Genshin Impact 4.6 character tier list & best characters for all elements

To succeed in Genshin Impact, you'll need to put together a team of great characters that combine different elements to make sure you're getting lots of reactions and status effects in combat. 

Of course, you'll need a dash of luck to get the higher-tier characters - I know I've had trouble getting them in the past - but there are usually enough free rewards going around to at least give you a chance.

If you've got a gap on your team that you're looking to fill, though, this guide will help you decide who to use in the game.

Best Anemo characters

The Anemo element has some powerful DPS units, but it's mostly known for its utility. While you can play someone like Wanderer and shred through enemies, you can easily slot in more supportive units like Kazuha to group enemies together.

On the 4-star side, Sucrose is an easy unit to slot into many teams, with units like Lynette or Heizou being fun, viable options too.

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Wanderer

Wanderer, also known as Scaramouche, is one of the best Anemo characters in the game. His DPS can get pretty huge, and he can generate plenty of elemental reactions to defeat enemies. He's got a unique, fun playstyle too, so he's worth considering for your team.

Kazuha

Kazuha is another excellent Anemo character thanks to his great utility abilities. He can group up enemies with his skill and make them an easy target for DPS. He can also buff your team, provide reactions and more.

Venti

Venti is one of the first 5-star characters to be introduced in the game. Surprisingly, he has managed to stand the test of time and remains one of the most versatile Anemo characters in the game. As the Anemo Archon, you'd expect him to be pretty powerful and he certainly is.

For a more detailed look at Venti's abilities, check out the best builds for Venti. 

Best Genshin Impact Cryo characters

Cryo may not have many top-tier characters right now, but it's still an element with many viable options - especially for Melt teams. Whether it's DPS with Ayaka or Wriothesley or simply healing with Qiqi, many Cryo units can slot into teams nicely. 

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Ganyu

Ganyu is an older character but an absolute beast when played correctly. Her Elemental Burst is huge for Cryo application, and her skill keeps enemies far away to make sure you don't get swarmed.

Ayaka

Ayaka has huge Cryo damage compared to the rest of the roster, making her an excellent choice for a Cryo DPS character. She's not very versatile, but you won't need to use her for any other role - her damage is too high to consider anything else but pure DPS. She'll apply Cryo quickly and efficiently and cut through enemies with ease.

Shenhe

Shenhe fits well on certain team comps as a niche Cryo character. She's not quite on the level of Ganyu or Ayaka, but she's fun to use with her Icy Quill skill and she can tear through enemy resistances. Consider her if you're looking for a specific character like her, as she won't fit in every team.

Best Dendro characters

As the newest element in the game, Dendro was always going to be pretty good after being introduced in Sumeru.

Sure enough, some of the best units in the game are Dendro, like Alhaitham or Nahida. What's more, Hyperbloom teams are some of the best in the game right now, and Dendro is a staple of those teams alongside Hydro and Electro.

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Nahida

Nahida is another amazing Archon, with off-field Dendro damage and helpful buffs for her and her team. She's an excellent pick for your team if you have her, with an awesome Elemental Burst and great reaction generation. Easily slotting into any Hyperbloom team (when Electro hits Dendro Cores created by Hydro/Dendro reactions), you can't go wrong with Nahida as a Dendro pick.

Alhaitham

As far as Dendro DPS goes, Alhaitham is one of the best right now. With the right team behind him, he can truly excel. You need to keep him on the field to get the most out of him, so pair him with characters who can deal damage when off the field to trigger those reactions.

Baizhu

Baizhu is one of the better healers in Genshin Impact. He isn't the best when it comes to Dendro damage, but he more than makes up for that with his heals and shields. It's usually important to have a support on your team and Baizhu will work very well in that role.

Best Electro characters in Genshin Impact

Electro has sometimes struggled to compete with elements like Pyro when it comes to topping tier lists, but there are many excellent Electro units to try out. What's more, units like Kuki Shinobu and Fischl are only 4-stars but can easily compete with some 5-stars out there.

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Raiden

The Electro Archon is definitely one of the best Electro characters in Genshin Impact. She has immense DPS potential and supportive abilities too. You won't regret slotting Raiden Shogun onto your team, even if Electro is one of the weaker elements generally.

Yae Miko

Yae Miko can deal big area-of-effect damage with her skills, and while she might not be as strong as Raiden, she's still one of the better Electro characters you can go for. Absolutely worth considering for your team if you've unlocked her!

Kuki Shinobu

Kuki excels in the sub-DPS role, where she can be used to great effect in Hyperbloom teams. She also has some helpful healing and deals consistent Electro damage even when she's not on the field. This ninja is everything you want from a 4-star character.

Best Geo characters

Geo has sometimes felt like the odd one out when it comes to each of Genshin Impact's elements. It's more focused on defensive abilities, and its reactions are quite a bit different to more standard ones like burning or electrifying.

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Zhongli

Zhongli is unquestionably the best Geo character in Genshin Impact thanks to his incredible shielding. He can protect himself and his team while dishing out solid damage, making him a versatile character and an easy pick for the top of the Geo element. You'll basically be invincible with him on the field, so if you need some protection, he's an amazing character to use.

Navia

Navia is a fun DPS character to use, and she's also one of the better Geo characters in the game. She hits hard and deals huge damage to enemies with skills. You can't go wrong with her as your main DPS, especially if you love her aesthetic - I'm eager to pull her if she returns in a future banner.

Albedo

Albedo excels at zoning enemies and providing DPS off-field. He can leave zones on the battlefield to generate AoE damage, then you can switch to other synergising characters and make the most of his leftover skills with any strong DPS.

Best Hydro characters in Genshin Impact

Hydro has many of the game's best characters, whether it's top DPS characters like Neuvillette or amazing supports like Kokomi. It even has 4-stars that can slot into almost any team, such as Xingqiu, and Barbara is always a great early-game healer for anyone lacking better supports.

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Neuvillette

Neuvillette has to be one of the most impressive-looking characters in the game. He shoots a giant beam of water towards enemies, and he's incredibly fun to play. He's also a top-tier DPS character and an amazing addition to your team if you can pull him - trust me, it's worth it.

Nilou

Nilou isn't always a top character, but on Dendro teams she can really excel. If you've got a Dendro team you can slot Nilou in and make use of her ability to boost the rate you can create Dendro Cores. The more Dendro characters get added, the better Nilou becomes.

Xingqiu

One of the best 4-star options for a long time, Xingqiu is well worth considering for your team. He's a brilliant sub-DPS character who works well with many teams thanks to his skills. His ability to leave Rain Swords on the field allows him to synergise perfectly with other characters through reactions.

Best Pyro characters

Pyro has consistently been at the top when it comes to DPS or sub DPS, and even has one of the game's best supports in Bennett. A good Pyro character can carry you through pretty much everything the game will throw at you, especially if you build a good team around them. The newest character, Arlecchino, is also an easy pick for any team lacking a good main DPS.

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Arlecchino

Arlecchino's damage output makes her one of the very best DPS characters in the game. By activating her skill, switching to other team members to set up, and then switching back before using a charged attack, she will gain immense Bond of Life damage and tear through enemies with Pyro damage.

I was lucky enough to pull her and she's completely unstoppable - just be aware that she can't be healed by other characters during combat, so you need to play smart.

Bennett

Bennett has always been an excellent Pyro support character in Genshin Impact since launch, and he outperforms most other 4-star characters, providing tons of heals and damage boosts to the team. He's a staple of many teams and well worth a spot on your team - there's a reason he's often called a secret 5-star character.

Xiangling

Xiangling can throw out a fiery panda bear to deal damage to enemies near it. This is super helpful because it sticks around when you switch her out, meaning you can combine the panda bear's fire damage with another character's element for big damage! She's an easy character to get and makes for a great early-game option for any player, which boosts her quite a bit in our ratings.

For more guides, check out our Genshin Impact homepage, where you'll find breakdowns of each character's birthday and mail gifts, all the fishing spots, and all of the Shrine of Depths locations.