Shield of Faith

Abjuration

Level: 1st-level

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: 60 feet

Duration: Up to 10 minutes

Components: V, S, M

Materials: A small parchment with a bit of holy text written on it.

A shimmering field appears and surrounds a creature of your choice within range, granting it a +2 bonus to AC for the duration.

Concentration

Spell Details

School: Abjuration

Level: 1

Ritual: No

Concentration: Yes

Classes: Cleric, Paladin

A-Tier Excellent action economy and AC boost that stacks with other defenses, making it one of the most efficient protective spells available.

Player Guide

Cast Shield of Faith on your highest-value target or whoever is most likely to be hit next—typically the front-line fighter or yourself if you're in melee. The +2 AC bonus is modest but reliable, and the spell's 1-minute duration with concentration means you can maintain it throughout most encounters. Use this defensively when enemies focus fire on an ally, but don't waste concentration on it if better control spells are available.

Spell Combos

bless Stacks beautifully; +1 to attacks and saves plus +2 AC creates a defensive powerhouse.mirror-image Combines defensive layers; enemies must penetrate AC before potentially missing via illusions.

DM Tips

Remember that Shield of Faith requires concentration and the caster must maintain line of sight; breaking concentration ends the spell immediately. Consider that +2 AC is roughly equivalent to a 10% hit reduction against most enemies, making it valuable early-game but less impactful at higher levels where AC scaling increases.

Related Spells

bless barkskin