Their lighter weight also makes them ideal for quick, agile characters with low equipment weight capacity. Small Shields typically have low deflection but are much better suited for parrying than their larger brethren. These shields also have comparatively low stability a large amount of stamina is consumed when physical attacks are blocked, leading to a higher risk of being knocked off-balance.

At present, no known Small Shield deflects 100% of incoming physical damage. They generally have above-average magic and elemental resistances, but their physical damage mitigation is sub-par. Shields come in three basic types: Small Shields, Standard Shields, and Greatshields. Shield Categories‍ | Deflection Level | Parry Type | Upgrades Shield Categories‍ Shield Information for Dark Souls and Dark Souls Remastered, explaining Shield mechanics and differences between the categories available to the player.