---
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield
type: mechanic
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield
lang: en
title: Directional shield
summary: Protection blocks damage only from specified directions.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Boss fights
- Defense
sourceIds:
- source-44729adb94bd817e
- source-3d5d81f888c7ad04
- source-db6b20645163b429
- source-6e0470c0ab497248
- source-fee750543bcf4468
- source-efe17f280266951f
- source-868765fd34527acf
sources:
- id: source-44729adb94bd817e
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Directional shield (RU)'
url: >-
https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/directional-shield/
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-3d5d81f888c7ad04
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Directional shield (EN)'
url: >-
https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/directional-shield/
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-db6b20645163b429
title: Theseus · Hades
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg&t=215s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-6e0470c0ab497248
title: Looking Glass Knight · Dark Souls II
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWTLTE-1mk&t=45s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-fee750543bcf4468
title: Dragonslayer Armour · Dark Souls III
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sk-e0uokOI&t=51s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-efe17f280266951f
title: >-
Game Creator shield documentation · the blocking angle, reaction, and
impact effect
url: 'https://docs.gamecreator.io/melee/shields/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-868765fd34527acf
title: >-
Nintendo Iwata Asks · directional guard and choosing an unprotected sword
angle
url: >-
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Skyward-Sword/Vol-3-The-Dense-Volcano-and-Enemy-Monsters/3-Fight-with-Your-Eyes-on-Your-Opponent/3-Fight-with-Your-Eyes-on-Your-Opponent-208359.html
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: boss-fight-atlas
id: boss-directional-shield
title: Boss fights
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/boss-fight-atlas/#boss-directional-shield
categoryIds:
- catalog-part-8
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Directional shield
description: Protection blocks damage only from specified directions.
image:
src: images/mechanics/boss-final-itv6y-0gbfg-215.webp
width: 640
height: 360
crop:
x: 0
'y': 0
width: 350
height: 285
game: Hades
sourceUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg&t=215s'
originalUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg'
sourceFrameSeconds: 215
credit: Supergiant Games; gameplay capture by Guides Gamepressure
rights: >-
Game graphics © Supergiant Games. Gameplay recording by Guides
Gamepressure. Original visible source markings retained. All rights
reserved; excluded from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0.
caption: 'Hades: Theseus’s shield protects the direction in front of him'
alt: 'Hades: Theseus’s shield protects the direction in front of him'
markers:
- x: 12
'y': 48
label: The frontal shield encourages an attack from another angle
tips:
- >-
Show the defense direction and leave a reachable path to an exposed
angle.
examples:
- title: Hades
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg&t=215s'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic
pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference
URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights;
references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/boss-fight-atlas
---
# Directional shield
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-directional-shield/
Protection blocks damage only from specified directions.
## At a glance
[Hades](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg&t=215s) · Game graphics © Supergiant Games. Gameplay recording by Guides Gamepressure. Original visible source markings retained. All rights reserved; excluded from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0.
[Source recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg), 215 s
1. The frontal shield encourages an attack from another angle
- Show the defense direction and leave a reachable path to an exposed angle.
- [Hades](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg&t=215s)
## How it works
Protection blocks damage only from specified directions.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- Protection blocks damage only from specified directions.
## Context and limits
A concise reference to all 124 Boss Fight Atlas mechanics across its 14 source sections. Each entry includes a definition, full RU/EN lesson links, game references and further reading retained from the source. Animations and detailed rules remain in the atlas.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Directional shield (RU)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/directional-shield/) (id: source-44729adb94bd817e)
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Directional shield (EN)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/directional-shield/) (id: source-3d5d81f888c7ad04)
- [Theseus · Hades](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTV6y_0GBfg&t=215s) (id: source-db6b20645163b429)
- [Looking Glass Knight · Dark Souls II](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWTLTE-1mk&t=45s) (id: source-6e0470c0ab497248)
- [Dragonslayer Armour · Dark Souls III](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sk-e0uokOI&t=51s) (id: source-fee750543bcf4468)
- [Game Creator shield documentation · the blocking angle, reaction, and impact effect](https://docs.gamecreator.io/melee/shields/) (id: source-efe17f280266951f)
- [Nintendo Iwata Asks · directional guard and choosing an unprotected sword angle](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Skyward-Sword/Vol-3-The-Dense-Volcano-and-Enemy-Monsters/3-Fight-with-Your-Eyes-on-Your-Opponent/3-Fight-with-Your-Eyes-on-Your-Opponent-208359.html) (id: source-868765fd34527acf)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors