In many games, Defense (DEF) is an essential stat that determines a player's survivability and ability to withstand attacks. By increasing a player's DEF stat, they can become more resilient and better equipped to survive in certain battles. However, in Genshin Impact, this stat has not been particularly popular to build on, as its effect on gameplay was not particularly noticeable. Nevertheless, since launch, there have been numerous updates introducing powerful new characters that focus on DEF value, giving players a reason to invest in this stat.
Despite the general mechanics of the game, Genshin Impact utilizes DEF value primarily to scale some characters' kits more significantly than just for survivability. Along with characters who use this stat for healing or shield abilities, a few characters use it to increase their overall damage output. However, since the number of characters that use DEF stat for scaling is quite limited, it might be surprising for some players to see which other characters are included. Generally speaking, ranged players, in particular catalyst and bow users, tend to have much lower base DEF stats than their melee counterparts.
Note: All characters are listed with level 1 and level 90 base-attack stats.
15 Diluc (61/783)
At the launch of Genshin Impact, Diluc was the original powerhouse and the most sought-after main DPS. He was highly regarded as the best Pyro DPS character until Hu Tao's arrival, with her impressive set of Pyro abilities. Since Diluc is a slow-paced claymore-wielding DPS, his DEF stat comes in handy when he is disrupted while performing attacks.
Diluc falls behind several characters in Genshin Impact, though he is still a considerable force, especially once his constellations are unlocked. His constellations address his initial weaknesses, and there are few gimmicks associated with his play style. In fact, his talents are some of the easiest to master in the game, making him a great option for newcomers and veterans alike.
14 Raiden Shogun (61/789)
Archons are meant to be the most powerful forces of their element, and none are quite as fierce as Raiden Shogun. She is an exceptional electro polearm user, boasting both a swift attack speed and high normal attack scaling. That said, Raiden Shogun's attack power is significantly buffed by her Elemental Burst, which replaces her regular polearm attacks with Electro-infused attacks. Not only do these attacks do significant damage to multiple enemies, but the Elemental Burst can even one-shot many of them.
Her stats are primarily focused on ATK, but she also has an impressive DEF value. Moreover, she is the only character to value Energy Recharge to such a great extent which makes her a strong and unique character.
13 Kaeya (66/791)
Kaeya is a highly versatile and often underrated character in Genshin Impact. Not only is he a free starter character, but each Constellation he unlocks makes him more and more valuable, even though they are quite hard to get.
Kaeya is renowned for his adeptness in quick attacks and movements, but he is most often utilized for his Cryo Application off-field. While his DEF stat does not help with his skill scaling at all, his high DEF value demonstrates that he can be beneficial in a variety of team compositions.
12 Xinyan (66/798)
As one of the few characters with scaling DEF, it is not surprising that the 4-star character, Xinyan has higher Base DEF values than many 5-star characters. Xinyan is a Pyro vision character, but she is also one of the few characters with a physical damage focus. As such, she is a great choice for players looking for a DEF-heavy character that can also dish out physical damage.
However, Xinyan's DEF value is not the only thing that comes in handy; her shield scales based on her DEF and the number of opponents hit. When she hits three or more enemies with her shield, it will become stronger, and she can apply Pyro.
11 Noelle (66/798)
Right above Xinyan, there is Noelle, another 4-star DEF scaling character who shares the exact same base DEF values as her. But this is not where their similarities end. Noelle is also a claymore user, and her strong shield can not only protect her allies from incoming damage but also provide powerful offensive capabilities.
In comparison to Xinyan, Noelle brings an additional advantage to the team: her healing capabilities. Despite Geo elements being on the decline in terms of popularity, Noelle remains a desirable choice for some team compositions due to her versatility and her availability from the start of the game.
10 Xiao (62/799)
Alongside having the highest base ATK values in Genshin Impact, Xiao is also formidable with his high DEF stat, making him one of the best Anemo DPS characters in the game. This is especially impressive, considering that Anemo characters usually focus more on support roles.
As Xiao's HP steadily decreases while his Elemental Burst state is active, a high DEF stat is invaluable, as it reduces the damage he takes from enemies, allowing players to focus on dealing massive damage with him without having to worry about their HP or making mistakes while using him.
9 Keqing (62/799)
Surprisingly, Keqing has made a powerful presence in the top rankings when it comes to ATK, HP, and DEF base values. Similarly to her HP scaling, although she doesn't directly benefit from them, Keqing's fast-paced melee gameplay style can benefit from her high DEF, reducing gaps in her gameplay and allowing her to do significant damage in each moment without having to dodge as often.
As one of the most powerful DPS characters in Genshin Impact, Keqing's popularity has skyrocketed since the release of the Sumeru update, which introduced Dendro Reactions. This update has made Electro a much more viable build option than before, further enhancing Keqing's appeal and making her one of the most sought-after characters in the game. Despite being one of the standard characters in Genshin Impact, Keqing is now more sought-after than ever, proving that this is no barrier when it comes to power and popularity.
8 Kaedehara Kazuha (62/806)
Kaedehara Kazuha is acclaimed for being a top-tier support character in Genshin Impact. This Anemo Sword-wielder greatly enhances teams with his vast array of supportive capabilities, such as increasing Elemental DMG, reducing enemies' resistance, crowd-control, consistent Swirl, and being a battery.
Although he may be quite high on this list, Kazuha does not scale with DEF stat at all. Instead, his kit scales with Elemental Mastery, allowing him to gain great benefits from full Elemental Mastery artifacts. As a result, he is a well-rounded character who is both tanky and capable of dealing significant damage.
7 Tartaglia (63/814)
Tartaglia, codenamed 'Childe,' is an exceptional Hydro DPS character and has impressive DEF, HP, and ATK values. His mastery of virtually every weapon is legendary, and it is said that he even uses the one he is least proficient in to constantly hone his skills. These impressive base stats make perfect sense, given this information and his play style. He also stands out as the sole ranged character in this list.
He is a truly remarkable character, boasting an incredibly unique ability to seamlessly transition from long-range to melee combat with his Elemental Skill, which transforms his bow into a melee weapon. This makes Tartaglia one of the most tactically versatile and adaptable characters in the game.
6 Shenhe (64/830)
Shenhe is an impressive character that has made it to the top of all three stat value lists. Despite primarily being an off-field character that focuses her signature elemental skill, 'Icy Quill', which applies a stacking Cryo damage buff to nearby teammates, significantly enhancing their overall damage output, she has quite high stats to make her considerable for additional roles.
Despite her impressive stats, Shenhe is generally considered a support character. Her Icy Quill ability adds additional damage when it hits more than one enemy, doubling the modifier for both targets. This makes her a highly specialized and niche character, requiring specific team composition for her to be effective.
5 Cyno (66/859)
Cyno, the latest addition to Genshin Impact's playable Electro characters, is the dreaded General Mahamatra of the Matra. Responsible for instilling terror into the Sumeru Akademiya's researchers, Cyno is also one of the strongest Electro characters in the game, boasting impressive power and abilities.
When his attacks are properly and strategically timed during his Burst, he has the potential to cause tremendous amounts of damage. His high base DEF stat is not really significant for his gameplay, unlike his Elemental Mastery, which further enhances Elemental Reactions. With the right team composition, especially in Aggravate teams, he can maximize his damage output.
4 Hu Tao (68/876)
In terms of HP scaling, Hu Tao is unparalleled, and she is one of the strongest DPS characters in Genshin Impact currently. Not only does she have great HP scaling, but her DEF value is also incredibly high, allowing her to stay at low HP without taking too much damage that would otherwise be fatal.
Hu Tao's performance in Genshin Impact highlights the significance of character kits and team compositions, proving that having the highest base ATK value does not guarantee being the most effective DPS character. This emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the abilities of each character and how they coordinate with others to achieve the best possible results.
3 Albedo (68/876)
As a character who scales with DEF value for his Elemental Skill, it is no surprise that Albedo would rank highly in this list. What is interesting, however, is that his DEF skill is only on par with Hu Tao. Despite this, Albedo's high DEF and HP values still make him one of the most resilient characters in the game.
Albedo is an incredibly tanky character, capable of withstanding even the most powerful of attacks. He can also use his Crystallize reaction to generate a protective shield. Despite his tanky nature, Albedo is best used off-field as a sub-DPS, which is not really taking advantage of his defensive capabilities.
2 Qiqi (71/922)
Players with Qiqi on their teams find her to be an invaluable asset due to her immense healing capabilities. Despite her waning popularity as the meta game has shifted, she still has the potential to be an incredibly potent healer.
Her ATK scaling is her main source of power, but she also has a high base DEF value that can prove to be incredibly beneficial in certain situations. Overall, if players emphasize Qiqi's damage and healing potential with the Ocean-Hued Clam artifact, she can be a fun character to include in the party.
1 Itto (74/959)
A loud and proud descendant of the crimson oni, Itto is the leader and founder of the Arataki Gang. His personality and presence always brings a fun, light-hearted moment to Genshin Impact's story quests. On the other hand, Itto's DPS potential should not be underestimated either, as he is an incredibly powerful Geo main-DPS Character.
As his Damage potential increases with DEF, there is no doubt he would rank highly on this list. His Burst allows him to convert his DEF to ATK, allowing him to do significant Geo Damage during this duration.
Genshin Impact is available for mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is currently in development.