As an open-world game, Genshin Impact has a wide map that only grows bigger as each update comes along. Some areas can be riddled with cliffs of different altitudes, such as The Chasm, while others can be as vast and empty as the Sumeru Desert. With this, characters that are capable of making our long travels on foot less troubling are more than welcome.
Read along to find out the best exploration characters in the game so far (Patch 3.3). We rank these characters based not only on their ability to travel through terrain or traverse cliffs, but also on how efficient they are in dealing with surprise enemy encounters. Also keep in mind that these characters are judged at C0 to be as relatable as possible.
10. Keqing
Wtih sword comes shadow.
First up is our electro DPS queen. She blinks around her foes and renders them clueless as to where she’ll pop up next.
Keqing is one of the first sword users to be released together with the game. Her kit holds up well to this day. Her skill throws a targetable stiletto in which she can blink , and casting her burst has her slicing all around the area, becoming untargetable and dealing a good amount of electro damage.
Analysis
She’s a really useful open-world DPS. Her skill is great for teleporting around tough terrain with decent enough height, she can take on most enemies by herself when built right, and you eliminate the need for a healer if by chance you have the Black Sword on her.
What Makes Keqing Great For Exploration:
- Her model feels light and swift to maneuver.
- Targeted skill can help scale walls or cliffs.
- The cast time of her skill is quick and infuses her weapon with electro.
Choose Keqing If:
- You want a fast paced playstyle.
- You want to blink around leveled terrain.
- You got her from the standard banner.
9. Zhongli
Remember, he threw spears so big that they turned into islands.
The Geo Archon graces our list. He’s known for his amazing utility and burst damage, but his geo construct is also useful when it comes to overcoming obstacles.
Zhongli is a polearm user that mainly functions as a burst support or shielder. His skill summons a tall pillar that can be climbed in order to reach difficult areas, the held version of the skill also gives him a shield. His burst calls upon a meteor to petrify his foes and deal wicked geo damage.
Analysis
Taking Zhongli on your team is like wearing the thickest armor ever. His shield can assure you that you won’t die easily against open-world enemies. So much so that you can actually play with your eyes closed.
Another big part of his exploration kit is his geo pillar. This pillar can be used to block enemy projectiles, or be climbed to reach tough areas.
What Makes Zhongli Great For Exploration:
- Godly shield can tank nearly anything.
- Burst can petrify enemies and buy you time.
- Pillars can be climbed.
Choose Zhongli If:
- You want to use the best shield in the game.
- You want to travel with a guarantee of safety.
- You like using geo constructs.
8. Ayaka
Ayaka certainly has a refined taste when it comes to all things Inazuman.
The Princess of the Yashiro Commission may have grown up in a conservative environment, but this girl certainly knows how to get around the map conveniently.
Ayaka is a cryo sword user who has a simple but deadly playstyle. Her skill casts AoE cryo damage around her while her burst summons a whirlwind of ice and snow.
Analysis
Her kit is one of the more simple kinds that we’ve seen in 5-star units, but that’s not saying that it’s bad. Like Keqing, she can take on open-world enemies by herself due to her kit. What sets her apart is that Ayaka can turn into a flurry of snow that has improved speed and has better stamina consumption, compared to the regular running animations.
What Makes Ayaka Great For Exploration:
- Can turn into a flurry of ice for exploration.
- Ready for combat anytime to deal with surprise ambushes.
- Can freeze water when coming out of her dash.
Choose Ayaka If:
- You want to travel using your DPS.
- You want to avoid using boats.
- You need consistent cryo application.
7. Mona
The stars guide her every step, but it is her wallet that determines her next meal.
Our resident astrologist takes a spot on our list. She comes with a very unique skill set and playstyle that players have enjoyed since the game's launch to this day.
Mona is a hydro catalyst user who specializes in burst damage and hydro application. Her skill has her dashing backwards while summoning a hydro device to apply hydro and distract her foes. Her burst puts enemies in a bubble stasis that when popped, can drastically amplify the attack performed and boost succeeding damage.
Analysis
What makes Mona amazing for exploration is not only that she can distract enemies, but mostly because of her unique dash. Similar to Ayaka, Mona can dive down into a watery gush. This unique dash can traverse bodies of water and, with recent updates, can now perform even better on uneven terrain.
What Makes Mona Great For Exploration:
- Unique dash has great speed and efficient stamina consumption.
- Can travel over water.
- Skill can distract enemies for a quick getaway.
Choose Mona If:
- You want to be one with the water.
- You want to trap enemies in stasis when things get too hot.
- You got her from the standard banner.
6. Xiao
Imagine if all 5 Yakshas were still around, what a sight to behold.
The Conqueror of Demons has to protect Liyue from all sorts of dangers. It’s a good thing that he has great mobility skills to help him get around the nation with ease.
Xiao is an anemo polearm user. He gets most of his power from his burst, where he dons his mask and converts all his attacks into anemo. He also gets a big jumping boost. His elemental skill is an ordinary dash attack that can have 2 stacks.
Analysis
Xiao, with his double dash alone, already brings so much value. The fact that it can be cast while in the air makes it easier to utilize. The bonus jumping power from his burst may cost a lot of energy, but you’ll find it useful, especially when navigating frustrating vertical areas.
What Makes Xiao Great For Exploration:
- Needs no help when it comes to damage, but remember to bring a healer.
- Burst lasts a good duration.
- Anemo resonance buffs up team movement speed.
Choose Xiao If:
- You need to climb or jump long distances.
- You want a more exciting playstyle.
- You want to use anemo resonance.
5. Venti
Even in the heat of battle, Venti never changes his mood.
The Anemo Archon must surely know something about how to get around. After all, he is the full embodiment of wind and freedom.
Venti is an anemo bow user that flaunts amazing crowd control skills and powerful swirls. His skill casts a short burst of wind to throw his enemies, but the held version of it summons a larger wind current that can be ridden. His burst shoots a black hole right in the middle of his foes that sucks them all inside, along with any elements around.
Analysis
People who didn’t have Venti before in the early years of the game were just jealous because of his power to elevate anywhere. When cornered by enemies, he can just pop a burst and look away.
What Makes Venti Great For Exploration:
- Summons a wind current to solve all your problems.
- Can take down enemy camps with a single cast of his burst.
- Can be paired with another anemo unit for amazing anemo resonance.
Choose Venti If:
- You want to lessen gliding stamina consumption.
- You need to grab those elemental oculi floating about.
- You want to use the power of an Archon.
4. Kazuha
A master swordsman with one of the best blades in existence.
The traveling swordsman has been to many places as he goes where the wind takes him. Luckily, it seems he picked up a few tricks along the way.
Kazuha is an anemo sword user. Like Venti, he excels in crowd control and massive swirls.
Analysis
Kazuha can’t avoid being compared to Venti, he takes the higher spot on the list because he’s more flexible and his skill can affect more enemies. He can cast his skill mid-air, which serves almost like a double jump of sorts. When fighting in the open-world, Kazuha usually wipes the floor clean with a single swoop, but if the job isn’t finished, he can buff his allies to finish the fight.
What Makes Kazuha Great For Exploration:
- Skill animation is quick, can be cast mid-air, and has a decent cooldown.
- Passive can decrease sprinting stamina cost.
- Can be used for anemo resonance.
Choose Kazuha If:
- You want to gather enemies for your allies
- You like a team-oriented playstyle.
- You want to boost everybody’s elemental damage.
3. Yelan
The mysterious arrow that once got the fan community buzzing with excitement.
A ghost that pulls behind the strings in Liyue. Nobody can really tell what she’s up to, but you can guarantee that she’ll get the job done clean, and swiftly.
Yelan is a hydro bow user that excels in hydro application and off-field damage. Her skill lets her run with massive speed, connecting enemies she touches in the process, which she deals damage to at the end of her sprint. Her burst is the core of her combat, where she summons her dice to attack enemies with hydro damage.
Analysis
Yelan beats most of the anemo characters in our list simply because of her amazing skill. She can travel so far and so fast that she’s a definite must-have for any exploration team. It also comes at an acceptable cooldown so you can get up and running all over again.
What Makes Yelan Great For Exploration:
- Special charged shot can make barrel shooting challenges a breeze.
- Skill has amazing speed and a decent duration.
- Stamina can be recovered while running in her skill mode.
Choose Yelan If:
- You want great off-field hydro damage
- You want to cover lots of ground in a short amount of time.
- You want to mix in charged shots from time to time in your playstyle.
2. Wanderer
He's not weaker, he just simply found another source of power.
The newest 5-star unit automatically takes a spot on our list. True to his name, The Wanderer is great when it comes to going around Teyvat, whether it’s to crush enemies or just plain soul searching.
The Wanderer is an anemo catalyst user that plays as an on-field DPS. His skill allows him to fly for a given duration, he can use this to go even higher or even dash forward like a jet. Wanderer’s burst is a simple stomp that deals a good amount of anemo damage.
Analysis
Aside from the fact that he’s the only unit who can literally fly, Wanderer actually makes exploring and fighting with him really fun.
You can prolong his flight even further by absorbing hydro the moment you cast your skill. Some might argue that it’s still not long enough, which is why he didn’t bag our top spot.
What Makes Wanderer Great For Exploration:
- Flight can go vertical or horizontal.
- Model has lots of flowing cloth and embellishments that look great while flying or gliding.
- Great AoE damage output against mobs.
Choose Wanderer If:
- You want to fly.
- You want to use the power of a Harbinger.
- You have a good shielder or healer to keep him safe.
1. Sayu
The laziest ninja in all of Inazuma is ironically the best explorer.
Our top open-world explorer is the smallest of the bunch. Size really doesn't matter when it comes to this list, as she beats everyone thanks to her special ninjutsu skills.
Sayu is an anemo claymore user that offers a unique playstyle with a bit of healing on the side. She can turn into a spinning wheel of anemo, rolling around the area and absorbing any element that she comes into contact with while her burst summons a companion to heal her and damage foes.
Analysis
You’re going to want her in your squad if you’re going around Teyvat for quests or searching for collectibles. Her skill has a really long duration, you would be surprised to see how far Sayu can really reach just by rolling. It’s also good that if she runs into any trouble, she can just roll around her foes to deal damage while healing her allies.
What Makes Sayu Great For Exploration:
- Elemental skill covers so much ground as you literally turn into a wheel.
- Her passive helps you catch crystalflies.
- You can absorb cryo with her skill to traverse bodies of water.
Choose Sayu If:
- You are a fan of chibi ninjas.
- You require a healer.
- You would prefer utility over damage.
