The Ant’s Skull Plate is one of the best Greatshields in Elden Ring that you can get as a treasure from a specific location, making it a rare item in the game. It is the head of one of the two ants inhabiting the mines of the great rivers in The Lands Between, Sifora and Ansel.
This greatshield is sturdy and provides maximum protection against physical and elemental attacks. Due to its massive size and weight (13.5), this shield is not for everyone. You will need 28 strength to equip it. Ant’s Skull Plate only scales with Strength with a D rank.
Despite all the drawbacks, we recommend finding and equipping this shield as soon as possible to survive endgame enemies and bosses efficiently.
Ant’s Skull Plate location in Elden Ring
Ant’s skull Plate can be looted from a small treasure chest (to the right) in a hidden room near the entrance of one of the two eternal cities, Nokstella (Ansel River region of Elden ring).
To find this greatshield, you need to travel to a site of grace in Nokstella called “Nokstella, Eternal City”. This site of grace is located near the entrance of the eternal city.
From the site of grace, turn back to find a set of stairs leading upwards. This set of stairs has blue flowers and glowing lanterns on its sides. Upon climbing the stairs, you will get two options, go straight and up, or turn left.
There is a room with no door to the left housing a mighty enemy (Nox Swordstress) in Elden Ring. This is a very formidable foe and can kill you instantly if you are not attentive. Block or dodge the scimitar attacks and try to reach the back of Nox Swordstress to deliver a fatal backstab.
Open the only treasure chest available in the room to get the Ant’s Skull Plate greatshield.
How Good is Ant’s Skull Plate in Elden Ring?
Being a greatshield, Ant’s Skull Plate can be used for defense against various enemies as it provides sufficient protection against all kinds of attacks. This greatshield can absorb 100 physical damage, 57 magical damage, 42 fire damage, 57 light damage, 57 holy damage, and 63 boost damage, making it one of the best greatshields in Elden Ring.
Ant’s Skull Plate also boosts the Immunity of the bearer by 60. However, this all comes at a cost. This shield causes passive poison to build up (90), inflicting Poison ailment on you. Ant’s Skull Plate can be upgraded to +10 with the help of Somber Smithing stones.
These upgrades do not affect the shield’s defensive capabilities and only enhance its attack power. The unique skill of this shield is Shield Bash, which requires 10 FP to cast. This skill hides you behind the shield while you charge toward the enemies and ram them with the shield.
Shield Bash in Elden Ring can knock back weaker enemies and has a chance to stun them on impact. It can also stagger some stronger enemies with varying degrees of success.
