How to Break Shields in Genshin Impact

Shields play a considerable role in Genshin Impact’s combat system. When equipped with a shield, a weak enemy becomes more challenging. Harder monsters and bosses wield powerful elemental shields. Understanding how to deal with different shield types and classes of shield-bearing enemies is crucial as you progress through the game.

Dendro Shields

The weakest type is the Dendro or wooden shield. They are wielded by weaker monsters, such as the Wooden Shield Hilichurl Guards and Wooden Shieldwall Mitachurl.

FINAL wooden vs phy — Physical attacks can be used to smash a Dendro shield

You can destroy Dendro shields using physical attacks or burn them with Pyro attacks.

FINAL wooden vs pyro — A Pyro attack is used to burn a Dendro shield

Geo Shields

Geo shields are much stronger than wooden ones. You can break them with heavy physical attacks using claymores, explosions, or Geo skills.

FINAL geo absorb — A demonstration of the Geo absorption effect of Zhongli’s elemental skill.

Anemo Shields

Only the Fatui Anemoboxer Vanguard is protected by an Anemo shield. He also uses this as an offensive ability. The shield will ignore any physical damage directed to it and absorbs Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, and Electro elemental damage types.

When hit with any of the four elements, the Anemoboxer will absorb the attack and retaliate with the absorbed element.

FINAL anemo cryo — The Anemo shield absorbs a Cryo attack.

FINAL anemo pyro — The Anemo shield absorbs and releases a Pyro attack.

A suction effect will pull you toward the Anemoboxer before the elemental punch, so make sure you properly time your dodges and attacks.

Other Elemental Shields

Sometimes, elemental enemies will create a shield from that element. If you know which elemental attack is effective against each kind of element, then elemental shields are easy to handle.

When enemies use shields, this will also permanently apply an elemental status to them. This makes it easier to take advantage of elemental reactions.

Hydro

Hydro shields are weak against Electro. It will trigger an “Electro-Charged” effect and break the shield faster.

Although Cryo is not as strong against Hydro, it applies a status effect to enemies, rendering them wet and vulnerable to freezing. A frozen enemy is effectively neutralized for a short time.

Cryo

Cryo shields are easy to break using Pyro. The Cryo status of the shield makes it easy to trigger a “Melt” status, which undermines the Cryo shield’s strength.

The second-best element to use against Cryo is Electro.

Electro

Electro shields can be destroyed using either Pyro or Cryo, but the latter is the most effective.

Pyro

You can use Electro to break Pyro shields, but Hydro just makes it easier.

FINAL pyro vs electro — Electro attacks can overload a Pyro shield

Some world bosses have abilities that work just like elemental shields, making them immune to certain types of damage. You can deal with these barriers the same way you break the elemental shields of lesser enemies.

Defeating enemies with elemental shields is easy if you know their elemental weaknesses and pick your party accordingly.

Fatui Skirmishers Shields

The Fatui Skirmishers can form shields of their respective elements, giving them an advantage in combat. However, it will be an easy battle if you know which one to defeat first and the elements to which they are most vulnerable.

FINAL fatui pyro — Pyro attacks significantly reduce the durability of a Cryogunner’s shield.

FINAL fatui electro — A Cryo attack severely weakens Electrohammer’s shield.

Keep in mind which elements are most effective against a given elemental shield. Also, Hydrogunner Legionnaires can heal other Skirmishers, so make sure to defeat them first.

FINAL fatui hydrogunnner — A Hydrogunner heals its ally.

Another enemy to look out for is the Pyroslinger. They usually attack from a distance and can deal massive amounts of damage.

Fatui trio edited — Pyroslinger keeping its distance

Fatui Skirmishers usually come in pairs or groups and use different elements. They can trigger elemental reactions and deal significant amounts of damage.