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Genshin Impact

List of All Shield Characters

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Genshin - List of Shield Characters

See the list of shield characters here to know the best shielder support in Genshin Impact. Get to know their rarity, element, and rankings in this list!

List of Contents

List of Shield Characters

List of All Shield Characters

Character Rarity Element Weapon
Baizhu Image Baizhu
5★ Dendro Dendro Catalyst Catalyst
Beidou Image Beidou
4★ Electro Electro Claymore Claymore
Candace Image Candace
4★ Hydro Hydro Polearm Polearm
Citlali Image Citlali
5★ Cryo Cryo Catalyst Catalyst
Dahlia Image Dahlia
4★ Hydro Hydro Sword Sword
Diona Image Diona
4★ Cryo Cryo Bow Bow
Ineffa Image Ineffa
5★ Electro Electro Polearm Polearm
Kirara Image Kirara
4★ Dendro Dendro Sword Sword
Lan Yan Image Lan Yan
4★ Anemo Anemo Catalyst Catalyst
Layla Image Layla
4★ Cryo Cryo Sword Sword
Nicole Image Nicole
5★ Pyro Pyro Catalyst Catalyst
Noelle Image Noelle
4★ Geo Geo Claymore Claymore
Thoma Image Thoma
4★ Pyro Pyro Polearm Polearm
Xinyan Image Xinyan
4★ Pyro Pyro Claymore Claymore
Zhongli Image Zhongli
5★ Geo Geo Polearm Polearm

List excludes characters who can trigger or manipulate Crystallize reaction like Gorou.

Shields from Constellations

Required Constellations
Genshin - Kaeya C4Kaeya (C4) Genshin - Beidou C1Beidou (C1) Genshin - Yanfei C4Yanfei (C4)

Certain characters can only create shields if they have managed to unlock a certain constellation.
How to Unlock Constellations

Best Shield Characters

Shield Characters Tier List

Genshin - SS Tier
Genshin - Zhongli Image Genshin - Nicole Image Genshin - Lan Yan C2
Genshin - S Tier
Genshin - Layla Image Genshin - Thoma Image Genshin - Kirara Image Genshin - Ineffa Image
Genshin - A Tier
Genshin - Citlali Image Genshin - Diona Image Genshin - Noelle Image Genshin - Xinyan Image Genshin - Yanfei C4
Genshin - B Tier
Genshin - Dahlia Image Genshin - Beidou C1 Genshin - Candace Image Genshin - Yun Jin Image Genshin - Baizhu Image
Genshin - C Tier
Genshin - Kaeya C4

Updated November 11, 2025.

These characters are not ranked by their place on our main tier list, but by their strength in shield values and convenience to the party.

Character Tier List

Who do YOU think is the Best Shielder?

Albedo 26
Votes
Itto 25
Votes
Zhongli 3003
Votes
Beidou 64
Votes
Diona 196
Votes
Gorou 16
Votes
Kaeya 25
Votes
Ningguang 19
Votes
Noelle 411
Votes
Thoma 130
Votes
Xinyan 38
Votes
Yanfei 44
Votes
Yun Jin 21
Votes
Traveler 19
Votes
Candace 18
Votes
Layla 760
Votes
Baizhu 36
Votes
Kirara 114
Votes
Citlali 83
Votes
Lan Yan 120
Votes
Ineffa 43
Votes
Nicole 58
Votes
Dahlia 1
Votes

Discuss in the Comments (24)

Best Shield Characters Ranked

Rank Character Strengths
1 Genshin - Zhongli Zhongli ・Has the sturdiest shield out of all characters.
・Debuffs enemies when the shield is active.
・C2 gives instant shield on Burst use.
2 Genshin - Nicole Nicole ・Competes with Zhongli for sturdiest shield, and it scales alongside her team buffs.
・Limited to Hexerei teams if you want to get the most out of her kit.
3 Genshin - Lan Yan C2Lan Yan ・Easy-to-use high-scaling shielding which can also trigger Viridescent Venerer through her swirls, although with slightly less duration than Zhongli's.
・C2 improves her shield's efficiency and becomes just as sturdy as Zhongli's shields.
4 Genshin - Layla Layla ・High-scaling shield is also semi-permanent due to low cooldowns and energy cost.
・Can apply off-field Cryo on-hit.
5 Genshin - Thoma Thoma ・Sturdy shields that can reapply itself.
・Can apply Pyro on-hit.
・Constellations improve his performance as a shielder.
6 Genshin - Kirara Kirara ・Shield can refresh.
・Can tank Bloom Core DMG as it mitigates Dendro DMG the most.
7 Genshin - Ineffa Ineffa ・Decent shield duration and strength.
・Shield scales on the same stat as her damage, providing more support.
・Can also apply off-field Electro.
8 Genshin - Citlali Citlali ・Shield duration is signifanctly longer than most shielders, but the scaling isn't up to par compared with the best.
・Provides the best offensive buffs out of all shield-based supports.
9 Genshin - Diona Diona ・Low cooldown for shielding.
・Can upgrade own shield by holding Elemental Skill.
・Can also heal allies.
10 Genshin - Noelle Noelle ・Elemental Skill provides a sturdy shield.
・Can create shields through Crystallize.
・Can also heal allies while under her shield.
11 Genshin - Xinyan Xinyan ・Has three levels of shield hardness.
・Periodically applies pyro for the max level shield.
・C2 gives instant shield on Burst use.
12 Genshin - Yanfei C4Yanfei ・C4 gives a sturdy Pyro shield on Burst use.
・Can only shield with Constellations.
13 Genshin - Dahlia Dahlia ・Shield has a weak scaling but can refresh when it breaks.
・Needs Benison stacks to refresh shields which is only obtained on Freeze teams.
14 Genshin - Beidou C1Beidou ・Elemental Skill can briefly shield herself to parry attacks.
・C1 gives a shield on Burst use that will last even when switched.
15 Genshin - Candace Candace ・Elemental Skill can briefly shield herself to parry attacks, but only to herself.
16 Genshin - Yun Jin Yun Jin ・Elemental Skill can briefly shield herself to parry attacks, but only to herself.
17 Genshin - Baizhu Baizhu ・Weak shields but refresh overtime throughout the duration of the burst.
・Better treated as a mini-interruption resistance than an actual shield.
18 Genshin - Kaeya C4Kaeya ・C4 gives a shield when Kaeya falls under 20% HP.
・Can only shield himself.

What is a Shield Character in Genshin Impact?

Genshin - Zhongli as a Shielder
Shield characters are Supports that have the ability to create protective barriers against most instances of damage. These shields also provide protection and resistance to interruption. A Geo character can also create protective barriers with the Crystallize reaction.

Note that Corrosion bypasses shields, making it ineffective against this detrimental status.

List of Characters

Genshin Impact Related Guides

Genshin Impact - Characters

All Characters and Voice Actors

List of All Characters

Characters by Element
Genshin - Pyro Characters Pyro Genshin - Anemo Characters Anemo Genshin - Electro Characters Electro Genshin - Hydro Characters Hydro
Genshin - Dendro Characters Dendro Genshin - Geo CharactersGeo Genshin - Cryo CharactersCryo

All Character Builds

Playable Characters

All Playable Characters
Chasca Chasca Faruzan Faruzan Heizou Heizou Ifa Ifa
Jahoda Jahoda Jean Jean Kazuha Kazuha Lan Yan Lan Yan
Lynette Lynette Mizuki Mizuki Prune Prune Sayu Sayu
Sucrose Sucrose Traveler (Anemo) Traveler (Anemo) Varka Varka Venti Venti
Wanderer Wanderer Xianyun Xianyun Xiao Xiao Aloy Aloy
Ayaka Ayaka Charlotte Charlotte Chongyun Chongyun Citlali Citlali
Diona Diona Escoffier Escoffier Eula Eula Freminet Freminet
Ganyu Ganyu Kaeya Kaeya Layla Layla Lohen Lohen
Mika Mika Qiqi Qiqi Rosaria Rosaria Sandrone Sandrone
Shenhe Shenhe Skirk Skirk Wriothesley Wriothesley Alhaitham Alhaitham
Baizhu Baizhu Collei Collei Emilie Emilie Kaveh Kaveh
Kinich Kinich Kirara Kirara Lauma Lauma Nahida Nahida
Nefer Nefer Tighnari Tighnari Traveler (Dendro) Traveler (Dendro) Yaoyao Yaoyao
Beidou Beidou Clorinde Clorinde Cyno Cyno Dori Dori
Fischl Fischl Flins Flins Iansan Iansan Ineffa Ineffa
Keqing Keqing Lisa Lisa Ororon Ororon Raiden Raiden
Razor Razor Sara Sara Sethos Sethos Shinobu Shinobu
Traveler (Electro) Traveler (Electro) Varesa Varesa Yae Miko Yae Miko Albedo Albedo
Chiori Chiori Gorou Gorou Illuga Illuga Itto Itto
Kachina Kachina Linnea Linnea Navia Navia Ningguang Ningguang
Noelle Noelle Traveler (Geo) Traveler (Geo) Xilonen Xilonen Yun Jin Yun Jin
Zhongli Zhongli Zibai Zibai Aino Aino Ayato Ayato
Barbara Barbara Candace Candace Columbina Columbina Dahlia Dahlia
Furina Furina Kokomi Kokomi Mona Mona Mualani Mualani
Neuvillette Neuvillette Nilou Nilou Sigewinne Sigewinne Tartaglia Tartaglia
Traveler (Hydro) Traveler (Hydro) Xingqiu Xingqiu Yelan Yelan Amber Amber
Arlecchino Arlecchino Bennett Bennett Chevreuse Chevreuse Dehya Dehya
Diluc Diluc Durin Durin Gaming Gaming Hu Tao Hu Tao
Klee Klee Lyney Lyney Mavuika Mavuika Nicole Nicole
Thoma Thoma Traveler (Pyro) Traveler (Pyro) Xiangling Xiangling Xinyan Xinyan
Yanfei Yanfei Yoimiya Yoimiya

Upcoming Characters

All Upcoming Characters
Alice Alice Alyosha Alyosha Capitano Capitano Dainsleif Dainsleif
Danica Danica Dottore Dottore Mitya Mitya Noy Noy
Odette Odette Pantalone Pantalone Pierro Pierro Pulcinella Pulcinella
Rerir Rerir Tsaritsa Tsaritsa Valeriy Valeriy Vesna Vesna
Vodyanitsa Vodyanitsa

Character Lists

Characters by Rarity
5-Star Characters 4-Star Characters
Free Characters
Characters by Weapon Used
Sword Users Claymore Users
Polearm Users Bow Users
Catalyst Users
Characters by Role
Main DPS Characters Sub DPS Characters
Support Characters Healers
Shield Characters Buff Providers
Best for Exploration Local Specialty Passives
Double Reward Passives
Characters by Gender
Male Characters Female Characters
Short Male Characters Short Female Characters
Medium Male Characters Medium Female Characters
Tall Male Characters Tall Female Characters
Characters by Height
Short Characters Medium Characters
Tall Characters
Characters by Region
Mondstadt Characters Liyue Characters
Inazuma Characters Sumeru Characters
Fontaine Characters Natlan Characters
Nod-Krai Characters Snezhnaya Characters

Comment

24 Anonymous Anonymous 4 months

When will Nicole be added? I'm really curious to know how strong her shield is compared to others.

23 Anonymous Anonymous 12 months

Where is ineffa?

See more comments (24 Comments)

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