Where to Find Shield in Minecraft
A defensive item held in the off-hand that blocks incoming melee and projectile attacks when raised.
Shield at a glance
Looking for Shield? It is a combat item in the Armor category of Minecraft, and the place it appears plus the 1 method below are everything this site knows about getting one. Short version: Shield means one trip to All Overworld biomes, where you craft it from 6 Planks and 1 Iron Ingot. Difficulty for Shield: 1 of 5, which we call very easy, since it is one of the first things a new survival world can supply, needing no special gear or travel. You will not be hunting for Shield across biomes at all: a Crafting Table is the whole source, so read on for what goes into it, what each part costs you and the best moment to make one.
Primary Location
All Overworld biomes
Difficulty
Very Easy (1/5)
Version Added
1.9
Stack Size
1
Durability
336
Where to Find Shield
All Overworld biomes is the one place tied to Shield, so that is where a trip for Shield goes. Blocks melee attacks, arrows, and explosions when held in the off-hand and crouching. Can be customized with a banner on a crafting table. Shield does not spawn naturally in the world or generate in chests as standard loot: it is something you make at a Crafting Table, so the practical question is where to gather its ingredients rather than where to find the finished item.
Biomes & Dimensions
- All Overworld biomes
Best Way to Get Shield
The fastest route to Shield runs through the Crafting Table, with Oak Planks and Iron Ingot. Gather those 2 parts once and Shield stops being something you look for. The shopping list before you can craft Shield runs to 2 lines: Oak Planks (crafted from any logs) and Iron Ingot (smelt iron ore or raw iron, which peaks around Y 16). Axes disable shields for 5 seconds when hitting a blocking player. Iron Ingots are easy to find: smelt iron ore (peaks at Y 16) or check village chests. Plan the trip around the slot count rather than the stack size: Shield takes one slot each, a chest holds 27 and a double chest tops out at 54, so decide up front how many you need. Before you plan a trip around Shield, note this on the version side: Added in 1.9 (Combat Update). In a fight, Shield is gear you want before tackling tougher mobs or other players, so securing one early and enchanting it later is a sound progression plan.
All Methods
- 1Craft using 6 Planks and 1 Iron Ingot
Crafting recipe for Shield
ShieldCrafting TableStation: Crafting Table
Tips for Finding Shield
- Blocks melee attacks, arrows, and explosions when held in the off-hand and crouching
- Can be customized with a banner on a crafting table
- Axes disable shields for 5 seconds when hitting a blocking player
- Iron Ingots are easy to find: smelt iron ore (peaks at Y 16) or check village chests
Version history of Shield
- Added in 1.9 (Combat Update)
More notes on Shield
Blocks all frontal damage when crouching. Can be decorated with banners. Disabled briefly by axe attacks.
Enchantments for Shield
Shield elsewhere on Astroworld
Items and guides next to Shield
Diamond Sword, Diamond Helmet, and Iron Pickaxe come up in the same trips as Shield, whether through the same biome, the same chest or the same recipe. Stats, durability and the grid for Shield sit on its own item page.
View the Shield item pageGetting Shield in practice
A shield is six planks and one iron ingot, and it changes early combat more than any armour upgrade: it blocks skeleton arrows, creeper blasts and most melee outright. Add a banner to it at a crafting table and the pattern carries onto the shield face.
What to watch out for with Shield
Six planks and one iron ingot, and the shield changes melee more than any weapon does. Raised, it blocks arrows and most melee damage outright, and the practical technique is to raise it between swings rather than holding it up, since blocking and attacking cannot happen at once.
Frequently asked questions about Shield
Where do you find Shield in Minecraft?
Shield is found in All Overworld biomes. Craft using 6 Planks and 1 Iron Ingot.
What is the best way to get Shield?
Crafting it at a Crafting Table from Oak Planks and Iron Ingot beats searching, because that grid gives Shield every time.
Can you craft Shield?
Yes. Shield is crafted at a Crafting Table using Oak Planks and Iron Ingot.
How hard is it to find Shield?
Finding Shield is rated very easy (1 out of 5): it is one of the first things a new survival world can supply, needing no special gear or travel.
When was Shield added to Minecraft?
Shield was added in the 1.9 update.