AutoShield
Automatically equips the best shield from your inventory when you equip a one-handed sword.
About this mod Author’s original text
Auto Shield
Auto Shield is a lightweight client-side Valheim mod that automatically equips the best shield from your inventory whenever you equip a one-handed sword.
Features
- Automatically equips a shield when a one-handed sword is equipped.
- Selects the available shield with the highest base block power.
- Does nothing if a shield is already equipped.
- Works with hotbar keys and normal inventory equipment.
- Does not affect two-handed swords, bows, axes, spears, maces, or other weapons.
- No commands or configuration required.
- Client-side only — the server and other players do not need the mod.
Installation
Install AutoShield through Mod Manager and launch Valheim using Start modded.
The required BepInEx dependency is installed automatically by the mod manager.
How to use
- Put a one-handed sword and at least one shield in your inventory.
- Equip the sword from your hotbar or inventory.
- The strongest available shield will automatically be equipped in your other hand.
If a shield is already equipped, Auto Shield will leave it unchanged.
Multiplayer
Auto Shield only changes equipment for the local player who installed the mod. It does not modify the server or other players.
You can use it on a multiplayer server even when the host does not have the mod installed.
Notes
- The mod activates only when equipping a one-handed sword.
- The shield is not automatically removed when switching to another weapon.
- Shield selection is based on base block power.
- If no shield is available in the inventory, nothing happens.
Troubleshooting
If the shield is not equipped automatically:
- Make sure the game was launched with Start modded.
- Make sure AutoShield and BepInExPack_Valheim are enabled.
- Check that the weapon is a one-handed sword.
- Check that a shield is present in the character inventory.
- Check BepInEx/LogOutput.log for the message Auto Shield 1.0.0 loaded.
Install & use Install: BepInEx plugin
- The archive from playbuff is the mod itself — usually a BepInEx plugin (a .dll or a plugin folder once unzipped).
- Recommended: use a community mod manager (such as r2modman) — pick this game, import the mod, and the manager sets up BepInEx and its dependencies for you.
- Manual route: install the BepInEx loader in the game folder, then drop the unzipped .dll or plugin folder into BepInEx/plugins/.
- Launch the game — the BepInEx console logs every plugin it loads; seeing this mod in the log means it is installed.
Mods with listed dependencies need those installed too, or they will not load. Options are usually changed in-game or in the plugin's config file. In multiplayer, the host and every client need the same mods installed.
Install these first, or the mod will not work: