On September 28, 2020, the fantasy role-playing game Genshin Impact took the world by storm. In a few months, hundreds of thousands of players became invested in the mostly free-to-play game that prides itself in its gacha game mechanics. Do you want that beautiful character in your party? Test your luck and patience in bringing them home- that’s basically Genshin in a nutshell.
If it’s your first time playing a gacha game, there are a lot of factors to consider when wishing for a character, especially if you don’t plan on spending money. Currently, since the Genshin Impact 2.5 update, there are 24 Genshin Impact 5-star characters on the roster, including (Lumine/Aether).
How Did We Rank the Characters?
Ranking these 5-star characters can get a little tricky. If we look at only the character’s aesthetics and base their popularity on people’s preferences, we’ll never find two similar tier lists. However, we can rank the characters based on their power. Even then, there are a lot of varying differences, but we tried our best to offer a beginner tier list below. Our power ranking is taken from a popular Chinese Genshin Impact player known as Usagi Sensei.
We combined a general main DPS, sub-DPS, and support tier list for the ranking below, with Tier SS as the highest and Tier C as the lowest. We did not include character Constellations as this too will alter the order.
Tier List
- Tier C – Characters with restricted combat utility: Traveler
- Tier B – Easily replaceable characters: Qiqi, Aloy
- Tier A – Characters that shine in case specific parties: Klee, Keqing
- Tier S – High performance characters: Yae Miko, Tartaglia, Yoimiya, Diluc, Sangonomiya Kokomi, Shenhe, Jean, Mona
- Tier SS – Core characters that perform above their expectations: Ganyu, Hu Tao, Raiden Shogun, Kamisato Ayaka, Zhongli, Kaedehara Kazuha, Xiao, Arataki Itto, Eula, Venti, Albedo
Who do you think will take the spot in 1st place? Let’s jump right into our Genshin Impact 5-star character ranking!
Tier C
24. Traveler
Element: Anemo, Geo, Electro
Weapon: Sword
The Traveler is just not that relevant as a playable character when compared to other alternatives, including other, more powerful 4-star characters like Xiangling, Lisa, or Kaeya. The Traveler’s Anemo and Geo vision abilities are not the most effective in bringing down destruction upon your enemies, and the resources could be better utilised when the player unlocks Inazuma and Sumeru regions on their maps.
The Traveler is the first 5-star character Genshin Impact players get to play at the start of the game. Players have the option to pick between Lumine and her brother Aether. Who did you select as your starter? Whenever a new region is introduced, the Traveler can change into said region’s element.
They also can switch between elements; they are the only 5-star character with that ability. At the beginning of the game, you play the Traveler with the Anemo vision. Afterwards, you can switch between Anemo, Geo, Electro, and more recently, Dendro. The Traveler is also the only 5-star that everyone can get Constellations for as you progress in the game. For all other 5-stars, you’ll need to spend Primogems to get a copy of the character.
Tier B
23. Aloy
Element: Cryo
Weapon: Bow
Aloy is a collaboration character from the game Horizon Zero Dawn. She’s the first-ever crossover character to make a debut in Genshin Impact. Aloy wields a Cryo vision and fights with a bow. She’s mainly played as a support over a main DPS.
Some of her strengths include converting her Normal ATKs into Cryo and providing ATK buffs to party members while debuffing enemies’ ATK. On the other hand, one major downside of the Horizon Zero Dawn heroine is that she currently has no Constellations.
The character isn’t the most stellar addition to Genshin Impact’s current lineup of 5 stars. The unit feels underwhelming, and does not resonate particularly well with any major team compositions.
22. Qiqi
Element: Cryo
Weapon: Sword
The other character stuck in Tier B is Qiqi, a zombie that works as an apprentice and herb gatherer at Bubu Pharmacy in Liyue Harbor. In Chinese, her name is translated into “Seven-Seven.” The undead pharmacist works under the care of Baizhu.
Qiqi has a Cryo vision and wields a sword. She was first released in the game in September 2020 and never climbed her way up any Tier list. Qiqi is mainly played as a support and provides healing for a party. However, one drawback of her skills is the long cooldowns. It’s also hard to explore Teyvat with her because of her small stature, which makes running and climbing a chore.
21. Keqing
Element: Electro
Weapon: Sword
Moving on to Tier A, we have the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, Keqing. Keqing is a capable young woman with a workaholic side. The Electro 5-star can be played as a Physical DPS or Electro DPS, whichever build, you can expect fast Charged Attacks with high scaling.
Keqing can even teleport with her Elemental Skill that has a low cooldown. However, she’s a more deadly Electro DMG dealer with more Constellations, which is a drawback for those unable to bring the Yuheng home to their party.
Keqing is especially powerful when paired with Dendro-based team comps, but players may not have access to this luxury during their early game stages.
20. Klee
Element: Pyro
Weapon: Catalyst
Although Klee stands in Tier A in terms of power, she definitely sits up top for character cuteness. This Genshin Impact 5-star character is the daughter of the adventurer, Alice. She spends her days with the Knights of Favonius, wreaking havoc with her explosive abilities. Despite all her Pyro madness, it’s hard not to love the adorable personality of the Catalyst user.
Klee can easily set up Pyro Elemental Reactions, thanks to her skills. She can also knock back smaller enemies with her bombs. However, a downside of her playstyle includes a short-range attack which means good positioning in battle is essential.
Her overall kit is slow and clunky to use, although players may not have similar sentiments after unlocking higher constellations for the character, which is a drawback in itself.
Tier S
19. Mona
Element: Hydro
Weapon: Catalyst
The Enigmatic Astrologer Mona is a skilful astrologist with an arrogant personality. Mona controls a Hydro vision and fights with a Catalyst. She has a unique movement style that transforms her into a liquid blob that zips through the ground. Because of this, Mona makes an excellent exploration character. However, power-wise, she’s only at Tier S.
Mona makes a great freeze support because she can proc the wet status quickly and efficiently when paired with a Cryo character. If you use Mona a lot at your party, whether for battles or exploration, you’ll notice that she has a relatively low Base HP and DEF. Her playstyle also relies heavily on elemental reactions for maximum damage output.
But after players figure out the best team comp for her, she is easily one of the best supportive characters in the game, especially when paired with Pyro characters like Diluc, Yoimiya, and Hu Tao whom we will discuss in the upcoming sections.
18. Jean
Element: Anemo
Weapon: Sword
The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Jean, upholds peace in Mondstadt to the best of her abilities. Jean has a strong sense of justice and strives to do her best at all times. The Dandelion Knight has an Anemo vision and wields a sword. She’s commonly played as a sub-DPS and support.
Jean has a useful Elemental Skill that acts as crowd control. She can group up enemies and hurl them in the air; sounds cool, right? However, this ability takes some time to get used to and even more to apply it in battle. In addition, her Normal Attacks and Elemental Burst heal other party members. Even in battle, Jean’s helping those around her. Other than that, her Elemental Burst is great when it comes to supporting Anemo DPS’s like Xiao and The Wanderer.
17. Shenhe
Element: Cryo
Weapon: Polearm
At first glance, Shenhe may seem standoffish and cocky; however, the adepti disciple to the Cloud Retainer is nothing like that. Shenhe spent much of her life deep in Liyue’s mountains away from social interaction. Because of this, she subconsciously distances herself from humans. Shenhe wields a polearm and has a Cryo vision.
In battle, she uses her skills to support mono Cryo parties. She can apply Cryo within a large AoE and provide physical resistance shred. However, non-Cryo teams won’t benefit from Shenhe’s kit, making her less versatile than many support characters. Because of this, it may seem non-sensical pulling for Shenhe just to support powerful Cryo carries like Ganyu, Kamisato Ayaka, and even Rosaria.
16. Sangonomiya Kokomi
Element: Hydro
Weapon: Catalyst
Any party with Sangonomiya Kokomi will never see a red health bar. Although the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island has a lot on her shoulders, she still manages to greet her guests with a warm smile. Kokomi has a Hydro vision and fights with a Catalyst. Her primary role in a party is a healer, undoubtedly one of the best in the game.
When Kokomi first came out, many players didn’t like her kit because she didn’t CRIT. Players who aim for significant DMG on-screen immediately opted out of wishing for the Divine Priestess. Others may find the character’s kit difficult to use, or prefer shields over healers. However, it is hard to deny Kokomi has a very pleasing character design.
On the other hand, Sangonomiya Kokomi is one of the game’s best healers and off-field Hydro appliers, making her well worth pulling for (if you have the expendable income or the freemogems).
15. Diluc
Element: Pyro
Weapon: Claymore
Diluc is the silent protector of Mondstadt and the broody owner of the Dawn Winery. He hails from the affluent Ragnvindr Clan. Diluc is played as a main DPS and has a Pyro vision. He swings a heavy Claymore and fires a majestic phoenix that affects a large area.
Despite owning the Dawn Winery, Diluc is not a heavy drinker. One of the nobleman’s drawbacks is his low ATK speed thanks to him being a heavy-hitting Claymore user. After playing him, you’ll notice a delay in his ATK animation. There’s a way to reset this by sprinting forwards in between ATKs.
The character is one of the best Pyro DPS’s in the game. Being shadowed likes of Hu Tao and Yoimiya do nothing to squander that fact. He can work well with most Cryo and Hydro supports to further increase his Elemental DMG from his Elemental Skill and Burst.
14. Yoimiya
Element: Pyro
Weapon: Bow
The owner of Naganohara Fireworks, Yoimiya, is a cheerful young woman who dedicates her life to bringing smiles to people’s faces. Yoimiya has a Pyro vision and fights with a bow. Her Elemental Burst has a pretty cutscene that perfectly expresses the fire maker’s bubbly personality.
Yoimiya is mainly played as a DPS as she can spam her skills thanks to their low cooldown. She works well with single target enemies and attacks from a safe distance. Her Elemental Burst provides a buff for party members’ ATK, but sadly, it doesn’t apply to herself.
Yoimiya is an excellent on-field auto attacking unit; can proc devastating Elemental reactions and has good resonance with 4-star supports like Xingqiu, and Kaeya.
13. Tartaglia
Element: Hydro
Weapon: Bow
Every week Tartaglia, or Childe, is bullied by countless Genshin players worldwide; poor boy. Despite being the youngest and 11th member of the Fatui Harbingers, Tartaglia doesn’t fall short in strength. He has a playful personality and likes to tease his friends. He’s always looking for something fun to do.
The 11th Harbinger has a unique playstyle as his Elemental Skill lets him switch between Melee to Ranged. Tartaglia shines as a main DPS, but he can also be played as a sub-DPS in certain cases. A downside to his kit is the tricky cooldowns that are longer if not properly managed.
The character is incredibly satisfying to use, and is an integral part of one the strongest teams in the game, consisting of the Harbinger himself, Xiangling, Sucrose/Kaedehara Kazuha, and Bennett.
12. Yae Miko
Element: Electro
Weapon: Catalyst
The Chief Priest of the Narukami Shrine is a cunning and beautiful young woman with a keen eye for detail. Apart from overseeing the affairs at the temple, Yae Miko also works as the editor-in-chief at the Yae Publishing House. She has an Electro vision and wields a Catalyst. If she’s not at Narukami Shrine keeping order, you’ll find her at the Publishing House with her nose in a book.
Yae excels as an offfield sub-DPS with an Elemental Burst that deals immense Electro DMG. Her Elemental Skill has a low cooldown and can even be used to dodge enemies. However, her playstyle can take some time to master and is not for everyone who likes to play with their brains off.
Tier SS
11. Albedo
Element: Geo
Weapon: Sword
Albedo is a synthetic human brought to life by the great alchemist Rhinedottir. He’s the Chief Alchemist and Captain of the Investigation Team of the Knights of Favonius. The young alchemist holds a Geo vision and wields a sword. In battle, he uses his skills to support his teammates.
Kreideprinz, Albedo’s alternate title, is easy to build and doesn’t require much investment. He’s one of the few characters in Genshin Impact that scales off DEF pieces. His skills provide supplementary Geo DMG, making him ideal in parties with another Geo character.
This supplementary DMG is great for disrupting the enemies attack patterns, and can proc tonnes of reactions when used in the right team.
10. Venti
Element: Anemo
Weapon: Bow
Pop open a bottle of wine, and you’ll attract the free-spirited bard Venti. The wine-loving bard houses Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. Venti holds a special place in many Genshin players’ hearts because he was the first 5-star introduced in the game two years ago. Venti sits in Tier SS for power and exploration.
You’ll find that Venti’s Elemental Skill makes exploring Teyvat a walk in the park. In addition, his Elemental Burst is a great crowd control ability that sets up attacks for other party members. The Anemo Archon is as skilful on his bow as he is on his wooden Lyre. However, none of his skills went to his singing.
Venti is an excellent supportive character and doesn’t require too big of an investment to make the character shine in most team comps. He can work well in several meta teams, and is really fun to use in battle regardless.
9. Eula
Element: Cryo
Weapon: Claymore
Hailing from a line of infamous nobles, The Spindrift Knight Eula is considered the physical damage queen. Her main role in any party is the primary damage dealer. Eula swings a Claymore and inflicts Cryo DMG on her opponents.
Much to everyone’s surprise, Eula spends her time working as Captain of the Reconnaissance Company with the Knights of Favonius. Eula shines in dealing AoE Physical DMG and clearing mobs. However, the cooldown between her skills is a bit long.
Eula holds the record for unleashing the strongest burst in the game, dealing around 7 million DMG in a highly idealised scenario. Don’t let that fool you, though; she can do tonnes of DMG regardless of team comps, and is incredibly smooth in play.
8. Arataki Itto
Element: Geo
Weapon: Claymore
The First and Greatest Head of the Arataki Gang is a formidable crimson oni known for his crazy antics and unconventional principles. Arataki Itto has a Geo vision and defeats his enemies with his massive Claymore that doubles in size in battle. A party becomes a lot more enjoyable with the crimson oni in the party.
Itto’s playstyle is as crazy as his personality. With a high Base CRIT Rate, Itto shines as a team’s main DPS. His skills also have a stacking ability that deals more DMG the more stacks you have. On the other hand, one of Itto’s drawbacks is his Elemental Burst’s high Energy cost.
When used in the right team comp featuring Gorou and another Geo character like Albedo or Zhongli, Arataki Itto can become a DMG-dealing machine capable of clearing away swathes of enemies in a single strike.
7. Xiao
Element: Anemo
Weapon: Polearm
Fans of the Yaksha Adeptus Xiao couldn’t help but wish they too could summon the mysterious Adeptus the way the Traveler can. Even Paimon was jealous that Xiao only appeared when the Traveler called. Xiao fights with a polearm and wields an Anemo vision. In his spare time, he likes to relax at the terrace in Wangshu Inn, eating his favorite dish, Sweet Dream.
Xiao has a lot of strengths that make him a fearsome foe in battle. For example, plunging at any height doesn’t deal any damage to Xiao. In addition, his skills are great in close-range and quick-paced battles. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that activating the Adeptus’ Elemental Burst drains his HP.
Ever since his release, Xiao has retained the top spot for being one of the strongest units in the game. His Elemental Burst can clear away hordes of enemies quickly, and even deal massive DMG to tough single target enemies.
6. Kaedehara Kazuha
Element: Anemo
Weapon: Sword
Kaedehara Kazuha is an Anemo sword character whose damage scales off elemental reactions. The more elemental reactions present, the greater the wandering samurai’s damage output will be. Kazuha spends his days reciting poetry onboard Captain Beidou’s, Crux Fleet.
If you have Kazuha in your party, exploration becomes a whole lot easier. The samurai’s Elemental Skill propels him up into the air. You can even use this skill mid glide to gain more leverage. As a powerful sub-DPS, Kazuha is an indispensable unit. Without a homeland, Kazuha travels around Teyvat, lending a helping hand to those in need.
Kaedehara Kazuha, a personal favourite. One of the most powerful, fun, and smooth characters to play alongside in Genshin Impact.
5. Zhongli
Element: Geo
Weapon: Polearm
Who would have thought that Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s consultant was the current vessel of the Geo Archon, Morax? Despite living thousands of years as a deity, Zhongli decided to live as a mortal to experience the world in a whole new light. He is a Geo character that wields a polearm in battle.
Zhongli is a versatile character that can be played as a shield support, burst support, or physical DPS. As a shield support, Zhongli’s shields are undeniably one of the best in the game. His Elemental Burst can even petrify enemies. However, one drawback of Zhongli’s is his low elemental particle generation.
Zhongli’s shield is unparalleled, and that makes him a must-have character in most spiral abyss teams. Alternates include 4-stars like Diona, Layla, and Thoma.
4. Kamisato Ayaka
Element: Cryo
Weapon: Sword
As the eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan of the Yashiro Commission, Ayaka is expected to be a role model to her people. The young lady is beautiful, elegant, and dignified- there’s nothing she can’t do. Ayaka has a Cryo vision and fights with a sword. Her sword animations are quite fluid and fit the image of a graceful warrior.
Ayaka’s role in any party is the main DPS. Her high Base CRIT DMG and powerful Elemental Burst help her fulfil that role. One thing all Ayaka players have learned by now is proper Stamina management. The Shirasagi Himegimi Charged Attacks and unique sprint require timing to use efficiently.
3. Raiden Shogun
Element: Electro
Weapon: Polearm
Way before Raiden Shogun became a playable character in Genshin Impact, theorycrafters and data miners already suspected that the Electro Archon would sit in the highest Tier. Voila, they were correct. Raiden produces a tremendous amount of Energy, making her a powerful Electro DPS and team battery.
Whether she’s as the puppet Raiden Shogun or her true image Ei, the Electro Archon carries herself with utmost dignity. Apart from being the team’s battery, Raiden increases everyone’s Elemental Burst DMG. She has a high Energy Recharge rate which allows players to spam her skills.
2. Hu Tao
Element: Pyro
Weapon: Polearm
The 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is a slightly bizarre young woman who enjoys spooking undead kids. When built correctly and in the right team, Hu Tao deals unimaginable digits that leaves players speechless. Although she doesn’t fair well in AoE attacks, her damage to single targets is tremendous.
Hu Tao wields a Pyro vision and fights with a polearm. She shines only as a main DPS and doesn’t really fit any other roles. Hu Tao has a high Base CRIT DMG, Base HP, and DEF. Similar to Xiao, Hu Tao’s Burst drains a portion of her HP. It’s important to keep track of the Director’s health bar when playing her or else you’ll find her reunited with the spooky beings she adores.
1. Ganyu
Element: Cryo
Weapon: Bow
It will take a lot to dethrone the half-qilin Adeptus Ganyu from her seat in many power ranking Genshin articles. Ganyu is a Cryo bow user that’s able to deal massive damage even without any Constellations. She has multiple AoE skills which make her a versatile character.
Whether she’s played as a melt, freeze, or offfield DPS, Ganyu will leave behind a trail of crazy digits on the screen. Ganyu dedicates her time to the Liyue Qixing as their general secretary. She also has a contract with the Geo Archon Morax. This Genshin Impact 5-star character has a soft personality and never raises her voice.
Conclusion
If you’ve reached this far in the article, here are 50 Primogems as a reward. Tier lists are tricky because of the many factors involved in classification. It doesn’t help that Genshin Impact has multiple roles in battle. We tried our best to offer a beginner tier list that ranks all Genshin Impact 5-star characters accordingly.
What did you think of our power ranking? Do you agree or think someone else should be moved higher up the roster? Let us know down the comments below as we’d love to hear your thoughts!
