Wondering who the best Genshin Impact characters are, this Genshin Impact tier list will do just that. This open-world RPG presents a myriad of potential character options, each with a variety of skills and capabilities. But while there’s no such thing as a bad character in Genshin Impact, some are certainly more useful than others, especially depending on who you already have, and whether you have any constellations unlocked.

As a PvE game, you can easily play through Genshin Impact with the free characters you unlock through normal progression, and even build them to be powerful in their own right, considering so much depends on artifacts and weapons, too.

But if you want to complete end-game content like the Spiral Abyss, you'll need a couple of decent teams, and that's why it's useful to know which characters are worth investing in for potential roles and utility. The best weapons can make all the difference as well.

Genshin Impact Tier List - Best Characters for June 2022

S-Tier Characters

Yelan

Allegedly working for the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Yelan runs a Liyue teahouse where her operations take place. She is a master of disguise and lives sporadically, so no one can pin her down.

Noted for her skill as a sub-DPS, Yelan's attacks hit hard with a Hydro punch. Hyrdo reactions are key here, with Cryo and Pyro users to inflict Freeze or Vaporise.

  • Rarity: 5-Star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Hydro

Ayato

Ayato is the older brother of Ayaka, and head of the Kamisato Clan under the Yashiro Commission.

His attacks become infused when his Elemental Hydro skill is used, which increases AoE damage. He is regarded as a very good Hydro DPS and can be easily slotted into many different teams.

  • Rarity: 5-Star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Hydro

Yae Miko

Yae Miko looks after Grand Narukami Shrine, located on Mount Yougou. She also owns Yae Publishing House, adding more skills to her out-of-battle portfolio. In terms of her fighting, she is very useful. Her Electro Elemental skill comes with a quick cooldown, allowing even more DPS. However, her impressive Elemental burst comes with a high cost but is worth it for the power it packs.

  • Rarity: 5-Star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Electro

Arataki Itto

An Oni troublemaker and head of the Arataki gang, Itto is a strong Geo damage-dealer who can utilise special charged Arataki Kesagiri slashes and his Raging Oni-king state to infuse his weapon with Geo and blaze away at enemies.

  • Rarity: 5-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Geo

Hu Tao

This young girl is the director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Her fighting style is all about trading HP, as her elemental skill consumes health to grant Pyro infusion and an attack boost, while her elemental burst regenerates HP with a Pyro AoE attack.

  • Rarity: 5-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Pyro

Zhongli

The Geo Archon, Rex Lapis, is one of Genshin Impact's tankiest characters, using his Dominus Lapidis skill to create shields that scale on his max HP. But Zhongli is also good at inflicting AoE Geo damage with his stone stele, as well as his burst, Planet Befall.

  • Rarity: 5-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Geo

Venti

This bard may look harmless, but Venti is actually the Anemo archon, Barbatos, and is one of the best enablers of elemental reactions in the game. Their burst, Grand Wind's Ode, sucks enemies into an AoE Anemo vortex that absorbs any other element to create powerful reactions. Venti's skill, Skyward Sonnet, is also a great tool for exploration, as the wind lifts them into the air.

  • Rarity: 5-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Anemo

Xiao

This Adepti known as 'The Conqueror of Demons' is a great Anemo damage-dealer who is all about mobility. Xiao's Lemiscatic Wind Cycling skill lets him dash through enemies, even in midair, while his burst, Bane of All Evil, increases his jump height and AoE damage, letting him spam plunging attacks.

  • Rarity: 5-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Anemo

Bennett

Despite his catastrophic bad luck, Bennett is a cheerful adventurer and one of Genshin Impact's best support characters. This is mainly due to his burst, Fantastic Voyage, which provides AoE healing and a hefty attack boost, meaning he can keep characters topped off while also letting them strike back at enemies.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Pyro

Ayaka

This daughter of Inazuma's Kamisato clan is a strong Cryo damage-dealer. Like Mona, she has an alternate sprint that infuses her sword with Cryo every time she uses it, meaning she can easily activate Freeze reactions when paired with a Hydro character. Her burst, Soumetsu, is also extremely strong against slow-moving single entities, creating an icy vortex that deals continuous damage.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Cryo

Eula

The Spindrift Knight is the strongest Physical damage dealer in Genshin Impact. Eula's burst, Glacial Illumination, summons a Lightfall Sword that charges based on how many enemies she damages, and then explodes, dealing Physical damage. As a Cryo claymore character, Eula is also a decent pick for causing Shattered reactions.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Cryo

Raiden Shogun

As the Electro archon of Inazuma, the Raiden Shogun is the ultimate battery. As other characters use their elemental bursts, Raiden's Chakra Desiderata gains Resolve stacks that strengthen her own burst, Musou Shinetsu. When using this burst, she grants energy to other members of the party, allowing her to fuel other characters' bursts, which in turn strengthens hers.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Electro

Xingqiu

Another great four-star support character, Xingqiu likes reading more than fighting, but when he does fight, his abilities are especially powerful. His skill, Fatal Rainscreen, surrounds your character with damage-reducing rain swords that heal when you're hit, while his burst, Raincutter, follows up attacks with bolts of Hydro – perfect for activating elemental reactions.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Hydro

Ganyu

Often considered to be Genshin's best damage-dealer, Ganyu's strength lies in her suite of abilities that deal AoE Cryo damage. Her Trail of the Qilin skill spawns an Ice Lotus that draws enemy aggro, causing Cryo damage, while also allowing Ganyu to punish these enemies at range with her charged AoE Frostflake Arrows.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Cryo

Kazuha

Like Xiao, this ronin is another Anemo character who enjoys plunging attacks. Kazuha's skill, Chihayaburu, lifts him into the air, allowing him to perform a powerful falling AoE attack. As with Venti's whirlwind, his burst, Kazuha Slash, is also great for elemental absorption and causing powerful reactions.

A-Tier Characters

Shenhe

This exorcist and master of adeptal arts is a great Cryo support, granting Icy Quills to other characters in the party when she uses her Elemental Skill, boosting Cryo damage for a set number of attacks. Once she unlocks her Spirit Communion Seal passive, she can also buff elemental skills and bursts, or normal attacks, depending on how she uses it.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Cryo

Yun Jin

An opera singer and dancer, Yun Jin is a specialised Geo support character for normal attacks, boosting their damage with the Flying Cloud Flag Formation she gets from her burst. Like Beidou, she can also use her elemental skill to briefly shield and parry opponents, dealing Geo damage with a powerful slash.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Geo

Gorou

This canine general is best used as a support character, strengthening his party with banner buffs based on the number of Geo characters you're using. These element-specific support abilities allow him to supercharge Geo parties and add a lot of value.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Geo

Kokomi

As the high priestess of Watatsumi island, Kokomi is a powerful Hydro healer who can also summon damage-dealing Bake-Kurage jellyfish in order to combo elemental reactions with other party members.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Hydro

Diluc

As Genshin's original damage-dealer, Diluc is still a great Pyro character who benefits from a three-hit elemental skill and a powerful Pyro AoE burst. He also owns a vineyard.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Pyro

Tartaglia

This Fatui Harbinger is one of Genshin's more unique characters and uses his elemental skill to switch from a default ranged stance to melee, as he summons two Hydro swords. This stance changes his entire moveset and even alters the effect of his elemental burst.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Hydro

Jean

Along with Diona, the Dandelion Knight is one of Genshin's most versatile healers. This is because the amount she heals from her burst, and from attacking enemies, scales with her attack, allowing her to deal some damage and still offer decent healing.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Anemo

Albedo

The Chief Alchemist of the Knights Favonius is a decent source of AoE Geo damage and can even create a Geo construct that raises characters above enemies. Like Ningguang, this ability to summon a construct makes him a good pairing for Zhongli.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Geo

Klee

Though just a little girl, Klee is an explosives expert who is great at using her bombs to trigger Pyro elemental reactions. Her charged attacks, in particular, are very powerful.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Pyro

Mona

As with Ayaka, this astrologer has an alternate sprint where she turns into water and can inflict Hydro status on enemies. Her Mirror Reflection of Doom also kites enemies, making it useful for elemental reactions, while her burst applies Omens that massively increase her damage.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Hydro

Fischl

Though her burst is a little tricky to use, Fischl's Nightrider skill makes her one of the best characters for causing Electro elemental reactions, as she summons her night raven, Oz, to fire electric bolts at enemies.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Electro

Qiqi

This young zombie is on a quest to find coconut milk, but in the meantime, she seems more than happy to help out in battle. Qiqi isn't hugely versatile, but she is one of the game's best healers, regenerating HP as she deals damage.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Cryo

Diona

This feline barmaid is a versatile support character, offering both healing and a shield with excellent Cryo damage absorption. As she's an archer, she can also keep her distance from enemies, peppering them with charged Cryo arrows.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Cryo

Barbara

Mondstadt's idol is the go-to Genshin healer. She may be free, but she's really good at what she does, offering a healing burst, and an elemental skill that heals when she hits enemies. Her C6 is also one of the most useful healer constellations, allowing her to revive a character to full health, and as she's a four-star, you actually have a chance of getting it.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Hydro

Yanfei

Many consider this Liyue lawyer to be a discount version of Klee. This is because of her Pyro catalyst, and her Scarlet Seals that strengthen charged attacks, meaning she benefits from a lot of the same kit that Klee does.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Pyro

Sucrose

Like Venti, this alchemist's apprentice is ideally used as a support character, facilitating elemental damage using the Swirl reaction and her strong Anemo abilities that suck in enemies and objects.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Anemo

Xiangling

Considering she's a free character, Xiangling is an excellent sub-DPS. Her Guoba Attack and Pyronado both remain active when she's not the character on the field, meaning she's the perfect toolkit for causing Pyro elemental reactions.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Pyro

B-Tier Characters

Thoma

This caretaker for the Kamisato clan is a decent support, creating stackable shields with his elemental skill, and refreshing them whenever he hits someone in his burst state. While in this state, his attacks are also followed up with Scorching Ooyoroi that deal Pyro damage, making him useful for elemental reactions.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Pyro

Ningguang

Though she's the ideal partner for Zhongli due to his Stone Stele Geo-construct resonating with her Jade Screen, Ningguang can provide a lot of utility by herself, including shields, homing elemental attacks, and a decent bit of damage.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Geo

Beidou

This claymore-wielding pirate captain has a powerful burst and a pretty unique playstyle that centres around parrying. If she holds her shield skill and releases it at the exact moment an enemy hits her, she unleashes an AoE Electro slash that deals hefty damage.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Electro

Chongyun

In comparison to his Cryo compatriots such as Ganyu, Eula, Ayaka, and Diona, this four-star exorcist is more than a little lacklustre. Still, as with most Genshin Impact characters, in the right team combo he can perform well and provide a steady source of Freeze and Shatter reactions.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Cryo

Sara

Though this general of the Tenryou commission seems powerful on paper, her overly fiddly Crowfeather attack boosts make her a second-best support character to the likes of Bennett. She can still be powerful, though, and the idea of having ambush-based abilities is a cool character concept.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Electro

Noelle

As Genshin's go-to tank, Noelle is probably the most useful character you get for free, providing pre-Barbara early game healing and shields. As her burst's attack boost and skill's healing both scale with her defence stat, she can also be an effective damage-dealer.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Geo

Razor

As a less fiddly and rare character, this wolf boy is generally favoured over Keqing as an Electro damage-dealer. Like Diluc, he's also straightforward to use, with a simple damage-based elemental skill and burst.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Electro

Rosaria

As one of the best four-star polearm characters, Rosaria provides great Physical damage, and her Shadow Samaritan passive means she can also boost Crit rate for other damage-dealers in the party.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Polearm
  • Element: Cryo

Keqing

Though sometimes considered to be one of Genshin's weaker five stars, Keqing offers speedier attacks, Electro-infusion, and like Xiao, a playstyle focused on mobility. Her Stellar Restoration skill and its fast cooldown allow her to quickly jump between foes dealing Electro damage.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Electro

Sayu

This Claymore-carrying ninja is a fun character, but like Sara, her playstyle can be quite tricky to master. Still, if you enjoy rolling around as an Anemo ball of death, she can be a great source of Swirl reactions and healing.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Anemo

Yoimiya

Though Yoimiya isn't half as bad as many players made her out to be, she can seem a little lackluster as a five-star due to her skill's long cooldown, and her low base health. However, she is the only archer who provides Pyro infusion, which pairs amazingly well with Fischl or the Raiden Shogun's elemental skill for reactions.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Pyro

Traveler (Electro)

As the newest elemental variant, it's unsurprising that the Electro Traveler is the best. Once we venture to Sumeru, it's likely that the Dendro variant will be even better, as well as the Cryo variant in Snezhnaya, and the Pyro variant in Natlan.

  • Rarity: Five-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Electro

C-Tier Characters

Kaeya

This Knights of Favonius cavalry captain is a good source of early-game Cryo, but he can't help but appear a little underwhelming in the face of top-tier Cryo characters like Ganyu, Eula, and Ayaka. Still, with nurturing and support he can be a valuable member of your squad.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Sword
  • Element: Cryo

Lisa

Though she's a fun character, similar to Kaeya, she doesn't offer anywhere near the same utility as other characters of her rarity and element, such as Fishcl or Razor. Still, she is the first catalyst character you get, which makes her a decent early-game source of elemental reactions.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Catalyst
  • Element: Electro

Xinyan

Liyue Harbor's rockstar has one of the best character designs and aesthetics in the game, but through no fault of her own, has fallen a little behind in terms of damage-dealers. It's still a role she can perform, though, and she makes a great Physical DPS support for a character like Eula due to her shield's passive effect.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Claymore
  • Element: Pyro

Amber

This outrider knight has a great decoy ability to kite enemies, and her charged shots are useful if you need the element for melting ice, exploding a barrel, or completing a puzzle. Unfortunately, though, her burst can feel pretty weak in comparison to many other Pyro characters.

  • Rarity: Four-star
  • Weapon: Bow
  • Element: Pyro

How To Get Genshin Impact Characters

Genshin Impact is, first and foremost, a gacha game. You want to obtain Genshin Impact characters to get access to different strategies and more team combinations, and all that involves premium currency, a bit of luck, and a pity system that will act as an aid for unlucky players.

The gacha system that comes in the form of Wishes presents various banners that can be chosen to pull for different characters. You have a standard banner called Wanderlust Invocation, and two Event Banners that rotate with new characters and weapons every two or three weeks. Here's how the pity system works for those banners:

  • After nine wishes without a four-star item, the tenth wish is guaranteed to award a four-star.
  • If you pulled 89 wishes without a five-star item, the 90th wish is guaranteed to award a five-star. From the 75th wish, the chance of pulling a five-star will increase progressively until the 90th wish.
  • On the weapon Event Banner, after 79 wishes without a five-star weapon, the 80th wish is guaranteed to award a five-star. From the 65th wish, the chance of pulling a five-star will increase progressively until the 80th wish.

If you want to check the drop rates and see a deeper explanation of the factors behind those drop rates, you can check out our Genshin Impact Wishes guide.

Free Genshin Impact Characters

There are a number of characters who you can get in Genshin Impact for free by completing progress milestones. Here's who you can collect:

  • Amber: Joins your party as you reach Mondstadt for the first time
  • Noelle: Use your free starting wishes on the beginner banner for her guaranteed drop
  • Kaeya: Finish prologue quest 'Crash Course'
  • Lisa: Finish prologue quest 'Sparks Amongst the Pages'
  • Barbara: Finish 'Song of the Dragon and Freedom' quest
  • Xiangling: Finish floor three, chamber three in the Spiral Abyss

You can also earn characters through seasonal events, as with the Thunder Sojourn event for Beidou in Genshin Impact 2.0, so it's worth keeping an eye on what character events are coming up in each version.

  • Freebie alert: Our Genshin Impact codes list

And that's it for our Genshin Impact characters tier list. Now you can decide which characters to prioritise when building the best possible party. While you're here, why not give some of our other Genshin guides a look? We have lists for both Zhongli materials and Ganyu materials so you can prep for their rerun.

An earlier version of this guide was written by Santiago Leguiza.

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