Thrusting Shields are an archetype that were introduced in Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree. These weapons specialize in blending defense with their attacks and being an absolute pain to predict in PvP. Between the two Thrusting shields in the game right now, the Carian Thrusting Shield is usually the better choice if you have the stats to equip it.

Finding the Carian Thrusting Shield requires a trip to the Shadow Keep's Storehouse, but after that, it's a short stroll away from a nearby Site of Grace and you'll have a new weapon for your Tarnished to use.

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Carian Thrusting Shield Overview: Stat Requirements, Effects, & Skill

Carian Thrusting Shield picture in inventory in Elden Ring-5

Silver thrusting shield embedded with glintstones. Enables the wielder to attack and guard simultaneously. Once wielded by Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight, during her sole entry into ritual combat—a demonstration of fidelity to the Erdtree

In Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the Carian Thrusting Shield is a new weapon of the Thrusting Shield weapon type. What makes this weapon type particularly unique is how each of its attacks can also block other attacks. This property is what makes it perfect for blocking and counter-attacking enemies even while they're in the middle of performing their own attacks.

Be aware that these attacks will also use the Thrusting Shield's Guarded Damage Negation stats like Physical damage resistance and Guard Boost. While automatically guarding during your attacks is a wonderful benefit, this also means it's possible to be Guard Broken out of your attacks.

Compared to the Dueling Shield , the Carian Thrusting Shield has better defensive stats against physical attacks, scales slightly better with Dex (73 vs 75), better Guard Boost (69.6 vs 76.8), and also scales with Intelligence. These benefits come at the cost of a heavier weight (9.0 vs 10.5) and a higher stat requirement to properly use it. However, if you have the stats and the weight to carry this shield, it'll usually outdamage the Duelling Shield because of its superior scaling.

The Carian Thrusting Shield has a mix of Standard and Piercing attacks, and weighs 10.5. It's ideal for players who want a playstyle that focuses on blocking and counter striking enemies. You can two-hand this weapon and benefit from every part of it since it can work as a shield when you're not attacking too busy stabbing enemies with it. Thanks to this weapon's guard during attacks, talismans like the Greatshield Talisman , Spear Talisman , and Curved Sword Talisman are especially useful on it.

The Deflecting Hardtear is also perfect for this weapon since you can trigger spontaneous guards through the Thrusting Shields' attacks. Since you can two-hand this weapon to block and Guard counter, you'll also benefit from the increased Guard Counter damage as well.

In PvP, using a mixture of sprinting, spinning, guarding, and attacking makes this weapon extremely unpredictable because of how similar all of these shield animations can be. The Carian Thrusting Shield's jumping light attack is also perfect to catch rolls when your opponents are trying to run away from you.

The Carian Thrusting Shield can be upgraded using Smithing Stones to +25, and cannot benefit from spell-based or consumable weapon buffs.

Carian Thrusting Shield Stat Requirements

STR

DEX

INT

FAITH

ARC

17

13

15

0

0

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Carian Thrusting Shield Damage & Scaling

Scaling (Base)

Scaling (+10/+25)

STR

D (41)

STR

C (61)

DEX

D (41)

DEX

C (61)

INT

D (30)

INT

D (54)

Carian Thrusting Shield Weapon Skill: Shield Strike

The Shield Strike Ash of War is the default skill on the Carian Thrusting Shield, but it can be changed to something more useful to your build. This Ash of War is mediocre on the Thrusting Shields because, when equipped in the off-hand, it allows you to block with the Thrusting Shield and then immediately hit enemies with a string of armored attacks. While it may be a useful trait to have for osme builds, it's something the Thrusting Shields already do when equipped in the main hand or when two-handed. If you plan on using the Carian Thrusting Shield as your main weapon, you'll want to swap this Ash of War to something more relevant.

This Ash of War is better used on a shield that you can't normally attack with. The Brass Shield is a great candidate for this Ash of War because it has 100% physical damage negation, so when you attack with the shield into an enemy physical attack you'll take no damage and your attack will still get through.

This weapon skill costs 0 FP to cast, and can be chained into two additional follow-up attacks. These follow-up attacks also cost 0 FP.

A skill that uses the shield to attack. Repeated inputs allow for up to three follow-up attacks.

Where To Find Carian Thrusting Shield Location

The Carian Thrusting Shield is found in the Shadow Keep storehouse. Start in the Storehouse, Back Section Site of Grace and head westward. Run past the ladder and you'll find a hallway with three shadow mages and a Fire Knight staring at a bookshelf. You can take out the shadow mages without alerting the Fire Knight, but once you get too close, the mages will start throwing fireballs in your direction.

If you haven't found the Storehouse, Back Section Site of Grace yet, start in the Church District Entrance Site Of Grace and head to your northwest.

Here are the steps to reach that Site of Grace:

  1. Follow the path of the roofs until you reach a large roof where you can't continue north westward,
  2. Be careful of the Fire Knight there and follow the rooftop to the southwest.
  3. Look for a slanted bar leading into the Storehouse's roof and jump across the water onto it.
  4. Head up the bar and look for an opening in the roof to land safely onto the structure below.
  5. Once you've landed on the structure, drop down one more time to the ground floor nearby.
  6. Follow that path and look for an exit that leads to a small pathway over the water in the northeast direction. Be careful, there are three Fire Knights on this floor.
  7. Once you've found the path, head down it and take the elevator up.
  8. Step out of the elevator and head to your left and the Storehouse, Back Section Site Of Grace will be right in front of you.