Genshin Impact's latest Version 1.3 "All That Glitters" update introduced new weapons and the Anemo user Xiao, but the newest addition to the roster is the Pyro user Hu Tao. After much anticipation towards her release, Hu Tao has become very popular among Genshin Impact fans. Hu Tao does have a cute design and fun personality, and she joins the already powerful team of Pyro users. Now that there are new additions to the world of Teyvat, it's time to re-evaluate everyone's rankings.
Tier lists aren't always the final word on which characters are valuable. The Genshin Impact meta is always changing, and any character can become great if enough resources are poured into them. That said, there are definitely characters that start with stronger foundations than others. Some kits are more well-rounded than others, as well.
S Tier
Hu Tao has already proven herself to be a powerful fighter and earned a place in the top tier. Hu Tao's unique kit is HP-focused; her Elemental Burst boosts her damage and her health regeneration once her health drops below 50%. The 50% HP mark also boosts Pyro damage through one of her passive talents. Players who invest in her HP and ATK stats will have a great DPS main for their team. While her Elemental Burst has a large AOE, she hits hardest on single targets.
Xiao is another powerful newcomer, filling out the still sparse roster of polearm users. Xiao currently holds the highest base attack, beating out Diluc and Ganyu. He's an extremely agile Anemo user, and his Elemental Skill allows him to plow through enemies in his way. His Elemental Burst significantly boosts his jumping ability, as well as his attack AOE and damage. One of his passive talents will increase damage by 5% for every 3 seconds the Elemental Bursts lasts. His kit is centered around moving fast and hitting hard, which makes him very valuable.
Diluc has defended his place in the top tier of characters for a long time, thanks to his heavy-hitting Pyro abilities and high base attack. Diluc can wipe out multiple enemies with ease, making him very satisfying to play. He's a very valuable DPS character, but his status as a 5-star makes him difficult to pull through Wishes. Players who do have him should invest in Ascensions to make him shine even more.
Venti is another popular 5-star character who has long held his place in the top tier. Venti's upward mobility is extremely useful, and his AOE attacks that can trap enemies make battles a breeze. Players who manage to pull Venti will immediately benefit from his skills, and he is a very powerful asset to have on a team. His admirable power fits his lore as the Archon of Wind.
Tartaglia, also known as Childe, is a flexible fighter with both melee and ranged stances. Childe can unleash massive amounts of AOE damage, making him a useful asset against crowds of enemies. In order to him to really shine, players should make sure he's equipped with Hydro damage artifacts. The Heart of Depth artifact set works best.
Ganyu shares the second place for base attack with Diluc, and she's the hardest-hitting Cryo character currently in the game. Her Elemental Skill taunts enemies, drawing them closer into her AOE attack. Players who use Ganyu, however, should practice dodging and strafing as she can be left vulnerable without proper attention.
A Tier
Zhongli was finally buffed in Version 1.3 after his controversial introduction. At his release, many fans found him underwhelming and a weak support DPS. The buff changes this, increasing his damage output and powering up his shields. Characters protected by his Jade Shield will decrease Elemental and Physical RES of nearby enemies by 20%. The Stone Stele deals AOE Geo damage while it's up. Zhongli's new kit proves the best offense is a good defense.
Bennett may not be a tough DPS character, but his abilities make him a great support. His Elemental Burst creates an Inspiration Field, which will regenerate health for other characters and grant attack bonuses. He works best with other Pyro characters on the team, but he can also work well with other elements to set up effects like Vaporize.
Klee's explosive Pyro abilities are great AOE damage, but AOE is all her attacks can do. While her damage output is not to be underestimated, she's not as versatile as other Pyro fighters. She can be left vulnerable to enemies, so players should pay close attention to her defense.
Mona can deal great Hydro damage, especially with her Elemental Burst. She can be a great support character on a team, but she does require a lot of investment in raising her stats to bring her to full power.
Xingqiu is a versatile support character who can rain consistent Hydro damage onto enemies, heal, and reduce damage taken for other characters through his Elemental Skill. Xingqiu works best along hard-hitting DPS characters, not necessarily staying on the field himself for a long time.
Qiqi is the best healer in the game, and she works best with that as her dedicated role. She can heal other characters as she attacks, and her Elemental Burst will allow allies to regenerate HP as they deal out damage. When paired with strong DPS characters, Qiqi is a very valuable asset to have.
Ningguang is a hard hitter just through her basic attack combo, and her Elemental Skill provides good defense. However, her Geo damage is lacking, which is a problem with Geo in general.
B Tier
Fischl is a common pull, which works to her benefit as her Constellation boosts her damage output. Fischl is a decent support, but other characters are more reliable in terms of damage and versatility.
Razor is a very heavy hitter, but he relies much more on physical damage rather than elemental damage. His Elemental Burst does use both, but Electro in general doesn't lend very well to later-game fights.
Keqing is another Electro character who falls behind. Electro isn't as powerful compared to other Visions, but Keqing makes up for it by being a jack of all trades. Her kit allows her a lot of versatility, so she can fit nearly any role needed on a team if there aren't characters already dedicated in a spot.
Xinyan can put out good amounts of Pyro damage and support her allies with shields. Xinyan is a bit of a mix between support and DPS, so other characters will likely fill her place on a team. When she is on the team, however, she is solid.
Albedo is a strong swordfighter who can easily swap in and out as a secondary DPS. His shields are solid and he deals good damage, but Geo's underwhelming qualities as an element prevent him from really excelling.
Sucrose works well as an alternative to Venti for players who haven't pulled him yet. She can deal good Anemo AOE damage and launch enemies with her Elemental Burst. Her passive talents and Constellations make her a great support, but she does require a lot of investment.
C Tier
The Traveler is unique in that they can switch between Anemo and Geo, but their kit is a bit generic and other characters can fill their spot in more satisfying ways. When the Traveler has more Visions to pick from, their playstyle is likely to become a lot more exciting.
Diona is inconsistent as a healer, even though she does have useful shields. In terms of a Cryo-based healer, Qiqi is the better choice. Other characters can handle shields in her place.
Chongyun is a decent Cryo fighter in the early game, but he soon gets outclassed by other characters. Without his Constellations, he simply can't keep up with others' damage output.
Xiangling is another character who is fun and satisfying to play as in the early game, but doesn't quite match up to other characters. Her Pyro and physical damage fall behind in the later game, and there's no shortage of tough Pyro characters who can take her place.
Jean can fill many roles, and she's certainly a useful asset on a team. However, she doesn't have many opportunities to really shine and other characters can fill DPS or support in more satisfying ways. There are stronger Anemo characters who provide more utility.
Beidou is fun to play as, and she can deal good Electro damage. However, her kit doesn't quite stack up to other characters. She requires very precise timing, which is a tough investment that not every player will want to put in.
Barbara is a decent healer, especially considering that she was given out for free. She works best in that dedicated role, but other characters who are more versatile may take her place. Her Elemental Skill applying Hydro to allies can often harm more than it helps.
D Tier
Kaeya may be a popular character among fans, but he unfortunately isn't very strong compared to other Cryo characters. His elemental burst makes him useful for players when first starting out, but once players pull other Cryo characters, he gets outclassed fast. Those who are dedicated to him can work on his constellation and feed him resources, but it would take a significant investment.
Lisa is another free character who is useful when introduced, thanks to her Electro abilities that can take out crowds. It's hard for her to earn her spot on a team later in the game, however. Other Catalyst and Electro users are faster and hit harder.
Amber is a popular character and practically one of Genshin Impact's mascots, but she's sadly not very powerful. Her fiery arrows are useful for puzzles and when players need an accurate Pyro hit, but nearly every other Pyro character vastly outshines her in damage output. Perhaps a buff may help her out in the future, but for now, she doesn't quite fit on a team.
Noelle doesn't exactly excel in any role on a team. The Geo characters in general tend to suffer from low utility, and Noelle gets the worst of it. She's an okay tank, but not to the point that she should be chosen over other characters.
Genshin Impact is now available on mobile, PC, and PS4, with a PS5 and Switch version in development.