North Wind Shield

Overview

North Wind Shield is a large shield (tower shield) in Crimson Desert. It is classified as Epic (Tier 4) equipment with a base Defense of 6 and a base Guard Rate of 20.

A warrior's shield that once protected the tribes. Legend has it that a warrior carved this shield bare-handed, without the use of any tools. Its imposing presence was so overwhelming that enemies reportedly fled in terror, never daring to mount an attack.

Stats

Refinement

The North Wind Shield can be refined at a Blacksmith to increase its stats. Each refinement level requires specific materials and Silver. The table below shows the stats and material costs at each refinement level.

Abyss Core Slots

The North Wind Shield has 2 Abyss Core slots, allowing players to customize the shield with passive bonuses. Cores can be socketed or removed at no cost through a witch NPC, making it easy to experiment with different setups.

• Fortification I (Defense +3): Adds flat defense, strengthening overall damage absorption for sustained blocking.

• Aegis I (Damage Reduction 1.0): Provides flat damage reduction per hit, stacking with the shield's defense for stronger overall mitigation.

• Fortitude I (Guard Stamina Consumption -3.0%): Reduces stamina cost of blocking, letting you hold your guard longer through multi-hit combos.

Combat Usage

As a large shield, the North Wind Shield offers higher Guard Rate and Defense compared to standard shields, at the cost of slower movement and attack speed while equipped. Large shields excel at sustained blocking and protecting against heavy hits, making them well suited for players who prefer a defensive, counter-attack playstyle.

With a base Guard Rate of 20 (scaling to 40 at max refinement) and Defense of 6 (up to 31), this shield can absorb a meaningful amount of incoming damage. Players should focus on timing their blocks to trigger Guard Counter attacks, which open up strong follow-up damage windows.

Location Walkthrough

The North Wind Shield sits inside a hidden cave just west of Pailune. The cave is not visible on the world map; its entrance is blocked by a single large, movable tree that you must physically lift out of the way before the passage behind it opens up. Players who do not know the trick often walk right past this spot because nothing about the surface hints at a dungeon being there.

Step by Step

Fast travel to the nearest waypoint west of Pailune and head out on foot along the tree line. Scan the ground for an unusually large, isolated tree that stands out from the normal foliage. When you get close enough, the interaction prompt for lifting it appears. Use the lift input and the tree rolls aside, revealing the mouth of a small cave that was previously flush with the terrain.

Drop into the opening and follow the short passage inside. There are no enemies to fight in the cave, only the treasure chest at the end of the corridor. Open the chest to receive the North Wind Shield. Because the whole detour only takes a couple of minutes once you know the spot, this is one of the earliest large shields you can add to your loadout without committing to a boss fight or a long quest chain.

Two-Handed Build Defense

The North Wind Shield is a popular pick for two-handed weapon builds. Here is the reason: when you wield a two-handed weapon such as a great sword or a halberd, the shield slotted to your character is carried on your back instead of being held in front of you. Even in that back-slot state, the shield's defense value still applies to your total defense. It is not purely cosmetic the way some players assume.

However, socket effects on a back-slot shield behave differently. Only defense-type sockets remain active while you are wielding two-handed. Sockets that add attack, critical rate, or other offensive stats go dormant because the shield is not your active guard tool. This single caveat reshapes how you should pick a shield for a 2H build: you want the Large Shield that carries the highest raw defense number, not one that sports flashy attack sockets.

Why Large Shields Over Round Shields

Round shields generally carry significantly less defense than large shields. Because only the defense value is working for you in the back-slot state, taking a round shield is a direct downgrade for 2H users. Large shields top out at 31, 29, or 27 defense once you reach max refinement and install two defense sockets, and the North Wind Shield sits at the 31 ceiling. That ties it with the Shield of Sacrifice as the top raw-defense pick for a 2H build in terms of pure numbers.

Optimal Refinement Target

Push the North Wind Shield to Max Refinement (+10) and socket both slots with defense cores. At that point the shield is contributing its entire 31 defense value to your two-handed character sheet. You do not need to worry about the Guard Rate stat climbing to 40, because you are never actually going to hold it in front of you while two-handing. The only number that matters is the raw defense total.

When it is Worth Farming

If you plan to run a build around Two-Handed Weapons such as Frozen Anguish or Vow of the Dead King, grab this shield as soon as you reach the Pailune area. It is free, it has the defense cap you want, and it takes up the back-slot that would otherwise be wasted on a cosmetic. The main alternative at the same defense tier is the Shield of Sacrifice, which sits far to the south of the map in a cave that also contains nothing but the chest.

See Also

• Shields - Complete list of all shields in Crimson Desert

• Equipment - Overview of all gear types

• Abyss Cores - Socket gems that modify shield stats

• Blacksmith - Where to refine shields and other gear