Shields are one-handed items that give you a tremendous amount of defensive power. They absorb a percentage of damage from various types of enemy attacks. For the best survivability, look for Shields with a Physical value of 100. This means that they can be used to block all of the damage from Physical attacks that come your way. Anything less than 100 means that your character will still get hurt, even when you’re blocking.
Obviously, the other Guard Power values can be important as well, depending on what you’re fighting against. Magical and elemental attacks may punch through an otherwise sturdy physical shield, so be wary of mystical opponents and evade their attacks entirely.
Stability determines the amount of Stamina that you lose when you block enemy attacks. You want this to be as high as possible, so your character can block with impunity against most enemy strikes.
As a new player, a one-handed weapon and a sturdy shield is a solid loadout for tackling most basic enemies. Be wary of hiding behind a small shield when facing very large enemies however, they can drain your stamina and blow out your guard with crushing attacks.