Paladin's Shield (Final Fantasy VI)

The Paladin's Shield, also known as the Paladin Shld, is the strongest shield in Final Fantasy VI. The shield provides great stats, but moreover, absorbs or nullifies most elements. It also teaches the Ultima spell. Though the shield is extremely strong, it is also very difficult to acquire, as one must first use the Cursed Shield.
==Obtained==
The Paladin's Shield is earned after completing 256 battles with the Cursed Shield equipped. The Cursed Shield is by far the worst shield in the game, providing penalties to stats, inflicting the wearer with crippling statuses, and making them weak to the elements. This makes it arduous to complete 256 battles with the Cursed Shield equipped. The Cursed Shield is found in Narshe in the World of Ruin.
Kefka is also equipped with the Paladin's Shield during his scripted battle against a red palette swap of Ifrit in Thamasa.
==Mechanics==
The Paladin's Shield absorbs , , , , and nullifies , , , . It has the second-greatest Defense, only eclipsed by the Tortoise Shield.
The shield teaches the Ultima spell at a x1 rate, the same rate that the Ragnarok magicite teaches the spell.
==Use==
The Paladin's Shield is by far the best shield in the game, but is also the most difficult to obtain. As it requires fighting 256 battles, this is only worth doing if the player needs to learn the Ultima spell from a source other than Ragnarok. If the player selected the Ragnarok weapon over the magicite, then Paladin's Shield is the best way to obtain Ultima (as the only other way is for Terra to reach max level).
Among party members, any (except Umaro) can equip and benefit from it. However, party members who use Genji Glove will be unable to wield a shield, and some party members (such as Terra and Celes with the Minerva Bustier) already have access to armor providing substantial elemental protection. This means it should be prioritized to a member with a slot who lacks a better shield against elemental damage. The shield should also not be prioritized for party members using Jump, as Jump will mean they avoid a lot of damage.
The Paladin's Shield absorbing fire means that it can be used to heal the user from Meltdown, meaning that Meltdown will not only deal immense damage to the enemy, but a great heal to a party member with Paladin's Shield equipped. As only one Paladin's Shield can be equipped per party, one cannot rely on Paladin's Shield around this, though other party members can equip Flame Shield to also absorb Meltdown (or simply equip armor that nullifies fire damage so Meltdown will neither harm nor heal them).
==Etymology==
==Citations==
Category:Armor in Final Fantasy VI