Shields

Shields are a special sub-class of weapons which focuses on protecting the player from damage rather than killing enemies.

Carrying a shield causes a force field to be granted for 0.5 seconds whenever the player takes damage. This barrier absorbs most types of damage while active (the exception is damage-over-time from status effects such as poison and darkness).

Holding a shield's assigned button deploys it in front of the player. Attacks originating from in front of the shield which hit the player are reduced by the percentage specified on the shield (usually 75%), and block damage is dealt to enemies using melee attacks.

Tapping a shield's assigned button instead causes the player to attempt a parry. If no attacks arrive within the parry window, the player loses the ability to block or parry again for 0.6 seconds. However, if a non-shockwave attack or a bomb comes into contact with the shield during the parry window, any damage is nullified completely, the player is healed for 4% of maximum health, and additional effects occur depending on the nature of the attack: Block and parry damage outputs of shields are usually increased based on the player's Survival stat. The absorbed percentage of damage while blocking, however, can only be increased by the presence of a particular affix (7% extra absorbed damage while held up).
 * Melee attackers take parry damage (indicated on the shield as a critical damage value).
 * Ranged attacks are absorbed, then shot out as a forward arrow (like those produced by relevant affixes) which deals 80 base damage.
 * Bombs are thrown forward at great speed, exploding for 90 base damage.
 * Explosions are absorbed without producing any retaliatory attacks.