TL;DR
- The Shield of Conviction is inside the bell tower of the Church of Calphade, north of Hernand
- No boss fight — just travel, climb the tower exterior, and loot the chest
- Fast travel to the Deepfog Basin Abyss Nexus, then head east to the church
- Climb the right side of the tower wall using Force Palm to gain height, then enter through the broken window below the bell
- Open the chest on the right to get the shield — also contains a Palmar Pill
- Ring the bell while you’re there to remove fog of war from the area
- Stats: 8 Defense, Refinement Level 2, two pre-filled Abyss Gears (Aegis I and Fortitude I)
- Best early-to-mid game shield in the game — no comparable alternative until unique shields from later bosses
The Shield of Conviction is one of the best items you can grab in the early game without fighting anyone. It has the highest base Defense of any S-tier shield, it arrives pre-loaded with two useful Abyss Gears, and the only thing standing between you and it is a short ride north of Hernand and a climb up a church tower. Most players miss it entirely because the entrance is a broken window partway up the building — not exactly obvious. Here’s exactly how to get there and what you’ll find inside.
What Is the Shield of Conviction?
The Shield of Conviction is a unique shield in Crimson Desert — one of the best defensive items available in the early and mid game. It ranks at the top of shield tier lists specifically because of its combination of high base Defense and two pre-filled Abyss Gear slots that don’t require any additional investment to activate.
Full stats:
- Defense: 8 (highest base Defense among early S-tier shields)
- Defense Efficiency: 22
- Refinement Level: Starts at Level 2
- Abyss Gear Slots: 2 (both pre-filled on pickup)
- Pre-filled Abyss Gears: Aegis I and Fortitude I
- Also contains: Palmar Pill (in the same chest)
- Sell price: 7.78 Silver — do not accidentally sell this
What the Abyss Gears do:
Aegis I provides flat damage reduction when guarding. Every blocked hit deals slightly less damage, which compounds noticeably during boss fights and multi-enemy encounters.
Fortitude I reduces the Stamina cost of guarding. This means you can hold your block for longer before it breaks under sustained pressure — a huge practical benefit against aggressive bosses in the early chapters.
Together these two gears make the Shield of Conviction a durable blocking tool from the moment you pick it up, with no crafting or Witch visits needed to get value from it.
The only reason to replace it is if you find another unique shield with a more compelling Abyss Gear combination. For context, the Shield of Betrayal — dropped by boss Cassius Morten in Chapter 6 — shares the exact same Abyss Gear pairing (Aegis I and Fortitude I) but at Defense 6 rather than 8. The Shield of Conviction outperforms it on raw defense, making it the stronger pick for sustained blocking throughout that stage of the game. For a full comparison, check our best unique weapons and armor guide.
Where Is the Church of Calphade?
The Church of Calphade is in the northern part of the Hernand region, in the settlement of Calphade — located directly north of the “N” in the Hernand map label, or more specifically northwest of Hernand near the Deepfog Basin.
The area is governed by the Hernandian Parish of Solumen faction. It’s reachable on horseback within the first few hours of the game — there’s no story gate required to access it outside of a brief Chapter 6 window discussed below.
Step-by-Step: How to Get the Shield of Conviction
Step 1 – Fast Travel to the Deepfog Basin Abyss Nexus
The closest fast travel point is the Deepfog Basin Abyss Nexus, located west of Calphade Castle. From there, head east toward the church. If you haven’t unlocked any fast travel points in this area yet, ride north from Hernand on the main road over the mountain. It’s a straightforward path north. For fast travel help, see our how to fast travel guide.
Step 2 – Reach the Church of Calphade
The Church of Calphade is clearly visible as a settlement landmark — a church building with a prominent bell tower on top. There are no enemies blocking you from approaching the building.
Step 3 – Climb the Bell Tower Exterior
There are no stairs leading to the top of the bell tower from inside. You climb the exterior wall of the tower. Head to the right side of the bell tower and start climbing the stone wall.
The key ability here is Force Palm — you can use it in midair up to three times in a row (activate with R3 on controller) to catapult yourself upward. Use this to scale the height of the tower wall efficiently. This is the same mid-air boost technique useful throughout the game for reaching elevated areas.
Step 4 – Enter Through the Broken Window
Partway up the tower, below where the bell hangs, you’ll spot a broken window on the right side of the tower. This is the entrance to the hidden chest room. Align yourself with the window opening and enter through it.
Step 5 – Open the Treasure Chest
Once inside the tower room, you’ll see a treasure chest to the right. Interact with it to receive the Shield of Conviction and a Palmar Pill. Both go straight into your inventory.
Step 6 – Ring the Bell (Bonus)
While you’re at the top, ring the bell. This removes the fog of war from the Calphade area on your map — the same bell that counts toward the Toll of Pywel quest. The trip does double duty. You’ll trigger a short cutscene with a Shai Resident NPC when you ring it.
Note on Chapter 6: The Calphade area becomes a hostile zone during Chapter 6 of the main story. During that chapter, ringing the bell won’t count toward the Toll of Pywel quest and the Shai Resident NPC won’t spawn. The chest and Shield of Conviction are still accessible at any point, but try to complete the bell before entering Chapter 6 to avoid having to come back.
How to Use the Shield of Conviction
Once in your inventory, equip the shield in your off-hand slot to use it alongside a one-handed weapon. The Shield of Conviction works especially well paired with a fast one-handed sword — the Aegis I and Fortitude I bonuses reward active blocking and guarding rather than passive stat stacking.
Pairing suggestions:
The Shield of Conviction is purpose-built for sword-and-shield builds. Kliff starts the game with this style, and the shield carries that playstyle comfortably into the mid-game. For weapon pairings, the Hwando two-handed sword from Lioncrest Manor is frequently cited alongside this shield as a top early build combination. Or if you prefer one-handed swords, check our guides on the Nazk Sword, Darkbringer Sword, and Red Rage for strong one-hand options.
For shield-specific combat skills, our guides on how to flip enemies with a shield and how to parry, counter, and dodge explain how to maximize defensive play with a shield equipped.
Can You Upgrade the Shield of Conviction?
Yes. Like all weapons and shields, the Shield of Conviction can be further refined at any Blacksmith to increase its Defense stat. It starts at Refinement Level 2, giving it a head start. Each refinement tier pushes the Defense higher. Our how to upgrade weapons and armor guide and how to reinforce equipment guide cover the full process.
The two Abyss Gear slots are pre-filled with Aegis I and Fortitude I and cannot be changed or upgraded through normal socketing — these are fixed. If you want different Abyss Gears on a shield, you’ll need to look at other shield options. For the full system breakdown, see our unlock Witches Abyss Gears guide and Abyss Gears list.
Other Shields Worth Knowing About
The Shield of Conviction is the best early option, but as you progress there are other strong shields worth knowing:
Shield of Betrayal — Dropped by boss Cassius Morten during the Chapter 6 main quest. Defense 6, same Aegis I and Fortitude I Abyss Gears as the Conviction. Lower defense but accessible through story progression without a detour.
Artisan’s Ornamented Shield — Another unique shield in the game. See our how to get Artisan’s Ornamented Shield guide for its location.
Ancient Shield — Another hidden shield worth grabbing. See the Ancient Shield guide for details.
Demeniss Royal Guard Shield — Found at the Church of East Demeniss. Strong for crit builds due to its movement speed passive. Our Demeniss Royal Guard Shield guide has the full location.
Shotgun Shield — A unique offensive shield. See our how to get the Shotgun Shield guide for more.
Quick Tips
Don’t sell it accidentally. The sell price is only 7.78 Silver. Its Unique tag should flag it in your inventory, but double-check before clearing out gear. This shield holds its value through the mid-game.
The Pirate King Hat helps if you’re hunting chests. Its Detect Treasure ability alerts you to nearby unopened treasure chests — useful if you’re running through areas and want to make sure you haven’t missed any. Our Pirate King Hat guide has where to find it.
Pair this trip with other nearby content. While you’re heading north toward Calphade, the Screaming Vault Ruins puzzle is in the Demeniss area to the east — see our Screaming Vault Ruins puzzle solution guide to knock that out in the same session. Also check our best items early guide for other high-value early pickups to grab before progressing.
For everything else in the game, head to the Crimson Desert hub page.
Crimson Desert is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Check the official Crimson Desert site for the latest news.
