The Shield King: 7 Characters That Shine with Zhongli in Genshin Impact 2025
Discover how Zhongli's powerful shields and utility elevate Genshin Impact characters like Ganyu, Xiao, and Yoimiya, ensuring unmatched protection and damage potential in 2025.
In the ever-evolving world of Teyvat, one constant remains: Zhongli's dominance as Genshin Impact's premier shielder. As we move through 2025, the Geo Archon continues to prove his worth across numerous team compositions, offering unparalleled protection and utility that elevates many characters from good to exceptional.
While other shielders like Layla provide additional benefits such as Elemental Application, Zhongli's kit remains focused on providing the game's strongest shields alongside valuable Elemental Resistance shredding. This specialized focus makes him particularly valuable for specific characters who struggle with interruption or survivability issues.
7. Ganyu - The Uninterrupted Sniper
Ganyu, the cryo archer from Liyue, exemplifies a character who transforms with Zhongli's protection. Her devastating Frostlake Arrows require charge time that leaves her vulnerable to interruption. Without protection, a single enemy hit can reset her charge, decimating her DPS potential.
While Ganyu can function adequately in Freeze compositions like the classic Morgana team, she truly shines with Zhongli in Melt teams or against boss enemies. The uninterrupted charging time Zhongli provides allows Ganyu to unleash her full damage potential without constantly dodging or repositioning.
"With Zhongli's shield, Ganyu becomes an absolute monster," notes one competitive player. "It's like night and day—suddenly you're just raining down cryo destruction without a care in the world."
6. Xiao - The Protected Plunger
The Vigilant Yaksha has always walked a dangerous line with his self-damaging Elemental Burst. Xiao's HP continuously drains during his burst state, making him particularly vulnerable to incoming damage. One poorly timed enemy attack can send him plummeting to his demise.
Zhongli offers Xiao dual benefits: protection from external damage while his health drains and one of the few ways to buff Anemo damage through universal Elemental RES shredding. With Xiao constantly plunging into enemy groups, this resistance reduction maintains perfect uptime.
5. Yoimiya - The Combo Queen
Despite possessing some of Genshin Impact's highest single-target DPS potential, Yoimiya struggles with a fundamental issue—her damage peaks at the final hit of her Normal Attack sequence. Any interruption resets this combo, dramatically reducing her effectiveness.
Zhongli transforms Yoimiya's gameplay experience by allowing her to complete her attack strings consistently. Without his shield, players must choose between dodging (and losing damage) or risking hits (also losing damage). With Zhongli, Yoimiya can focus entirely on her offensive output, particularly valuable for vaporize reactions with her crucial final attacks.
4. Chiori - The Construct Synergist
The newest entry on this list showcases how Zhongli continues to find new synergies in 2025. Chiori not only activates the powerful Geo Resonance alongside Zhongli but benefits from unique mechanical interactions with his Stone Stele.
Zhongli's pillar counts as a Geo construct, allowing Chiori to summon an additional doll through her kit's mechanics. Furthermore, the pillar activates Chiori's passive talents, further enhancing her damage output. This combination creates a defensive fortress that simultaneously outputs impressive off-field damage.
"They're like peanut butter and jelly," remarks one theory-crafter. "Separately good, but together? Chef's kiss!"
3. Lyney - The Protected Performer
Fontaine's premier Pyro DPS represents perhaps the character most dependent on Zhongli's protection. Similar to Yoimiya, Lyney suffers tremendously from interruption—but unlike her, he has practically no functionality without protection.
Lyney's reliance on charged attacks makes him exceptionally vulnerable during combat. Unlike Ganyu, he lacks access to Freeze reactions that might otherwise control enemies. Zhongli provides the uninterrupted performance time Lyney desperately needs while simultaneously offering Elemental RES reduction that benefits his Pyro damage.
2. Neuvillette - The Uninterrupted Judge
The Chief Justice of Fontaine exemplifies a "complete" character with self-healing, impressive damage, and independence from common support requirements. However, Neuvillette has one critical weakness—interruption during his Charged Attack state can waste precious Sourcewater Droplets and dramatically reduce his DPS.
While Neuvillette can use various shielders effectively, Zhongli's superior shield strength and universal resistance shred make him particularly valuable. For players without Neuvillette's first constellation (which provides interruption resistance), Zhongli transforms his gameplay from frustrating to fluid.
1. Hu Tao - The Original Shield Partner
The relationship between Hu Tao and Zhongli represents one of Genshin Impact's oldest and most effective pairings. Hu Tao's kit incentivizes maintaining low health (below 50%) for maximum damage, placing her perpetually at risk of being eliminated by a single enemy attack.
Zhongli's shield allows Hu Tao to safely maintain this precarious health threshold without constant fear of defeat. Additionally, as a Geo character, Zhongli doesn't interfere with Hu Tao's crucial vaporize reactions, and his resistance shredding perfectly complements her close-range combat style.
"It's like they were made for each other," says one veteran player. "Zhongli lets Hu Tao dance on the edge of death without actually falling over."
People Also Ask
Can Zhongli work well in teams without these 7 characters?
Absolutely! While these characters gain particular benefits from Zhongli's protection, his universal resistance shred and unmatched shield strength make him valuable in virtually any team composition. He simply provides transformative benefits to these specific characters.
Is Zhongli still worth pulling in 2025?
Despite being one of Genshin Impact's oldest 5-star characters, Zhongli remains highly relevant in the current meta. His unique combination of unmatched shielding and resistance reduction has stood the test of time, making him a worthwhile investment for both new and veteran players.
Are there alternatives to Zhongli for these characters?
Yes, characters like Layla, Thoma, and Diona can provide shields for these characters. However, Zhongli's shield strength and resistance reduction make him the premier option, particularly for characters like Lyney and Hu Tao who benefit enormously from uninterrupted combat.
The Enduring Value of the Geo Archon
Four years after his release, Zhongli continues to define Genshin Impact's defensive meta. While HoYoverse has introduced numerous shielders since his debut, none match the comfort and utility his kit provides. For players struggling with the characters mentioned above, or simply seeking a more comfortable gameplay experience, Zhongli remains an exceptional investment.
Ready to experience the game-changing protection of Teyvat's strongest shield? Pull for Zhongli on his next banner rerun and transform your favorite DPS characters into unstoppable forces. Your Spiral Abyss teams will thank you!