The game is all about collecting as many characters as you can. With these characters, we have the most treasured 5-stars, who reign supreme when it comes to value and rarity. Second, we have the 4-stars, which are not as rare, but still very reliable and easier to get constellations for. With a wide range of options, let our list help you in finding the best ones to aim for.
Read along to find out the best 4-star characters in the game so far (Patch 4.0). Take note that by “best”, we mean to evaluate the character as a whole, not just combat and utility but also when it comes to characterization, style, and impact in the game. Also keep in mind that these characters are judged at C0 to measure combat prowess fairly.
11. Sayu (Sub-DPS/Support)
A wholesome encounter with a friend
We’re starting off our list with a character who sleeps a lot more than she needs to. As a ninja from Inazuma, it is expected that she has some sneaky and useful tricks up her sleeve, and this reflects well in her kit.
Sayu rolls into the battlefield with her ever-dependable elemental skill-literally. She takes on the form of a ball of anemo and proceeds to run over anything in her way. She can also absorb any outside element she first runs into, which makes her even more devastating. This skill is also extremely useful when it comes to exploration and traveling.
Aside from this, Sayu can also summon a companion to heal her team and damage enemies. Combine all this together, and you get a unit that gives you a whole lot of bang for your buck.
What Makes Sayu A Great 4-Star:
- Can roll around the open world making exploration a piece of cake.
- Her skill can absorb cryo and let you roll over frozen water.
- Can shred enemy resistances with the Viridescent Venerer set.
- Heals teammates and damages enemies with her burst.
10. Shikanoin Heizou (DPS/Sub-DPS)
Wind in the palm of your hands
This detective is one of the best in Inazuma. When he finally finds the culprits responsible for any case, you can depend on him to take care of the job himself.
Heizou is a catalyst user, but not in the traditional sense. He fights through a unique melee fisticuff style, imbuing all of his attacks with anemo. This makes him a very consistent enabler of the element.
Even as a 4-star character, he deals pretty significant damage. Pairing him with units from other elements lets him maximize all the swirls that he can cause. The best part of his kit is his elemental skill. With enough charges, he can take down enemies with a single blow.
His elemental burst is a quick AoE blast of anemo. This, paired with his other abilities, can make him a powerful quick-swap sub-DPS, or on-field main DPS.
What Makes Heizou A Great 4-Star:
- All his attacks are imbued with anemo, thus making him a consistent on-field enabler.
- Can shred enemy resistances with the Viridescent Venerer Set.
- Elemental skill can one-shot opponents when built properly.
- Uniquely fights with fisticuffs, making for a fun and different playstyle.
- Has multiple budget-friendly weapon options.
9. Yun Jin (Support)
Art and warfare combined
This next one certainly got our attention when she was first released. One of the most beautiful and well-conceptualized characters in the game. She is based on Chinese culture, specifically opera, and this translates well from the voice acting to the combat.
In battle, she flaunts a rare counter-attack mechanic through her skill. When timed correctly, she slaps enemies back with her spear. This is mostly used for energy generation, as the core of her kit is definitely her burst.
With Yun Jin’s burst, she can give a direct boost to any character’s normal attack. Limited only by the buff’s duration, pairing her with a DPS that has high attack speed is the best way to maximize her. As the roster is currently set, Yun Jin is best paired with units from other elements to maximize her kit.
What Makes Yun Jin A Great 4-Star:
- Can perform a satisfying counter-attack.
- Attacks are beautifully performed, like art.
- Easy to build, as you would only need to stack DEF and ER.
- Pairs greatly with units from other elements.
- Can greatly amplify normal attack damage.
8. Beidou (DPS/Sub-DPS)
Even pirates know how to have a good time
One of the most feared figures when it comes to seafaring. This pirate was already renowned for her strength and bravery, even before getting a vision.
Beidou is a great mixture of coolness and functionality. She can fit different roles with her diverse kit, but mostly she is used as a sub-DPS.
Beidou flaunts one of the most enjoyable elemental skills in the game. It is basically a counter-attack with her sword that gives an unreal level of satisfaction when pulled off properly. It also deals decent damage when built properly.
Her burst is where a lot of the value is. She summons the power of Haishan to empower all attacks with bursts of electro. This is best used in elemental teams that focus on reactions with electro, as it functions even when Beidou is off-field.
What Makes Beidou A Great 4-Star:
- Has the most satisfying counter mechanic in the game.
- She can fill multiple roles, depending on the need.
- One of the best off-field electro-enablers in the game.
7. Diona (Support)
A little cat going for a morning stroll
This next unit is the complete package when it comes to supporting capabilities. What she lacks in damage, she makes up for with really good value.
Diona is the best 4-star shielder in our list. She can create a sturdy shield with a tap of her elemental skill, and an even stronger one with the held version. This is further enhanced if you have a Sacrificial Bow equipped on her, so you have the freedom to refresh the shield whenever you need.
You would be surprised to know that she is also a healer. Her burst unleashes an AoE of cryo that heals your units while damaging enemies and applying cryo to them. This makes her the ultimate defensive 4-star unit, with just enough utility comparable to that of other 5-stars.
What Makes Diona A Great 4-Star:
- Has a decent shield with a reasonable cooldown.
- Can apply lots of cryo with her kit.
- Provides a good healing AoE that you can fight in.
- Works extremely well with the Sacrificial Bow.
6. Sucrose (Sub-DPS/Support)
Brains can be brawn
Sweet as a Sunsettia, but fierce as a storm. This alchemist may be shy and awkward, but this doesn’t take away from her abilities as arguably the best budget-friendly anemo units in the game.
Sucrose is an AoE and crowd control powerhouse. She can send a pulse of wind to knock up enemies in a large area and pull them inward. Her burst does a similar thing, but instead she summons a wind spirit to do the job for her for 6 seconds.
Her value doesn’t end there. With all the swirls that she creates, she can also greatly increase the EM of her teammates with the use of her passive talents. This makes her ideal for elemental teams that rely heavily on reactions. Not to mention, she can also shred resistance when equipped with the Viridescent Venerer set.
What Makes Sucrose A Great 4-Star:
- Her entire kit revolves around AoE and crowd control.
- She is generally easy to build, as she would only require mostly EM or ER.
- She can be used as an on-field driver due to her consistent anemo application.
- Can shred enemy resistance with the Viridescent Venerer Set.
- Passive talent can also help you receive double the product from some alchemy materials.
5. Kuki Shinobu(Sub-DPS/Support)
Behind every great man is a woman
Much like most characters, she was undervalued at first. People judged her because of her reliance on too many stats to be efficient. At the time of her release, there weren't many teams to put her on that would do amazingly, but the release of dendro and Sumeru surely changed our perception of her.
Kuki, as of this patch, is arguably the best 4-star option when it comes to hyperbloom teams. Her elemental skill does consistent AoE electro application with only a 3-second downtime per cast. This skill also heals whoever is on the field, making for a well-rounded off-field asset.
Her elemental burst is a simple stream of electro to add to her damage and application. A lot of her value here is based on her passive talent “Heart’s Repose”. This encourages players to stack as much EM on her as possible to further amplify her healing and damage dealt with her skill, which then can result in ultra-powerful hyperblooms when incorporated in the right teams.
What Makes Kuki Shinobu A Great 4-Star:
- Can destroy bosses when triggering hyperblooms.
- Easy to build, as the go-to solution is to stack EM on her.
- Can heal whoever is on the field consistently.
- Can get a healing bonus when she gets low on health.
4. Xiangling(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)
Nice and spicy
The spiciest entry in our list. She and her friend Guoba are a destructive duo that can burn entire groups of enemies down. Her kit is pretty straightforward, but the damage and her practicality are pretty hard to match.
Being under the pyro element, Xiangling can melt or vaporize. Her burst is the widely feared Pyronado, that casts a ring of pyro around her that devastates almost anything, especially with reactions. This can also continue when she is off-field, so you can have other teammates chime in on the destruction.
Her elemental skill brings upon Guoba to breath fire on her enemies. This deals decent damage and can also give her decent energy. A big bonus with her passive is that Guoba can leave a chili pepper that can enhance ATK when picked up.
What Makes Xiangling A Great 4-Star:
- Has one of the most powerful pyro bursts in the game.
- Can summon Guoba as an offensive turret that you can position tactically.
- Can be obtained for free by progressing through the spiral abyss.
- Can be built in multiple ways, with lots of weapon options viable for her.
3. Fischl(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)
She sees through her familiar
Starting our top 3 count is the 4-star queen of electro-application. She and her familiar work in tandem so well that she is still chosen over some other 5-star electro options.
Fischl was recognized as one of the best electro units even before the release of dendro. She takes control of the field by summoning Oz to blast any unlucky enemy with shots of electro. Triggering any electro reaction can also let out an additional blast from Oz, only adding to the damage.
Her elemental burst is basically a quick reset of Oz’s duration. This gives you time to reposition yourself before going into your rotations all over again. She is a simple character to learn, and it only takes little effort to maximize her kit and reach insane damage numbers.
What Makes Fischl A Great 4-Star:
- Lay down Oz like a turret.
- Cause almost non-stop electro reactions with a well-rounded team.
- Take your time with her burst to set up your next tactic.
- She can be built in many different ways, depending on your needs.
- The only unit in our list that has a skin readily available in the shop.
2. Xingqiu (Sub-DPS/Support)
He loves peaceful walks and good books
A fighter who knows the balance between battling with the pen and the sword. This unit is arguably the best hydro 4-star unit in the game.
Xingqiu is a hydro powerhouse to say the least. He deals so much hydro damage and application that it is almost a crime not to use him in elemental teams. His elemental skill is a simple hydro slash that has the added benefit of providing added protection after. Pairing this with the Sacrificial Sword makes for a great ER booster.
His elemental burst is where the true potential is. He summons rain swords to accompany your on-field unit’s normal attacks, dealing lots of damage in multiple instances. These swords can also deal critical damage or even just be a driver for other reactions.
What Makes Xingqiu A Great 4-Star:
- Stack him with ER and you’re good to go.
- The Sacrificial Sword enhances his playstyle greatly.
- One of the best hydro applicators in the game.
- Hardly takes any time on the field.
- A must-have for freeze or vaporize teams.
1. Bennett(Sub-DPS/Support)
The real treasure is the friends we made along the way
Now we reach the top dog in the list. This unit comes as no surprise, as the community generally hails this guy as a non-official 5-star. He may be a clumsy character, but his true inner power is something that all players acknowledge.
Bennett is still the most sought-after unit in the game, despite having loads of new characters in the roster already. His playstyle is so simple, yet his support capabilities and buffs are not to be underestimated.
His elemental skill is a simple swipe of pyro. It can be charged up to three different levels, but basically, this is used to gain energy due to its low cooldown. The real value is in his burst. Bennett summons his famous AoE ring that heals an enormous amount per tick and gives the on-field unit an unbelievable ATK buff that can reach up to 1000 or more.
What also makes him highly valuable is that you don’t even need to think hard about how to build him. His burst buff relies solely on his HP for the heal and base ATK for the buff, so getting him and his weapon to level 90 is the priority, while making sure that he has just a bit of ER to help him manage his burst easier.
What Makes Bennett A Great 4-Star:
- Best 4-star with the best support burst in the game.
- Can buff and heal almost any team composition.
- Is not highly reliant on constellations for high value.
- Easy to build.
