The Dragonfire Ward is a ranged shield, that requires a minimum of 70 ranged and 75 defence to wear and use in combat. You will also need to have completed the Dragon Slayer 1 quest. This item has the second best range bonus of any shield, with a total of +8 ranged strength, it is beaten only by the Twisted Buckler.
Dragonfire Ward Stats
Charging
To charge the shield you will need to use a vial of bottled dragonfire on it or absorb dragonfire from adult dragons. The fastest way to manually charge the shield by absorbing dragonfire is to go to the Catacombs of Kourend. There you will find Iron Dragons and Bronze Dragons in multi-combat. Pray protect from magic with an antifire potion active. This will rapidly charge your shield to full, ensuring you get the maximum stats for the shield.
Uses for the Dragonfire Ward – where is it good?
The Dragonfire Ward is best used for killing dragons with one-handed ranged weapons such as the ZCB, DHCB, Dragon Crossbow and more. It is useful for bosses such as Vorkath and the King Black Dragon as they use dragonfire attacks.
Is the Ward worth it?
Yes, the ward is a great all-round shield for ranging. If you are doing content such as Vorkath then it is a best in slot item. While it has less ranged strength than the twisted buckler this does not always mean you will lose a max hit anyway.
Dragonfire Ward Vs Dragonfire Shield Vs Wyvern Shield
Each of these three shields provides offensive bonuses to its own specific combat style. For example, the Dragonfire Ward is the best shield for people using ranged. Whereas the Dragonfire Shield is better for those using melee and the Wyvern Shield is best for those using magic. All three shields provide dragonfire and icy breath protection.