The Dueling Shield is one of the two new Thrusting Shields introduced in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and you can find it rather early. All you need is to progress far enough to reach the Shadow Keep.
Granted, the Shadow Keep comes available after clearing Castle Ensis and entering the area beyond. I wish you the best with the Ensis boss fight. If you’re struggling, be sure to check out our helpful guide.
Dueling Shield location in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
To find the Dueling Shield in Shadow of the Erdtree, progress in the Shadow Keep until you reach the first Site of Grace in the Specimen Storehouse. From the Site of Grace on the first floor, head forward and circle the centerpiece on the left side.
Watch for the ambush from the Shadow Militiaman doing its best Bloodborne impression and keep moving until you see a staircase leading up and then to the left.
Defeat the enemies and take a sharp left after the staircase. Keep moving until the end of the first bookshelf on your right. Another Militiaman is waiting for you. Defeat it and head up the staircase.
Climb the next set of stairs going left. Ignore the Fire Knight chilling nearby and go up the stairs to the next floor.
You will see another set of stairs going to a platform with another Fire Knight. You can run past the Knight or fight it. Either way, you’ll need to head up the stairs and take a left.
Take the bridge going across the gap. You should see the corpse of what appears to be a giant goat… or something. Stop here and look for the narrow stone buttress leading from the bridge to a platform on the other side. Use it to get across.
The corpse at the end of the room is holding the Dueling Shield.
Dueling Shield specs and uses
The Dueling Shield is in a new shield category called Thrusting Shields introduced by the Elden Ring DLC. Thrusting Shields are shields and offensive weapons rolled into one, allowing you to go from defense to offense quickly.
Dueling Shield specs:
- Attack Power (Standard/Pierce)
- Physical: 125
- Critical: 100
- Attribute Scaling
- Str: D
- Dex: D
- Attributes Required
- Str: 15
- Dex: 14
- Guarded Damage Negation
- Physical: 88.0
- Magic: 44.0
- Fire: 39.0
- Lightning: 55.0
- Holy: 53.0
- Guard Boost: 58
- Skill
- Shield Strike
- Weight
- 9.0
The Dueling Shield works great for players using strength/dexterity builds. With it, you can protect yourself from strikes before hitting right back. It’s honestly a fun weapon to use, and it feels way too good to watch those annoying-ass Militiamen desperately try to kill you before you reciprocate with the shield’s jabby end.
Also, since the shield counts as a weapon, you can increase your offense by two-handing it with the Two-Handed Sword Talisman.
