In Elden Ring, one of the greatest pleasures lies in its freedom to explore diverse combat philosophies. Perhaps you prefer the classic approach of wielding colossal swords, or maybe you revel in the arcane arts, casting laser beams and hurling boulders. The possibilities are endless—but there’s a new revelation. With the introduction of thrusting shields from Shadow of the Erdtree, players are realizing they may have overlooked a crucial tactic all along: attacking while blocking. This innovative strategy challenges conventional wisdom, prompting players to rethink their builds focused on blood loss or Frenzied Flame spells.
In Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoft introduced two thrusting shields, a novel weapon type rooted in a straightforward idea: while blocking is effective, it could be enhanced by allowing simultaneous offensive maneuvers. With, perhaps, divine inspiration, FromSoft devised the ultimate solution to this perennial challenge—shields adorned with pointed tips, enabling players to attack while defensively engaged, transforming traditional combat dynamics.
If you opt to wield a thrusting shield two-handed, you can simultaneously attack while holding the block button, minimizing damage taken to mere chip damage. These shields, found exclusively in the DLC’s Shadow Keep dungeon, offer customizable modifications to match your preferred damage type and scaling preferences. Furthermore, they synergize effectively with the Spear Talisman for added counterattack damage, and benefit from the damage boost of the Two-Handed Sword Talisman when wielded in this manner.
Players on the Elden Ring subreddit have observed that the thrusting shields are incredibly powerful—possibly overly so, especially when paired with stamina regeneration and guard-enhancing effects. This combination enables players to attack without hesitation, leading some to argue that the weapon type diminishes the challenge of boss fights, even those in the notoriously difficult DLC. Redditor Drstrangelove899 highlighted this issue, describing the shields as “absolutely busted” due to their ability to allow relentless attack spamming while only receiving minimal chip damage.
The thrusting shields may indeed be overpowered; players experimenting with them have noted their unusually low stamina consumption. A testing video by YouTuber mmlubergames demonstrates that while conventional blocking with a thrusting shield drains stamina significantly, blocking while simultaneously attacking with its poke barely affects stamina. This stark contrast allows wielders of thrusting shields to effectively disregard most incoming attacks, whether in PvE or PvP scenarios. Japanese Twitter user @pirochanbanzai echoed these concerns, sharing a video showcasing how easily thrusting shields simplify challenging encounters like Rellana’s, with a caption suggesting an inevitable need for a nerf.