BotW
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Wiki Guide & Walkthrough | BotW
Shield Guide - How To Get & Unlock Perfect Guard

BotW | Shield Guide - How To Get & Unlock Perfect Guard | Zelda Breath Of The Wild

Last Updated:
BotW | Shield Guide - How To Get & Unlock Perfect Guard | Zelda Breath Of The Wild - GameWith

Shield guide for Zelda Breath Of The Wild (Botw). Learn how to use Shields in battle, get Perfect Guard, useful shielding tips, how to guard from incoming attacks and secure cover.

Table of Contents

How To Use Shield

Hold The ZL Button

Hold it with the ZL button

When you have a shield equipped, simply press the ZL button to raise it and focus on your enemy. By holding up the shield, you can reduce the damage taken when attacked. However, using the shield will consume its durability, so it is ideal to avoid being hit by attacks as much as possible.

Tips!If your shield has higher defense than the enemy's attack power, you can stun the enemy. But if your shield is weak, it will be deflected, leaving you vulnerable after blocking one attack. Also, note that the shield cannot block lightning strikes, so be cautious on rainy days.

Greatsword, Spear, And Bow Can Only Be Used In Their Sheathed State

Great sword / Spear can only be set up at swords

If you're using the Greatsword, Spear, or Bow, you can't ready them while holding a Shield which can only be done when they're sheathed. During combat, it's best to have your Sword equipped as a default so you can quickly switch weapons when an opportunity to attack the enemy arises.

Best Weapons & Armor - How To Get & Location

It Will Result In A Perfect Guard If You Time It Well And Press A

You can perform Perfect Guard with A at a good timing

When holding up your Shield, if you time it well and press A to deflect the enemy's attack on time, it will result in a Perfect Guard. If you perform a Perfect Guard, you can make the enemy stagger or even deflect beams without using up your Shield's durability.

You Can Also Shield Surf

You Can Also Shield Surf
ControlZL+X+A or midair ZL+A

While holding up your Shield, you can also perform Shield Surfing using the above command. It is possible to move quickly on sloping terrain by Shield Surfing. However, it is not recommended to use it excessively on rocky hills or grassy plains, as Shield durability will deplete outside of snowy mountains or deserts.

Perfect Guard Tips

Make Sure To Memorize The Enemy's Behavior Patterns

Performing a Perfect Guard depends on the player's skill, so it's important to thoroughly memorize the enemy's behavior patterns. The timing for hitting an attack after swinging varies depending on the enemy, so it is important to practice repeatedly to get the timing right.

In The Case Of The Guardian's Beam

You may have to adjust your timing slightly depending on the distance from the enemy, but with practice, it's also easy to deflect Guardian Beams. It is easier to deflect it successfully if you use Perfect Guard just before a Guardian's Beam is fired so make sure to watch for the blue light turning to white and listen for the "beep" sound to know when to perform Perfect Guard.

Don't Release Too Early

Don't put out too quickly

▲Releasing the shield too early will result in the inability to guard against the incoming attack and being directly hit by it.

Perfect Guard won't be successful unless you deflect the attack just before it hits you. If you press the A button too early, you won't be able to guard with the Shield due to timing of the deflection. This will result in a direct attack, so be sure to carefully assess the situation and deflect at the right time to avoid releasing the Shield too early.

Practice Battles Repeatedly With Save And Load Beforehand

If you're battling against tough enemies like Lynels or Guardians, it's recommended to save beforehand, as you can redo the fight from the beginning if you fail or die. By practicing Perfect Guard repeatedly, you can improve your skills.

BoTW Useful Guides and Articles

Useful Articles For Early Game

Have some feedback? Click here

Your feedbacks will be checked by our staffs and will be attended to accordingly. Please be advised that we may not reply to every individual feedbacks.


Article Written by
BotW Strategy Team

BotW Strategy Team

Reader Comments
Max. 300 Characters

By clicking Submit you are agreeing to the Terms of Use.
*Offensive, insulting or inappropriate use of forum may lead to ban/restriction.
To avoid griefing, you will not be able to post or report for the first %d hours upon visiting this forum for the first time.

Close
zFPWdwPk 1

555

Copyright Notice