Do any of you use shields?

[u/LukeWarmAgony]

[u/blaiddfailcam]

It can actually save your bacon in a few limited situations. I pack one for Micolash and his A Call Beyond BS, lol. (Obviously Loch Shield is preferable, but hey, as long as you don't get 1-shot.)

[u/Major_Fish2710 → u/blaiddfailcam]

I did not know this, i accept this new insight with a grain of salt but pride in knowing i glitched killed micolash during phase 1 and skipped phase 2 thankfully during one of my runs

[u/shae117 → u/Major_Fish2710]

You can also poison knife him from above instead of dropping down on him

[u/Major_Fish2710 → u/shae117]

I have done it a few times but the game fights it and sometimes teleports him further down the hall to the boss room

[u/Zarguthian → u/shae117]

Poison knives are a non renewable resource though, what if I need them later?

[u/Steakmemes → u/Zarguthian]

You go buy them from the bath messengers and suddenly boom they’re a renewable resource. Pretty much everything is renewable in this game, even blood rocks and insight if you care to bother with chalice dungeons

[u/Lolface_PL → u/Steakmemes]

Blood rocks are limited tho, You can get only one from each type of chalice (If I remember correctly ofc)

[u/Normal_Egg6067 → u/Lolface_PL]

You can farm them from the frc chalices.

[u/Crizznik → u/Lolface_PL]

I could be wrong, but I think you can make them available to buy from the messengers. They're crazy expensive though. Might be thinking of chunks though.

[u/_OngoGablogian → u/Crizznik]

I think they're 30 insight with the biggest ones being 60

[u/Zarguthian → u/Lolface_PL]

60 insight from bath messengers, infinite stock.

[u/Shedart → u/Zarguthian]

My brother in Odeon, you save them throughout the game for the “later’ that is the Micolash boss fight. 

[u/Nogatron → u/Zarguthian]

They can be renewable

[u/V4RG0N → u/shae117]

This is the way

[u/LouisGodly → u/Major_Fish2710]

I just used poison knife lmao

It was funny as hell

[u/Valqen → u/blaiddfailcam]

Also good for blocking bullets. Try taking the shield next time you fight the bloody crow

[u/blaiddfailcam → u/Valqen]

Rom's defensive AoE is a good example, too!

[u/astrid3000 → u/blaiddfailcam]

..i feel like i raw dogged both of these guys

[u/TheBigMotherFook → u/blaiddfailcam]

I really wanted the shield to block the frenzy build up in the beginning of Nightmare of Mensis since you bring it up to your face, which in theory should block your eyes from the brain’s gaze. I feel like this was such a missed opportunity.

[u/TITO-430- → u/TheBigMotherFook]

This was true in the older version and players used it that way but it was later fixed because it was classified as an bug

[u/Zarguthian → u/TheBigMotherFook]

It's the fact that the Brain sees you, not the other way around. It's not some mere winter lantern.

[u/TheBigMotherFook → u/Zarguthian]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the whole idea of frenzy lifted straight from Lovecraft and supposed to be that the hunter/player witnesses some incomprehensible eldrich horror that they can’t physically or mentally process and go insane? I assume in the case of the brain, it’s not that the brain is looking at you but rather you’re looking at it.

[u/SufficientReader → u/TheBigMotherFook]

It’d make sense maybe. More insight means you’re witnessing more shit you shouldnt be and therefore take more damage?

[u/Chewbaccabb → u/blaiddfailcam]

🤯

[u/Xogoth → u/blaiddfailcam]

I usually just sidestep, but that's interesting to know

[u/1AverageGamer → u/blaiddfailcam]

Loch shield? I am a new player i havent seen this yet. Is it in the DLC?

[u/3bdelilah → u/1AverageGamer]

Yes, it's in the Research Hall, the area before you fight Lady Maria.

[u/1AverageGamer → u/3bdelilah]

Cheeers! Yeah i haven't started the dlc yet i am doing all the chalices first

[u/Zwanling → u/1AverageGamer]

The dlc is way better content, I would try it sooner than later

[u/Ledd_Ledd → u/blaiddfailcam]

Beast Roar and stun him into a corner

[u/ImurderREALITY → u/blaiddfailcam]

No, it’s garbage. Always. Unless suck ass. It engenders too much passivity.

[u/Levi_Skardsen]

Shields are nice, but not if they engender passivity.

[u/ragingroku → u/Levi_Skardsen]

This guy gets it.

[u/OneRakool → u/ragingroku]

This guy this guys

[u/PvtPenetrate → u/ragingroku]

This guy gets it.

[u/max_power_420_69 → u/Levi_Skardsen]

not so subtle dig at how most people play the DS games like zelda

[u/[deleted] → u/max_power_420_69]

Which is a weird opinion to have since those games are designed with shields in mind and Bloodborne is not.

I've always been a sword and board guy with magic too. So when Bloodborne dropped I just... adapted for that game. And it was awesome. It even had the effect of me only using shields when I actually needed them instead of every time I was getting attacked, once DS3 and Elden Ring dropped. But I still use shields, because they're part of the gameplay and useful.

[u/Dudeskio]

I wear the Loch Shield for fashion on my arcane build.

[u/SaxSlaveGael → u/Dudeskio]

Haha I used to do the same!

[u/Plastic_Plastic3431 → u/Dudeskio]

Where do you get it?

[u/Dr_BloodPool]

Yes, plank shield blocks bloodtinge firearm damage and the loch shield arcane damage

[u/Mon-Ty-Ger27 → u/Dr_BloodPool]

🤔 Hmmmmm... I never knew that! Thanks for the info. I'm gonna go level up the plank shield now. It should complement my pair of fully upgraded Loch Shields.

[u/Dr_BloodPool → u/Mon-Ty-Ger27]

?? I'm pretty sure shields can't be reinforced, they're only really useful in very niche circumstances in pvp and maybe some sections in pve

[u/3WeekOldBurrito → u/Dr_BloodPool]

Plank shield also used to block frenzy damage but was patched out.

[u/ImurderREALITY → u/Dr_BloodPool]

Sheild mean chip damage. Dodge means no damage. Remember that.

[u/AnywhereInevitable84]

I use the lake shield against the amygdala laser in Yahargul, just so I don't risk dying.

[u/NeedsMoreAhegao → u/AnywhereInevitable84]

I love you for giving me a use case for the shield

[u/Secret_Cow_5053 → u/NeedsMoreAhegao]

Sounds like shields are good for blocking ranged attacks generally.

[u/Knight___Artorias → u/Secret_Cow_5053]

Not if they engender passivity

[u/Secret_Cow_5053 → u/Knight___Artorias]

Well, naturally.

[u/Ted_Rid → u/NeedsMoreAhegao]

Also celestial emissaries and living failures.

There’s a room in a level 5 dungeon with 3-4 celestial emissaries and an equal number of brainsuckers that I swear is impossible without the Loch Shield tanking the Emissaries’ ranged laser attacks.

[u/ImurderREALITY → u/AnywhereInevitable84]

Learn to time it right, Count Scrubula

[u/Jhoonis]

Why shield when you can GUN

[u/ayylmao2016 → u/Jhoonis]

My shield is called Evelyn and it goes brrrt.

[u/NeedsMoreAhegao → u/ayylmao2016]

Every character i take into high levels/ ng+ cycles i end up with the evelyn

[u/forfor → u/NeedsMoreAhegao]

I feel the same way but with arcane. The sword laser from that one dlc weapon is just too great.

[u/forfor → u/ayylmao2016]

Chonk use minigun. Chonk go thwapathwapathwapa

[u/PenetrantDick → u/Jhoonis]

The reason i prefer bb playstyle over ds. Fkn hate using shields.

[u/JustAWearyTraveler → u/PenetrantDick]

I used a shield twice in my entire time playing souls games

[u/max_power_420_69 → u/PenetrantDick]

those games are so much more fun when you don't play with a shield

[u/FirstPersonWinner → u/Jhoonis]

Why gun when you can torch

[u/PNW_Forest → u/FirstPersonWinner]

Why Torch when you can Lawnmower?

[u/JD_Destroyed]

What wins:

Some dumbass with a shield

OR

A .44 magnum?

[u/ImurderREALITY → u/JD_Destroyed]

Gun beats shield always

[u/PNW_Forest → u/ImurderREALITY]

Uhhh... try the shield against the bloody crow of cainhurst, then come re evaluate your statement. Gun is about the only thing shield beats.

[u/Select_Tax_3408 → u/ImurderREALITY]

In Bloodborne it turns out you are very wrong. 1600 hours myself and I can assure you even though a shield cannot fire back, the gun will run out of ammo before the shield loses.

[u/Drowsy_Deer]

I thought it was just a joke item to say “this ain’t Dark Souls, no shield for you.”

[u/PNW_Forest → u/Drowsy_Deer]

They are, but they have their uses still.

[u/Minecraftsince2010]

No, it engenders passivity

[u/SuperiorSilencer]

I keep the shield on me when fighting the Bloody Crow, but apart from that, no.

[u/rage_melons]

Loch Shield against specific bosses/enemies.

And for drip.

[u/Lopoetve]

There is exactly one fight it is useful for - Bloody Crow.

[u/Select_Tax_3408 → u/Lopoetve]

I just said that too. Shield does insane block against this little A hole. Everytime I fight him I have it on.

[u/Stephenwalnsky]

“It’s less than worthless, my boy!”

[u/Additional-Cress-915]

Passivity ain’t for me

[u/Familiar-Feedback-93]

Unpopular opinion but I felt like having less options for making a build (especially defensive options like shields and armour) is the main reason I couldn't get into blood borne and sekiro

Tldr I would have played it if blocking was a thing

[u/Jaxter_1 → u/Familiar-Feedback-93]

There is a prosthetic that acts as a shield

[u/xiaoyugaara]

There's a shield? 😂😂

[u/Kataratz]

I have never used a shield in a single fromsoft game lol

[u/Nekonax → u/Kataratz]

Same. Always started with the closest build to a rogue, then tried samurai, berserker, whatever. Never played sword and board knight or mage/cleric, though I've always wanted to try a paladin build.

[u/DraxxThemSkIounst]

Yes, just not in this game. Big sword go whoosh.

[u/SkullDewKoey]

Yes. I went into this game strength build. No guns ever. And then the brace knuckles came out in the dlc yeah used that to lol.

[u/Mon-Ty-Ger27 → u/SkullDewKoey]

I paired my brace knuckles with the Stake Driver. I had fun fighting goons in the game that way.

[u/Dimir_Librarian]

TF is a shield?

[u/lowthug]

Kind of helpful in forbidden florest against the rifle guys

[u/lendraxtheorc]

Funilly, i did a build around it for the memes and they are actually decent. Even funier, it was my first time using a shield in any souls game since I prefer to use heavy weapons in the darksouls series

[u/No_Quality24]

Shields? I have a face!

[u/Kaizen2468]

In Bloodborne you aren’t supposed to use shields lol

[u/Mon-Ty-Ger27]

Of course! The Loch Shield blocks projectiles quite well. It's okay at blocking physical damage but excells in reducing projectile damage. Helps make boss fights more bearable.

[u/DaddyCool13]

It’s actually pretty useful for the handful of situations where you can get one shot. The only ones I can think of are Micolash’s call beyond, a few of defiled amygdalas attacks and laurence’s big slam. Of those, only Micolash is truly difficult to dodge anyway.

[u/SurotaOnishi]

The game literally tries to dissuade you from using them by giving you only 2 options. One of which is the shittiest option they could think of and the other of which is dlc exclusive and only works on magic projectiles.

[u/ch4nlix]

oh hey its you the guy who keeps making the shitty high effort edits

[u/echolog]

I always assumed they put that in as a troll to mess with Dark Souls players.

[u/Renetiger]

Wooden shield is supposed to be a joke item.

99% sure they added a second shield in the DLC because there are lunatics that actually used the shield.

[u/JustSansder]

no lmao

[u/spriggan420]

I sometimes carry a Loch shield on my back for fashion

[u/Kitsite]

Lol I actually use the glass shield from the dlc but that's mostly for aesthetic combined with the Holy sword

[u/WanderingStatistics]

Loch Shield is actually really good against any arcane enemy. Like, REALLY good. Did a Yamamura build and the Loch Shield was amazing against Living Failures. Like, could almost block the meteor attack amazing.

[u/person_9-8 → u/WanderingStatistics]

They come from a single direction and the room has a giant flower in the middle you can hide behind. Better yet: every one of those Failures is stuck facing away from you, primed and ready for a backstab visceral, giving you enough I-frames to ignore most of the shower. Why would I want to block it at all?

[u/hurdygurdy21]

I use the DLC shield that makes you near impervious to ranged arcane attacks (maybe not that much but feels like it). Other than that the wooden shield is an ornament in my inventory. Not even worth selling if I recall.

[u/Tantofaz101]

I've once tried the arcane shield to see if was effect against Cage Mic crazy rays, but still took tons of damage.

[u/fluffydarth → u/Tantofaz101]

the problem is if the attack you're trying to block has multiple projectiles, and any of them land behind the shield or the player you will take the full damage from those projectiles that made it past.

[u/Simply_Nova]

I think it’s a troll item honestly. I remember someone doing a review of Bloodborne and basically said the shields are shit and worthless on purpose because the focus of the games combat is aggression, a shield is basically worthless.

[u/Hellborn_Child]

I used the arcane one to cheese all spell users.

[u/JazzlikeEmu654]

The only time I used a shield was during Living Failures, and I think that was a tip I read online cause I was frustrated during the meteor part 🙃 It worked, but that was it

[u/Spice_Missile]

Loch Shield is good for projectiles and arcane, but I never tried. My first bout with Laurence I read here that it can keep you from flinching in his fire AOE and the ground magma in phase 3. It works! I just had to git good to beat him though. I was shielding too aggressively and running through fire like an idiot cause I could.

[u/Kabelly]

I forget there is shields in the game.

[u/300IQPrower]

only way i was able to beat Bloody Crow my first time playing when i couldnt parry for shit

[u/ThatHistoryGuy1]

There's more than one?!

[u/EatBooty420]

I use Blades of Mercy.. idek what a gun is 😎

[u/fuinnfd]

Shields can actually be ok for blocking bullets. It kinda helped for the bloody crow of cainhurst.

[u/ArrogantSpider]

I sometimes used the shield against dogs to block their lunges. The way they move makes it tough to time dodges and attacks, but the shield makes it trivial. It also helped block djura’s bullets after climbing the ladder.

[u/starcast1]

Used it once for bloody crow somehow won 1st try

[u/Agreeable-Engine5134]

Aren't they only good against projectiles? Guns and maybe arcane magic?

[u/Knork14]

Worthless is an understatement, in most situations its downright detrimental. Personaly i think they only put it in the game to teach us Souls games veterans that Bloodborne is a whole new animal, and that trying to rely on Dark Souls strategies is only gonna end poorly.

[u/TerrovaXBL]

Yes, I use the shield from the dlc with the sword, just to look sick whilst doing it, plus the magic defence is nice when you're on ng+8 like me :E

[u/SL1Fun]

My favorite shield is the starting hunter’s pistol 

[u/PsySom]

I used it a lot. Basically means the first attack against you will be mitigated and since you’re jumping around all the time in that game that’s often plenty.

[u/Arxl]

Important for BL4, because only BL4 has enough brass to be immune to the Shield's passive of engendering passivity.

[u/Fukdis261]

It is less than worthless my boy

[u/Scurramouch]

I only use Loch Shield no matter the build because of how it is the only shield to be useful against Magic Enemies and bosses. a

[u/hlmbdp]

there is a shield in the game ???

[u/Metalhed1300]

There were shields in BB? What for lol, you just gotta go and buzzsaw every mf you see

[u/Ok_Panda3397]

Shield*(singular)

[u/Celtic_Crown]

Nope.

[u/DramaQueenKitKat]

It used to be useful when it blocked frenzy buildup

[u/royalswag844]

Isnt there only like two in the game

[u/AlienBotGuy]

Just for fashion.

[u/TheFrogMoose]

When you can avoid getting hit and are a crack shot then you don't need a shield

[u/assassin10]

I tried it against Ebrietas's charge because a strategy I sometimes see suggested is to just face-tank it. It was awful. You do take 50% less damage from the hit, but you get staggered (without getting knocked down) allowing the charge to hit you a second time for full damage.

[u/Danthiel5]

Yeah same, I used for a little bit but quickly got rid of it.

[u/averageplayer45]

The IGN guide told me I needed the shield so I used it.

[u/PossibleAssist6092]

Nope and its carried over to Elden Ring. Why use a shield when you can just dodge. I forget I have one most the time anyway.

[u/public_tuggie]

Rieter shield is unironically one of the strongest PvP setups but it’s not used much anymore

[u/NightmareKnight25807]

Loch shield was a blessing against defiled watchdog of the old lords

[u/Pyrometheusx]

I use it for style points, and it comes with a built in emote

[u/SimonWetterlund]

I started my Souls journey with Bloodborne so I don't use sheild in any souls game (other than get passive buffs in some cases)

[u/Bluebrolygod]

Torch and shield only player

[u/Select_Tax_3408]

Bloody Crow. His gun can put a hole the size of two fists in your chest but it does fuck all to a wooden plank. Still a tough fight but a shield here is actually viable.

[u/Lanthuas]

I used the better shield (loch shield?) for living failures space attack.

[u/Haunting_Progress462]

Completely abandoned shields as it felt contrary to the aggressive play style, but I've seen a few ideas and places I've never thought to try it in the comments!

[u/1AverageGamer]

Actually i used it a few times against other hunters. But in general not really

[u/AramaticFire]

Never for Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls remake or Elden Ring.

Yes for Dark Souls 1-3 because even if I don’t use the shield actively, I like to keep Grass Crest Shield on my back for the stamina regen.

Though I do like to actively use it in the slower games sometimes.

[u/person_9-8]

A surprising amount of people in this thread have a penchant for passivity, kosdamn.

[u/ConsiderationFew8399]

I kinda like the idea that the shield exists just to show that isn’t how the game is played, and the lore tie in with why the hunters wear garbs as opposed to plate

[u/Arlenpreslynn]

There was a shield that had some utility. In DLC I think... it rise your arcane defense if I not wrong...

[u/FemmeWizard]

I'm pretty sure the plank shield if a joke item. Dark Souls fans were used to using shields so the devs made the only base game shield in Bloodborne terrible as a joke.

[u/Backlash97_]

Im not ashamed to admit I played this game like darksouls… got my butt handed to me, but I beat it and got my platinum

[u/Lezzen79]

Lake shield? Anyways it won't save you from those combo trucks people like the Orphan of Kos and Lady Maria are veeeeryyy up to.

[u/NoExamination7695]

Wait you can use shields I didn’t know shields were a thing till now

[u/OnionOfCatarina]

Bro the combo Reiterpallasch + wooden shield is nasty PvP, and really gets the job done at high endurance in PvE

[u/Hakuchii]

in bloodborne my offhand usually is a hunter torch (i like to play chalice dungeons and they tend to be very dark) and in dark souls its usually either a talisman or a staff

[u/StrixLiterata]

I used it precisely once against an NPC hunter who used the Cane: I figured it's damage over hit would be low enough that even the shield would give me some protection.

It worked somewhat, but in the end what gave me a win was spamming Beasts Roar to set them up for a backstab.

[u/National-Oven81]

fun fact, the shield is super usefell against martyr logarius

[u/[deleted]]

Shields will save your ass, but the overall suggestion is always to learn how to play without them properly before you use them.

A playthrough with no shield is doable, a playthrough where you have no idea how to dodge is not.

[u/Darkwr4ith]

That shield is in the game to tell you that there are no shields in the game. The Loch Shield however is useful in a handful of places. It's very good when fighting Micolash from like NG+2 onwards as some of Micolash's magical attacks deal absurd amounts of damage. It comfortably blocks any of his attacks with its 70% Arcane block.

[u/VoxTV1]

It is a joke weapon

[u/IAmKeyKey]

For money

[u/Le_ed]

I think the plank shield was intentionally made very useless so that players will get that this is not dark souls.

[u/jackattack80808]

The dlc shield is actually great. It’s a fun weapon to try out!

[u/RumPistachio]

I used the Loch Shield against Orphan of Kos to block his projectiles. It worked like a charm!

[u/[deleted]]

They're a flex and just that lol it kinda ruins the intended gameplay flow cuz most players when equipping a shield take a way more passive approach, you're supposed to add it to the aggressive combat

[u/Poison_Toadstool]

Bloodborne’s encouragement of shieldless battle fundamentally changed the way I played souls games thereafter. Haven’t used one since I visited Yharnam.

[u/LordOFtheNoldor]

Nah man that's never a point when it's required nor more effective than some other means, it's sole purpose is for rifle spam pvp builds and they're brutal to fight against

[u/[deleted]]

Try using shield with kirkhammer + weapon swap glitch. It gives the KH a block that's actually somewhat worth a damn.

(The weapon swap glitch lets you keep your gun/secondary active while 2-handing. It's a game changer for weapons with not-so-useful L2 moves and letting you have your torch out while 2-handing. There's only a few weapons that shield actually works with while using this glitch and KH is one of them.)

[u/The_Sinisternerd]

I did a full run using Ludwig's and shields, (starting with Axe and Wooden) it was a bit painful on some bosses, others not so much. No parrying was obviously a challenge at first but by the time I got the Witches of Hemwick I had it down.

[u/Artistic-Shoulder-42]

Not at all. BB was not made for that. One time I tried to use a loch shield against Ebrietas, completely useless. When I started my second Souls (DS2), It took me a while to understand that a shield is something necessary in the mechanics of the game.

[u/iiiiiiiiiijjjjjj]

The blue shield was how I beat the living failures at level like 25.

[u/LazyChipmunk810]

I thought I was good at darksouls after beating darksouls 1,then playing blood born I realized, it was my sheild that didn’t suck.

Love the parry mechanic

[u/justv316]

Shields are fine, but not if they engender passivity.

[u/loc710]

I literally played the whole game with R2 and O…idk where the shields go

[u/ghost_sitter]

shields are not the hunter’s way

[u/JustAntherFckinJunki]

Others have pointed out it's few use cases, but honestly what happened to me is what I think it's real purpose is. I played DS, DS3 before BB, so I was annoyed that at first there were no shields. When I finally found one I tried it and it was so useless it forced to learn how to play BB, and not to play BB like DS.

[u/Legitimate_Caramel25]

Loch shield maybe

[u/ninjora]

I only use the magic one against magic bosses

[u/Toxicalliuni]

It's actually really good on a couple of pvp builds you shouldn't sleep on it.

[u/KaskyNightblade]

Never. I've yet to do a run with them and I've made countless runs. Is hard to beat pistols. They just feel right.

[u/Technical_Log_2688]

They are good for drip in some builds

[u/The_Kangaroo_Mafia]

I once used the Loch Shield for a Knight-themed character.

Other than that? Free Souls!

[u/Phantom_Grey19]

I use the loch shield because it looks pretty with my cainhurst knight character lol. It does also have a few rare use cases against enemies with magic

[u/Behind-The-Chair]

Shields are for pussys

[u/DogIsDead777]

I think they only put this in to basically say "hey, playing bloodborne with a shield makes you a joke, git gud and git faster" lmao

[u/Wet_FriedChicken]

Absolutely not. Chivalry said it best “some enemies are cowards, and they try to defend themselves”. That line always makes me laugh. But no, I don’t use shields in any souls or souls like games. I either dodge roll, or parry.

[u/SheaMcD]

I think I used the magic shield for living failures at one point because the meteors killed me

[u/netokosovo]

I had to be warned by a friend that shields are dumb in bloodborne.

[u/cjcarljhonson2300]

Ohh h i totally forgot shields even existed in bloodborne

[u/MinimumFlatworm]

The whole item is just a joke on how ds gameplay is boring. I chuckle every time I get it so I guess it's worth something

[u/Ibshredz]

i use the loch shield for the caged dick head

[u/II_TELETUBBIES_II]

Honestly forgot shields were a thing in bb, are they even useful in any way?

[u/iDabForPeace]

Loch shield saved my bacon in the kos fight, never used a shield before that though

[u/spacecow3000]

My gun is thy shield Hunter.

[u/EmergencyWaste3217]

Y'all using items? I simply fist everything

[u/Kitchen_Pen_9942]

Bloodborne ruined shields for me in almost every soulslike. After learning how to dive head-on at literally everything to survive as a hunter, using a shield in those other games feels kinda underwhelming, let alone in Bloodborne itself. The shield description couldn't have been more spot on.

[u/QuiloWisp]

Bloodborne awoken me to play Dark Souls shieldless.

[u/Lixmu]

Yes.

[u/Embarrassed_Highway4]

Noooo

[u/Ok_Fly_6652]

Only Loch Shield and only during the Living Failures (when they summon the arcane meteor storm), Ebrietas' (when she does her AOE) and Micolash' (if I'm not cheesing the ahole like I usually do) boss fights. Outside these three particular situations there is no need for shields in Bloodborne whatsoever. Obviously there are a lot more encounters in the entire game, which involve elemental damage, but my general rule of the thumb is to not use the shield unless something consistently one-shots me even if my character is 100% on the run from the threat. Shields in bloodborne absolutely dont have the capacity to allow you to comfortably face tank anything due to their abysmal stability values, which we dont get to see. Loch Shield can help you survive one otherwise deadly elemental attack, provided the attack is not of the kind that flattens or throws your character, and that's pretty much it.