Shield

Muradin getting a Shield from Zarya

Shields are a bonus layer of defense a hero has on top of their Health.

Unlike health, shields are usually temporary. They'll be reduced by incoming damage first, before hit points. The amount of Shield is indicated by a white bar additionaly to the health bar. Shields will always absorb damage until they are depleted or they expire. When a hero has no shields, they begin to take damage to their hit points instead. Even damage over time effects that were applied before the shield are still absorbed by a shield applied afterwards. You can save a teammate that would have died to Lunara by applying a sufficiently strong shield. If multiple shields are stacked then they are consumed in the order in which they were applied.

When a shield absorbs damage on an allied hero it is counted as "healing done" and displayed in the role column of heroes. This only works for heroes and not minions, mercenaries or buildings where shields can still be used to absorb damage.

Abilities

Basic Abilities

• Abathur's ability, "Carapace", grants the "Symbiote" target shields for 8 seconds.
• Anub'arak's ability, "Harden Carapace", grants him shields for 3 seconds.
• Artanis' trait, "Shield Overload", periodically grants him shields for 5 seconds.
• Chen's trait, "Fortifying Brew", grants him shields while drinking, the shields persist for 2 seconds after he stops drinking.
• Falstad's ability, "Barrel Roll", grants him shields for 3 seconds.
• Fenix's trait, "Shield Capacitor", grants him permanent shields that quickly regenerate if he does not take damage for 5 seconds.
• Johanna's trait, "Iron Skin", grants her shields for 4 seconds.
  • Her level 16 talent, "Fanaticism", increases the shield duration to 6 seconds.
• Kerrigan's trait, "Assimilation", grants her a percentage of damage she deals as shields for 6 seconds.
• Tassadar's ability, "Plasma Shield", grants a target ally shields for 4 seconds.
• Tyrael's ability, "Righteousness", grants him and nearby allies shields for 4 seconds.
• Xul's ability, "Bone Armor", grants him shields for 3 seconds.
• Zarya's ability, "Personal Barrier", grants her shields for 3 seconds.
• Zarya's ability, "Shield Ally", grants a target allied hero shields for 3 seconds. Can't be used on herself

Heroic Abilities

• Lúcio's level 10 heroic ability, "Sound Barrier", grants him and nearby allied heroes shields decaying over 6 seconds.
  • His level 20 talent, "Bossa Nova", reduces the shield decay duration to 4 seconds, but also reduces the cooldown.

Talents

• Alexstrasza's level 16 talent, "Overprotective", adds an additional effect to her "Abundance" ability, granting healed heroes shields for 3 seconds.
• Anub'arak's level 7 talent, "Subterranean Shield", adds an additional effect to his "Burrow Charge" ability, granting him shields for 5 seconds.
• Auriel's level 20 talent, "Shield of Hope", grants her and nearby allied heroes shields for 3 seconds.
• Blaze's level 1 talent, "Endurance Stimpack", grants him shields for 5 seconds.
• Blaze's level 13 talent, "Juggernaut Plating", grants him 50% Spell Armor for 3 seconds and shields equivalent to 125% damage reduced upon expiration.
• Brightwing's level 7 talent, "Phase Shield", adds an additional effect to her "Phase Shift" ability, granting her and the target shields for 10 seconds.
• Brightwing, E.T.C., Kharazim and Rehgar's level 20 talent, "Storm Shield", grants them and nearby allied heroes shields for 3 seconds.
• D.Va's level 13 talent, "Emergency Shielding", adds an additional effect to her "Mech Mode" trait, granting her shields for 6 seconds if she takes damage that would destroy the mech.
• Falstad's level 4 talent, "Static Shield", adds an additional effect to his "Lightning Rod" ability, granting him shields for 4 seconds with every strike.
• Garrosh's level 13 talent, "Defensive Measures", adds an additional effect to his "Groundbreaker" ability, granting him shields for 6 seconds if it stuns an enemy hero.
• Genji's level 7 talent, "Augmented Guard", adds an additional effect to his "Deflect" ability, granting him shields for 4 seconds when it ends.
• Jaina's level 13 talent, "Ice Barrier", adds an additional effect to her "Frostbite" trait, granting her a percentage of damage she deals to chilled targets as shields for 4 seconds.
• Johanna's level 20 talent, "Blinded By The Light", grants her and nearby allied heroes shields for 3 seconds.
• Johanna's level 20 talent, "Indestructible", grants her shields for 4 seconds.
• Kel'Thuzad's level 4 talent, "Strip Shields", adds an additional effect to his "Chains of Kel'Thuzad" ability, granting him permanent shields.
• Kael'thas' level 1 talent, "Mana Addict", gives him the "Arcane Barrier" ability once the quest is complete, granting him shields for 4 seconds.
• Li-Ming's level 16 talent, "Diamond Skin", adds an additional effect to her "Teleport" ability, granting her shields for 4 seconds.
• Lt. Morales' level 4 talent, "Blast Shield", adds an additional effect to her "Displacement Grenade" ability, granting her shields whenever it hits enemy heroes.
• Lúcio's level 13 talent, "Beat Mixing", adds an additional effect to his "Crossfade" ability, granting him shields whenever he switches tracks. Shields last indefinitely.
• Murky's level 13 talent, "Egg Shell", adds an additional effect to his "Spawn Egg" trait, granting him shields that last indefinitely when spawning from his egg.
• Probius' level 13 talent, "Shield Battery", adds an additional effect to his "Warp In Pylon" trait, granting allied heroes shields while they remain in a pylon's power field and 2 seconds after leaving it.
• Probius' level 4 talent, "Shield Capacitor", grants him shields. Shields regenerate quickly when not taking damage.
• Ragnaros' level 13 talent, "Tempered Flame", adds an additional effect to his "Blast Wave" ability, granting him damage dealt as shields for 3 seconds.
• Rehgar's level 13 talent, "Earth Shield", adds an additional effect to his "Lightning Shield" ability, granting the target shields for 3 seconds.
• Sgt. Hammer's level 16 talent, "Mechanical Know-how", adds an additional effect to her "Neosteel Plating" ability, granting her shields for 2 seconds.
• Sonya's level 16 talent, "Nerves of Steel", grants her shields for 5 seconds.
• Stitches' level 16 talent, "Stoneskin", grants him shields for 5 seconds.
• Tassadar's level 20 talent, "Shield Battery", grants nearby allied heroes an untalented "Plasma Shield".
• The Lost Vikings' level 7 ability, "Norse Force!", grants all vikings shields for 4 seconds.
• Thrall's level 20 talent, "Earthen Shields", adds an additional effect to his "Earthquake" heroic ability, granting allies within its area of effect shields for 4 seconds with each pulse.
• Zarya's level 13 talent, "Pain is Temporary", grants her shield for 3 seconds.
• Zeratul's level 13 talent, "Shroud of Adun", adds an additional effect to his "Permanent Cloak" trait, granting him shields over 5 seconds when Stealthed.

Counter Abilities

• Kel'Thuzad's level 4 talent, "Strip Shields", adds an additional effect to his "Chains of Kel'Thuzad" ability, making it deal bonus damage vs. Shields.
• Lt. Morales' level 13 talent, "EMP Grenade", adds an additional effect to her "Displacement Grenade" ability, making it deal bonus damage vs. Shields.
• Varian's level 13 talent, "Shattering Throw", deals heavy damage to enemy Hero's shields and passively makes his Basic Attacks deal bonus damage vs. Shields.

See also

• Health
• Health regen