’re so popular!
Shields made out of a large piece of wood cut down into a smaller shape with several handles placed on their backs are aptly known as wood shields. At their heart, they’re meant to protect their user from being hit by an enemy projectile or weapon.
Not just any wood will do when constructing one. Only wood that’s tough and durable will suffice. Mahogany or pine are two such examples. You want a shield that won’t break in one hit or if you bend it a bit too far.
Being made of wood means they’re quite weak and it doesn’t take many hits before they splinter beyond repair. Their unable to withstand a lot of hits pales in comparison to how quickly they burn when fire touches them. You do not want to bring a wooden shield to fight with a foe cloaked in flames — fire keese in The Legend of Zelda being such one (who hasn’t lost a wooden shield to one of these blasted things in Dodongo’s Cavern in Ocarina of Time?) — or take it with you to a fiery hot place like a volcano.
Wooden fantasy shields are meant for those who are just learning how to defend themselves, as they don’t weigh too much. Their light weight makes them great to take with you as they won’t bog you down when traveling lightly and quickly. They’re also used in conjunction with wooden swords in places where people train to become proficient in the art of battle. This helps them get a feel of how it’s like without them actually getting seriously hurt.
With how abundant wood is, wooden shields tend to be priced on the low side of things. Many armor shops carry them in stock, so it’s quite easy to find one. Sadly, they’re the go-to if people can’t afford a more expensive one that offers better protection. In a fight to the death, the protection they offer is minimal and most likely, that protection will be gone before you know it.
Next up is metal shields. A piece of metal cut down to the specified shape and dimensions with handles placed on its back, metal shields offer far more protection than their wooden brethren. For starters, it takes longer for them to break, if they break at all.
Any kind of metal can be used to construct one. Iron is the most popular one, with steel a close second. Being made solely of metal, those using them can rest assured they won’t have to worry about their shield breaking at the worst possible time on the battlefield.
The battlefield is where they truly shine. They protect the people holding them from projectiles capable of shattering wooden shields or major blows from swords or axes. And they can withstand many more hits, allowing their users to wait for an opening to knock out their foe.
A major drawback of such a shield is their weight. Their heaviness makes them hard to carry especially on horseback. To circumvent this issue, some shields use a metal that’s lightweight but capable of absorbing numerous blows. Metal shields are carried by people who possess great body strength. This makes them ideal for soldiers since they have to train regularly in order to stay in shape.
Another disadvantage of metal fantasy shields is how poorly they fare against magic. They offer no protection whatsoever against many elemental spells. They were designed to protect the user from physical blows like swords, not magical blows from wands.
Armor shops carry metal shields in stock, albeit at a higher price than their wooden counterparts. Since there are a lot more non-magic than magic people, conflict between the former occurs more frequently and these shields help them defend themselves and last a heck lot longer than using wood shields.
The last category, and arguably the coolest, is magic shields. These guys have been blessed by a wizard or constructed with materials infused with magic. Capable of withstanding magic spells, they enable the user to remain in battle against a sorcerer far longer than a metal or wooden shield. This gives them a chance to defeat their magic foe.
While magic fantasy shields can use wood and metals, only very few actually do. Instead materials with magic power are used. Magic gems can also be used here. This ensures they last a long time when in battle against a wizard.
What sets them apart from other fantasy shields is that they have many effects besides protecting those who’s using them from attacks. Some can reflect light, others can absorb attacks and send them back where they came from. Elemental shields can harness the power of the element they have to tilt the battlefield in their favor. A fire shield can shoot out flames or an ice shield can freeze the attacker upon impact.
A significant disadvantage is they cannot absorb many physical blows. They weren’t meant to be used in battle against a physical attacker. It’s not because they’re brittle or have low durability. Avoid using them in a fight against a foe fond of physical attacks.
They’re quite rare, which means one would have to be willing to spend a lot of time searching for one. You would be hard pressed to find an armor shop that has one. Generally, these shields are found in elusive places, places many people wouldn’t dare to look.
Fantasy shields help their users make it through a vicious battle. The type of shield to use depends on the type of foe you’re facing and the environment the fight is taking place in.
To incorporate them into your world, as always, have the end user in mind when designing them. Feel free to unleash your creativity in the design process. Many memorable shields in fantasy all look fantastic and inspire more people to make their own. You can make an unique one that proudly stands alongside them!
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Sunfire
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