Traditional fighting is a large part of Grounded 2, especially when venturing into infested areas. Offense is crucial, yes, but defensive gear like shields are what typically make all the difference between winning the fight and losing your character at your previous checkpoint.
Prioritize good shield-making early on—right up there with good weapons and armor. From those available, the next three shields are special mention-worthy because of their special abilities and defensive capabilities: the Ladyguard, the Crimson Buckler, and the Bombuckler.
Below is the list of Grounded 2’s top shields, the materials required to craft them, and their passive mods that make them unique.
1. Ladyguard Shield – Best for Tanking
Ladyguard Shield is the best to block in the game and is best for tank characters. The crafting materials are also early game, so it is best for new players who are attempting to survive in tougher bug battles.
Crafting Materials:
- 4x Ladybug Part
- 2x Crude Rope
- 3x Sap
Mods: Heavy Shield: Shields take full damage and use less stamina than regular shields. Recommended for long, prolonged battles and new players who are not used to blocking mechanics.
Why It’s Great: Resilient, stamina-friendly, and accessible at the early stages of the game. The shield is ideal for surviving larger bug ambushes and boss battles where prolonged blocking is needed.
2. Crimson Buckler – Best for Aggressive Play
The Crimson Buckler is suited to brash characters who are fond of fighting. Made from easily farmed foes like Red Ants and Mites, the shield gives high perfect block bonuses in nasty finesse that stuns and hurts attackers.
Crafting Materials:
- 2x Grub Hide
- 4x Mite Fang
- 4x Red Ant Part
Mods: Light Shield: High stun on perfect blocks, but normal blocks give less protection. Aggressively Perfect Block: Perfect blocks hurt and stun enemies.
Why It’s Great: Encourages offensive parrying and pairs well with fast weapons or combo builds. If you’ve mastered blocking, this shield transforms defense into a weapon.
3. Bombuckler – Best for Damage Over Time
The Bombuckler entails murdering Bombardier Beetles and cultivating rarer materials like Spine Nubs, so it’s slightly harder to make. But it compensates with sizzle damage on perfect blocks—excellent for whittling down enemies over time.
Crafting Materials:
- 4x Bombardier Part
- 2x Silk Rope
- 3x Spine Nub
Mods:
Light Shield: Ideal blocks have high stun, but normal blocks provide less stun.
Spicy Parry: Ideal blocks receive sizzle (burn) effect, dealing spicy elemental damage over time.
Why It’s Great: Excellent for experienced players to add elemental damage to defensive playstyle. Works beautifully when fighting insects weak against fire damage or in multi-enemy combat.
Which Shield Should You Use?
| Shield Name | Style | Best For |
| Ladyguard | Heavy Tank | New players, defensive players |
| Crimson Buckler | Aggressive Parry | Survivability in melee combat |
| Bombuckler | Elemental Defense | DoT types, hot synergy |
Your default shield depends on your playstyle. For general survivability, the Ladyguard is the way to go. If you’re all about risk-taking, high-risk combat, the Crimson Buckler is your choice. And for elemental or status effect players, the Bombuckler is your best bet.
