There's plenty of amazing equipment to be found in Borderlands 3, a lot of which comes with unique perks to give players a leg-up in battle. The first goal for many is to find the biggest and baddest weapons, such as powerful Legendary Assault rifles, but a good Vault Hunter knows that survivability is equally important. That's why having a good shield is imperative.
As expected, Legendary shields provide some of the best protection while also doling out a variety of interesting extra abilities and perks. For those looking for above-average protection, here is a list of the best Legendary shields in Borderlands 3.
Messy Breakup
First up is Messy Breakup. As the name implies, it can cause a lot of drama. The shield brings forth a small drone to accompany its user that fires at their enemies. It communicates with the player much in the same way those chatty orbs from another popular looter shooter does. What is says can range from very suggestive to very murdery. When the shield breaks, a temporary medic drone will also appear. Those looking to get involved with this shield will find it as a drop from GenIVIV in Voracius Canopy.
Brawler Ward
For Vault Hunters who like to really get into the mix, Brawler Ward may be the right Legendary Shield. It rewards its users with bonus damage when the shield is depleted, providing +25% weapon damage and +300% melee damage. When the shield is up, players get +2% max health per second, which is doubled when the shield goes kaput. Brawler Ward is a rare drop from The Graveward, which is located in Floating Tomb on Eden-6. Note that Graveward was recently re-tuned by Gearbox, so players should plan to prepare accordingly.
Re-Charger
Re-Charger is just the ticket for players who like to feel overly protected. The special perk of this shield is that it instantly recharges as soon as its broken -- it's like having two shields in one. This can be extremely helpful during tough fights. After that, there will be a 20 second cooldown before it can work its magic again. This has a chance of dropping from Captain Traunt.
Stop-Gap
Also in the category of extra protection is Stop-Gap. This Legendary shield will makes sure a broken shield won't signal a player's immediate end. When the shield breaks, a player becomes immune from any and all damage for five seconds. Those precious moments could be crucial to surviving an brutal encounter. It also has a very high shield capacity if that is the type of build the player is going for. If builds are an issue, check the best builds for each Borderlands 3 character. Stop-Gap can drop randomly from any loot source, so players should keep an eye out for this one.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
The Whiskey Tango Foxtrot shield will have players saying "WTF?" It has a 25% chance to drop IEDs (improvised explosive devices) when damaged, dealing extra surprise damage to enemies. It also has a 20% chance when damaged to drop a Booster that can restore the player's shields or health. This can drop from The Graveward or Katagawa Ball in Skywell-27. Don't forget to utilize Mayhem Mode for a boost to drop rates.
Big Boom Blaster
Players may remember this shield from Borderlands 2. It is back and better than ever. Big Boom Blaster is very helpful shield that drops all sorts of useful things, keeping players stocked up if they're running low on resources. There is a 60% chance it will drop a booster that restores shields, a grenade, or heavy ammo. This can be obtained by farming The Graveward.
The Transformer
This is the shield every player should have when facing an enemy that uses shock damage. The transformer converts 100% of Shock Damage into shields, which really drains the charge out of enemies like Killavolt. This is already an impressive perk on its own, but the shield also has a 40% chance to absorb bullets, keeping a player's ammo stocked. It can drop from any suitable loot source and is also rewarded for completing "It's Alive" in Desolation's Edge on Nekrotafeyo.
Borderlands 3 is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.