Genshin Impact Best Characters: Top DPS, Supports, Healers, and Free-to-Play Picks

Genshin Impact has a huge collection of playable characters, and choosing the right ones can make a big difference to your team. Some characters deal massive damage, others make your entire party stronger, and a few can keep everyone alive during difficult fights.

But having a five-star character does not automatically mean you have the best team. The right combination of abilities, Elemental Reactions, and support skills often matters more than rarity alone.

In this guide, we look at some of the best Genshin Impact characters, what makes them useful, and which options are worth building if you are still growing your account.

Genshin Impact Best Characters Tier List

The following table gives you a quick overview of several strong characters and their main uses. These are practical recommendations rather than a strict ranking of every character in the game.

The best choice depends on your available characters and the team you want to build. A powerful damage dealer may need a specific support to reach their full potential, while a flexible support can improve several different teams.

Best Main DPS Characters in Genshin Impact

Main DPS characters spend most of their time on the field dealing damage. If you want to build a team around one character, these are some of the strongest options to consider.

1. Neuvillette

Element: Hydro

Weapon: Catalyst

Neuvillette is an excellent choice for players who want a powerful damage dealer without relying on complicated attack combinations. His Charged Attack fires a powerful stream of Hydro damage that can hit multiple enemies in its path.

One of his biggest advantages is that he can restore his own HP through his combat mechanics. This gives him more independence than many other damage dealers and can make him comfortable to use during exploration and challenging battles.

Neuvillette works well with characters who provide buffs, resistance reduction, and protection. His Hydro application also gives teams opportunities to trigger useful Elemental Reactions.

Best for: Players who want a strong on-field damage dealer with good area coverage and a relatively straightforward playstyle.

2. Mavuika

Element: Pyro

Weapon: Claymore

Mavuika is a strong offensive character who can deal significant Pyro damage. Her kit offers flexible damage options, allowing her to serve as the main damage dealer or contribute through a more rotation-based team.

She benefits from teammates who help prepare Elemental Reactions and provide offensive buffs. Vaporize and Melt teams are particularly useful ways to build around Pyro damage.

Mavuika can also be a good option for players who enjoy aggressive combat and want a character capable of delivering powerful attacks during important damage windows.

Best for: Players looking for a high-damage Pyro character who can serve as the centerpiece of an offensive team.

3. Arlecchino

Element: Pyro

Weapon: Polearm

Arlecchino is another powerful Pyro damage dealer, especially for players who prefer staying on the field and maintaining pressure on enemies.

Her Bond of Life mechanic plays an important part in her damage rotation. Instead of depending entirely on her Elemental Burst, she can deliver strong damage through her Normal Attacks and other combat abilities.

She works well with supports who increase her damage and help her trigger Elemental Reactions. However, players should understand her healing limitations: ordinary healing from teammates does not work on her in the usual way during combat, so managing her own recovery mechanics is important.

Best for: Players who prefer sustained damage and enjoy an aggressive playstyle.

4. Alhaitham

Element: Dendro

Weapon: Sword

Alhaitham is a strong choice for players interested in Dendro-based teams. His damage relies on managing his abilities and maintaining the right conditions for his attacks.

He works particularly well in teams built around Dendro reactions, including Spread and Hyperbloom compositions. His Elemental application helps create opportunities for consistent reaction damage.

Unlike some characters who can be played with very simple rotations, Alhaitham requires a little more attention to his mirrors and ability timing. Once you understand his mechanics, he can become a valuable part of a reaction-focused team.

Best for: Players who enjoy reaction-based combat and want a Dendro character who can handle the main DPS role.

Best Support Characters in Genshin Impact

Supports can make a good team much stronger. They provide buffs, reduce enemy resistance, group enemies together, or apply elements while another character remains on the field.

In many situations, investing in a strong support can improve your overall damage more than replacing your main DPS with a different character.

1. Furina

Element: Hydro

Weapon: Sword

Furina is one of the most flexible support options because she combines off-field damage with a powerful team-wide damage bonus.

Her Elemental Skill allows her companions to attack enemies while she remains off the field. Her Elemental Burst provides a damage bonus that increases as the team gains or loses HP and generates Fanfare points.

A team-wide healer is particularly useful when playing Furina because her abilities can drain party members' HP. Healing helps manage this drawback and supports her buffing mechanics.

Furina can fit into many teams, although the best results depend on how well her HP mechanics and elemental application work with the rest of the party.

Best for: Players who want a support that contributes both damage and offensive buffs.

2. Kaedehara Kazuha

Element: Anemo

Weapon: Sword

Kazuha is useful when you want to increase elemental damage and manage groups of enemies more easily.

His abilities can pull enemies together, making it easier for your team to hit several targets at once. He can also increase the party's damage for elements he Swirls and reduce enemy resistance when equipped with the Viridescent Venerer artifact set.

Kazuha is particularly effective in teams that focus on Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo damage. His value comes from improving the performance of other characters rather than relying entirely on personal damage.

Best for: Players who want better crowd control and stronger elemental damage.

3. Xilonen

Element: Geo

Weapon: Sword

Xilonen offers several useful support abilities in one character. She can reduce enemy resistance to supported elements and provide healing, helping the team deal more damage while staying alive.

She is especially useful in teams built around elements such as Pyro, Hydro, Electro, and Cryo. Her support abilities can help a main DPS perform better without requiring her to remain on the field for long periods.

Her exact value depends on the team composition, but she is worth considering if you want a support who can contribute to both offense and survival.

Best for: Players who want resistance reduction and healing in one team slot.

4. Nahida

Element: Dendro

Weapon: Catalyst

Nahida is an important character for many Dendro reaction teams. Her abilities help apply Dendro to multiple enemies, making it easier to build teams around reactions such as Bloom, Hyperbloom, and Spread.

She can contribute damage while off the field, allowing your other characters to remain active. This is particularly useful when your team needs consistent Dendro application without constantly switching back to its support.

Nahida works especially well alongside Hydro and Electro characters in reaction-focused teams.

Best for: Players who want to build around Dendro reactions and consistent elemental application.

Best Healers and Defensive Characters

A strong team needs more than damage. Healing, shields, and damage reduction can help you survive difficult encounters and avoid losing valuable time to repeated knockouts.

Bennett

Element: Pyro

Bennett remains a useful four-star character because his Elemental Burst provides healing and a substantial attack bonus to eligible characters within its area.

This makes him a strong choice for many attack-scaling damage dealers, particularly those who benefit from Pyro-related reactions.

His abilities are relatively easy to understand, and he does not need to stay on the field for long to provide most of his support.

Why build him? He combines healing and offensive support in a single character.

Kuki Shinobu

Element: Electro

Kuki Shinobu is particularly valuable in Hyperbloom teams. Her Elemental Skill provides healing while applying Electro around the active character, helping trigger the reaction when Dendro Cores are present.

For Hyperbloom, building her with Elemental Mastery and investing in her character level are important because the reaction's damage depends heavily on the level and Elemental Mastery of the character triggering it.

She is a practical choice for players who want a character who can contribute to both survival and reaction damage.

Why build her? She provides reliable healing and works well as an Electro trigger in Hyperbloom teams.

Zhongli

Element: Geo

Zhongli is a strong defensive option thanks to his durable shield. A well-built shield can reduce interruptions and make it easier for your main DPS to complete attack rotations.

His shield also reduces nearby enemies' resistance to several damage types, providing an offensive benefit alongside protection.

Zhongli is particularly helpful for players who find difficult fights challenging or use characters who prefer uninterrupted attacks.

Why build him? He offers excellent protection and makes many teams more comfortable to play.

Jean

Element: Anemo

Jean is a flexible healer who can restore the team's HP while contributing Anemo damage. She can also use the Viridescent Venerer artifact set to reduce enemy resistance when triggering Swirl.

Her healing makes her useful in teams that need more survivability, and her Anemo abilities provide additional utility.

Why build her? She offers healing and elemental support without requiring a dedicated damage-dealer slot.

Best Four-Star Characters for Free-to-Play Players

You do not need a collection of limited five-star characters to build a useful team. Several four-star units offer powerful abilities that remain relevant even as your account grows.

These characters are useful because they can contribute without taking up too much field time. This allows your main DPS to stay active while the rest of the team provides damage, buffs, or healing.

1. The National Team

Recommended team: Xiangling + Bennett + Xingqiu + Sucrose

The National Team is a popular option because its characters complement one another rather than depending on one expensive five-star unit.

Bennett provides an attack buff and healing. Xiangling deals Pyro damage with her Elemental Burst, while Xingqiu applies Hydro and helps enable repeated Vaporize reactions. Sucrose can group enemies and provide additional reaction support.

This team rewards good energy management and ability timing. It can be an excellent option if you have these characters available and want a team that can handle a variety of combat situations.

2. The Hyperbloom Team

Recommended team: Dendro Traveler + Xingqiu + Kuki Shinobu + a flexible fourth character

Hyperbloom is a good starting point for players who want a reaction-focused team without needing an expensive main DPS.

Dendro and Hydro create Dendro Cores. Kuki Shinobu then applies Electro to trigger Hyperbloom, turning those cores into homing attacks against enemies.

The fourth slot can be used for another support, a character who provides extra elemental application, or someone who helps with survival.

This team does not require the usual heavy investment in ATK and CRIT for Kuki's Hyperbloom damage. Her level and Elemental Mastery are more important for the reaction itself.

3. The Overloaded Team

Recommended team: Xiangling + Bennett + Fischl + Chevreuse

This combination focuses on Overloaded reactions, which occur when Pyro and Electro interact.

Chevreuse provides specialized support for teams that meet her Pyro and Electro composition requirements. She can reduce enemy resistance and provide offensive buffs, while Bennett contributes healing and another attack boost.

Fischl supplies off-field Electro damage, and Xiangling provides additional Pyro damage.

This team is worth considering if you enjoy frequent elemental reactions and already have the required characters.

4. The Sucrose Taser Team

Recommended team: Sucrose + Xingqiu + Beidou + Fischl

This team uses Hydro and Electro together to trigger Electro-Charged reactions. Sucrose can repeatedly trigger Swirl, while Xingqiu, Beidou, and Fischl contribute damage from their abilities.

It can perform well against groups of enemies and offers useful defensive effects through Xingqiu and Beidou.

The setup is also a good example of why four-star characters should not be ignored. When their abilities work together, they can form a capable team without relying on a limited five-star carry.

How to Choose the Right Characters for Your Account

Before spending Primogems or using valuable upgrade materials, consider what your account actually needs.

If you need a main DPS: Start by choosing a character whose playstyle you enjoy. Neuvillette, Mavuika, and Arlecchino are strong options to consider, but their ideal teams are different.

If your damage is too low: Check your supports before replacing your main DPS. Furina, Kazuha, Xilonen, and Bennett can improve team performance when their abilities fit the composition.

If you keep losing fights: Consider adding a healer or shield character. Kuki Shinobu, Bennett, Jean, and Zhongli offer different ways to improve survival.

If you are free-to-play: Prioritize useful four-star characters and teams built around reliable Elemental Reactions. You can make progress without collecting every limited five-star character.

If you want to clear endgame content: Build teams around the enemies, elemental requirements, and mechanics of the challenge. A character who performs extremely well in one encounter may be less useful in another.

Are Five-Star Characters Always Better Than Four-Star Characters?

No. Five-star characters often have powerful abilities, but rarity alone does not determine how useful a character will be.

Bennett, Xingqiu, Xiangling, Sucrose, Fischl, and Kuki Shinobu can all play important roles in strong teams. Some four-star characters also provide specific abilities that are difficult to replace.

For example, Kuki Shinobu is particularly useful for triggering Hyperbloom while healing the party. Bennett combines an attack buff with healing, while Xingqiu provides Hydro application and defensive utility.

A well-built team with strong elemental synergy can perform better than a group of five-star characters who do not work well together.