Now, I’m sure most of you have heard of Genshin Impact by now. Well, if you haven’t, I’m sure at least one of your gamer friends plays it. It’s another action role-playing game, with a really free open world for you to play in.
So, what makes this game so interesting? Personally, I feel like the ‘free’ aspect brings a lot of people in. But that’s hardly enough to make people keep playing.
Genshin Impact pampers you a lot with its quality graphic: from buildings to landscapes to battle effects, it’s all pretty much the whole set. What’s really interesting, though, are the characters. They’re pretty to look at. They’re strong. And they all have their background stories. Wholesome.
Currently, there are a total of 29 playable characters (and a whole lot more in future updates!). Picking 10 would be hard, and it would cause a lot of discourse, but here’s my top 10.
10. Razor
Razor is a four-starred character. He’s a rather small, lone wolf-boy that wields a claymore and can call lightning. Awesome, right?
Just like his lone-wolf background, Razor is interesting because he seems like he’s built to play solo, even in your own party. Unlike the other characters, his skill is exclusively his own. If you change into another character when you are using his skill, it won’t carry over. There goes your Elemental Sigil.
What Makes Razor Awesome:
- His damage is superb, whether physical or elemental.
- His passive skill reduces your stamina use by 20% when sprinting. Which helps a lot if you’re impatient when they aren’t walking fast enough.
- If you hold his Elemental Skill when you’re farming crystals (like Cor Lapis, Noctilucous Jade, etc.), they would immediately break without you having to hit them over and over again.
- The same Elemental Skill brings in AoE in battle, which results in a massive damage and also a chained one if you’re combining the element with practically any other element.
- His ascension materials are fairly easy to look for. One of them is Wolfhook and it’s exclusively his; no one uses this material but him.
9. Fischl
Fischl is a four-starred character. An odd, self-claimed Princess that we’re not sure of which country. Whatever upbringing she claims she has does not matter, though. What matters is she’s a really reliable archer with an equally reliable electric raven called Oz. What a duo.
Fischl is very elemental. She and Oz deal electrical damage to surrounding enemies. Whether as a main or as a support DPS, Fischl is a good choice for both.
When Oz is summoned through her Elemental Skill, it would fire electric damage shots to nearby enemies. She could even become Oz through her Elemental Burst. I’d say they’re both equally important. Like a princess and her guard.
What Makes Fischl Awesome:
- She’s arguably easy to use as her skill summons her companion that would help in battles. Once Oz is out, you can focus on aiming arrows that would basically taser the enemies.
- The combination of a bow and Electro means she’s a very powerful choice for certain bosses like Ruin Hunter or Ruin Guard.
- When she turns into Oz for a few seconds, she’d deal electro damage to the enemies she passes. Make ways for the princess!
- That also means she has the skill to go a bit far from the scene to focus on aiming.
8. Ganyu
Ganyu is the newest addition to the five-starred family. A Cryo Archer that quickly makes her way into being one of the best characters in Genshin Impact. I guess when you’ve lived for at least 2000 years and spend most of your time working and polishing your skills, you’d know the best way to do things.
Graceful as she is, her Elemental Skill brings forth Ice Lotus that would taunt enemies. Once broken (or time is up), the Ice Lotus would deal an AoE Cryo damage. Before then, Ganyu can move backward to shoot them with her arrow filled with ice.
What Makes Ganyu Awesome:
- She has two levels of charged attack. Both would deal a Cryo damage to the enemies while the second one takes it a step further by dealing an AoE Cryo damage.
- Her Elemental Burst brings in hails in a pretty wide area, making the enemies struck by ice and dealing massive Cryo damage while doing so.
- After Ascension 4, Ganyu brings a 20% Cryo damage to everyone in the party after her Elemental Burst.
- Her crowd control ability helps a lot in fighting boss, in which she could go a bit far to aim her ice shots for extra damage.
7. Mona
Mona is a five-starred character. An Astrologist who reads fates through the stars. Unlike her tendency to save money, she goes all out with her skill. As a Hydro Catalyst, Mona can manipulate water to do her bidding.
Mona can glide on water. Honestly, this alone is tempting enough already.
Her Elemental Skill allows her to make some kind of illusion which would attract the enemies and deal hydro damage. During then, you could attack from another side, or you could change into another character for an elemental reaction. She does live up to her self-proclaimed Great Astrologist title.
What Makes Mona Awesome:
- Her Elemental Skill is pretty much autopilot. Dealing damage on its own as Mona (or your other character) attacks during the time.
- Her Elemental Burst can trap the enemies in a bubble, which would deal amplified damage if attacked.
- Being able to glide on water means it’s easier to reach the other side of the water body, which leads to a much easier exploration. You don’t need to worry about not swimming fast enough…or making a temporary ice bridge with a Cryo.
- The combination of her catalyst weapon and her Elemental Skill means Mona can attack from a safe range with a great deal of damage. No need to get too close to the enemies.
- At Ascension 4, she gets a 20% bonus hydro damage based on her Energy Recharge.
6. Keqing
Keqing is a five-starred sword wielder. She’s a hardworking Liyue Qixing; doing everything in her power to deal with any matter within Liyue, big or small. She works relentlessly and diligently. This nature of hers can be seen in the way she fights: all of her skills are quick and flashy. Stab. Stab. Stab.
As another Electro Vision holder, Keqing can throw an electrical orb on top of her enemies which would deal a great amount of electro damage. The orb can also be aimed from a distance, as if you’re using an arrow. I guess if there’s anyone who knows how to be effective and efficient, it would be her.
What Makes Keqing Awesome:
- Her Elemental Skill, if not used to attack, would teleport her to where the orb is aimed. So convenient.
- Her Elemental Burst deals a pretty wide AoE Electro damage in the form of sword slashes. The last slash brings an even bigger damage than the others.
- At Ascension 4, Keqing gets a 15% critical rate and energy recharge after her Elemental Burst.
- Her quick charged attack (and her every other attack, to be honest) makes it easier to avoid enemies as she attacks.
5. Tartaglia (Childe)
As another five-starred character, Tartaglia is the first ‘antagonist’ playable character. Being one of the Eleven Harbingers of the Fatui means he has a reputation to himself. As an Archer with a Hydro element, he is really skillful in the art of fighting; which also translates to you don’t exactly want him to be your enemy.
Much like water, he’s free and unpredictable. To the point where he can even just not use his bow and go into a melee stance during a fight. That’s cheating, I know. But there’s a reason why he’s a Fatui, you know? He lives for the thrill.
Being able to technically use two weapons gives him a really good boost as a fighter. Though both stances would deal a great amount of Hydro AoE in all of his skills, he makes a better fighter in his melee stance. Though, the longer you use the melee stance, the longer the cooldown period takes.
What Makes Tartaglia Awesome:
- His passive skill gives a one level boost to your current party’s Normal Attack if he’san active character.
- Because he technically has two weapons, Tartaglia has two sets of skills. In which you could use them all if you use them timingly and carefully.
- Both of his stances deal pretty massive damage to any enemies. He can do both close ranged battle and otherwise. This is definitely cheating, but, anyway.
- He’s both quick and full of damage that bringing him into a fighting time challenge would be perfect.
4. Qiqi
Qiqi is a five-starred little zombie. Personally, that fact alone already makes me want to get her. A lot assumed she’s a catalyst, but Qiqi is a healer with a sword. As if that’s not fascinating enough, she’s undeniably the best healer in the Genshin Impact universe. Where else do you hear about a healing zombie and the best one at that? Oh, and she works in a pharmacy. What a character.
Despite her healing ability, Qiqi deals a lot of damage. She’s a fighting healer. All of her skills eventually lead to healing everyone in the party by making players attack their enemies for a healing effect. If that’s not efficient then I don’t know what is.
What Makes Qiqi Awesome:
- Qiqi heals and attacks. The best combo you could wish for a support.
- Her passive skill helps big time when you’re farming for Liyue specialties (Violetgrass, Glaze Lily, etc.). Your map would be marked to let you know where you can find them. Convenient.
- Her healing ability is based on her attack. More damage, more healing!
- Her consecutive and charged attacks are considerably quick.
- It’s going to be hard, but if you reach her 6th Constellation, Qiqi can even revive fallen party members with 50% HP (though this particular part only reoccurs every 15 minutes).
3. Klee
Klee is a five-starred jumpy, carefree little kid who is keen on bombs. I do not see how this could go wrong.
Klee is a Pyro Catalyst. She loves bombs and treasure hunts. She’s an expert in making bombs, calling them her treasures, and then goes around telling people she has treasures buried here and there. Bad marketing.
She’s a pretty easy character to use. Much like her carefree tendency, her skills are pretty much on auto pilot mode. Obviously, she brings her bombs to her fight; which would jump around (like her) and then would burst into mines. They’re like very obvious traps that enemies can’t get out of.
What Makes Klee Awesome:
- She’s very big on her AoE Pyro damage on all of her skills. So, if you’re up against a group of enemies on your own, I’m not sure there’s a better combo than that.
- Generally, Pyro is the best element because it reacts with almost everything. So, her AoE plus any other elements you might have would bring even more damage.
- Her ascension materials are also fairly easy to find, considering her five stars.
- You don’t really have to aim because her bombs are wide-ranged.
- Her passive skill helps when you’re farming Monstadt Specialties (Philanemo Mushroom, Dandelion Seed, etc.). Your map would be marked to let you know where you can find them. Guess all those treasure hunts mean something.
2. Diluc
As another five-starred character, Diluc is another character most players want and understandably so. Monstadt’s resident Darknight Hero is a claymore wielder with a Pyro element. To me that screams like damage everywhere he goes.
Diluc easily has one of the best main DPS build in Genshin Impact. The combination of Pyro and claymore can go against almost any kind of enemies. On top of that, his Elemental Burst is very wide-ranged. Dealing a massive amount of elemental damage to the enemies in the form of a flying Phoenix, and then bursting at the end. The amount of AoE damage is simply insane.
What Makes Diluc Awesome:
- I’ve said it but I’ll say it again: damage. Damage. Damage. He’s basically the word ’damage’ personified.
- His basic build is already strong even if you don’t have any of his constellations.
- Whether it is physical or elemental, Diluc is built to fight. There’s no wrong combination if you go with him.
- Even if you’re using free stuff from the game like crafted weapons, he’d still deal a lot of damage.
1. Venti
Venti is another five-starred character and another rather small character (I’m sensing a pattern here). He’s, by no means, a kid, though. He’s a bard and (spoiler alert!) the Wind Archon. There’s a reason why people say do not judge a book by its cover, I guess.
Venti bears a bow and, quite obviously, he can control the wind. Very fitting for the wind god.
Much like the wind, Venti is free-spirited and it shows in his battling method. His attack skills are also rather AoE; making enemies fly and his Elemental Burst would push them (and everything in between) into a black hole. So, you don’t have to really focus on aiming his bow or go near the enemies. His skills would do that for you. Super neat.
What Makes Venti Awesome:
- Venti can help you fly. When you hold his Elemental Skill, it’d make an air current that lets you fly upwards and bring AoE damage during battle.
- The same skill is very helpful when you’re exploring, especially in Liyue where you’re surrounded by cliffs.
- He can stun and put the enemies together in one spot. I’m not sure if there’s a way to be any more convenient.
- Venti’s base skills are good enough without the help of his constellations.
- At the end of his Elemental Burst, the drops would neatly fall into one spot. You don’t have to roam around the area to pick them up. All hail Venti!
Now how was that list? I'm sure there are things you agree with, and some that you don't. Comment down below with YOUR favorite characters.
