How to Get Justiciar’s Greatshield in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Justiciar’s Greatshield grants you access to a stealth spell, and you can find it during of Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3).

The Justiciar’s Greatshield is a uniquely stealthy defensive shield found in Baldur’s Gate 3. Found during Act 2, the Justiciar’s Greatshield creates a cloud of magical darkness that allows its wielder to hide. In this guide, we will walk you through what you need to do to acquire the Justiciar’s Greatshield in Baldur’s Gate 3, going over where it’s found, how it can be obtained, and why you should use this powerful artifact for your character.

This page has been updated for the Patch 8 version of Baldur’s Gate 3.

What is the Justiciar’s Greatshield in BG3?

In Baldur’s Gate 3 the Justiciar’s Greatshield not only gives you the typical reaction Shield Bash, but also gives you access to a spell which helps you hide. This might seem an unusual feature for classes such as Clerics and Paladins that usually equip shields, but it can come in handy if you are taking too much damage and need to get out of the fray.

The available spell is called Darkness Cloak, which you can cast once per Short Rest. It creates a 2 meter wide cloud of darkness around you, and you immediately attempt to Hide. The duration of this spell will last for two turns.

Justiciar’s Greatshield Abilities and Effects

Below are all the features, abilities, and effects of the Justiciar’s Greatshield in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Weapon Type: Shield
• Armour: +2 AC
• Requirements: Shield proficiency
• Rarity: Rare
• Location: Looted from Lyrthindor in the Gauntlet of Shar, Act 2.
• Weight: 2.7 kg
• Value: 300
• Bonuses:
  • Cast Darkness Cloak once per Short Rest.
  • Shield Bash: When a foe hits you with a melee attack, you can use your Reaction to knock them Prone unless they succeed a Dexterity Saving throw.
  • Advantage on Perception Ability Checks.
• Classes with Shield Proficiency: Barbarian, Bard (subclass College of Valour), Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger
• Classes that Typically use a Shield In BG3: Cleric, Fighter, Druid, and Paladin.
• Races with Shield Proficiency: Human, Half-Elf
• Shield Proficiency Feat: Moderately Armored provides Medium Armor and Shields expertise.

How to Get Justiciar’s Greatshield in Baldur’s Gate 3

To get the Justiciar’s Greatshield in Baldur’s Gate 3 you will need to find and make your way through the Gauntlet of Shar during Act 3, then find and kill Lyrthindor. The Gauntlet of Shar is an underground temple full of puzzles and trials. For a full walkthrough see our Gauntlet of Shar Guide.

We’ll pick up the search for the Justiciar’s Greatshield across from the entrance to the Silent Library. Walk over the edge on the east side and you will find a Cragged Rock you can climb down. Then move down some rock ledges onto a platform area and on the other side you can find another Cragged Rock to climb down again. This will put you in a small area around the statue of Shar’s feet.

Find Lyrthindor in the Gaultlet of Shar

Once you’re down here you’ll find a small effigy back behind Shar’s feet. Interact with it and pass an Arcana check to find out more. Regardless, a rat should appear somewhere nearby. You can speak to it if you have the spell or potion for Speak with Animals. Additionally, you can also attempt to use Animal Handling to interact with it.

However, if your ultimate goal is to get the Justiciar’s Greatshield in Baldur’s Gate 3 then you need to kill Lyrthindor. To do this you first need to attack the rat. At this point rats will begin to appear in waves. They don’t have much HP but some are Necrotic and some are Soporific rats. The Soporific rats can be especially annoying because killing them triggers an area of effect burst which has a chance of putting any nearby party members to sleep. However, it can also put nearby other rates to sleep, as well.

Eventually, after you kill the final rat, Lyrthindor will finally appear. A dialogue cut scene will trigger and you can speak to him, but ultimately you need to fight him, too. As a single enemy against your party of four, he shouldn’t be too much trouble. After defeating him, you can loot him for the Justiciar’s Greatshield.

How to Use the Justiciar’s Greatshield in BG3

To utilize its effects as a Shield, all a character needs to do is to equip the Justiciar’s Greatshield. This will grant the typical AC Bonus that shields grant while also giving its wielder Advantage on Perception checks. Once per short rest, the wielder of the Justiciar’s Greatshield can use its Darkness Cloak ability to create a magical cloud of darkness around themselves as a bonus action. The cloud of darkness has a 2-meter Area of Effect and immediately grants a Hide check to the wielder while blinding any enemies inside of it.

Tips and Tricks of the Justiciar’s Greatshield in BG3

While it may seem like an odd choice for characters typically using a shield, the Darkness Cloak ability can come in handy both defensively and offensively. It can grant Advantage to attack rolls to those hidden by its cloud of Darkness while also causing enemies inside of it to go blind. This will make it easier for your heavy hitters to do damage while simultaneously avoiding it themselves.

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