Shield Slinger

Shield vs Spear The Rising of the Shield Hero-1592099571

The invincible shield versus invincible spear.

A character is known for wielding a shield as their weapon of choice. A person who is badass enough to show defense is the greatest offense. A slinger would often use shields guard themselves, but they may also protect others. They not only use it to guard but also as a means of attack as well. One method is bashing the shield against the opponent. Another form of using a shield would be throwing it much like a boomerang to cause damage long range. There are also some cases where the shield is magical, where it can do more than a normal shield. Another could come in the form of a shield combination with another weapon. One of the most important things that a shield slinger could say is their shield is anything but useless.

Super-Trope to Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me, Shield-Bash, and Throwing Your Shield Always Works.

Examples of Shield Slinger include:

Anime and Manga

• Naofumi Iwatani, from The Rising of the Shield Hero, where he is summoned into another world as one of four Legendary Heroes that wields the Legendary Shield. The world acts like an RPG, and increases his defense massively, where very little that can damage him. The Legendary Shield also has different abilities and forms that give him defensive and counter skills.
• Maple (Kaede Honjou in real life), from BOFURI, first enters the game by pouring into her Vitality stat while also equipping a great shield as her primary weapon, and no player or monster can damage her. Focusing on Vitality has left Maple with no attack and mobility but compensates by gaining Skills that allow for increased defenses, counter attacks, offense, and movement.
• B3 AKA Barbaroy Bad Burn (Fujibayashi Kozue in real life), from Infinite Dendrogram, uses shields made for giants as her main weapons. There is also her jobs that focus on defense, along with the use of shields. Her primary attacks are crushing her opponents under her shield and couples with her Embryo, Atlas.
• Mercurymon, from Digimon Frontier, has two mirror shields that help him use his attack for counter attacks or to absorb attacks to release with reversed attributes.
• Cruss, from Beet the Vandel Buster, uses a shield as his primary weapon. The shield he uses is attached to a chain tether that retracts when thrown and can purify toxins combined with his Divine Art of Water. His Saiga, Crown Shield, gives a counter-attack from whatever hits it and can transform into a spike ball with a chain.
• Tooru Kokonoe, from Absolute Duo, whose Blaze (weapons manifested from the soul) takes the form of a shield. It seems unbreakable akin to his will and uses it as defense coupled with his martial arts skills.
• From Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, Lambo, wields the Volgola Box Weapon, Bufalo Fulmin ver. Vongola. This Box Weapon comes in the form of a black bull covered in armor, plus his Cambio Forma is a helmet and shield. The shield can use his Lightning Flame to unleash lightning at the enemy.
• In Re:Zero, Garfiel Tinsel wields two shields in combat couples with his wild style relying on instinct and physical prowess.

Comic Books

• Captain America, from Marvel Comics, is known for how he often uses his vibranium shield as his weapon and often uses it by throwing at his opponent but always rebounds back to him. His iconic shield is quite durable, making it useful in defense and attack, but some are known for destroying it on separate occasions.

Film

• Like his comic self, Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe loves throwing around his mighty shield. Though the MCU does seem to like pointing out the obvious flaw in this trope. If you throw your shield, there's a chance that your enemy can catch and/or deflect it, depriving you of a weapon.

Live-Action TV

• Yukito Sanjyou/ AbaraBlue, from Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger, uses the Tricera Bunker as his weapon. It can be used as a shield plus has a spike at the end for stabbing.
  • There is also Ryouga Hakua when he uses the StyRiser to transform into AbareMax. The StyRiser has two modes as a shield and the other where a blade extends it. The shield has the power to take him and the enemy to another dimension called the Explosive Orbit: Max Field, where he can manipulate the realm to defeat a monster.
  • From Power Rangers Dino Thunder, Ethan James/ Blue Dino Ranger has the Tricera Shield as his weapon. It is a shield that has a spike at the end to use for attacking.
  • Another example is Conner McKnight when he uses the Shield of Triumph to transform into Triassic Ranger. The Shield of Triumph can extend a blade plus the ability to transport him and his opponent to the Triassic Dimension, where he has complete control of it.
• Nobuharu Udo/ Kyoryu Blue, from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, uses the Stego Shield as his Zyuden Arm when using Armed On.
  • Koda/ Dino Charge Blue Ranger, from Power Rangers Dino Charge, uses the Stego Shield as a part of his arsenal.
• Hiji Hino aka Kamen Rider OOO in his Tajadol Combo Form along with mismatches using the Kujaku Medal. In this form, he has access to the Taja Spinner, a combination of a shield and gauntlet that can block attacks, shoot fireballs, stream flame, and add fire to his punches.
  • Subverted with Takatora Kureshima, aka Kamen Rider Zangetsu, from Kamen Rider Gaim, who uses the Melon Defender paired with a Musou Saber. The Melon Defender is a shield that can be used to block attacks while also having sharp edges that help handle it as a melee weapon and thrown like a boomerang. Enforced when he uses the Watermelon Arms to wields the Watermelon Gatling, which resembles the Melon Defender but with a minigun attached at the bottom.

Video Games

• Shielder, from Fate/Grand Order, is the servant to Ritsuka Fujimaru. She is a Demi-Servant who uses a sizeable cross-shaped shield as her primary weapon and uses the longer end of her shield as a sword. Her Noble Phantasms involve defending attacks or increasing defense.
• Goofy in the Kingdom Hearts series use a shield for both offense and defense. He is a physical fighter who usually knocks enemies around with his shield plus has different moves for damaging enemies.
  • There is also Vexen, who uses his shield, Frozen Pride, in combat. He often uses it as a buffer to cast ice magic while using its edge to attack, plus he can coat it in ice to create a sword.
• From Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny, Gray is a draconic warrior who dual-wields a pair of shield gauntlets with swords hidden in them that pairs well with his dragon-like strength.
• Shield Knight, from Shovel Knight, dual-wields small and large shields. She uses the giant shield to block frontal attacks, charge towards an opponent, and throw her shield but somehow comes back like a boomerang. She can also bash her shield hard enough against a wall to cause the ceiling to collapse.
• The main character of the Rygar series uses a weapon called the Diskarmor. It is a legendary shield attached to a chain that acts as the primary means of defense and attack.
• Subverted with Copen, from Azure Striker Gunvolt, where he wields a shield named Aix Gear and a gun named Border. Aix Gear can be used to block attacks or for a charging attack and can change into a longbow that can fire attacks copied from the Septima of defeated Sumeragi Seven Adepts.
• Introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield, Zamazenta is a wolf-like Pokemon that can transform into their Crowned Shield form when wielding the Rusted Shield. They can access their signature move, Behemoth Bash.
• Leglius Branchesca from Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica wield two shields that can extend spikes and be thrown like yoyos.
• Reva from One Step From Eden has a shield called Eschaton, and she uses spells revolving around Shields for defense plus attacks.
• Farmel Arianrhod from Wild Arms 4 uses a shield that can pop out blades. She is known for her defensive style, where her codename is Asgard that also references her weapon.

Web Animation

• Subverted with Pyrrha Nikkos, from RWBY, she dual wields her two weapons of Miló (javelin-rifle weapon) and Akoúo̱ (Greek Diphylon-like shield). She can control the shield and javelin with her Semblance of Polarity.
  • Another subversion Leonardo Lionheart with his weapon, Stalwart, is a wrist-mounted shield that different containers for Dust. He can discharge projectiles when Leonardo conjures a glyph, which fits his style of keeping a distance while cowering behind the shield.
  • Played straight with Robyn Hill and her weapon, which has a crossbow-shield weapon. It resembles her emblem and can fire telescopic bolts loaded with Dust when it's a crossbow and folds the wings into a circular shield.

Web Original

• In the upcoming, RWBY: The Grimm Campaign, Feni Nemean wield his weapon, Pandora's Aegis. Pandora's Aegis is a pair of bronze, arm-mounted brass claws that can transform into shields.

Western Animation

• Zandor, Leader of the Herculoids, uses a shield as his main weapon but uses it for defense rather than offense.
• Steven Universe has a shield as his gem weapon inherited from his mother. The shield is durable enough to take a charged shot from a Gem Warship plus defend against magical constructs. He can throw it as a weapon that can cut through solid rock and damage metal.
• The Turtle Miraculous, from Miraculous Ladybug, gives a person a turtle-themed costume with a shield as the wielder's primary weapon. The unique power as a Miraculous is called Shell-ter, which has the shield generating a green barrier that can damage massive amounts.
• Eric, from Dungeons & Dragons, is the Cavalier that is a somewhat spoiled and cowardly teen but has a heroic side. He wields a magic shield that can project a force field.
• In Gormiti (2018), Koga is a Gormiti of Fire who wields an indestructible shield. He can throw his shield to create a tornado of fire or launch a ray of fire from it.