Shield1st-level Abjuration
+5 AC, cast after you know the roll. Never wasted.
The card
Shield
1st-level Abjuration
Shield
Components: V, S
An invisible barrier of magical force appears and protects you. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from magic missile.
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Usage
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Sorcerer · level 1 · pre-filled
Nearby in the book
Related Spells
Same level, or same school.
Alarm
A 1st-level abjuration spell for rangers and wizards. Can be cast as a ritual.
Read the spell →
Mage Armor
A 1st-level abjuration spell for sorcerers and wizards.
Read the spell →
Protection from Evil and Good
A 1st-level abjuration spell for clerics, paladins, warlocks and wizards. Requires concentration, up to 10 minutes.
Read the spell →Counsel
Shield, Answered
How does Shield work in 5e?
A reaction when you are hit: +5 AC until the start of your next turn, including against the attack that triggered it. If the +5 makes the attack miss, it misses.
Can you cast Shield after seeing the roll?
Yes — that is the whole point. You react to being hit, so you already know the number. A Shield is never wasted on an attack that would have missed anyway.
Does Shield stop Magic Missile?
Completely. It is one of only two ways to negate Magic Missile outright, and the spell text calls it out explicitly.
What classes get Shield?
Wizard and sorcerer. Eldritch Knight fighters and Arcane Trickster rogues get it through their archetype list, which is a large part of why those subclasses are rated so highly.
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