History Main / SingleUseShield

* ''VideoGame/GianaSisters'': In ''[[VideoGame/TheGreatGianaSisters the original game]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GianaSistersDS its]]'' ''[[VideoGame/GianaSistersTwistedDreams sequels]]'', Giana loses her Punk powers upon getting hit and turns back to normal.

A shield or any other sort of PowerUp that goes away after one hit; essentially a OneHitPointWonder as a power-up instead of a character's default state. As a power-up, it can also provide effects beyond its ability to take an extra hit (see BreakablePowerUp).

* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' has a handful of such items, the original and most powerful being the Holy Mantle passive item. They prevent the first hit of damage when active[[note]]once per room for Holy Mantle, once per floor for Wooden Cross (trinket), once per boss fight for Blanket (passive item), and once per card for Holy Card[[/note]]. These are all incredibly powerful, since damage usually comes as DeathOfAThousandCuts over the course of multiple rooms, and best of all, ''they stack''.

** The witch Doctor's mask [[BigGood Aku-Aku]] protects him (and Coco, etc) from one hit. Picking up another will give you two hits of protection, while grabbing a third will then give you temporary invincibility, which then resets back to two shields.

* ''VideoGame/CryptOfTheNecrodancer'' has Glass Armor as a piece of wearable equipment which completely negates all damage from the next hit you take. It then shatters after doing so, because it's made of glass.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyRecordKeeper'' has several buffs applied through [[LimitBreak Soul Breaks]] which act in this manner. "Blink" allows characters to evade a single physical attack. "Magic Blink" does the same for magic attacks. "Astra" lets characters evade a single debuff. "Stone Skin" puts up a barrier which absorbs damage equal to a percent of each character's max HP, usually 30%, and given how hard bosses hit it's not out of the ordinary for the barrier to be eaten away in a single attack.

* In ''Videogame/GhostsNGoblins'' and its sequels, the player character's armor disappears after one hit, but they do have the benefit of starting each life with armor equipped. ''Super Ghouls And Ghosts'' also offers a shield powerup which can block one projectile attack only.

* In ''VideoGame/JazzJackrabbit'', shooting a screen with a green gem gives you one free hit without losing health. There is also a "fire shield" (a red gem) which protects you from four hits (in the latter case, the number of gems rotating around you indicates how much strength the shield has). There is also the caged bird Hiphop who automatically shoots bullets at any nearby enemies he sees and blocks one attack from damaging you, disappearing in the process.

* The Shield orcs in ''VideoGame/OrcsMustDie'' have a shield which they drop after a single hit.

* In ''[[VideoGame/{{Richman}} Richman 8]]'', there's a card called Bubble, and it makes a bubble that protect the character in it from one hurtful attack from mines, timer bombs or any kind of missiles.
* In ''VideoGame/RingOfRed,'' Subarmors can take 3-4 hits, and frontline [[AMechByAnyOtherName AFW's,]] such as the Medium and Anit carry two of them. Lose one and you won't have the other next battle, inexplicably. They cannot be replaced until next deployment (even if the shield is clearly [[ImprovisedArmor bolted-on scrap]], as in the csse of the North Japan Medium AFW). One of the many uses of infantrymen (especially rocket launcher infantry) is to break these shields so your main gun can hit the enemy mech without ablating them first.

* ''Videogame/SlyCooperAndTheThieviusRaccoonus'' has collectible horseshoes that function similar to the Aku Aku masks in Crash Bandicoot. Later games gave him and other playable characters a health bar.

*** In ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic 3 & Knuckles]]'' and the UsefulNotes/{{PS3}}, UsefulNotes/XBox360 and PC version of ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', and ''VideoGame/SonicMania'', flame, bubble and lightning shields are available. While they are active, they protect the player from flames, let the player breathe underwater and attract rings, respectively. All three will (at least in ''S3&K'') reflect projectiles without taking damage, but they still disappear after one hit from anything else (and in the case of flame and lightning, touching water). They even grant special powers to Sonic, activated on pressing the jump button while in midair (replacing his situational "insta-shield" move that slightly extends the range of his jump attack momentarily and gives him a short invincibility period): the flame shield lets him dash forward rapidly; the bubble shield lets him dash ''downward'' rapidly ({{Ground Pound}}!); while the lightning shield gives him a {{Double Jump}}.

* ''VideoGame/WatersFine'' features a bubble that not only gives you effectively one more hitpoint, but also prevents your OxygenMeter from draining.

** Similarly the Dark Eldar Shadow Field gives the best save possible in the game, but breaks the first time it fails.

* The javelins in AncientRome were made with a hardened point, but a very soft haft that would bend on impact. Thus, if an enemy tried to block, the javelin would embed itself in their shield, making it basically useless. (Shields were unwieldy enough at the best of times, let alone with a several-foot-long metal shaft sticking out at a weird angle.)

* Some "trauma plates", small slabs of armour plating that slip into pockets inside a BulletproofVest, are made of extremely strong ceramic materials like boron carbide. They're lighter than steel or titanium, but if they take a hit from a sufficiently powerful firearm they'll shatter.

* ''VideoGame/{{Elona}}'' - has a spinoff, Elona Shooter, which uses the Holy Grail of Jeure.

** By racking up long attack chains, Ammy earns levels of "godhood" in battle - an invisible barrier that can block up to three hits from enemies. There are also items (Traveler's Charm and Godly Charm) that can bestow/recharge this barrier immediately.

* ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'': Hex perks are Killer perks that generally have powerful effects with the trade-off that they are tied to a totem on the map. If the perk's corresponding Hex Totem gets cleasned by Survivors, the perk is lost for the rest of the match. The perk "Hex: Undying" is designed to take the bullet for other Hex perks. While Undying has its own effect of showing the auras of Survivors around unhexed Dull Totems, the perk's primary effect is that the first time a Hex Totem on the map is cleansed by Survivors, Undying will always be the one that's lost no matter which totem was actually cleansed. If Undying was not the cleansed perk, it will move to Undying's location.

** Tetrakarn and Makarakarn create shields for each memeber of the caster's party that repel one physical attack and one non-Almighty, non-OneHitKill attack spell, respectively. However, both shields typically also wear off at the end of the current turn.

* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' has a handful of such items, the original and most powerful being the Holy Mantle passive item. They prevent the first hit of damage when active[[note]]once per room for Holy Mantle, once per floor with Wooden Cross (trinket), once per boss fight with Blanket (passive item), and once per card with Holy Card[[/note]]. These are all incredibly powerful, since damage usually comes as DeathOfAThousandCuts over the course of multiple rooms, and best of all, ''they stack''.

* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' has a handful of such items, the original and most powerful being Holy Mantle. They prevent the first hit of damage when active (in Holy Mantle's case, that's once per room. Other do once per floor, once per BossBattle, ect). These are all incredibly powerful, since damage usually comes as DeathOfAThousandCuts over the course of multiple rooms.

* In ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series, the witch Doctor's mask [[BigGood Aku-Aku]] protects him (and Coco, etc) from one hit. Picking up another will give you two hits of protection, while grabbing a third will then give you temporary invincibility, which then resets back to two shields.
** ''Videogame/CrashTeamRacing'' however changes it. The Aku-Aku mask is full invincibility (no longer an example of this trope), while the actual shield item gives temporary protection from a single attack/hazard, Having ten Wumpa fruit turns the shield from green to blue, meaning it lasts forever, so long as you don't take a hit.

* In [[VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients DotA]], the item Linken's Sphere acts as a recharging version of this. When the item is off cooldown, it will nullify the first spell that targets you before recharging. The buff can also be given to teammates in exchange for a longer cooldown.

* In ''Tabletopgame/MagicTheGathering'', regenerating a creature gives it a single-use shield that saves it the next time it would die. That said, most sources of regeneration can be used again as many times as you can pay their cost.

* In an episode of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Eva Unit 0 is equipped with a shield made from the thermally protected underside of a decommissioned space shuttle, in a last-ditch attempt to hold back Ramiel's [[WaveMotionGun ridiculous firepower]]. When struck, the makeshift shield quickly and entirely melts down [[spoiler:but gives [[KidHero Shinji]] [[ScottyTime the scarce seconds needed]] for him to aim and [[OneHitKill fire back]]]].

* In ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', the eponymous hero starts off using a triangular shield he picked up during his stage show (a MythologyGag to the characters' roots). The shield is used precisely once as a guard against the Red Skull's fist. The Red Skull caves it in and it is quickly discarded.
* [[ActionGirl Bastille]] from the ''Literature/AlcatrazSeries'' wears a jacket made from spun fibers of Defender's Glass. It can take one blow that by rights should kill her, but then it's ruined and she has to get another.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** Sonic collects rings. If he's hit, he loses his rings instead of dying. You can recollect them before they disappear, but no matter how many you lost you'll only be able to grab back 10 or so at most.
** The shields found throughout the series also qualify. In the first [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 two]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 games]], they did nothing more than take one hit for you.
*** In ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic 3 & Knuckles]]'' and the UsefulNotes/{{PS3}}, UsefulNotes/XBox360 and PC version of ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', and ''VideoGame/SonicMania'', flame, bubble and lightning shields are available. While they are active, they protect the player from flames, let the player breathe underwater and attract rings, respectively. All three will (at least in ''S3&K'') reflect projectiles without taking damage, but they still disappear after one hit from anything else (and in the case of flame and lightning, touching water). They even grant special powers to Sonic, activated on pressing the jump button while in midair (replacing his situational "insta-shield" move that slightly extends the range of his jump attack momentarily and gives him a short invincibility period): the flame shield lets him dash forward rapidly; the bubble shield lets him dash ''downward'' rapidly ({{Ground Pound}}!); while the lightning shield gives him a {{Double Jump}}.
*** The 3D games, the ''VideoGame/{{Sonic Advance|Trilogy}}'' series, and its [[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries handheld]] [[VideoGame/SonicGenerations successors]], have two shields available. They both act the same as in the first two games, but one will attract rings.
* The fan-made ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2'' has no less than ''five'' shields available -- the blue Force Shield, which can take two hits; the white Whirlwind Shield, which gives your character a double jump; the green Elemental Shield, which makes you fully immune to environmental hazards; the red Armageddon Shield, which can be detonated to damage everything nearby; and the yellow Attraction Shield, which draws in rings, but shorts out in water.
* ''VideoGame/SonicTimeTwisted'' had three unique shields -- the Wind Shield allows Sonic to fly, the Ice Shield makes his Insta-Shield wider and freezes enemies; and the Rock Shield can be fired at enemies. The Rock Shield also grants immunity to spikes despite being just a pair of rocks that float around your character, oddly enough.
* The beetle in ''VideoGame/{{Thumper}}'' can take only two hits without healing, with first one breaking the metallic wings to reveal more organic ones.
* In ''Videogame/GhostsNGoblins'' and its sequels, the player character's armor disappears after one hit, but they do have the benefit of starting each life with armor equipped. ''Super Ghouls And Ghosts'' also offers a shield powerup which can block one projectile attack only.
** This is expanded on in ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'': Arthur stays behind to set off a powerful bomb, only to show up none the worse for wear, just in his skivvies. Although his armor is only good for one hit, it WILL protect you from that hit, no matter how powerful it may be.
* In the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series, just about any time Mario takes a hit, he loses his current powerup ([[PowerupMount Yoshi]], Mushroom, Fire Flower, etc.).
* In [[VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients DotA]], the item Linken's Sphere acts as a recharging version of this. When the item is off cooldown, it will nullify the first spell that targets you before recharging. The buff can also be given to teammates in exchange for a longer cooldown.
* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has several spell shields that block a single enemy spell. Sivir has one that returns more mana than it costs if it intercepts a spell, Nocturn has one that briefly increases his attack speed if it intercepts a spell, Malzahar has one as his passive ability, and the item Banshee's Vail provides a permanent one to whoever holds it that goes on a long cooldown after it breaks.
* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Sniper's Razorback protects him from a single instant-kill backstab, at which point he has to go back to the resupply room or wait for 30 seconds for it to regenerate.

* The ''VideoGame/WarCraft'' item Amulet of Spell Shield automatically blocks one negative spell before requiring a 40-second cooldown. Savvier enemies will hit the hero carrying it with a weak spell first, then pull out the harder-hitting attacks.

* ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' has a pendant, which lasts one stage, and can block a single projectile, but also goes away if you die some other way.
* The ''Franchise/MegaMan'' series has the Spike Barrier/Shock Step/whatever it's called, which protects you once from the instant-death spikes. But you have to jump to safety before the MercyInvincibility wears off, or...

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', the Boots of Springheel Jak will prevent you from dying at the end one very, very long fall but are destroyed upon landing. Various exploits exist to survive said fall and still keep the Boots.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Wardner}}'', the protagonist is normally a OneHitpointWonder but can find or buy a cloak that protects him from being hit once. There is also a sewing kit that protects the cloak once.

* The ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'' has a few spells like this.
** [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky The Sky Games]] have Earth Guard, which puts a shield that blocks one attack, physical or magical, on one character. Earth Wall is the [=AoE=] version. Some [[SNKBoss particular bosses]] have the SecretAIMoves version: Earth Guard EX, which makes a ''Double'' Use Shield. Julia Schwartz has a regular Craft that bestows the effect on herself.
** Kevin's [[LimitBreak S-Craft]] Grail Sphere applies the same effect in a wide area, and when used at 200 CP grants a double-shield.
** [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel The Cold Steel Games]] split the effect into Craft Guard (for physical attacks) and Arts Reflect (for magic, which is also an AttackReflector). Adamantine Shield is now the spell that grants Craft Guard to the party, while Crescent Mirror grants Arts Reflect. Emma has a Craft that also grants Arts Reflect (Crescent Shell), while Jusis can grant Craft Guard with Platinum Shield.
* ''VideoGame/{{Elona}}'' - has a spinoff, Elona Shooter, which uses the Holy Grail of Jeure.
%%* ''VideoGame/GunNac'': The Wing power-up. %%What does it do?
* ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}''
** By racking up long attack chains, Ammy earns levels of "godhood" in battle - an invisible barrier that can block up to three hits from enemies. There are also items (Traveler's Charm and Godly Charm) that can bestow/recharge this barrier immediately.
** During the battle against Crimson Helm in the Gale Shrine, the eight Satomi Power Orbs surround you and each one will absorb one hit for free. Combined with the godhood barrier, this can make you invincible against up to eleven attacks.
* ''VideoGame/TriggerheartExelica'': The Triggerheart's [[GrapplingHookPistol Anchor Shot]] can grab a Ver'mith vehicle to use as a shield, but it's destroyed in one hit.
* ''VideoGame/TheQuestOfKi'': The Barrier item allows Ki to take one hit from anything that isn't a [[WillOWisp Will O'Wisp]].
* ''VideoGame/ChoRenSha68k'' features a triangular power-up that can give the OneHitPointWonder that is your ship a shield that can absorb one hit for your ship. Having your shield active at the end of the stage is worth 50,000 points, and you get extra lives [[EveryTenThousandPoints every 1,000,000 points]], so it's worth it to continue to avoid getting hit.

* Both ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and ''VideoGame/RaymanLegends'' have these in the form of hearts that you can find and which follow you around. You can only have one at a time.
* In ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfLomax'', wearing a helmet allows you to take one hit without dying.
* ''VideoGame/{{Kolibri}}'' has shield rings that disappear after taking one hit.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone}}'', there are a couple of minions that come with Divine Shield, which negates one instance of damage. Paladins specialize in applying Divine Shield.
* ''VideoGame/ChimeraBeast'' has the Shell Armor and Scale Armor adaptations, which allow the player to negate two hits before the armor is destroyed.
* ''VideoGame/ALLTYNEXSecond'' allows the player ship to take one hit and keep going; the second results in a life loss, and there's no way to get a shield back for the rest of your current life if you lose it. This is significantly less per-life generosity than other games in the series; ''VideoGame/{{KAMUI}}'' offers four points of shielding per life that can occasionally be refilled, and ''Videogame/RefleX'' offers six with armor-refilling points in the game at the cost of giving you only one life. As compensation, however, it's the only game in the series to offer [[EveryTenThousandPoints point-based extra lives]].
* As ''VideoGame/FreedomPlanet'' is built on a ''Sonic''-based engine, the shield items featured in it behave much the same as the ones from that series, with unique quirks and immunities for each. However, they don't enable any special moves for any character and can take multiple hits. Some characteristics still exist in the sequel.
** The Fire Shield protects against flame, as expected. It also roasts enemies in close proximity to the user. In the first game, the shield is lost on contact with water.
** The Water Shield provides air for its user. It also blocks bubble-based attacks.
** The Earth Shield blocks crystal-based attacks and attracts gem pickups. In the sequel, it stops earth-based attacks.
** The Wood Shield protects against poison and attracts life petals.
** The Metal Shield blocks damage from spikes and electrical hazards. In the sequel, it also stops bladed weapons.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': Mimikyu's Disguise ability will protect it from a single damaging attack[[note]]with a few exceptions, such as if the attacker had Mold Breaker/Turboblaze/Teravolt or was using Sunsteel Strike/Moongeist Beam[[/note]], after which the disguise is busted for the rest of the battle. However, this doesn't protect or trigger against Status moves such as Toxic or Will-O-Wisp, nor does it protect against harmful weather conditions.
* ''VideoGame/CryptOfTheNecrodancer'' has Glass Armor as a piece of wearable equipment which completely negates all damage from the next hit you take. It then shatters after doing so, because it's made of glass.
* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' has the Holy Protection buff which is acquired for the next 30 seconds after striking an enemy while wearing a full set of Hallowed armor. You will dodge the next attack, regardless of damage but can/will still receive the debuff from said attack if it has one. The dodge has an internal cooldown of 30 seconds after it activates meaning you can reactivate the buff if it expires naturally without being hit. (Originally, this buff was granted by a full set of Titanium armor before the 1.4 "Journey's End" update).
* ''VideoGame/RogueSquadron'': The "advanced shield" upgrade can be found in one of the levels that gives this to all your ships. The shield eats up the first instance of damage you take, no matter how powerful or how weak it is. It can be somewhat aggravating when the first enemies you encounter in a level are a bunch of probe droids that destroy your shield with their puny lasers.
* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' has a handful of such items, the original and most powerful being Holy Mantle. They prevent the first hit of damage when active (in Holy Mantle's case, that's once per room. Other do once per floor, once per BossBattle, ect). These are all incredibly powerful, since damage usually comes as DeathOfAThousandCuts over the course of multiple rooms.

* In ''VideoGame/JazzJackrabbit'', shooting a screen with a green gem gives you one free hit without losing health. There is also a "fire shield" (a red gem) which protects you from four hits (in the latter case, the number of gems rotating around you indicates how much strength the shield has). There is also the caged bird Hiphop who automatically shoots bullets at any nearby enemies he sees and blocks one attack from damaging you, disappearing in the process.
* In ''VideoGame/RingOfRed,'' Subarmors can take 3-4 hits, and frontline [[AMechByAnyOtherName AFW's,]] such as the Medium and Anit carry two of them. Lose one and you won't have the other next battle, inexplicably. They cannot be replaced until next deployment (even if the shield is clearly [[ImprovisedArmor bolted-on scrap]], as in the csse of the North Japan Medium AFW). One of the many uses of infantrymen (especially rocket launcher infantry) is to break these shields so your main gun can hit the enemy mech without ablating them first.
* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' has two examples:
** If you reach 8 Wounds while having a [[AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome Horsehead Amulet]], it will be consumed to take away 8 CP of Wounds, which is usually enough to save you from going to the boat trip.
** The loss of the Dream qualities inflicted by the State of some confusion can be prevented by a vial of Honeyed Laudanum (which can be bought for 9 Fate either on an opportunity card or in the House of Chimes), although each vial is only good for one incident of insanity.
* ''VideoGame/{{Levelhead}}'': Red Armor Plates allow GR-18 to survive a single hit. Blue Armor Plates, introduced in The Void update, also allow GR-18 to survive a single hit, but unlike the red ones, they can be stacked.
* Ladybug shields in ''VideoGame/Centipede1998'' give the Shooter an extra hit, and can be stacked up to three, as indicated by the number of spots.
* ''VideoGame/GianaSisters'': In ''[[VideoGame/TheGreatGianaSisters the original game]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GianaSistersDS its]]'' ''[[VideoGame/GianaSistersTwistedDreams sequels]]'', Giana loses her Punk powers upon getting hit and turns back to normal.
* Many vehicles in ''VideoGame/ArmoredWarfare'' mounts Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) kits starting at Tier 5. As the name implies, they negate an incoming projectile by exploding upon struck, but the ERA tiles get used up and expose the underlying armor. This is incredibly important for lighter vehicles, as their armor can only stop autocannons at most and HEAT shells (which [=ERAs=] are specifically designed to defeat) does extra damage to them. [=ERAs=] are also much less effective against kinetic shells, and certain missiles at higher tiers have Tandem HEAT warheads designed to punch through [=ERA=] plates ''and'' the armor beneath in one go.
* ''VideoGame/{{Hydorah}}'' features an item that puts a purple aura around your ship that allows it to survive one hit without blowing up. Even better, you can lose that power-up and ''still'' get the "Perfect!" reward at the end of the level.
* In ''VideoGame/MalditaCastilla'', you can find a shield that essentially acts as an extra hitpoint for Don Ramiro as long as he doesn't put another item into his inventory. Note that losing that shield by taking damage will ''still'' disqualify you from getting the perfect bonus on completing the stage.
* ''VideoGame/IntoTheBreach'' features a few mech tools that can give any unit--whether it be your mech or even a civilian building--a shield that completely absorbs one attack before disappearing. [[HarmlessFreezing Freezing]] gives the same effect, but obviously makes the unit immobile.

* ''VideoGame/CrimzonClover World [=EXplosion=]''[='=]s {{Arrange Mode}}s have a shield that you can activate. The shield will take one hit before disappearing and activating an auto-[[SmartBomb bomb]].

* ''VideoGame/CrimzonClover World [=EXplosion=]''[='=] {{Arrange Mode}}s have a shield that you can activate. The shield will take one hit before disappearing and activating an auto-[[SmartBomb bomb]].

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiV'' has the Dampener items; sold by Gustave (with the exception of Phys Dampeners), they Null one hit from the specified element for each demon currently deployed. The "[Element] Block" spells do the same, of course. The ability to do this is somewhat impractical outside of boss fights or Abscess showdowns, where the enemies in question are likely to last long enough to draw in magatsuhi for a turn of guaranteed crits; picking the right element to block in this fashion exhausts two press turns, which oft ends the enemy phase since only late-game or powerful bosses ([[spoiler:or high-powered Ishtar or the Motoasakusa Abscess]]) have more than that.

* The fan-made ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2'' has no less than ''five'' such shields available -- the blue Force Shield, which can take two hits; the white Whirlwind Shield, which gives your character a double jump; the green Elemental Shield, which makes you fully immune to environmental hazards; the red Armageddon Shield, which can be detonated to damage everything nearby; and the yellow Attraction Shield, which draws in rings, but shorts out in water.
* ''VideoGame/SonicTimeTwisted'' had three unique ones -- the Wind Shield allows Sonic to fly, the Ice Shield makes his Insta-Shield wider and freezes enemies; and the Rock Shield can be fired at enemies. The Rock Shield also grants immunity to spikes despite being just a pair of rocks that float around your character, oddly enough.

* ''VideoGame/GunNac'': The Wing power-up.

* ''VideoGame/{{Cho Ren Sha 68k}}'' uses this trope in the form of a triangular power-up that also has a bomb and a powerup available as alternative options. Having your shield active at the end of the stage is worth 50,000 points, and you get extra lives [[EveryTenThousandPoints every 1,000,000 points]], so it's worth it to continue to avoid getting hit.

* In ''VideoGame/SpearsNSpades'' the protagonist Isabella's armor counts as one. Thankfully, she can pick others up when she does not have one on her. If she already does, the extra armor is converted into coins. One of the necklaces you can buy from the merchant has a similar function.
* ''VideoGame/JazzJackrabbit'' requires you to shoot a screen with a green gem. It's one free hit without losing health. There is also a "fire shield" (a red gem) which protects you from four hits (in the latter case, the number of gems rotating around you indicates how much strength the shield has).
** There is also the caged bird Hiphop who automatically shoots bullets at any nearby enemies he sees and blocks one attack from damaging you (disappearing in the process).

** Stoneskin in older editions of ''Dungeons & Dragons''.

* This is how regeneration works in ''Tabletopgame/MagicTheGathering''. Regenerating a creature gives it a single-use shield that saves it the next time it would die. That said, most sources of regeneration can be used again as many times as you can pay their cost.

* Enforced by javelins in AncientRome. The javelin was made with a hardened point, but a very soft haft that would bend on impact. Thus, if an enemy tried to block, the javelin would embed itself in his shield, making it basically useless. (Shields were unwieldy enough at the best of times, let alone with a several-foot-long metal shaft sticking out at a weird angle.)

** There is also the caged bird which acts as an attack drone. It protects you until you take a hit; you don't take damage if you lose the bird.

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Sniper's Razorback protects him from a single instant-kill backstab, at which point he has to go back to the resupply room to get a new one.

** Sonic collects rings. If he's hit, he loses his rings instead of dying.

* Many vehicles in ''VideoGame/ArmoredWarfre'' mounts Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) kits starting at Tier 5. As the name implies, they negate an incoming projectile by exploding upon struck, but the ERA tiles get used up and expose the underlying armor. This is incredibly important for lighter vehicles, as their armor can only stop autocannons at most and HEAT shells (which [=ERAs=] are specifically designed to defeat) does extra damage to them. [=ERAs=] are also much less effective against kinetic shells, and certain missiles at higher tiers have Tandem HEAT warheads designed to punch through [=ERA=] plates ''and'' the armor beneath in one go.

* Several kinds of magical armor in ''Tabletopgame/{{Warhammer}}'' provide an excellent armor save but are destroyed the first time they save a wound.

* The ''VideoGame/KisekiSeries'' has a few spells like this.