We’ve all been there. Staring at the character event banner, a handful of carefully saved Primogems in our digital pockets, asking the one question that echoes across all of Teyvat: “Is this character worth it?” You scroll through Reddit, watch a dozen YouTube videos, and look at so many charts your eyes start to blur. One person’s god tier unit is another’s benchwarmer. It’s confusing, and sometimes, it feels like you need a degree in advanced elemental theory just to keep up.
This isn’t going to be one of those guides.
Forget the spreadsheets and the overly complicated jargon. This is your definitive, no-nonsense guide to the Genshin Impact best characters tier list, written by players, for players. We’re not just going to throw a list of names at you and call it a day. We’re going to break down why certain characters define the meta, how to build teams that feel incredible to play, and what makes a unit truly powerful in the game’s toughest challenges. Whether you’re a day one veteran planning for the future or a new traveler trying to navigate your first Spiral Abyss, this guide is your new best friend. Let’s build something powerful together.
Table of Contents
Anatomy of a Team: The Fundamentals of Power
Before we dive into the rankings, it’s crucial to understand a core truth of Genshin Impact: the best characters don’t exist in a vacuum. The true magic happens in the synergy between four units working together. Understanding the fundamental roles and mechanics is what separates a good team from a great one.
Every balanced team is built on four pillars, with characters taking on specific roles.
The Main DPS (On-Field Carry) is the star of the show, the character who spends the most time on the field dealing the majority of the team’s damage. Think of heavy hitters like Arlecchino or Neuvillette. This role can be a “Hypercarry,” who receives all the team’s buffs, or a “Driver,” who enables off-field characters by triggering elemental reactions.
Next is the Sub-DPS (Off-Field Damage Dealer). These are the unsung heroes who contribute a massive amount of damage with their Elemental Skills or Bursts while they aren’t even on the field. Characters like Furina, Xiangling, and Xingqiu are the backbone of modern teams, keeping the damage flowing even after you swap them out.
The broadest category is the Support role. These characters make the team better, safer, and stronger. This includes Buffers like Bennett, who boosts Attack, or Kazuha, who increases elemental damage. It also includes Healers like Kokomi and Baizhu, who keep your team alive , and Shielders like Zhongli, who provides an unbreakable barrier against enemy attacks.
The most valuable characters often master “Role Compression,” meaning they can do multiple jobs at once. Bennett is a prime example, acting as both a top tier healer and the game’s best Attack buffer. Raiden Shogun can be a Main DPS while also recharging the entire team’s energy. This quality is a key factor in what makes a character truly elite.
All of this is powered by Genshin’s combat engine: Elemental Reactions. From the simple damage multipliers of Vaporize (Pyro and Hydro) and Melt (Pyro and Cryo) to the game changing potential of Dendro reactions like Hyperbloom and Spread, your team’s power is directly tied to how well they can combine elements. The meta has shifted over time from characters with high raw damage to those who can enable these powerful reactions consistently. The goal is to build a “reactive” team, not just a team with one strong character.
The Genshin Impact Best Characters Tier List (Version 5.7)
Now that we have the fundamentals down, let’s get to the list. This ranking is based on a few key criteria: a character’s raw power in their main role, their versatility across different teams, how much investment they need to shine, and their relevance in the game’s hardest content, the Spiral Abyss.
Here is the complete character tier list for a quick overview. Following the table, we’ll dive into a detailed analysis of each tier.
| Tier | Character | Rarity | Element | Weapon | Primary Role(s) | Key Notes |
| S+ | Arlecchino | 5-Star | Pyro | Polearm | Main DPS | Extremely high damage, unique Bond of Life mechanic |
| Bennett | 4-Star | Pyro | Sword | Support, Healer | Best ATK buffer in the game, excellent healing, unmatched role compression | |
| Furina | 5-Star | Hydro | Sword | Sub-DPS, Support | Universal damage buffer, fantastic off field damage, meta definer | |
| Kaedehara Kazuha | 5-Star | Anemo | Sword | Support, Sub-DPS | Excellent grouping, elemental damage buffing, enemy resistance shred | |
| Mavuika | 5-Star | Pyro | Claymore | Main DPS, Sub-DPS | Pyro Archon, massive AoE damage, high versatility | |
| Nahida | 5-Star | Dendro | Catalyst | Sub-DPS, Support | Best Dendro applicator, core of all Dendro teams | |
| Neuvillette | 5-Star | Hydro | Catalyst | Main DPS | Hypercarry with extremely high and sustained personal damage | |
| Skirk | 5-Star | Cryo | Sword | Main DPS | Highest raw damage among Cryo characters, team dependent | |
| Xingqiu | 4-Star | Hydro | Sword | Sub-DPS, Support | Unmatched off-field Hydro application, damage reduction, interruption resistance | |
| Zhongli | 5-Star | Geo | Polearm | Support (Shielder) | Strongest shield in the game, universal resistance shred, crowd control | |
| S | Alhaitham | 5-Star | Dendro | Sword | Main DPS | Powerful driver for Quicken/Spread teams |
| Chasca | 5-Star | Anemo | Bow | Main DPS | Anemo DPS with unique mechanics | |
| Fischl | 4-Star | Electro | Bow | Sub-DPS | Excellent single target Electro application, fantastic energy generation (especially at C6) | |
| Kamisato Ayaka | 5-Star | Cryo | Sword | Main DPS | High burst damage on her Elemental Burst, best in Freeze teams | |
| Mualani | 5-Star | Hydro | Catalyst | Main DPS | Hydro DPS focused on elemental reactions | |
| Navia | 5-Star | Geo | Claymore | Main DPS | High burst damage via the Crystallize reaction | |
| Raiden Shogun | 5-Star | Electro | Polearm | Main DPS, Sub-DPS | High burst damage, energy restoration for the entire team | |
| Varesa | 5-Star | Catalyst | Claymore | Main DPS | Electro DPS with high potential in Aggravate teams | |
| Xiangling | 4-Star | Pyro | Polearm | Sub-DPS | Incredible AoE Pyro damage from off field, no ICD on her Burst | |
| Yelan | 5-Star | Hydro | Bow | Sub-DPS | Very high off-field damage, damage buff for the active character | |
| Yae Miko | 5-Star | Electro | Catalyst | Sub-DPS | Consistent off-field Electro damage, great for Aggravate teams | |
| A | Chevreuse | 4-Star | Pyro | Polearm | Support | Core of Overloaded teams, providing resistance shred and ATK buffs |
| Chiori | 5-Star | Geo | Sword | Sub-DPS | Strong off-field Geo damage, especially alongside other Geo constructs | |
| Cyno | 5-Star | Electro | Polearm | Main DPS | Aggravate hypercarry with a long on-field time requirement | |
| Emilie | 5-Star | Dendro | Polearm | Sub-DPS | Dendro Sub-DPS focused on the Burning reaction | |
| Ganyu | 5-Star | Cryo | Bow | Main DPS | High damage via charged attacks, flexible in both Melt and Freeze teams | |
| Hu Tao | 5-Star | Pyro | Polearm | Main DPS | High burst single target damage, requires HP management | |
| Kuki Shinobu | 4-Star | Electro | Sword | Healer, Support | Best Hyperbloom trigger, provides healing and consistent Electro application | |
| Sucrose | 4-Star | Anemo | Catalyst | Support | Excellent crowd control, buffs team’s Elemental Mastery | |
| Tartaglia (Childe) | 5-Star | Hydro | Bow | Main DPS (Driver) | Very fast AoE Hydro application, best driver for Xiangling | |
| Venti | 5-Star | Anemo | Bow | Support | Strongest crowd control against lightweight enemies | |
| Wanderer | 5-Star | Anemo | Catalyst | Main DPS | Anemo hypercarry with flight and high mobility | |
| Xianyun | 5-Star | Anemo | Catalyst | Support, Healer | Enables Plunging Attacks for the whole team, team wide healing | |
| B | Arataki Itto | 5-Star | Geo | Claymore | Main DPS | Geo hypercarry heavily reliant on a Mono Geo team |
| Baizhu | 5-Star | Dendro | Catalyst | Healer, Support | Consistent healing and shielding, buffs Dendro reactions | |
| Beidou | 4-Star | Electro | Claymore | Sub-DPS | High AoE damage against two or more enemies, high energy needs | |
| Diluc | 5-Star | Pyro | Claymore | Main DPS | Consistent DPS but has been outclassed by newer options | |
| Eula | 5-Star | Cryo | Claymore | Main DPS | Highest single instance of Physical damage, requires careful team building | |
| Gaming | 4-Star | Pyro | Claymore | Main DPS | Strong Plunging Attack DPS, especially with Xianyun | |
| Keqing | 5-Star | Electro | Sword | Main DPS | Fast paced DPS in Aggravate teams | |
| Sethos | 4-Star | Electro | Bow | Main DPS | DPS focused on charged attacks and Electro reactions | |
| Tighnari | 5-Star | Dendro | Bow | Main DPS | Quick burst damage in Spread teams | |
| Wriothesley | 5-Star | Cryo | Catalyst | Main DPS | Cryo DPS focused on Normal Attacks, great for Melt teams | |
| Yoimiya | 5-Star | Pyro | Bow | Main DPS | Very strong single-target damage, weak against groups of enemies | |
| C | Dehya | 5-Star | Pyro | Claymore | Support | Damage mitigation and interruption resistance, but with weak mechanics |
| Dori | 4-Star | Electro | Claymore | Healer, Support | Healing and energy restoration, but better options exist | |
| Klee | 5-Star | Pyro | Catalyst | Main DPS | High AoE damage but with clunky mechanics and high vulnerability | |
| Mika | 4-Star | Cryo | Polearm | Support | Specialized buffer for Physical damage | |
| Qiqi | 5-Star | Cryo | Sword | Healer | Very high healing but offers no other utility | |
| Razor | 4-Star | Electro | Claymore | Main DPS | Strong Physical DPS in the early game, but falls off later | |
| D | Aloy | 5-Star | Cryo | Bow | Main DPS | Weak kit, no Constellations |
| Dahlia | 4-Star | Hydro | Sword | Support | Weak mechanics, easily replaced by other options | |
| Traveler (Geo) | 5-Star | Geo | Sword | Sub-DPS | Moderate damage, Geo constructs can obstruct movement |
Remember, this is a guide, not a strict rulebook. A character’s value is also tied to the team you put them in.
S+ Tier: The Meta-Definers
These are the absolute pillars of Genshin Impact. They are the best at what they do, so powerful and flexible that they often define entire team archetypes all by themselves. Investing in these characters is almost always a safe bet for long term account power. The gods of the meta include: Arlecchino, Bennett, Furina, Kaedehara Kazuha, Mavuika, Nahida, Neuvillette, Skirk, Xingqiu, and Zhongli. These units offer unparalleled power, whether it’s through Bennett’s massive attack buff, Furina’s team wide damage amplification, Nahida’s unrivaled Dendro application, or Zhongli’s impenetrable shield. Four star heroes like Bennett and Xingqiu stand proudly beside the most powerful five stars, proving their immense value.
S Tier: The Top-Tier Powerhouses
Characters in this tier are phenomenal and often best in slot for their specific teams, though they might be slightly less universally applicable than the S+ tier. They are absolute powerhouses who can clear any content with ease. This tier is home to titans like: Alhaitham, Chasca, Fischl, Kamisato Ayaka, Mualani, Navia, Raiden Shogun, Varesa, Xiangling, Yelan, and Yae Miko. This includes characters like Raiden Shogun, who combines burst damage with team wide energy restoration; Yelan, who provides incredible off-field damage and a damage buff; and Xiangling, the queen of off-field Pyro damage.
A Tier: Excellent and High Value
The A-tier is filled with fantastic characters who are incredibly effective but might be slightly overshadowed by S-tier options or require more specific teams to truly shine. Many of the game’s best and most essential four stars live in this tier, making it a place of high value. Here you’ll find reliable powerhouses like: Chevreuse, Chiori, Cyno, Emilie, Ganyu, Hu Tao, Kuki Shinobu, Sucrose, Tartaglia (Childe), Venti, Wanderer, and Xianyun. This includes Kuki Shinobu, the premier trigger for Hyperbloom teams; Sucrose, an amazing F2P alternative to Kazuha for grouping and buffing; and Hu Tao, a single target nuker with massive damage potential.
B Tier: Solid and Capable
These are reliable characters who get the job done and can absolutely clear all of the game’s content with proper investment. They are often solid choices but may have been surpassed by newer characters or have more defined limitations. This tier includes characters like: Arataki Itto, Baizhu, Beidou, Diluc, Eula, Gaming, Keqing, Sethos, Tighnari, Wriothesley, and Yoimiya. For example, Yoimiya is a monster against single bosses but struggles with groups of enemies. Classic characters like Diluc and Keqing are still perfectly viable, especially with Dendro reactions, but face stiff competition from newer DPS units.
C and D Tiers: Niche or Outclassed
Characters in these tiers typically have significant limitations, clunky mechanics, or have been directly power crept by newer additions. While any character can be made viable with enough love and extreme investment, these units are generally not recommended for players looking to optimize for the meta. This includes characters like Dehya, whose kit has some defensive utility but is mechanically awkward, and Aloy, who suffers from a weak kit and no access to Constellations.
A Closer Look at the Gods of the Meta
What makes an S+ character so special? Let’s take a closer look at a few of them to understand the design behind their power.
Furina, the Hydro Archon, is a master of role compression. She is a top-tier Sub-DPS and a universally powerful Support. Her Elemental Skill summons companions that attack enemies while draining the team’s HP. This synergizes perfectly with her Elemental Burst, which converts that HP fluctuation into a massive damage bonus for the entire party. This unique mechanic single handedly made team wide healers essential and redefined the meta upon her release.
Nahida, the Dendro Archon, is the undisputed core of nearly every Dendro based team. Her power comes from her Elemental Skill, which can mark up to eight enemies at once. When you trigger a reaction on any marked enemy, they all take coordinated Dendro damage. This makes applying Dendro for reactions like Hyperbloom, Spread, and Burgeon incredibly consistent and easy, solidifying her as an essential pull for modern Genshin.
Kaedehara Kazuha is the premier Anemo support for a reason. He does three things perfectly: he groups enemies with his skill, he shreds their elemental resistance by using the Viridescent Venerer artifact set, and most importantly, he gives the entire team a huge elemental damage bonus based on his own Elemental Mastery. This combination of crowd control and massive buffing makes him an irreplaceable slot in for countless top tier teams.
Bennett, the “unlucky” adventurer from Mondstadt, remains one of the most powerful characters in the game, despite being a 4-star. His power is simple and overwhelming. His Elemental Burst creates a field that provides a massive Attack buff based on his own Base ATK and also heals the active character at an incredible speed. This combination of offense and defense is so powerful that he is a staple in Hypercarry teams and the famous “National Team” archetype.
Raiden Shogun, the Electro Archon, is a complete package. Her Elemental Skill provides consistent off-field Electro damage and buffs the team’s Burst damage. But her true power is her own Elemental Burst, where she unleashes a flurry of devastating Electro attacks that also restore a huge amount of energy to her entire team. This ability to be both a nuke and a battery makes her the engine of some of the game’s most powerful teams, like the Raiden National team.
The Specialists and F2P Cornerstones
Power in Genshin isn’t just about universal strength. Some of the most interesting characters are “specialists” who enable entirely new ways to play, or accessible 4-stars who provide immense value.
Characters like Nilou and Alhaitham are perfect examples of specialists. Nilou’s entire kit revolves around changing the standard Dendro Bloom reaction into instant exploding Bountiful Cores, but this requires her team to be made up of only Hydro and Dendro characters. She is utterly dominant in this niche. Alhaitham is arguably the best on-field driver for Spread teams, enabling off-field Electro characters while dealing massive damage himself, but he’s less flexible outside of that archetype.
For every player, especially those not spending money, knowing the strongest 4-stars is key. Beyond Bennett and Xingqiu, units like Fischl, Sucrose, and Kuki Shinobu are incredible investments. Fischl provides some of the best single target off-field Electro application and energy generation in the game.
Sucrose is a fantastic Anemo unit who can group enemies and share her Elemental Mastery with the team, making her a powerhouse in reaction based teams. And Kuki Shinobu has become the most comfortable and reliable way to trigger the immensely powerful Hyperbloom reaction, thanks to her consistent, wide ranging Elemental Skill that also heals.
Looking Ahead: The Ever-Evolving Meta
A tier list is a snapshot in time. The meta is always shifting with new characters and content. Version 5.7 introduces Skirk, a Cryo Main DPS with an extremely high damage ceiling. However, her power is explicitly designed to be dependent on other premium 5-star characters. This signals a design trend where new characters might be created to synergize directly with existing top tiers, making team composition even more deliberate.
Looking even further ahead, leaks and rumors suggest developers are looking to revitalize older reactions. Just as Chevreuse made Overloaded teams meta viable , a rumored future character named Ineffa is expected to do the same for Electro Charged teams. This shows that even characters or playstyles that seem weak now could become top tier with the release of a single new support unit, so it’s always smart to keep an open mind.
Your Adventure, Your Rules
This guide is a tool, designed to help you understand the meta, optimize your resources, and conquer the toughest challenges Genshin Impact throws at you. But at the end of the day, Genshin is a PvE game about exploration, story, and enjoying the journey.
This tier list is a roadmap, not a set of laws. As has been proven time and again, with enough investment, dedication, and love, you can make almost any character shine and clear all the content in the game. The most powerful team you can build is one filled with characters you genuinely love to play. So use this guide to make informed decisions, but never let it stop you from pulling for the character whose design captivates you or whose story resonates with you. That’s where the real fun is.
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