Genshin Impact has become popular among gamers since its release. It’s built a following that ranges from beginners to pro gamers who fell in love with the game’s gameplay, graphics, and characters. One of the things that you’ll first hear when talking about the game is its great set of playable characters. Genshin Impact characters are your best bet at getting through the game and there is no shortage of great characters here.
In this article, you can learn more about Genshin Impact characters and how you can build your own formidable team that will accompany you through your journey in the world of Teyvat.
What Is Genshin Impact?
Genshin Impact, since its release in September 2020, has made its rounds in the gaming community as one of the best games to come out of the year that it was released. With its visually pleasing graphics, great storyline, and great playable characters, it’s no surprise that the game has captured the hearts of many.
The game follows open-world game mechanics and is set in the fictional world of Teyvat where players embark on a journey to find their lost sibling. The journey is perilous but fortunately, the player will have their brigade of Genshin Impact characters to assist them on their journey.
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Genshin Impact Characters
For the most part, Genshin Impact’s characters are strong. The best part of the game is arguably the fact that you can easily get through it without having a 5-star character. In this game, players will be able to customize and power up their characters with weapons, artifacts, and talents that can either make or break their character during combat.
It’s important to take note that, in games like Genshin Impact, the player has full control over their character. In a sense, the character is only as good as the player so if you don’t spend time building the characters, they won’t be as good as you want them to be.
One of the best parts of playing Genshin Impact is that, if you don’t have a certain character, you can always ask a friend with that character to assist you. Genshin Impact multiplayer or co-op makes the game more fun if you’re playing with your friends or other players. With this function, you can easily help each other to get through quests and farm for items.
Genshin Impact Tier List
Below you will find Genshin Impact’s tier list. Do note that the game has not released an official tier list so the chart below is based on player experience and gameplays among other things. Additionally, the tier list features all characters at 0 constellations as it is likely that players will only have zero to two constellations of some characters — especially 5-star characters — at most.
- S – Bennett, Diluc, Ganyu, Klee, Tartaglia, Venti, Xiao, Xingqiu
- A – Albedo, Diona, Fischl, Keqing, Mona, Ningguang, Qiqi, Razor, Zhongli
- B – Barbara, Beidou, Chongyun, Jean, Sucrose, Xiangling
- C – Traveler (Geo), Kaeya, Noella, Xinyan
- D – Traveler (Anemo), Amber, Lisa
Alternatively, there are also characters who are notable crowd favorites and popular among players of Genshin Impact. They are as follows:
- Favorites – Venti, Xingqiu, Ningguang, Razor, Qiqi, Klee
- Best – Bennett, Diluc, Ganyu, Fischl, Keqing, Albedo, Venti
- For Beginners (Adventure Rank 1 to 25) – Traveler, Kaeya, Amber, Lisa, Barbara, Noelle
- For Pros (Adventure Rank 26+) – Diluc, Bennett, Ningguang, Zhongli, Tartaglia, Ganyu, Razor, Mona
Take note that the For Beginners and Pros sections are largely based on the character’s ability to function without their “right artifacts” as some domains will not unlock until the higher levels.
The Best Genshin Impact Characters to Have
In general, Genshin Impact characters are all great in their own way, especially if they are built correctly. However, some characters are slightly a cut above the rest when it comes to their basic skill set. That said, here are some of the best Genshin Impact characters to have with you on your journey.
Pro tipThe more you build your character with the right weapons and artifacts, the better they will be. That said, you will need to dedicate time to grinding or farming to get the right artifacts for them. The characters are reliant on their builds so the better that you build them, the better they will function.
1. Diluc (Pyro, 5-Star, Claymore)
Diluc is one of the best DPS characters to have in Genshin Impact. He can deal high amounts of damage in a short period. He is also effective against most enemies, especially those with hard-to-break shields. His elemental burst is ultimately the best as it deals with high amounts of Pyro damage that can put an end to any battle quickly. Even with his normal attacks, Diluc can deal a great amount of damage that will be enough to get you through a few rounds before you can build up your burst. Here’s a complete guide on how you can build Diluc effectively.
2. Bennett (Pyro, 4-Star, Sword)
If you don’t have Diluc, Bennett is easily one of the best Pyro characters that can serve as a substitute. Granted that he might not be the best DPS character but he is one of the best supports in the game. He is a combo character that deals damage and heals your team during combat. He should be paired with a DPS who can deal high damage attacks and those who will benefit from the Pyro damage that he can deal. Bennett, once you learn to use him correctly, will be able to carry your team through the game and help you during cooperative battles (Co-Op) if you are in a pinch.
3. Venti (Anemo, 5-Star, Bow)
Venti is one of the more popular characters of the game and for good reason. Apart from being the Anemo Archon, Venti is a great character to have in-game. He is a capable support character and a massive damage dealer. He is also great with crowd control and can be used for most quests and puzzles that you’ll encounter in Genshin Impact’s open world. The downside with using Venti is that you might need a strong team to back him up to bring out the best in him. Regardless, Venti is quite useful to have in the game provided that you’ll be lucky enough to get him.
You can read more about Venti’s build on this article.
4. Sucrose (Anemo, 4-Star, Catalyst)
If you don’t have Venti, the best alternative to have is Sucrose. She might not be able to deal great damage to her opponents, but she is a great support to have if she is accompanied by massive damage dealers. She is best for crowd control and for setting up big combos that rely heavily on elemental reactions. Sucrose is the best alternative to have if you don’t have other crowd control characters. If built correctly, she will be able to help your team in the long run.
5. Tartaglia (Hydro, 5-Star, Bow)
Tartaglia, most known by the name Childe, has become a popular character since his release. Needless to say, once you have him on your team, you might just be unstoppable. There is a lot that makes him into such a powerful character. First, he has a passive ability that easily increases your entire team’s normal attacks, which helps especially if you don’t have your skill or burst powered up. Tartaglia is also capable of switching from ranged to close combat. He can easily deal Hydro damage and normal damage to enemies in just a few seconds. If you’re ever lucky enough to have him, he is one DPS that you won’t want to let go of.
6. Xingqiu (Hydro, 4-Star, Sword)
Xingqiu has a great skill set that will help if you want to make him into your primary damage dealer. However, Xingqiu isn’t the best option to have if you want a Hydro DPS because his skill set isn’t built for DPS. He is more of a supporting character that will greatly help your team’s defense. The best thing that he can do is to avoid damage with his skills during combat and deal Hydro damage. Apart from that, he isn’t great on his own so it’s best to have a DPS character by his side.
7. Keqing (Electro, 5-Star, Sword)
Keqing is a character with great mobility and a great set of skills that can easily get you through most battles. She is primarily a DPS character that can deal high amounts of damage with her elemental burst and skill. She can easily make rounds across the battlefield in a few seconds with her elemental skill, which gives her great mobility and better access to enemies. Keqing is a capable DPS and should be able to carry your team without a hitch.
8. Fischl (Electro, 4-Star, Bow)
Fischl is another great support to have because she can back-up almost every DPS with her elemental skill. She is great to have because she can do long-range combat as a bow user, but she can also provide close-ranged damage by summoning her familiar, Oz, and letting him attack the enemies. She’s also great if you need to make a quick escape because her elemental burst allows her to transform into a raven and lets you escape while dealing damage without getting damaged yourself.
9. Albedo (Geo, 5-Star, Sword)
Albedo primarily functions as a sub-DPS and support but if you build him correctly, he’ll be able to deal massive damage. Additionally, he can deal additional damage with his elemental skill, which greatly helps if you’re exploring the world alone because you won’t need back-up to deal damage. He’s not the best character but he is extremely reliable and great to have.
10. Ningguang (Geo, 4-Star, Catalyst)
Ningguang’s primary use depends on how you want to use her. She can be great support that offers defensive tactics, but she is also a capable DPS. In Ningguang’s situation, she can deal damage while staying behind a barrier that effectively blocks ranged attacks. That said, she might not be the most reliable when it comes to close combat; however, her elemental burst is strong enough to be able to deal great damage. The best thing to do with Ningguang is to have another Geo character in your team to create Elemental Resonance; that way, you’ll be able to use your burst faster.
11. Ganyu (Cryo, 5-Star, Bow)
Ganyu is one of the game’s latest characters. She is a Cryo bow user that can be used to deal great amounts of damage at long range. She’s useful to have in any team as she is capable of carrying herself even without a DPS. However, as a bow user, Ganyu truly shines if you use her for long-ranged attacks as opposed to close-ranged combat as her strength lies in her charged shots.
12. Chongyun (Cryo, 4-Star, Claymore)
Chongyun is yet another capable 4-star character that you will want to build and utilize. He can set up combos, control a crowd, and take damage to pave a way for your DPS to deal the damage. Chongyun might not be built to be a DPS, but he can deal damage like one. So, it’s best to keep him in your team if you don’t have a DPS character like Diluc yet.
How to Obtain Genshin Impact Characters?
Genshin Impact is a gacha game and you can obtain characters through Wishes. Normally, there are three to four banners that you can choose to pull from. These are the Character Banner, Weapon Banner, and the Permanent or Standard Banner. If you’re a new player, you might have four banners up as you will also have a special Beginner Banner that you can use only twice to set you up when you first begin your journey.
Genshin Impact characters are primarily obtained through Wishes using Primogems, Intertwined Fates, and Acquaint Fates. Primogems are obtained whenever you finish quests, open chests, or finish achievements. Intertwined Fates and Acquaint Fates, on the other hand, must be purchased at the shop. They can also be earned as rewards but such is quite rare in the game.
As gacha games are games of luck, you cannot expect to get a 5-star character or weapon on your first pull. Regardless, Genshin Impact is a game where rarity doesn’t matter and should not be a basis for your characters.
Does Rarity Matter?
Yes and no. As far as characters are concerned, rarity should not be an issue. Genshin Impact is a game that heavily relies on how players build their characters so rarity does not matter. A 4-star character can easily overshadow a 5-star character if it is built with the right set of artifacts and equipped with the right weapon.
Artifacts and weapons are where rarity comes in. Some weapons and artifacts are only good if they are 5-star. There are also weapons that best compliment a character, and these are usually 5-star weapons that you can obtain through the weapon banner. You don’t have to use high-rarity weapons as you can easily switch them out with an alternative of lower rarity.
Genshin Impact Characters: How to Build a Team
The most important thing that you have to do in Genshin Impact to progress is to build a capable team. You will be playing the game in teams of four so your characters must be compatible with each other. The great thing about Genshin Impact is that you can build teams and easily switch them out when you feel like there are things that just don’t work. You can customize or tweak your teams as much as you like as long as you feel like it will work for you and your play style.
That said, here are a couple of things to keep in consideration when you’re forming your team.
Character Roles
In any game, learning character roles is best to be able to use them to the fullest. The great thing with Genshin Impact characters is that most of them are flexible enough to be DPS, Support, and Sub-DPS without sacrificing their abilities. Here are some of the roles that you should keep in mind when forming your team:
- DPS
- Enabler/Sub-DPS
- Support
- Healer
Your DPS is your main that you will be working with more frequently in the game. They deal the most damage and are the ones that you should keep in mind when forming reactions or combos. Your Enabler and Sub-DPS, on the other hand, should be the ones to assist your DPS in creating reactions. Utilize your DPS and your Enablers properly so that you can create powerful Elemental Reactions that will help your team get through a fight.
In most games, a Support and a Healer are usually the same but in Genshin Impact, there is quite a difference. The Support character is best used as a utility that will provide crowd control or defensive measures for your party. On the other hand, Healers are there to keep your team alive and while you can use them for combat, they are better kept alive than in the field.
Elemental Reactions
Elemental Reactions are essential in creating massive damage in Genshin Impact. Each character has a corresponding element that they can use in their Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst. The elements are as follows:
- Anemo (Air)
- Pyro (Fire)
- Electro (Electric)
- Geo (Earth)
- Cryo (Ice)
- Hydro (Water)
- Dendro* (Grass)
Elemental Reactions are created when two elements interact with each other to create an effect. You can play around with these elements, so it’s best to have one character of each element in your team to be able to utilize the reactions to the fullest. You will need to hone your skill in creating reactions as in-game combat primarily relies on this mechanic.
Elemental Resonance
Elemental Resonance doesn’t have much effect as Elemental Reactions, but it’s great for setting up defenses or powering up bursts. For this type of team, you’ll need two or more characters who have the same element as this will increase your damage output and energy recharge.
In all, there is no way to correctly build a team in Genshin Impact. It’s all about doing what works best for you and your current set of characters. It’s best to explore different setups and combos to discover which Genshin Impact characters are the best fit for your team.
Genshin Impact Characters: Free-to-Play vs Paid
A big debate in gacha games usually revolves around whether free-to-play (F2P) is inferior to paid characters. But Genshin Impact functions a bit differently when it comes to this.
Is There a Difference?
No. There is no difference when it comes to character skills. For characters, the F2P vs paid only matters in the wishes or gacha as you will be able to summon more characters if you’re a paid player. It’s also easier to guarantee a 5-star if you have more Primogems or Fates on hand but these don’t necessarily affect the character’s skills.
The most that F2P vs Paid makes a difference in is weapons. In Genshin Impact, there is an achievement board that’s called the Battle Pass. F2P players can enjoy the basic rewards of the Battle Pass, but Paid players can choose to unlock the Gnostic Hymn or Gnostic Chorus that will come with additional rewards and Battle Pass exclusive weapons.
You don’t need to purchase anything in Genshin Impact to make a formidable team. Even if you’re a F2P player, you can still make the most out of it by rolling in the Weapon banner or by leveling up or ascending your existing weapons.
Does It Affect Character Performance?
No. As mentioned earlier, the most that Paid players have an advantage on is getting exclusive weapons from the Battle Pass but you don’t necessarily need those weapons to make powerful characters. Ultimately, the most that you will have to worry about when building your characters is the artifacts that you can get while farming in domains but even then, great artifact drops are also not guaranteed. Ultimately, you can enjoy Genshin Impact without having to pay for anything.
Takeaway
When it comes to Genshin Impact characters, there is no right or wrong. Each player can build their characters and teams differently and work with whatever is best for them. Genshin Impact does not have a set standard for teams, and while some characters or builds work best with each other, you don’t necessarily have to use them to make strong characters. Genshin Impact offers players gaming options that they can tweak and customize to make the game better for them. Whether you’re F2P or Paid, what matters most is how you build and take care of your team.
