When this spell is cast, an invisible shield comes into being in front of the target. Only the caster, the target, and those able to see invisible can see the shield, which can take the form of any standard shield (small round, large round, kite or tower). The shield will totally negate up to (rank x 10) points of magic missile attacks before being destroyed.
Other protections offered by the shield depend on whether the target chooses to let the shield float before them, or whether they take hold of it to use as a normal shield:
- Floating Shield - If the target lets the shield float, it will provide protection against ranged missile and thrown weapon attacks, but will be destroyed with a melee attack. A Floating Shield also obscures vision somewhat. The caster must choose the size of the shield (small round, large round, kite or tower). The bonus to DEF and Saves only applies to attacks from the front where the shield can move to interpose itself. If two archers are firing at the target from opposite directions, the shield only provides its protection against one of the archers. If the target gets into melee combat, the shield will be destroyed with the first attack without providing any defense against the attack. At rank 15 and higher, the shield will persist even when in melee but will not provide any defense vs melee attacks, only against ranged attacks and magic missiles. See table below for details.
- Deployed Shield - The other option is for the target to take hold of the shield in the normal fashion. In this case, the shield functions as a normal shield, including DEX penalties, except that bonus to Defense is 1 less than normal. For example, if the target is rank 10 with Small Shields, and the Shield spell takes the form of a small round shield (normally +3 to DEF per rank), the target would gain a +20 to DEF instead of +30. Use the lower of the caster's rank with Shield spell, or the target's rank with Shield skill to determine Defense. Unlike a Floating Shield, a Deployed Shield is not destroyed by a melee attack.
Floating
Shield | DEF vs Ranged Attacks | PER Mod | Saves vs Frontal Attacks |
| Small Round | 2%/rank | -0 | 0 |
| Large Round | 3%/rank | -2 | +.5/rank |
| Kite | 4%/rank | -4 | +1/rank |
| Tower | 5%/rank | -6 | +1.5/rank |
| Deployed Shield | DEF vs All Attacks | PER Mod | Saves vs Frontal Attacks |
| Small Round | 2%/rank | 0 | 0 |
| Large Round | 3%/rank | 0 | +.5/rank |
| Kite | 4%/rank | 0 | +1/rank |
| Tower | 5%/rank | 0 | +1.5/rank |
A target can only be protected by one Shield spell at a time. |