Shield Bash

Type

Ashes of War

Default affinity

Standard

FP cost

10 FP

Skill

Shield Bash

About this Ash of War

This Ash of War grants no affinity to an armament, but imparts the following skill:

"Shield Bash: Brace behind shield before using bodyweight to ram foes while maintaining guarding stance. Weaker enemies will be shoved backwards, and can even be staggered."

Usable on all shields.

Lakebed beneath the bridge northeast of East Gate Bridge Trestle

Liurnia of the Lakes

Starting Site of Grace: East Gate Bridge Trestle

1. Reach East Gate Bridge Trestle in northern Liurnia. This grace is down beside the water, below the broken bridge leading toward the academy.
2. Travel northeast across the shallow lake toward the high stone bridge. Stay at lake level rather than climbing onto Bellum Highway.
3. Find the scarab under the bridge and kill it for Shield Bash. It can move away when approached, so get close enough to finish it quickly.

Notes

• Costs 10 FP. Brace behind the shield and drive it into the enemy, with a guarded portion during the attack. This is a shield strike, not a timed parry.
• The bash uses the attacking shield's damage and scaling. Reinforcement and an appropriate affinity improve its offense; the attack rating of a separate right-hand weapon does not supply the hit.
• The shield contact applies its own status buildup and compatible coating. A plain shield does not gain bleed, poison or Madness just from installing this Ash.
• During the guarding portion, stamina depletion does not cause the usual guard-break animation. This is a special advantage over Shield Crash. It does not prevent elemental chip, status buildup or an attack that bypasses your guard, and the protection ends when the skill does.
• Going into the recovery with no stamina is still dangerous. Keep enough for the next block or dodge, and do not assume a boss will stagger just because the bash pushes ordinary soldiers back.
• The heavy shield impact is useful against an enemy's guard. Guard-stamina damage and boss stance damage are separate effects; breaking a shield guard does not mean the same attack will immediately break a boss's stance.
• Shard of Alexander improves its damage. Godfrey Icon does not apply because the skill cannot be charged. Shield-specific buffs can help the defensive part, subject to their normal buff-slot restrictions.
• The scarab is on the low lakebed beneath the high bridge northeast of East Gate Bridge Trestle. Staying on Bellum Highway above the water puts you on the wrong level.
• Compatible weapon classes: Small Shield, Medium Shield, Greatshield, Thrusting Shield. A weapon with a fixed skill cannot use this Ash of War.
• Its default affinity is Standard. The supported choices are Standard, Heavy, Keen, Quality, Fire, Flame Art, Lightning, Sacred, Magic, Cold, Poison, Blood and Occult; the appropriate whetblade is needed for additional options.