Tardigrade Shield

Tardigrade Shield
Grants the equipped bug the "Sturdy" skill, which increases defense and grants status immunity for 1 turn.
Effect	Gives the Sturdy skill to an ally.
MP Cost	1 ()
Location(s)	Lost Sands

Tardigrade Shield is a Medal in Bug Fables. It allows an ally to use the Sturdy skill, which raises their defense by 3 and blocks all status effects for 1 turn, at the cost of 3 TP. Using this skill will use up any of that ally's remaining turns, but recovers 1 HP per turn lost.

Usage

The Sturdy skill offers great defensive capabilities, almost guaranteeing survival from any attack. It can be used to stall enemies while waiting for a fallen ally to revive with the Miracle Matter medal. To get the most use out of it, the ally positioned in the front should equip it, as they are the most likely to get attacked.

It may be equipped on Kabbu, who can first Taunt the enemy, and then use the Sturdy skill after having a turn relayed to him, while the third ally makes their own move, safe from damage. It should be noted, however, that this strategy cannot be constantly repeated, as using the Sturdy skill prevents that ally from receiving relayed turns on the next turn.

How to Acquire

There is 1 Tardigrade Shield medal available. It can be found as soon as the Lost Sands are unlocked, which is in early Chapter 3.

Lost Sands

Found at the top of a climbable cliff, which is one room north of the Bandit Hideout entrance. The Cactiling, at the bottom of the cliff, can be frozen with Leif's ice magic, and climbed upon to reach the left side of the ledge with a tire on it. Kabbu can Horn Strike the tire, causing it to roll. The Cactiling can be frozen again to climb onto the moved tire and then reach the top of the cliff. After obtaining the medal, Hawk will return to Prof. Honeycomb's lab in Bee Kingdom Hive, unless the Heaven Key has not been found yet.

Trivia

• Tardigrades, also called water bears or moss piglets, are microscopic lifeforms known for being very difficult to kill. Various species survive extremes (both high and low) of pressure, temperature, and radiation, dehydration, and the vacuum of space. As a whole, tardigrades have survived all five mass extinction events. They do not so much function in these situations as go into a state of near-suspended animation and self-dehydration until conditions improve, as is reflected in the Medal's function of skipping a turn in exchange for greatly bolstered defenses.