Ankh Shield

Ankh Shield

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Statistics

Type	ShieldAccessory
Defense	4
Tooltip	Grants immunity to knockback and fire blocks Grants immunity to most debuffs
Rarity	07*
Sell	5 GC
Research	1 required

• Internal Item ID: 1613

For an extensive guide to crafting this item, see Guide:Crafting an Ankh Shield.

The Ankh Shield is a Hardmode shield and immunity accessory which provides immunity to (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 12 / (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) 10 different debuffs, knockback immunity, and an additional 4 defense. It is crafted from an Obsidian Shield and an Ankh Charm at the Tinkerer's Workshop.

When equipped, the Ankh Shield provides immunity to all of the following debuffs:

• Bleeding
• Broken Armor
• Burning
• Confused
• Cursed
• Darkness
• Stonedonly on (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
• Poisoned
• Silenced
• Slow
• Weak
• Chilledonly on (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Crafting

Recipes

Result	Ingredients	Crafting station
Ankh Shield	Obsidian Shield Ankh Charm	Tinkerer's Workshop

Crafting tree

Blindfold ( )

Pocket Mirror(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) ( )

Vitamins ( )

Adhesive Bandage ( )

Nazar ( ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions)) )

Trifold Map ( ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions)) )

Obsidian × 20 ( + )

Armor Polish ( )

Bezoar ( )

Megaphone ( ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) )

Fast Clock ( )

Obsidian Skull

Reflective Shades(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Blindfold ( )

Cobalt Shield ( )

On (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

On (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)

Armor Bracing

Medicated Bandage

Countercurse Mantra

The Plan

Obsidian Shield

Ankh Charm

Ankh Shield

Notes

• The Ankh Shield is the end result of combining (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 12 / (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) 11 individual accessories over the course of eight crafting operations. Its original constituent accessories are the Bezoar, Vitamins, Cobalt Shield, Obsidian Skull, Nazar, Blindfold, (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Pocket Mirror, Trifold Map, Fast Clock, Megaphone, Armor Polish, and Adhesive Bandage.
• Not all items that protect from certain debuffs are used in the recipe for the Ankh Shield:
  • The Hand Warmer(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions) provides immunity against Frozen and Chilled (the latter of which the player is still immune to with the Ankh Shield on  Desktop,  Console, and  Mobile).
  • The Philosopher's Stone reduces the effect of the Potion Sickness debuff.
• Despite the tooltip, there are many debuffs that the player can still suffer, especially higher-tier versions of the debuffs they are protected from: Acid Venom for Poisoned, Cursed Inferno and On Fire! for Burning, Blackout for Darkness, Frozen for Chilled, Withered Armor(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) (or Ichor) for Broken Armor. Of course, these higher-tier debuffs are all significantly rarer than the weaker forms, and the Ankh Shield does cut down sharply on dangerous inconveniences while adventuring. That being said, the Shield actually prevents less than half of all enemy-afflicted debuffs in the game.
• There are several post-Golem debuffs the Ankh Shield does not protect from: Electrified(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), inflicted by Tesla Turrets during the Martian Madness event; Distorted(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), inflicted by Alien Queens while fighting the Vortex Pillar; and Moon Bite(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), inflicted by the Moon Lord.

Achievements

Ankhumulation Complete • “Obtain the Ankh Shield, the finest protection from unpleasant maladies and ailments.”

Obtain the Ankh Shield. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Category: Collector

Tips

• The Ankh Shield does not require any items from Hardmode bosses (but does require Hardmode), so it can be obtained before defeating them.
• While it does not directly affect the Feral Bite(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) debuff, the Shield blocks all of its side effects, rendering it mostly harmless against the player, and the 20% damage bonus the Feral Bite gives can be used.
• The post-Plantera Paladin's Shield offers an extra 2 defense and a multiplayer buff, and its Frozen Shield upgrade adds a 25% damage reduction, but do not prevent common debuffs. As such, the Frozen Shield is more advantageous for most boss battles.
• Using an Obsidian Skin Potion renders the player immune to the On Fire! debuff, which the shield does not provide.
• The Ankh Shield can synergize with the Brand of the Inferno(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) to block attacks, granting the Striking Moment buff.
• The Ankh Shield can be used to defuse active debuffs if it is left in the players inventory and quickly swapped with a currently equipped accessory, allowing the player to use other shields or accessories in place of the Ankh Shield when exploring or in combat. This is the main practical use of the Ankh Shield if the knockback immunity is not needed.
• The Ankh Shield takes the Obsidian Shield to craft, meaning crafting the Obsidian Skull Rose or Magma Skull makes it unable to craft the Obsidian Shield without crafting another Obsidian Skull.
• Finding the Aether(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) biome makes it far easier to craft the Ankh Shield, since every base immunity accessory can be Shimmered to get the other accessory it pairs with. In particular, it may be easier to get:
  • A second Blindfold instead of a Pocket Mirror, since Medusa is relatively uncommon and dangerous.
  • A second Armor Polish instead of Vitamins, since Armored Skeletons can be easier to farm than Corruptors or Floaty Gross due to the dangers of the respective evil biome.
  • A second Megaphone instead of a Nazar, since enemies that drop the former (especially Pixies) are very common, and the enemies that drop the latter are quite uncommon.
  • A second Bezoar instead of an Adhesive Bandage, as the former can be farmed in Pre-Hardmode and the latter is somewhat difficult to obtain before defeating Plantera (Werewolves are only present on full moons, and Angler Fish are somewhat uncommon). Additionally, one may wish to obtain a Bezoar for use against Queen Bee, especially on higher difficulties.

Trivia

An ankh.

• The ankh, the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that is depicted on the shield, was most commonly used in writing and in art to represent the word for "life" and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself.
  • The Ankh seen in-game on the Ankh Charm and Ankh Shield moreso resembles a crux ansata, a variation of the Christian cross inspired by the Egyptian Ankh which was used in the Holy Roman Empire. Additionally, the Ankh Shield is the final upgrade to the Cobalt Shield, which features a simple Christian cross on the front. These two facts could be a subtle reference to how the Roman Empire took over ancient Egypt, but adopted some of its symbols and traditions.
• (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Of all accessories, the Ankh Shield and the Celestial Stone offer the sixth most base defense, being bested by the Paladin's Shield and Frozen Shield(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), which have a base defense of 6, the Flesh Knuckles(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Berserker's Glove(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), which have 8 base defense, and the Hero Shield(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), which has a base defense of 10.
• The only crafted item in the build path not crafted at the Tinkerer's Workshop is the Obsidian Skull, which is crafted at a Furnace instead.
• Its components sell for more than the shield itself does.
• In the  Old-gen console version and Nintendo 3DS version, the Ankh Shield (requiring 11 base ingredients and 7 crafting operations) has the most complex crafting tree. Although the Music Box (Title)(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions) required one more base ingredient, it only needed one crafting operation.
  • The Zenith(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) took the lead (requiring 16 base ingredients and 11 crafting operations) in the  Desktop version,  Console version, and  Mobile version.
• Despite giving immunity to Chilled, the crafting chain for the Ankh Shield does not include the Hand Warmer. The shield also does not give immunity to Frozen.

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.4.4:
  • Now provides immunity to the Stoned debuff.
  • Added an achievement for crafting the Ankh Shield.

• Desktop 1.3.2: Sprites updated.

• Desktop 1.3.0.1: Now provides immunity to the Chilled debuff.

• Desktop 1.2: Introduced.

 Console version

• Console 1.0.933.1: Now provides immunity to the Chilled debuff. ()

• Console 1.0.750.0: Now provides immunity to the Chilled debuff. ()

• Console 1.02: Introduced.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced, providing immunity to the Chilled debuff.

 Mobile version

• Mobile 1.3.0.7: Now provides immunity to the Chilled debuff.

• Mobile 1.2.6508: Introduced.

Nintendo 3DS version

• 3DS-Release: Introduced.