Shield

There are several types of shields in RuneScape, including other items that can be worn in the shield position, but the most common are the metal square and kite.

Shields can be made with the Smithing skill and some can be purchased or sold to the shield shop identified with a shield icon on the map.

Square shield
Square shields are actually rectangular in shape, and may be smithed in all metals (except black, and white) and also found in black. It is weaker in all areas than the kite shield, but has lower magic penalties. The smithing level required is 8 above the base level for any metal, and the highest shield available in free-to-play region stores is the mithril square shield.

The Anti-dragon shield also has the same shape as a "square" and is an excellent shield for the pure mage, since it has no penalty to magic attack and a small amount of magic defence, otherwise comparable to an iron square shield.

Kiteshield
Kiteshields are better in all areas than the square shield, other than the magic penalty. Getting hold of a good kite shield in free-to-play requires a high smithing level, or trading with other players who are either members or accomplished smiths of high level. The smithing level required is 12 above the base level for any metal, and at 62 for a mithril kiteshield, the gap between levels is already becoming large.

Spikeshield
Spikeshields are shields that are shaped like square shields, but with spikes on the front. They are only availible in Adamantite and Rune. They give better defence bonuses than the square shield of the same metal, but worse than the kitshield, in addition to providing a small bonus to strength. They can only be acquired from the Fist of Guthix minigame. They cannot be made by players using the smithing skill. They are only tradable once they have been completely uncharged.

Berserker shield
Berserker shields are shields that are shaped like kiteshields, but without the brown lines and instead spikes on the front. Like the spikeshield, they are only availible in Adamant and Rune. They have the highest defence bonuses of any shield of the same metal, and offer a strength bonus as well. Also like spikeshields, they can only be acquired as a reward from the Fist of Guthix minigame and cannot be made or traded with other players (except when fully uncharged).

Other shields

 * Wooden shield
 * Training shield
 * Anti-dragon shield
 * Broodoo shield
 * Elemental shield
 * Mind shield
 * Granite shield
 * Toktz-Ket-Xil
 * Defenders
 * Dragonfire shield
 * Crystal shield
 * Third age kiteshield
 * Spirit shields

Books
Technically not shields, but worn in the shield slot.
 * God books
 * Holy book
 * Book of balance
 * Unholy book
 * Mage's book