Genshin Impact tier list: the best characters in the 2.5 update

There are currently 49 Genshin Impact characters available, so there’s no shortage of candidates for your dream team. But with so many different weapon, elementals, talents, ascension bonuses, and constellations upgrades, finding your favourites can be challenging.

In truth, it is difficult to find a truly bad Genshin Impact character. While base stats and elemental abilities are important, the value of a character also depends on personal playstyle, available weapons and artifacts, and team composition. That being said, if your favourite character is in C tier or below, you may struggle to get past some of the more challenging Spiral Abyss floors. Don’t worry too much if your favourite character is on one of the lower tiers; you can still make it work with our recommended Genshin Impact builds.

In general, being on the highest tiers mean that the character is the best in their role, is not too difficult to build, and performs well regardless of teammates. Being on a lower tier means that there are better alternatives, or the character needs a very specific build or team to shine.  Just to note, the characters are not ranked within their own tier, and with that out of the way, let’s take a look at our ranking of characters in our Genshin Impact tier list!

Genshin Impact tier list

SS-Tier

Venti

Bow and Anemo character Venti is arguably the best elemental support in the game. He can use his elemental skill to launch his enemies or himself into the air, while his elemental burst creates a massive Stormeye which draws in all nearby enemies. It also absorbs Pyro, Electro, Hydro, and Cryo elements, which is then converted into 50% extra damage output of that elemental type.

Kazuha

The first Inazuma character to join the game, Kazuha has impressed the Genshin Impact community with his incredible versatility. Using the best Kazuha build, this Anemo Sword character can deal large amounts of damage on his own. If you can put him into a team composition that utilises elemental reactions, the amount of damage you can build up is truly staggering.

Zhongli

After the 1.3 update, Zhongli is finally worthy of his five-star rating. The buffs to both Geo abilities and the Geo elemental resonance have drastically increased Zhongli’s damage output. Not only is Zhongli capable of dealing damage on par with S-tier characters, his Jade Shield ability is highly effective, allowing him to play in a DPS and support hybrid role. Give our Genshin Impact Zhongli build a look to see how much better he is now.

HU TAO

This Polearm and Pyro character can pack quite a punch when set up with the right build. Fans expected another five star Pyro character to be on the same level as Diluc, and while Hu Tao may not be able to deal as much damage through AoE attacks, her damage output against single targets makes her extremely valuable.

Raiden Shogun

When Raiden Shogun first joined the game, she seemed underwhelming at first due to the strength of the Electro element. As players learned how to get the most out of her abilities, Raiden Shogun has shot up in the ranks to become one of the best Genshin Impact characters. Her incredible support build generates an absurd amount of energy, making it very easy for her to slot into a variety of teams.

Eula

Eula is one of the top tier damage dealers in Genshin Impact – she’s able to output a massive amount of physical damage by building up stacks of Grimheart, and unleash huge AoE burst damage with her Lightfall Sword. Her attack speed is faster than most Claymore users, and she can also inflict Cryo for Superconduct elemental reactions, which reduce the enemies’ physical resistance for even more potential damage. Our Eula build guide explains how to get the most out of her as a physical carry.

Bennett

How can a four-star character be in the top tier? Bennett fills the support role in most parties, providing the entire team with a damage boost, heals, and is capable of dealing damage when required. There’s a reason why Bennett has the highest pick rate of all characters in the hardest Spiral Abyss floors – he’s the perfect all-in-one character.

Ganyu

Ganyu and her Bow are the first to rival Diluc’s base attack power. On top of that, she has the unique ability to shoot different kinds of Cryo arrows with just her charged attack, including one with area of effect damage. Together with her powerful AoE elemental abilities, Ganyu can continuously harm and freeze her enemies.

S-Tier

xiao

As the only Anemo character focused purely on DPS, Xiao does a great job of attacking multiple enemies at once with his plunging attacks. He can easily trigger the elemental reaction Swirl with a host of characters, allowing Xiao to slot in with most of the roster. Check out our Genshin Impact Xiao build to see how to get the most out of his elemental skills.

Albedo

Unlike other Geo characters in Genshin Impact, Albedo can continuously trigger highly damage Geo-infused elemental reactions. His elemental abilities create Geo explosions with a large area of effect, and Albedo’s elemental skill has an exceptionally short cooldown time of only four seconds.

Klee

This bombing-expert is blessed with a high base attack, extra ascension Pyro damage, and a Catalyst. As a result, she’s very easy to build for maximum Pyro damage. Check out our Genshin Impact Klee build to find out how. Klee’s main downside is that finding the right range between her and her enemies can be tricky.

Tartaglia

This Hydro character is not just handy with a Bow; by triggering his elemental skill, he can swap his ranged weapon for melee Hydro daggers. Unlike most Hydro characters, Tartaglia is capable of dealing high elemental damage. He can easily set up Hydro/Electro or Hydro/Cryo combo’s as well, making him useful in many ways.

Diluc

Diluc used to be considered one of the best DPS characters thanks to his impressive base attack power and high critical rate. His elemental abilities are capable of dealing devastating Pyro damage, while being perfect for elemental reactions. As if that’s not enough, Diluc’s elemental burst cooldown is 12 seconds and only needs 40 energy. Though he’s still usable on the toughest Spiral Abyss floors, compared to the latest SS-tier characters, Diluc damage output can’t compete against the very best.

Ayaka

The Genshin Impact 2.0 update introduced Ayaka, the Cryo Sword user to the game. A lot of people had high expectations from this character, and it’s fair to say she has met them. While she doesn’t have the same damage output as Diluc or Ganyu, Ayaka can be built in a DPS role, but she can also fulfil the sub-DPS role if necessary. It’s still early to determine where Ayaka will end up permanently, but she’s made a fantastic impression so far.

Mona

Hydro character Mona’s elemental burst can immobilise several enemies at once, potentially freezing them in combination with a Cryo teammate. Furthermore, she can protect your main DPS from taking too much damage by spawning her taunting Phantom. Mona also has a special evasive ability, making this Catalyst-wielder extremely mobile.

Keqing

Keqing features incredibly high base stats which make her stand out against the other characters. This Sword and Electro user ranks among the best in all categories: attack power, HP, and defence. This makes her an amazing melee fighter, but she also has strong Electro abilities. Unfortunately, she doesn’t pair well with other characters as Electro hasn’t been upgraded in some time.

Kokomi

Given the number of characters on the Genshin Impact roster, it’s become difficult for the developers to create a new type of healer that players haven’t seen before. Kokomi is the latest Hydro healer to join the game, and while she failed to impress the community when she first arrived, the meta has shifted to make healers viable once again. Use the best Kokomi support build to get the most out of Kokomi’s excellent healing abilities, allowing you to negate any damage caused by bleed effects.

ITTO

When Arataki Itto was first announced, there was some hesitancy from the Genshin Impact community about how well a Geo DPS character could perform. The Geo element isn’t known for its DPS capabilities, and Itto’s abilities scale based on his defence stats, casting further doubt on his potential. It’s fair to say Itto has shattered all expectations as he can deal huge amounts of damage when paired with the right party members. The only thing stopping Itto from reaching the highest tier is his need for Geo characters – your team needs to revolve entirely around Itto, whereas the very best characters don’t need anywhere near as much support.

A-Tier

Razor

If you don’t have a 5-star main DPS yet, Razor is your next best option. Armed with a Claymore and high attack power, he is one of Genshin Impact’s best melee fighters. His elemental abilities enhance his melee attacks, but are less useful when creating elemental reactions.

Xiangling

She may not do the highest melee damage with just her Polearm, but there’s no denying that Xiangling is one of the best Pyro’s in Genshin Impact. Her elemental skill drops an auto-targeting, fire-breathing teddy bear, while her elemental burst surrounds her with fire for up to ten seconds.

Yanfei

Compared to the four star characters, Yanfei has the joint third highest base attack (tied with Rosaria). Pyro characters usually end up being strong due to elemental reactions, and Yanfei is no exception to this. Our Genshin Impact Yanfei build goes into detail about what artifacts and weapons you should equip to get the best out of this ace attorney.

New threads: Find out which characters have Genshin Impact outfits

ROSARIA

Whether you want to build Rosaria as your main source of damage or as support for your stronger characters, this Cyro-based four-star character excels in several areas. Though Rosaria’s damage output may not match the very best characters, her abilities are incredibly versatile allowing her to slot into a variety of teams. Find out exactly how to create the best Genshin Impact Rosaria build here.

Jean

Jean’s base attack is on the lower side, but her versatility as an Anemo support and healer makes up for it. While she doesn’t truly excel in one particular role, she can carry a team with her combined melee attacks, crowd control abilities, and HP regeneration. Check out our Genshin Impact Jean build guide to find out how to use her in combat.

Fischl

The Prinzessin of Electro damage has the unique ability to spawn Oz, her familiar, on the battlefield. Although Fischl needs some constellation and talent upgrades to maximize Oz’ Electro damage output, this ability has very high potential and is amazing for creating Electro-infused elemental reactions. You can find out how to build the best Genshin Impact Fischl build here.

Barbara

This Hydro Catalyst character may have the lowest base attack of all the Genshin Impact characters, but she is an amazing healer. She can either heal characters one by one using her elemental skill, or heal the entire team at once with her elemental burst. Unfortunately, she also causes the ‘wet’ condition, making her healing unsuitable against Cryo enemies.

Yoimiya

Despite Yomiya’s abilities being based on fireworks, her attacks have very little area of effect damage. As a result, Yoimiya can’t easily run through the hardest parts of Spiral Abyss without huge support from her team – while it can be done, it’s just not optimal to play her this way. There is a chance that the community kicks up a big enough fuss about her that the developers decide to buff her, just like they did with Zhongli. Check out our Yoimiya build to discover how to get the most out of her abilities.

THOMA

Similarly to the rest of the four star characters from Inazuma, Thoma fits a niche role in very specific teams. Using our Thoma shield support build, you can create shields for your team mates that provide non-flinching status each second. Against some of the bigger, slower bosses in Genshin Impact, you can afford to continue your attack animation knowing you won’t get launched into the sky. Unfortunately, Thoma’s shield just aren’t strong enough to compete with the best support characters. That being said, there’s definitely room for Thoma in some Pyro focused parties, but he won’t be as dominant as a five star character like Zhongli.

Yae Miko

Yae Miko is a tricky character to evaluate correctly, especially this early on when players haven’t been able to ascend her talents to the highest level. Currently, if you use our best Yae Miko build to gear her towards the sub DPS role, she can excel providing you also run an Electro battery character. The only issue is that four star alternatives like Beidou and Fischl manage to occupy the same role just as effectively. We could easily see Yae Miko moving up the tiers as time goes on, but right now she’s stuck in A tier.

B-Tier

Sayu

Sayu is an Anemo and claymore user who has the ability to deal damage and also heal party members. As is the case with most four star characters, Sayu struggles to stand out against characters like Ganyu or Diona who are the best in their class. That being said, if you did unlock Sayu and you want to use her, there are certainly team compositions where she could perform very well in. Read our Sayu build guide to see our support and DPS builds for this squirrel warrior.

XINGQIU

Xingqiu’s Sword attacks are just average, and his elemental cooldowns are very long. He is not the most suitable Hydro to apply the wet condition to large enemy hordes. But on the plus side: Xingqiu’s passive skill will heal the current character, which can be very useful in the right team.

Xinyan

Pyro Xinyan has the highest base attack of all four-star characters. However, she also has the misfortune of being equipped with the same weapon and elemental type as the beloved Diluc. Although she is by no means a bad character, she easily gets overshadowed by better Claymore and Pyro characters.

Chongyun

Chongyun is quite good as a Claymore melee, but he truly shines as an area of effect Cryo character. In combination with a good Hydro, he can freeze a lot of enemies at once. Thanks to a mere 12 second cooldown elemental burst, he can freeze, freeze, and freeze again.

Sucrose

Alchemy-enthusiast Sucrose can launch enemies in the air with her elemental skill, dealing Anemo damage in the process. She can also absorb all Pyro, Electro, Hydro, and Cryo elements with her burst, converting it to extra damage output. Sound familiar? Sucrose is basically Venti, but not as good.

Diona

Katzlein Diona is not that useful as a ranged damage dealer, but her Cryo abilities can easily freeze several enemies at once. She can also heal and create protective shields. While Diona is not the best at either of these roles, it makes her a great elemental support for beginner teams.

Quality time: unlock every ending with our Genshin Impact hangout events guide

Kujou Sara

Without any constellation upgrades, Sara is undoubtedly one of the most awkward characters in the game due to her clunky moveset. The best Genshin Impact Sara build centres around her becoming an Electro battery. As a DPS option, Sara struggles to compete with the other four star characters. Sara’s abilities make her perfect in an Electro party, but this element isn’t strong enough to build around. At the bare minimum, try to have at least one additional Electro character in your party to get the most out of Sara.

Gorou

Gorou is the first character designed to support Geo characters first and foremost. As a result, Gorou isn’t the best character simply because he doesn’t work well in many teams. Gorou’s abilities become stronger when you pair him with additional Geo party members, providing huge buffs to characters like Itto, Zhongli, and Albedo. If you’re running a Geo team, Gorou is a must-pick member as he can help your party in ways that no one else can.

Shenhe

As a Cryo support character, Shenhe has been designed to buff other characters off the field, but her abilities primarily affect other Cryo characters. The problem is that strong characters like Ganyu and Eula definitely don’t need any help dealing damage, which means Shenhe is only helpful to lesser used Cryo characters like Chongyun. Shenhe is a complex character, however, that complexity doesn’t mean she has a high skill ceiling. She has the potential to move up in the tier list when additional Cryo characters are released, but right now she struggles to justify her existence. Use our best Genshin Impact Shenhe build to maximise her support potential.

Yun Jin

Characters that wield the Geo element usually have the burden of having to assemble a Geo only team. Yun Jin destroys this notion as she heavily benefits from having a party with different elements – the only stipulation is that you need to use characters that primarily attack using normal hits only. Fortunately, that’s not much of a problem as Yun Jin can get the most out of underused characters like Yoimiya to unleash their true potential. Try out our best Genshin Impact Yun Jin build to see what you need to assemble the strongest version of Yun Jin.

C-Tier

Noelle

Noelle is an extremely defensive Geo Claymore character. She is most useful for early-game players thanks to her shield and healing ability. While her healing ability is weak, it can do the job in absence of a better healer.

Lisa

This librarian’s AoE Electro powers are great for starting players. She has a higher base attack than the other three starting characters, she has area of effect attacks, and it’s easy to maximize her Electro damage output thanks to her Catalyst. Still, she will be surpassed by others once you get more Wishes.

Kaeya

Sword-wielder Kaeya can fulfil the role of main DPS for beginning Genshin Impact players, but he should be replaced as soon as possible. His ascension stats may give him a higher energy recharge, but Kaeya’s elemental abilities are not nearly as useful as those of other Cryo’s.

Related: the best Genshin Impact characters for beginners

Traveler

Traveler’s biggest asset is the unique ability to change their elemental type. If your team really needs an Anemo, Geo, or Electro element, Traveler can help you out. The Traveler’s normal sword attacks are not very damaging, but can easily fit in any team thanks to their ability to swap elements at will.

Ningguang

This Catalyst character has a rather unique shield ability that can be used to shape the battlefield; just place a massive Geo wall wherever you want, and stop incoming enemy hordes in the process. The new 1.3 update granted Geo characters a much-needed damage boost, so there’s a chance Ningguang might be placed higher as time goes on. Check out our Genshin Impact Ningguang build to learn how to play as this Geo DPS dealer.

Beidou

Beidou is a complicated character to build. Most other Claymore characters have a much higher base damage output, and Beidou’s elemental abilities only become powerful if her constellation level reaches four. In other words, it can take ages before Beidou reaches her potential, while there are easier and better alternatives available (looking at you, Razor!).

Qiqi

Let’s start with the best thing about Cryo Sword-fighter Qiqi: not only does she have very high attack stats, she has healing abilities that scale off that same attack power. In other words, she is a great damage dealer and healer in one. Unfortunately, the current meta has no place for healers which means Qiqi’s effectiveness in the later Spiral Abyss floors drops off significantly.

Aloy

The community wasn’t expecting a lot from Genshin Impact’s first crossover character as free characters usually don’t perform well. Aloy appears to be an exception to this as she is an excellent sub DPS option in the correct teams. The machine hunter is being held back by her lack of constellations, though there is a chance these could be introduced at a later date alongside Aloy’s story quest.

D-Tier

Amber

Where to start? Amber’s elemental skill has a long cooldown, very low damage output, and scales with her HP. Triggering the explosion manually takes ages. Her elemental burst and normal attack are nothing special either. Use her for puzzles and exploration only.

Now it’s time to choose and build the characters you like best from our Genshin Impact tier list, or check out all the potential new Genshin Impact characters, including Yae Miko, who will be joining the game in the 2.5 update. You can learn more about Yae Miko’s ascension materials and her best build and team comp in our latest guides. In the meantime, here are some Genshin Impact codes for free primogems.

Original article by Marloes Valentina Stella.