5.3 Character Meta Tier List

This is a tier list of all Genshin Impact characters (a.k.a. units) that are periodically featured on limited banners. The placement of each unit is based on their perceived value and effectiveness in typical endgame content – see the brief explanations of each tier and character below the tier list. 5-stars are assumed to be C0, while 4-stars are assumed to be C6.

These are the best units in the game. Most strong teams will include at least one of them.

Bennett (off-field Pyro): a staple buffer and healer for most ATK-based carries.

Chevreuse (off-field Pyro): the cornerstone support for Overload teams.

Citlali (off-field Cryo): cornerstone support for Forward Melt teams, also the best shielder for C0 Neuvillette and Chasca.

Fischl (off-field Electro): The best all-purpose Electro dps, Fischl is a staple for Aggravate and Overload teams. Her frequent hits are helpful against Void shields*.

Furina (off-field Hydro): Arguably a "must-pull", Furina is a top contender for nearly any team that deals talent damage and has a healer to counteract her HP-drain.

Gaming (on-field Pyro): plunge-attack Vape/Melt dps with a high damage cieling that makes him the best 4-star on-field carry at C6.

Kazuha, Lan Yan, Sucrose (off-field Anemo): Many teams want an Anemo unit who can use the Viridescent Venerer artifact set. These are the best ones.

Mavuika (Pyro): best Pyro dps and best on-field dps.

Mualani (on-field Hydro): a high-effort Vape dps with one of the highest damage cielings in the game.

Nahida (Dendro): the best Dendro applier and EM-buffer. Her Hyperbloom team with Xingqiu, Kuki, and Yelan/Fischl is fairly easy to build and is very useful in this meta.

Neuvillette (on-field Hydro): does almost as much damage as Mualani while being more consistent and comfortable to play.

Xilonen (off-field Geo): Like Kazuha, Xilonen shreds enemy resistances and buffs the team's DMG%. She has no grouping but provides healing to the on-field unit.

Yelan (off-field Hydro): provides frequent*, normal-attack-driven hydro application and damage along with a DMG% buff for the on-field unit.

*In recent months, the Abyss has often featured Void/elemental shields and/or a certain boss that requires a bow user. Bow users that hit frequently (like Fischl and Yelan) are very helpful for making teams that can deal with these restrictions.

These units are versatile and reasonably competitive in the current meta.

Alhaitham (on-field Dendro): competitive Quickbloom dps.

Clorinde (on-field Electro): excels in Aggravate, Overload, and Electro-charged teams, especially if you can avoid getting interrupted during her short uptime.

Cyno (on-field Electro): excellent Quickbloom carry with Furina, Ororon, and Baizhu.

Emilie (Dendro): With her signature weapon and C6 Bennett, Emilie can deal excellent on-field damage. She also does great off field in a team with Pyro application.

Faruzan (off-field Anemo): C6 Faruzan is a crucial teammate for Xiao and Wanderer.

Kuki (off-field Electro): Her ability to trigger Hyperbloom from off-field while healing the on-field unit makes her important for many Hyperbloom and Quickbloom teams.

Lyney (on-field Pyro): a high-damage but high-effort archer.

Navia (on-field/quickswap Geo): best Geo dps, can frontload damage with her skill.

Noelle (on-field Geo): very comfortable unit to play with Furina in a Hydro/Geo team. See my guide for Noelle.

Ororon (off-field Electro): excels in teams with Electro and Hydro or Natlan units.

Raiden (Electro): A good driver with a lot of utility in her kit, Raiden is also the best off-field Electro applier for Hyperbloom teams that don't need Kuki's healing.

Wanderer and Xiao (on-field Anemos): excellent with C6 Faruzan. Wanderer teams are good at crowd control, while Xiao's team with Xianyun is great in single-target.

Wriothesly (on-field Cryo): best cryo dps/driver.

Xiangling (off-field Pyro): fastest off-field Pyro applier.

Xianyun (off-field Anemo): required for most plunge teams, great healer for Furina.

Xingqiu (off-field Hydro): best off-field hydro applier, assuming you can drive his burst with normal attacks. He does less damage than Yelan but provides defensive utility.

These units can be strong in the right team and situation.

Ayaka, Shenhe (Cryo units): good against Freezeable enemies.

Baizhu (Dendro): As a healer, Baizhu has lost much of his relevance to Xilonen but is still desireable for Cyno mains. He can also be a good driver for Hyperbloom.

Beidou (off-field Electro): good against pairs of enemies, provides defensive utility.

Charlotte (off-field Cryo): good healer to pair with Furina and make Freeze teams.

Chasca (on-field Anemo): very good single-target Anemo dps who doesn't need Faruzan. Unfortunately, her performance plummets when facing multiple enemies.

Chiori (off-field Geo): strong in teams with a Geo construct.

Hutao (on-field Pyro): strong single-target dps who doesn't need Bennett.

Kinich (on-field Dendro): very strong single-target dps.

Kirara (off-field Dendro): shielder for Aggravate or Nilou teams.

Kokomi (Hydro): healer for Nilou or Ayaka-Shenhe teams.

Kujou Sara (off-field Electro): buffer for Clorinde or Raiden.

Nilou, Collei (Nilou Bloom units): Nilou's teams with Hydro and Dendro units are strong in most AoE situations. This is also the main use-case for Collei.

Thoma (off-field Pyro): good shielder for Wanderer, Mualani, or Chevreuse teams.

Venti (off-field Anemo): strong against groupable enemies.

Yae Miko (Electro): A strong off-fielder for Spread and Overload teams, Yae Miko is also decent on field in Aggravate or Quickbloom teams.

Zhongli (off-field Geo): Though his shield is strong, Zhongli usually represents a trade of potential team damage for comfort. He is a great counter to enemy Geo shields.

These 4-star and standard-banner units are decent alternatives to premium units.

Barbara (Hydro): a free substitute for Kokomi.

Candace (off-field Hydro): works in Nilou Bloom, Mualani Vape (before C6), and Arlecchino Vape (at C6).

Diluc (on-field Pyro): best used with Xianyun as an alternative to C6 Gaming.

Diona (off-field Cryo): alternative to Xianyun for Gaming Melt.

Sayu (on-field Anemo): decent 4th unit for the Bennett+Xiangling+Furina core.

Dehya (off-field Pyro): decent Pyro applier and defensive unit for Kinich or Clorinde.

Dori (on-field Electro): At C6, she is a decent Hyperbloom trigger and healer, particularly in a Quickbloom team with Furina, Nahida, and Fischl.

Jean (off-field Anemo): accessible healer to pair with Furina and use the VV set.

Kachina (off-field Geo): free Natlan unit who can use the Cinder City artifact set.

Keqing, Sethos (on-field Electros): acceptable drivers for Aggravate or Electro-charged teams.

Layla, Lynette: 4-star options for Wanderer+Faruzan+Bennett.

Mona (off-field Hydro): provides a strong but brief DMG buff, good for Vape teams.

Ningguang (on-field Geo): Ningguang does well with Xilonen+Furina+Bennett, making her a reasonable alternative to Navia.

Rosaria (off-field Cryo): 4-star option for Melt teams.

Tighnari (quickswap Dendro): A popular answer to certain annoying bosses, Tighnari is an accessible alternative to the best Dendro carries, Alhaitham and Kinich.

Yao Yao (Dendro): an alternative to Baizhu, good healer for Aggravate or Nilou Bloom.

Yun Jin (off-field Geo): 4-star option for normal attackers.

These units either compare unfavorably to similar ones or have kits that don't function well in typical endgame content.

Albedo, Gorou, Itto (mono-Geo units): mainly used in off-meta triple- or full-Geo teams which cannot use C0 Xilonen as a support.

Arlecchino (on-field Pyro): Arlecchino is an extremely powerful dps, but she wants the same team as Mavuika and isn't as good. Thus, her pull value is basically zero.

Ayato (Hydro): obsolete in comparison to Kokomi and Neuvillette.

Childe (on-field Hydro): compares unfavorably to newer units like Mualani.

Chongyun (off-field Cryo): provides a Cryo infusion and cooldown reduction at C2+. Unfortunately, these benefits are not currently relevant.

Eula, Freminet, Mika (Cryo/physical units): could be relevant in situations where physical damage is desired. So far, no such situation has arisen.

Ganyu (on-field Cryo): outdated Cryo dps – Wriothesly is preferable.

Heizou (on-field Anemo): overshadowed by another 4-star, Sucrose.

Kaveh (on-field Dendro): appears to be a 4-star alternative to Nilou, but doesn't do a good job of it.

Klee, Yanfei, Yoimiya (on-field Pyros): The newer Pyro carries are better.

Qiqi (on-field Cryo): The worst 5-star unit in the game, Qiqi has no energy generation, and her teamwide healing is tied to her weak on-field attacks.

Razor (on-field Electro): His meme team with Nahida, c6 Bennett, and a hydro unit might be decent, but there are better ways to use Nahida and Bennett.

Sigewinne (off-field Hydro): There are other healers who can do more for a team.

Xinyan (off-field Pyro): compares unfavorably to Thoma and Xiangling.