Enshrouded: Should You Use Wards Or Shields?

Wards and shields are two different types of defensive tools you can equip in Enshrouded. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and players with almost any build can equip them. While the wards are specifically designed for mages, warriors can also use them and vice versa.

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The strengths of wards and shields vary per player, and it depends on your playstyle rather than defensive power. Here are all the major differences, and maybe you could choose whether you would be better off using a ward or shield for your character.

Enshrouded is in early access. The information below might be subject to change in the future. If there are any updates needed, the article will be amended.

Difference Between Wards And Shields

The biggest difference between wards and shields is their parry power and defense. Shields often give far more defense and parry power when compared with wards. This is quite a significant difference because the mechanics of using wards and shields are practically the same. You bring your shield or ward up to block and parry attacks.

Wards and shields can never be used while using a two-handed weapon, so weapons like bows and staves are out of the question. You can still equip a ward or a shield while using them, but you can't use them if you don't unsheathe your weapon, which will feel extremely clunky if you even try to swap in and out of your main weapon just to block.

So, if the shields are better across the board in terms of raw defensive stats, where does the ward shine? Well, the only different stat wards offer is that they usually come with added elemental resistances. These resistances are quite good, especially for those who don't stand up toe-to-toe against the enemies as frequently.

In short, the difference would be choosing between getting better elemental resistance or having better overall defenses.

Parrying Mechanics

It is worth noting the differences between parrying an attack compared to blocking an attack because this is where the shield shines. When you see an enemy attacking you, hitting the block button at the exact time your enemy's attack is going to hit you will result in a parry. The parry will negate the enemy's attack, and it will build up the stagger meter below the enemy's health bar.

Once the stagger meter fills up, the enemy becomes dazed and vulnerable for a few seconds. The higher your parry power, the faster the enemy will stagger. In a way, a good shield can stagger an enemy in a single parry but even the best ward would take around two parries to fill up the stagger meter.

If you are fond of using parry for defense apart from just dodge rolling, using a shield is the best way to go. There are even skills built around parrying, such as Power Parry, Arcane Deflection, and Bash, so building around parry is quite viable.

Using Dodge Roll For Defense

Some players rely on their reflexes and use dodge rolls as their main way to avoid a hit. This playstyle benefits builds that are quite agile and rely on their movement to kite the enemies. In this case, using wards is way better than using shields because you really don't use them as a way to block enemies. You can use the elemental resistances offered by the ward without using them for blocking.

This defensive tactic or playstyle relies heavily on your stamina so choosing the best gear set will help. For example, by choosing the Deadeye Boots from the Deadeye set, you'll lessen the stamina regeneration delay, allowing you to regain stamina immediately after dodge rolling.

As a quick summary, if you don't plan on blocking or parrying, use the ward. If you are constantly up against the enemy, and you want to block and parry, you should use the shield.

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