History Main / ShieldsAreUseless

** Played fairly straight with the Razorback, a shield for the Sniper whose only purpose is to prevent the inevitable BackStab but has only one use that delays the Spy for literally two seconds, is clearly visible to the enemy (so the Spy can just shoot him with his Revolver), and the Sniper might not even notice it breaking (and when he does, he only has his melee weapon for self-defense at close range). The item's description even lampshades the Razorback's weaknesses, explaining that "all the tribal craftsmanship in the world, it turns out, cannot stop a modern butter knife". It's even contrary to the Sniper's defense in that it negates all overheal.

*** During the First Dacian War, the Romans found that the Dacian infantry was armed with the falx, a heavy scythe-like sword that could easily get through the helmets and plate armor they used at the time and quickly ruin their shields, allowing the Dacians to secure a honorable peace. When the Dacians broke said peace, however, [[ItOnlyWorksOnce the Romans were equipped with reinforced helmets and shields and chainmail and scale armor (also reinforced) that resisted the falx]], [[CurbStompBattle leading to a series of devastating Dacian defeats]].

Historians of combat such as [[WebVideo/ScholaGladiatoria Matt Easton]] have pointed out that it's more difficult to train actors to use a weapon and shield at the same time compared to just a weapon, and that large shields have an annoying tendency to block line of sight while a fight is being filmed. When you watch videos of historical recreations like [[https://youtu.be/VgUDDdQWA4Q?t=688 this one]] from Roland Warzecha, you'll notice that large center-gripped shields can make it hard to see what's going on between the fighters at certain angles, and that's without getting into JitterCam or close-ups. Since shields are of limited use for Hollywood {{flynning}}, maybe it's tempting to portray shields as useless so that the characters have an in-universe justification not to use them.

In the hands of the RedShirtArmy or a villain's {{mooks}}, shields are little more than a part of their costume. They will rarely form a proper shield wall or use proper guard technique, often letting it hang limp at their side or throwing it ''behind'' them each time they strike a blow with their weapon. They may or may not be smart enough to try a ShieldBash. Their shields also seem to be made of cheap crap, since a major character's AbsurdlySharpBlade can cut through them like wet tissue paper, and they'll disintegrate if you give them a strong kick.

*** During Crassus' campaign against the Parthians, the Parthian commander Surena showed up with an army of a thousand cataphracts (heavily armored shock cavalry) and nine thousands horse archers, the latter constantly resupplied by thousands of camels loaded with arrows. When the two armies fought at Carrhae, the Parthians archers hit the Romans with [[RainOfArrow an unending barrage of arrows]], forcing them into an extremely compact shield wall to defend themselves but making them unable to repel cataphract charges, and whenever they loosened the formations to counterattack the Romans would be exposed to the arrows. [[CurbStompBattle The Roman army was nearly annihilated at the cost of 38 cataphracts]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has shields, which are *supposed* to boost your evasion against physical attacks. This trope comes in due to a glitch in the game making this boost completely useless-- magical block percentage is used for all attacks, while physical block percentage is completely ignored. Partially averted by a number of shields which boost magical block percentage, or have other useful bonuses, like the [[GameBreaker Paladin]] [[GuideDangIt Shield]]. This glitch was fixed in updated rereleases, making it a case of {{Luckily My Shield Will Protect Me}}.

In the hands of the RedShirtArmy or a villain's {{mooks}}, shields are little more than a part of their costume. They will rarely form a proper shield wall or use proper guard technique, often letting it hang limp at their side or throwing it behind them each time they strike a blow. They may or may not be smart enough to try a ShieldBash. Their shields also seem to be made of cheap crap, since a major character's AbsurdlySharpBlade can cut through them like wet tissue paper, and they'll disintegrate if you give them a strong kick.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' doesn't have actual shields, per se, but has accessories that raise your chance to block physical attacks. This trope comes in due to a glitch in the game making these accessories completely useless-- magical block percentage is used for all attacks, while physical block percentage is completely ignored. This glitch was fixed in updated rereleases, making it a case of [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Luckily My Shield-Like Accessory Will Protect Me]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' doesn't have actual shields, per se, but has accessories that raise your chance to block physical attacks. This trope comes in due to a glitch in the game making these accessories completely useless-- magical block percentage is used for all attacks, while physical block percentage is completely ignored. This glitch was fixed in updated rereleases, making it a case of [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Luckily My Shield-Like Accessory Will Protect Me]].

** Creator/FromSoftware seemingly took notice of the player base's preference for this playstyle when developing ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', since it's pretty much the ''only'' playstyle in that game. There is exactly one shield in the game, and it's a JokeItem whose FlavorText straight up says it sucks and that there are no shields in the game (although in a bit of a subversion, it's decent at blocking gunfire). The DLC adds a second shield which is ''even worse'' at blocking physical attacks but is somewhat useful for blocking elemental attacks.

Historians of combat such as [[WebVideo/ScholaGladiatoria Matt Easton]] have pointed out that it's more difficult to train actors to use a weapon and shield at the same time compared to just a weapon, and that large shields have an annoying tendency to block line of sight while a fight is being filmed. When you watch videos of historical recreations like [[https://youtu.be/VgUDDdQWA4Q?t=688 this one]] from Roland Warzecha, you'll notice that large center-gripped shields can make it hard to see what's going between the fighters at certain angles, and that's without getting into JitterCam or close-ups. Since shields are of limited use for Hollywood {{flynning}}, maybe it's tempting to portray shields as useless so that the characters have an in-universe justification not to use them.

Historians of combat such as Matt Easton have pointed out that it's more difficult to train actors to use a weapon and shield at the same time compared to just a weapon, and that large shields have an annoying tendency to block line of sight while a fight is being filmed. When you watch videos of historical recreations like [[https://youtu.be/VgUDDdQWA4Q?t=688 this one]] from Roland Warzecha, you'll notice that large center-gripped shields can make it hard to see what's going between the fighters if the angle isn't right, and that's without getting into JitterCam or close-ups. Since shields are of limited use for Hollywood {{flynning}}, maybe it's tempting to portray shields as useless so that the characters have an in-universe justification not to use them.

Shields. Big pieces of wood, animal hide, and/or metal that protect at least one half of your body against attack. Pretty useful in battle, you might think. And indeed some characters will gratefully sigh that LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe. Others, however, are not so sure.

This trope applies whenever shields are shown to have a negligible effect in combat. A [[TheHero Hero]] may discard his shield before charging the BigBad just to show how badass he really is. Yes, by TheLawOfDiminishingDefensiveEffort, our hero is so awesome that he doesn't need a shield. In the villainous version, {{mooks}} will have shields - but the good guy, armed with a {{BFS}}, or [[DualWielding two swords at once]], will still slaughter them by the hundreds. Apparently they learn to use their shields at the medieval equivalent of the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. And it only gets worse if the hero has an AbsurdlySharpBlade, as said shields will put up all the resistance of wet tissue paper, often getting cloven right in two!

Closely related to ArmorIsUseless. Not to be confused with DeflectorShields.

Contrast LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe, BarrierWarrior. Compare and contrast ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks -- it shows there's something you can do with them, but rather relies on the belief that there's no particular use in holding onto it.

This trope applies whenever shields are shown to have a negligible effect in combat. A [[TheHero Hero]] may discard his shield before charging the BigBad just to show how badass he really is. Yes, by the LawOfDiminishingDefensiveEffort, our hero is so awesome that he doesn't need a shield. In the villainous version, {{mooks}} will have shields - but the good guy, armed with a {{BFS}}, or [[DualWielding two swords at once]], will still slaughter them by the hundreds. Apparently they learn to use their shields at the medieval equivalent of the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. And it only gets worse if the hero has an AbsurdlySharpBlade, as said shields will put up all the resistance of wet tissue paper, often getting cloven right in two!

This trope applies whenever shields are shown to have a negligible effect in combat. A [[TheHero Hero]] may discard his shield before charging the BigBad just to show how badass he really is. Yes, our hero is so awesome that he doesn't need a shield. In the villainous version, {{mooks}} will have shields - but the good guy, armed with a {{BFS}}, or [[DualWielding two swords at once]], will still slaughter them by the hundreds. Apparently they learn to use their shields at the medieval equivalent of the ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. And it only gets worse if the hero has an AbsurdlySharpBlade, as said shields will put up all the resistance of wet tissue paper, often getting cloven right in two!

Shields. Big pieces of wood and/or metal that protect at least one half of your body against attack. Pretty useful in battle, you might think. And indeed some characters will gratefully sigh that LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe. Others, however, are not so sure.

** Nowadays however, the tank specializations for warriors and paladins can be quite deadly in PvP if used right through combination of being able to survive normally lethal burst and being concentrated on while being able to deal decent enough damage to be a threat as well as taking up time from people who try to kill them while their allies enjoy not being attacked. A well geared warrior/paladin designed like this can tear lesser geared damage specialized classes apart, especially cloth wearers. One on one fights with them can be quite unfair due to their survivability as well.

* Justified in ''Literature/{{Gate}}''. The Empire's Roman/Medieval style shields were never made to block modern bullets, so the JSDF can shoot straight through them.

** The Unsullied use spears and shields, and while they sometimes are shown working, other times they just leave them by their side not doing anything. The uses they do have are odd; their entire style of fighting is built around discipline and unbreakable formations, but they never use any kind of shield wall and their sheild design is unsuited to it.

* The heavier your armour is, the less defence a shield would give you. With the invention of full suits of plate armour, knights stopped carrying shields because they [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hlIUrd7d1Q were already so heavily protected]] that a shield was little more than an extra encumbrance. Compare the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite_shield kite shield]] of the early Middle Ages to the considerably smaller [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heater_shield heater shield]]. It also meant that the extra swinging power of the off hand was needed to penetrate your ''enemy's'' full plate with your weapon.

* In ''Literature/{{Gate}}'', the Empire's Roman/Medieval style shields do not protect against bullets at all.

In reality, people covered by a shield from shoulder to knee are rather difficult to hit. Only their head and calves/feet are exposed. This meant that in {{the Middle Ages}}, a popular trick was to stab your opponent in the foot and then, whether they saw what you were trying to do and went to protect their foot, or didn't and dropped their guard when hit, you stab them in the face. Which is arguably less [[RuleOfCool cool]] than [[SliceAndDiceSwordsmanship heroic slashing]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' doesn't have actual shields, per se, but has accessories that raise your chance to block physical attacks. This trope comes in due to a glitch in the game making these accessories completely useless-- magical block percentage is used for all attacks, while physical block percentage is completely ignored. This glitch was fixed in updated rereleases, making it a case of [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe Luckily My Shield-Like Accessory Will Protect Me]].

** The Unsullied use spears and shields, and while they sometimes are shown working, other times they just leave them by their side not doing anything.

* In ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven'', when [[spoiler:the walls of Jerusalem are breached]], Orlando Bloom's character throws aside his shield and charges into the fray with only his sword. In reality, this would be a death sentence.

* Played nearly (and painfully) straight in the VideoGame/PunchOut-esque UsefulNotes/WiiWare and UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 3DS}} game ''VideoGame/RageOfTheGladiator''. While some attacks can be blocked with the shield, most simply go right through it and [[NintendoHard deal full damage to you.]] Some of them can't be evaded and need to be blocked with a shield though, like most long-lasting beam attacks.

* Played with in ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory''. The Weapon Master in ''Quest for Glory I'' has this opinion, looking down on the brigands and calling them cowards for using shields, though he admits they are quite successful. He firmly believes that a skilled swordsman has no need of a shield. [[JerkAss And [the player] definitely needs a shield]]. In the EGA version of the game, the player can drop his shield as a Fighter with no real ill effect, and in fact this enables him to use magic in close combat (carrying a shield normally prevents a Fighter with magic from doing so). However the VGA remake (and subsequent games until ''QFGV'') doesn't allow you to do this, so the Fighter and Paladin have no choice but to use their shields throughout the series. ''Quest for Glory II-IV'' largely avert this, particularly in ''II'', which greatly refines and improves on the combat system. It's finally played largely straight again in ''V'', in which rather than blocking blows, Parry acts as damage reduction instead, and having a shield doesn't offer much better protection than blocking with your weapon.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' has the Tsaesci, an [[{{Wutai}} Akaviri]] race of supposed "[[SnakePeople snake vampires]]". Historical records indicate that they like to [[DualWielding dual wield]] a [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana and wakizashi]], and have a cultural aversion to shields. Tsaesci martial arts emphasize agility over blocking, and preach that if you don't want to get by your opponent, ''you get out of the way''. They would even do this [[DodgeTheBullet for arrows]]. When they attempted to invade Tamriel in the late 1st Era, they were confused by human warriors using the "[[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe sword-and-board]]" fighting style.