Shield of Courage

Virtue: Grants aegis periodically. Activate: Grant aegis to nearby allies and create a shield in front of you that blocks attacks. You are vulnerable from the sides and behind while this shield is active. — In-game description

Shield of Courage

Profession

Guardian (skill list)

Specialization

Dragonhunter

Slot

Profession mechanic

Type

Virtue

Game link

API

30039, 30029

“

45  

Shield of Courage

Virtue: Grants aegis periodically.
Activate: Grant aegis to nearby allies and create a shield in front of you that blocks attacks. You are vulnerable from the sides and behind while this shield is active.

 Aegis (20s): Block the next incoming attack.

 Virtue of Courage: Gain aegis at a set interval.

 Number of Targets: 5

 Aegis Refresh: 40 seconds

 Duration: 3 seconds

 Duration: 2 seconds

 Radius: 180

— In-game description

Mechanics

• Blocks attacks on the allies that have the  Shield of Courage effect as long as the enemy attacking is not flanking the Dragonhunter.
• The passive component applies the  Virtue of Courage effect on the player character.
• The active component applies the  Shield of Courage effect to the player character and allies inside the shield cone.

Anomaly:

The skill fact icon is instead of .

Related traits

See also: Virtue#Related traits

Zeal

• Wrathful Spirit — Aegis grants boons when it ends.
• Shattered Aegis — When an aegis you applied blocks an attack, it unleashes a Mystic Rebuke.

Valor

• Steadfast Courage — Gain protection when you block an incoming attack with aegis.
• Redemption — Cast Lesser Litany of Wrath when you activate Virtue skill 3.
• Communal Defenses — Blocking an attack grants aegis to nearby allies.
• Might of the Protector — Gain might when you block attacks.
• Altruistic Healing — Heal yourself when you grant a boon to an ally.
• Tenacious Defense — Aegis you grant reduces the recharge time of Virtue skill 3 when it blocks an attack.

Honor

• Invigorated Bulwark — Increase your healing to other allies each time you block an attack. Mace skills gain reduced recharge and their boons gain increased duration.
• Pure of Heart — Aegis heals when it blocks an attack.

Virtues

• Inspired Virtue — Virtues apply boons to allies when activated. Deal increased strike damage for each boon on you.
• Unscathed Contender — Strike damage dealt is increased while you have aegis. Strike damage dealt is increased while you are above the health threshold.
• Virtue of Resolution — Gain resolution when you activate a Virtue. Resolution you grant has increased duration.
• Inspiring Virtue — Strike damage dealt is increased after activating a virtue.
• Power of the Virtuous — Gain condition damage based on your vitality. Virtues gain reduced recharge.
• Indomitable Courage — The active effect of Virtue skill 3 breaks stun and grants stability to nearby allies. Its passive effect gains a shorter interval.

Dragonhunter

• Virtuous Action — The guardian's resolve has further increased, allowing Virtues to be manifested as physical aspects. Gain access to Traps.
• Defender's Dogma — Gain vitality. Blocking an attack causes justice to reach its maximum charge and reduces the cooldown of Spear of Justice.
• Bulwark — Shield of Courage gains increased radius and duration.
• Hunter's Fortification — Remove conditions and heal when blocking attacks.

Version history

For a detailed skill history, see here.

Patch	Changes
November 19, 2024	Reduced the duration from 3 seconds to 2 seconds in WvW only.
November 28, 2023	Reduced the cooldown from 50 seconds to 45 seconds.
February 14, 2023	Reduced cooldown from 60 seconds to 50 seconds.
May 16, 2017	Shield of Courage: Decreased active duration of this skill from 4 seconds to 3 seconds. The cooldown has been decreased from 75 seconds to 60 seconds.
December 13, 2016	Fixed a bug that allowed this ability to grant benefits without going on recharge.
November 22, 2016	Fixed a bug that allowed the user to gain certain benefits without the ability going on full cooldown.
October 18, 2016	The baseline duration of the blocking effect has been reduced from 5 seconds to 4 seconds.
July 26, 2016	With the Indomitable Courage trait equipped, this skill will now grant stability when the skill begins rather than when it completes.
February 23, 2016	Fixed a bug that prevented aegis from refreshing when it was stolen by a thief using the Bountiful Theft trait.
January 26, 2016	Added text to the effect description to indicate the active block.
December 01, 2015	The text of this ability has been updated to indicate that it blocks all attacks for allies in the area (and the guardian from the front) while leaving the guardian vulnerable from the flanks.
October 25, 2015	Fixed a bug that caused Shield of Courage to be unaffected by Courageous Return.
October 23, 2015	Heart of Thorns release: Shield of Courage has been added to the game.

See also

•   Virtue of Courage
•   Tome of Courage
•   Crashing Courage