Today is the beginning of a new feature, Friday Top 5. It’s obviously just as the title suggests, as each week I’ll take a look at an aspect of Azeroth and share the five best in said category. Since we talked Transmogrification yesterday, I thought the inaugural post should tie in to that as I list the top shields. Remember, this list is entirely my opinion and while there are other shields out there that look great, I chose the ones I did for a reason.
5. Draconian Deflector
While not the most prolific looking shield, it’s simple design is what draws my eye to it. Unlike a few other dragon motif shields, this one doesn’t come across as over the top as some of the others. I also happen to like the bit of “light” the gold shield gives off, as it makes it useful for Paladins as well as Warriors. If you want this shield, you can travel to Blackrock Spire where it drops from General Drakkisath. You could also obtain it slightly earlier, as the High Chief’s Shield is a green that drops from random mobs (mostly in Winterspring and Silithus).
4. Aegis of the Scarlet Commander
This shield makes the list almost on popularity alone. For the longest time, everyone I know that had a shield wielding character not only farmed for this bad boy, but kept it long after. Now that you’ll be able to keep the look of the shield well past level 35, I expect it to show up more. The likelihood is increased by all the guilds that named themselves in some variation of the Scarlet followers. As expected this can be obtained from the Scarlet Commander Mograine in the Scarlet Monastery. Much like the Draconian Deflector, there is a green level shield of the same skin. The Bloodforged Shield can drop in Winterspring and Felwood but has it’s highest rate in Zul’Furrak.
3. Bulwark of Azzinoth
There aren’t many shields in the game that give off the true feel of a Tower Shield. By far, the best one is the Bulwark. As you can see, it nearly conceals a Tauren entirely. You can picture him crouching slightly behind it for full defensive coverage as he presses forward into battle. It’s not the flashiest shield out there, but it’s the simplicity of it that makes it appealing in both look and logistical practicality. Of the list so far, this is the hardest shield to obtain as there’s only one skin and you have a single crack at it each week. It drops from Illidan Stormrage in Black Temple.
2. Skullflame Shield
This is by far my favourite shield in the game. That I managed to have it drop while doing the Frostsaber rep grind was the reason I ended up making a Worgen Warrior (and leveling him, too). The shield was even captured in physical form, as it’s wielded by the WoWMini’s Tauren Warrior, Amalar Ironhoof. I had people offering me a thousand gold for it before Transmogrification, but it’s likely because they didn’t realize it can be obtained somewhere else. Blizzard added The Fel Barrier in The Burning Crusade. Sharing the same skin, it drops from Nexus-Prince Shaffar in Heroic Mana Tombs.
1. Sunward Crest
This shield, with its slightly more bronze twin Dawnforged Defender, is similar to that which started the list in that it screams the wielder is a defender of the Light. There are few other shields that I can look at and immediately “feel” epic. This is definitely one of them, and is also the only one on the list that can be acquired via reputation. Reach Exalted with the Shattered Sun Offensive and this one’s yours.
So there you have it. The top 5 shields for Transmogrifying. My criteria is no doubt different than yours, and there are plenty of other shields in the game that I’m fond of. It all depends on what look you wish to achieve. With that in mind, these five hold their own and I have no doubt I’ll be seeing each one more often after Patch 4.3 goes live.
