It depends on what effects you aim to have.
For example: do I want a character focused on reflect damage, reflect spell, spell absorption, max magicka... ?
In other words, there is no "best" shield, you have to choose for yourself what suits you best.
The two best shields I'd recommend are:
Spell breaker: A Daedric artifact granted for completing Peryite's quest.
It has 30% reflect spell.
Advantages: good armor rating, already obtainable at level 10.
Disadvantages: heavy armor, so weights a lot until you get the skill up.
Combine with: a grand necklace of reflection and a mundane ring to get some excellent spell reflection bonuses.
Escutcheon of Chorrol: Awarded for completing the Chorrol Sins of the Father quest.
Leveled item, so wait until level 25 if you want the strongest version.
It provides 35% reflect damage.
Advantages: good armor rating, looks nice (Ebony style),
Disadvantages: same as spell breaker plus gotta wait until level 25.
Combine with: a necklace of swords OR amulet of axes and a ring of the iron fist to become immune to all melee damage.
Hope it helps.
The Deadric shield, found in Oblivion gates. And the best sword is Umbra which you get from one of the Deadric lord's statues.
It's Irrellevant..because I finished the whole game without a shield at all.
You need to level up to about Lv17 or so, to make the highest quality sigil stones appear within the Oblivion gates. The best give 20% chameleon, so when applied to helm, cuirass, gauntlets, boots and shield, you have 100%.
Impossible to solve.
The best shield for non-members is a rune kiteshield. The best member's shield is dragon sq shield at 60 def.
A full set including shield provides an armour rating of 40 base, modified by your skills.
saradomin shield
For example: Summon scamp, summon dremora, summon skeleton, bound dagger, bound shield...
Perfect Amber is the best but it requires the shivering Isles
The best horse without the game of the year addition is the Black horse.
I think the best magic skill is fire coulomb damage
Obsidian shield
The best shield in my opinion for the fight caves would be the DFS but if your going cheap then def the granite shield all the way
GameStop has it for about $10.