Shieldmaidens — Guía de unidades de Conqueror's Blade
One of the most micro-heavy units in the game, together with Phalanx.
Quick facts
- Unit type: infantry
- Tier / era: T5 / golden
- Weapon type: Shield
- Leadership cost: 290
- Role / classification: micro-intensive, dual-stance, cover-commander, buff-stacking, frontline
- Recommended veterancy line: Bottom line (24/24 points)
- Core doctrines: Epic Spear Doctrine VI, Steadfast Doctrine V, Unit Damage Doctrine V, Block Doctrine V, Epic Leadership Doctrine
- My tier: B
Updated 1 November 2026
My take: B tier
Overview
One of the most micro-heavy units in the game, together with Phalanx. Two weapon stances, and buffs that stack every time you swap. The value is in managing Cover-Commander, the swap buffs and the stances together.
Strengths
- Spear to sword: +500 penetration for 10s. Sword to spear: 2% max HP per second for 10s
- Weapon swap removes CC
- Cover-Commander: damage reduction from 60% down to 30% over 5s
- Circle Formation: +250 defence (AoE)
- Charge: +20% damage for allies and self
- Buffs stack without limit as long as you hit between swaps
Weaknesses
- Extremely micro-heavy. One wrong button (X-move or Shield Bash in sword mode) cancels Cover-Commander
- Only the CC-immunity doctrine is safe while Cover-Commander runs
- The full setup takes several presses in order
- Most players only use Cover-Commander and miss the rest
How to Play
Spear mode
- 1: Circle Formation, +250 defence (AoE).
- 2: Cover-Commander, flat damage reduction that drops from 60% to 30% over 5s. Reset it before fights.
- 3: swap to sword.
Sword mode
- 1: Charge, +20% damage for allies and yourself.
- 2: Shield Bash. Don't use it, it ends Cover-Commander.
- 3: swap to spear.
Swap bonuses
- Spear to sword: +500 piercing and slashing penetration for 10s per soldier.
- Sword to spear: 2% max HP regeneration per second for 10s per soldier.
- A swap removes active CC.
- The buffs keep stacking as long as you land at least one hit between swaps.
With time to prepare
- Start in sword mode. 1: Charge into nothing for the +20% buff.
- 3: swap to spear. 1: Circle Formation, wait for the defence buff.
- 2: Cover-Commander.
- 3: back to sword.
No time
- Start in spear mode. 1, wait for the buff, 2, then 3.
After that last swap, touch nothing. No X-move, no Shield Bash, or Cover-Commander cancels. The CC-immunity doctrine is fine.
In quiet moments, keep swapping weapons, with at least one hit each time. That is where the skill ceiling is.
Doctrines
- Slot 1 · Epic Spear Doctrine VI
Stand Fast: 2.5 s CC immunity · 60 s cooldown
Stand Fast: no CC for a moment.
- Slot 2 · Steadfast Doctrine V
+130 all defences · −6% damage taken
Heavy armour, less damage taken.
- Slot 3 · Unit Damage Doctrine V
+120 vs units · +80 all damage
Main damage slot.
- Slot 4 · Block Doctrine V
+300 block · −90 damage taken
Wall of shields, less chip damage.
- Slot 5 · Epic Leadership Doctrine
−16% Leadership cost
Room for one more unit.
NEW · 290 → about 243 leadership
Veterancy
Start
- The Soldier's Life: 1/1 points · +3% health
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health
Top line
- Move as One: 1/1 points · +3% movement speed
Per level: Lv 1: +3% movement speed
- Toughen Up: 3/3 points · +9% piercing defence
Per level: Lv 1: +3% piercing defence / Lv 2: +6% piercing defence / Lv 3: +9% piercing defence
- Stand Fast: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: block +40 points / Lv 2: block +80 points / Lv 3: block +120 points
- Second Wind: 0/2 points · Not taken
- The Soldier's Life: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health / Lv 2: +6% health / Lv 3: +9% health
- Cold Blood: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +3% piercing damage / Lv 2: +6% piercing damage / Lv 3: +9% piercing damage
- Immovable: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +20% blocking recovery rate / Lv 2: +40% blocking recovery rate / Lv 3: +60% blocking recovery rate
- Bloodbath: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +3% slashing defence / Lv 2: +6% slashing defence / Lv 3: +9% slashing defence
- Second Wind: 0/2 points · Not taken
- Facehardened: 0/1 points · Not taken
Bottom line
- Unswerving: 3/3 points · +9% blunt defence
Per level: Lv 1: +3% blunt defence / Lv 2: +6% blunt defence / Lv 3: +9% blunt defence
- Razor-Sharp: 3/3 points · +9% slashing damage
Per level: Lv 1: +3% slashing damage / Lv 2: +6% slashing damage / Lv 3: +9% slashing damage
- Breakthrough: 3/3 points · Each level increases Triple Strike's block break by 10%.
Tooltip: Each level increases Triple Strike's block break by 10%.
- Second Wind: 2/2 points · Every level reduces Freyja's Charge cooldown by 3 seconds.
Tooltip: Every level reduces Freyja's Charge cooldown by 3 seconds.
- Hone: 3/3 points · +9% slashing armour penetration
Per level: Lv 1: +3% slashing armour penetration / Lv 2: +6% slashing armour penetration / Lv 3: +9% slashing armour penetration
- Move as One: 1/1 points · +3% movement speed
Per level: Lv 1: +3% movement speed
- The Soldier's Life: 3/3 points · +9% health
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health / Lv 2: +6% health / Lv 3: +9% health
- Second Wind: 2/2 points · Each level reduces Triple Strike's cooldown by 2 seconds.
Tooltip: Each level reduces Triple Strike's cooldown by 2 seconds.
- Razor-Sharp: 3/3 points · +9% slashing damage
Per level: Lv 1: +3% slashing damage / Lv 2: +6% slashing damage / Lv 3: +9% slashing damage
- Razor-Sharp: 1/1 points · While wielding swords, the unit's slashing and piercing armour penetration is increased by 30%.
Tooltip: While wielding swords, the unit's slashing and piercing armour penetration is increased by 30%.
Build totals
- +12% · health
- +6% · movement speed
- +9% · piercing defence
- +9% · blunt defence
- +18% · slashing damage
- +9% · slashing armour penetration
Values from game files · client 1.10.3721.330067.
Balance history
2026-03-26 · rework
Can now be unlocked via Honour in the all-new 'Soul of the Norse' Unit Tree. New Upgrade Nodes added.
[Season Echo] Update Log2025-12-18 · nerf
Leadership cost increased from 280 to 290.
Roses: Ash and Bloom Season Update - Part 22025-07-24 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where increased headcount caused skill commands to fail for some soldiers.
July 24 Update Log2025-06-27 · buff
Headcount increased to 32. Health and all damage types increased. Mode switching speed increased. Spear-shield mode gains 2% HP regen/sec after switching; Sword-shield mode gains 500 Penetration, unblockable attacks, and Triple Strike buff.
June 26 Balance Update Annoucement2024-03-21 · buff
Leadership cost reduced from 310 to 280. Damage reduction of Cover Commander increased from 15% to 30%. Defense increase of Guardian increased from 10% to 20%. Basic Slashing and Piercing damage increased by 10%.
New Season Dragonrise is Available Now!2024-02-01 · bugfix
Fixed the issue of unit models floating in the air after death.
Feb 1st UPDATE LOG2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixed the issue where changing units might cause skill locking with a certain probability.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixes the issue where some Units couldn't face the enemy while using their skills.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixed the issue where the Unit's head model would behave abnormally when changing Unit Attire.
December 7th Update Notice2022-12-15 · nerf
When switching to shield while in the [Cover Commander] state, they no longer permanently retain the mobility method and effect. Instead, it lasts for 2.5 seconds, after which they follow the hero with normal attack rates and lose blocking while attacking.
Dec 15 Balance Changes2022-12-14 · buff
Damage reduction while attacking with spears increased from 10% to 15%.
Balance Changes2022-12-14 · nerf
When switching to shield during Cover Commander, they no longer permanently retain the defense increase and no longer take 10% less damage (retaining only mobility and block).
Balance Changes2022-10-18 · rework
Removed the least used shield-switching function (Stow/Use Shield) for units with 5 or more skills to prevent UI clashes.
OCT 20 UPDATE LOG
Questions about Shieldmaidens
Which veterancy line do I use for Shieldmaidens?
My imported build puts the most points in Bottom line: 24/24 points.
Which doctrines are in the Shieldmaidens guide?
Epic Spear Doctrine VI, Steadfast Doctrine V, Unit Damage Doctrine V, Block Doctrine V, Epic Leadership Doctrine
How much leadership does Shieldmaidens cost?
Shieldmaidens costs 290 leadership.
What is the latest recorded balance change for Shieldmaidens?
2026-03-26 · rework: Can now be unlocked via Honour in the all-new 'Soul of the Norse' Unit Tree. New Upgrade Nodes added.
Related units
All Conqueror's Blade units · Best units for beginners · All doctrines