5.4 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 relative 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): cornerstone support for Overload teams.

Citlali (off-field Cryo): best off-field Cryo applier for Forward Melt teams.

Fischl (off-field Electro): best Electro sub-dps.

Furina (off-field Hydro): staple 5-star buffer and sub-dps.

Gaming (on-field Pyro): best 4-star carry at C6.

Mavuika (Pyro): best dps.

Mualani (on-field Hydro): has one of the highest damage cielings in the game.

Neuvillette (on-field Hydro): best non-ATK carry overall.

Xilonen (off-field Geo): one of the best supports overall.

Yelan (off-field Hydro): staple sub-dps for teams with a driver or carry who performs normal attacks.

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

Alhaitham (on-field Dendro): Quickbloom dps.

Arlecchino (on-field Pyro): risky but strong dps. She is weaker than Mavuika but less reliant on Natlan supports.

Clorinde (on-field Electro): excels in Overload, Aggravate, and Electro-charged teams.

Emilie, Kinich (Dendro): great dps units for teams with Pyro application.

Faruzan, Wanderer, Xiao (Anemo): C6 Faruzan is a crucial teammate for Xiao and Wanderer, who are the best Anemo-only damage dealers.

Kazuha (off-field Anemo): excellent grouper and support.

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

Kuki (off-field Electro): healer and Hyperbloom trigger.

Lan Yan (Anemo): excellent shielder and support who can also deal good damage in Faruzan teams.

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

Nahida (Dendro): Dendro applier and EM buffer, most relevant for Hyperbloom teams.

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

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

Raiden (Electro): good driver, best off-field Electro applier for Hyperbloom teams.

Sucrose (Anemo): excellent support/driver.

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

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): fastest off-field Hydro applier, provides defensive utility.

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

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

Baizhu (Dendro): healer/shielder who is most relevant for Cyno teams.

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"): great multi-element dps for single-target situations.

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

Cyno (on-field Electro): strong Quickbloom carry if you can mitigate his weaknesses.

Dehya (off-field Pyro): niche defensive unit, provides slow Pyro application.

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

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

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

Mika (off-field Cryo): good support for Wanderer teams.

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

Noelle (on-field Geo): comfortable unit to play with Furina. See my guide for Noelle.

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

Yae Miko (off-field Electro): 5-star version of Fischl for Spread and Overload teams.

Zhongli (off-field Geo): strong shielder, great counter to enemy Geo shields.

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

Barbara (Hydro): free substitute for Kokomi.

Candace (off-field Hydro): 4-star option for Nilou, Mualani*, and Arlecchino.

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

Diona, Rosaria (off-field Cryo): 4-star options for Melt teams.

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 Electro): acceptable drivers for Aggravate or Electro-charged teams.

Lynette (Anemo): the only free Anemo unit (other than the Traveller).

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

Ningguang (on-field Geo): alternative to Navia with Xilonen+Furina+Bennett.

Sayu (on-field Anemo): decent driver/healer for Furina National (Furina+Bennett+Xiangling).

Tighnari (quickswap Dendro): accessible Dendro dps for single-target situations.

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

Yun Jin (off-field Geo): 4-star option for carries that use normal attacks.

*only if Candace is below C6

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

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

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

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

Chongyun (off-field Cryo): the benefits of his kit are not currently relevant.

Eula, Freminet (Cryo/physical): 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): counterproductive kit.

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

Layla (off-field Cryo): decent shielder who does little else – powercrept by Lan Yan.

Mizuki (on-field Anemo): has a weak kit that prevents her from using normal attacks.

Qiqi (on-field Cryo): worst 5-star.

Razor (on-field Electro): His meme team is a waste of good supports.

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.