What are free characters and how good are they?
In the world of Teyvat, there are many playable alogenes. While new characters are being released (at least one) every patch, one of them will be free to claim every year. The best part of this game is that you can play/beat it with just these characters alone.
Here is a tiered list of all the free characters available as of patch 5.0, from best to “meh.”
How to unlock Free Characters:
All free characters are unlocked through story progression, save Lumine & Aether, the Travelers. You can change their elements by activating the Statue of Seven in a new region.
Recommended Characters to Unlock from First to Last:
1. Xiangling - 4🌟
2. Collei - 4🌟
3. Dendro Traveler - 5🌟
4. Noelle - 4🌟
5. Kaeya - 4🌟
6. Electro Traveler - 5🌟
7. Barbara - 4🌟
8. Lynette - 4🌟
9. Kachina - 4🌟
10. Lisa - 4🌟
11. Aloy - 5🌟
12. Geo Traveler - 5🌟
13. Amber - 4🌟
14. Anemo Traveler - 5🌟
15. Hydro Traveler - 4🌟
1. Xiangling - 4🌟
Xiangling is a 4-Star Pyro Polearm character who is the best free Pyro unit as she is a universal unit. As opposed to the units that need to be placed in specific team comps to really shine, Xiangling remains a flexible pick in any team comp. Her job in most teams is to either be the enabler for their DPS units' elemental reactions by applying Pyro to the enemy or being the trigger for elemental reactions with her Elemental Burst's damage scaling.
Best aspects:
- Burst, Pyronado, launches a flaming ring that spins around your active character, great for mobs and setting up Pyro reactions.
- Skill, Guoba Attack, summons Guoba who spits fire in a path that tracks the nearest enemy, best for single target enemies.
- Once she reaches ascension four, Gouba will leave a chili pepper that will increase the attack damage by 10% for the character that picks it up.
- Passive, Chef de Cuisine, using her to cook an ATK-boosting dish, perfectly cooking it has a 12% chance to receive double the product.
You can acquire a free copy of her by completing the People’s Choice permanent event; to complete this event you need to finish Floor 3, Chamber 3 of the Spiral Abyss. The number of stars doesn’t matter, just simply finish it, so you don’t need incredibly high leveled characters. The Spiral Abyss unlocks once you reach Adventure Rank 20.
-Xiangling’s Best Builds.
2. Collei - 4🌟
Collei is a 4-Star Dendro Bow character who is the best free Dendro unit. She is a great sub-DPS/support unit by providing off-field Dendro damage. Her skill can trigger Quicken and Spread reactions on its own and burst has a wide AOE which allows her to apply the most Dendro of all the free units.
Best aspects:
- Burst, Trump-Card Kitty, summons Cuilein-Anbar to deal AOE Dendro DMG. Cuilein-Anbar doll will create a field that deals AoE Dendro DMG overtime.
- Skill, Floral Brush, makes her throw a Floral Ring boomerang that will deal Dendro DMG to enemies, it will return after a while to Collei and deal another instance of Dendro DMG.
- Passive, Gliding Champion of Sumeru, decreases gliding stamina consumption of your characters in the party.
- Passive, The Languid Wood, when you are within the Cuilein-Anbar Zone and trigger a Burning, Quicken, Aggravate, Spread, Bloom, Hyperbloom, or Burgeon reactions, the Zone's duration will be increased by one second and a single Trump-Card Kitty can be extended by up to three seconds.
- Passive, Floral Sidewinder, when you trigger a Burning, Quicken, Aggravate, Spread, Bloom, Hyperbloom, or Burgeon reaction before the Floral Ring returns, it will grant the character the Sprout effect upon return, which will continuously deal Dendro DMG equivalent to 40% of Collei's ATK to nearby opponents for three seconds, if another Sprout effect is triggered during its initial duration, the effect will reset.
You can acquire a free copy of her by completing the Curtain of Leaves permanent event; to complete this event you need to finish Floor 4, Chamber 3 of the Spiral Abyss. The number of stars doesn’t matter, just simply finish it, so you don’t need incredibly high leveled characters. The Spiral Abyss unlocks once you reach Adventure Rank 20.
-Collei’s Best Builds.
3. Dendro Traveler - 5🌟
The Traveler is a 5-star Sword character that is your main character who you start the game with. The Dendro alignment is the best as of patch 5.0 until you get Collei. They are a good Dendro sub-DPS unit that can easily be fully constellated.
Best aspects:
- Easy to constellate.
- Burst, Surgent Manifestation, summons a Lea Lotus Lamp that deals constant Dendro damage; it will change properties (once per summon) if it comes into contact with Hydro, Electro of Pyro.
- Skill, Razorgrass Blade, unleashes a spray of razor-sharp leaves that go before you and deals Dendro damage.
- Passives scale damage based on the Elemental Mastery stat.
You can acquire this element alignment by activating the Statue of Seven in Sumeru.
-Best Beginner Builds.
4. Noelle - 4🌟
Noelle is a 4-star Geo Claymore character who is the best free support unit. Her skill alone produces a shield and provides a team-wide heal. Allows any team to keep sustainability and can be paired with any team comp as Geo only creates the Crystalize reaction with Hydro, Electro, Cryo and Pyro.
Best aspects:
- Burst, Sweeping Time, gives Noelle a larger attack AOE, attacks are infused with Geo (which can’t be overwritten) and increases damage based on her DEF stat.
- Skill, Breastplate, summons a shield, dealing Geo damage to surrounding enemies, shield’s absorption scales on her DEF stat.
- While Breastplate is active her basic attacks have a chance of generating a team-wide heal that scales on her DEF stat.
- Passive, Maid’s Knighthood, gives a 12% chance of obtaining double the production of a DEF-boosting dish, when Noelle cooks.
- Passive, Nice and Clean, will decrease the cooldown of her skill by one second every four normal or charged attack hits.
- Passive, Devotion, allows her Breastplate to automatically activate when another character’s (that isn’t her) HP falls below 30% that lasts for twenty seconds and can occur every sixty seconds.
Once you complete the Prologue: Act I, you gain the ability to pull on banners that start with the Beginner’s Wish banner. She is guaranteed to be acquired from that banner.
-Best Beginner Builds.
5. Kaeya - 4🌟
Kaeya is a 4-star Cyro Sword character that is currently the best free Cryo sub-DPS unit. He has short cooldowns and energy requirements which allows for easy building. He can also act as a Cryo or Physical DPS unit due to his scaling.
Best aspects:
- Burst, Glacial Waltz, is similar to Xiangling’s as it surrounds the character with revolving icicles, which is great for mobs and setting up Cryo reactions.
- Skill, Frostgnaw, has a short cooldown of six seconds, which allows for continuous Cryo application, best for freeze teams.
- Passive, Hidden Strength, decreases stamina consumption by 20% while sprinting.
- Passive, Heart of the Abyss, when skill freezes an enemy, drops up to two additional elemental particles.
- Passive, Cold-Blooded Strike, regenerates his HP equal to 15% of his ATK stat, every time his skill hits.
You can acquire him after completing the quest, Crash Course, in the Prologue: Act I.
-Kaeya’s Best Builds.
6. Electro Traveler - 5🌟
The Traveler is a 5-star Sword character that is your main character who you start the game with. Their skill and burst provides a boost to energy recharge and elemental energy recovery.
Best aspects:
- Easy to constellate.
- Burst, Bellowing Thunder, provides continuous off-field Electro damage which is good for Electro reactions.
- Skill, Lightning Blade, drops an Abundance Amulet that when picked up, will increase Energy Recharge for its duration and will restore Elemental Energy.
- Passive, Resounding Roar, increases Energy Recharge buff provided by the Abundance Amulet, by 10% of Traveler’s Energy Recharge stat.
You can acquire this element alignment by activating the Statue of Seven in Inazuma.
-Best Beginner Builds.
7. Barbara - 4🌟
Barbara is a 4-star Hydro Catalyst character who is currently the best free healer in the whole game. She is the only healer who can revive a downed character on your team once she is fully constellated; which is relatively easy. She can supply a regenerative heal and apply Hydro while off-field.
Best aspects:
- Skill can burst-heal or heal over time.
- Can auto revive characters at C6.
- Great for applying Hydro off-field, making her viable for Hydro reaction teams.
- Passive, With My Whole Heart, offers a 12% chance of receiving double the product when she cooks a restorative effect dish.
You can acquire a free copy of her by achieving Adventure Rank 20. This is relatively easy if you focus on the Archon Quest.
-Best Beginner Builds.
8. Lynette - 4🌟
Lynette is a 4-star Anemo Bow character who is the best free Anemo sub-DPS. She can be built as a burst DPS or an Elemental Mastery Support. She has a self-heal that makes her a decent DPS unit, if you are lacking one.
Best aspects:
- Can provide damage support from her Burst, even when off-field.
- Provides damage support with Swirl reactions.
- Is great for exploration, especially in Fontaine, for her skill allows for an extra, stamina free sprint and when underwater in Fontaine, her passive, Loci-Based Mnemonics, shows the location of recovery orbs on the minimap.
You can acquire a free copy of her by completing The Curtain Never Falls on Magic permanent event. This event unlocks and is completed by achieving Adventure Rank 25.
-Best Beginner Builds.
9. Kachina - 4🌟
Kachina is a 4-star Geo Polearm character that is a sub-DPS unit. She is a decent Geo character that is pretty average but if built properly can help your team pretty well. Though she is great for exploration, mainly in Natlan.
Best aspects:
- Her Turbo Twirly is a flexible skill that allows her to deal Geo damage on or off-field.
- Can be used in Mono-Geo or Rainbow teams.
- Can scale walls and cliffs with her Turbo Twirly, that is faster than climbing.
You can acquire a free copy of her by progressing through the Archon Quest in Natlan and finishing Chapter V: Act I.
-Best Beginner Builds.
10. Lisa - 4🌟
Lisa is a 4-star Electro Catalyst character who is a decent Electro sub-DPS unit. She is good at applying Electro, though her burst is the only off-field applier. However, she can be built as a main DPS unit if you're focusing on Electro reaction damage.
Best aspects:
- Her skill and burst have a large AOE.
- Her normal attacks can cause multiple elemental reactions and effects.
- Burst decreases the DEF resistance of enemies.
You can acquire a free copy of her by completing the quest Sparks Amongst the Pages, in the Prologue: Act I.
-Lisa’s Best Builds.
11. Aloy - 5🌟
Aloy is a 5-Star Cryo Bow character that was released as a collaboration with Horizon Zero Dawn. She is a decent Cryo DPS unit, if built properly she can deal massive Cryo damage. Her damage is very technical and requires some strategy to get the highest output, but if you can pull this off, she will deal massive Cryo damage.
Best aspects:
- Her burst has a low energy cost with a high Cryo damage output.
- Can infuse normal attacks with Cryo.
- Debuffs enemy ATK stat while buffing your party.
Was a collaboration event with Horizon Zero Dawn that started on 09/01/2021 on the PlayStation 4 & 5 (10/13/2021 for all platforms), during patches 2.1 & 2.2. As of 11/24/2021, she is no longer currently available as of patch 5.0.
-Aloy’s Best Builds.
12. Geo Traveler - 5🌟
The Traveler is a 5-star Sword character that is your main character who you start the game with. Is a decent Geo sub-DPS unit that provides adequate Geo damage.
Best aspects:
- Easy to constellate.
- Skill creates a platform, which can be useful for dodging attacks or climbing walls and cliffs.
- Burst can be used to block damage and teammates.
- Burst can provide a 10% increase to Crit Rate and a higher resistance to interruption, once they are C1.
You can acquire this element alignment by activating the Statue of Seven in Liyue.
-Best Beginner Builds.
13. Amber - 4🌟
Amber is a 4-star Pyro Bow character who can be either a sub-DPS or support unit. She is a decent unit to start with but is best replaced by Xiangling. However, can be a decent Pyro battery for your team if you build up her Energy Recharge stat.
Best aspects:
- Great for Melt DPS teams.
- Skill, Explosive Puppet, summons Baron Bunny which will taunt enemies and then deals an explosive Pyro damage when it expires.
- Burst, Fiery Rain, deals continuous AOE Pyro damage.
You can acquire her almost immediately, if you stick to the Archon Quest. She is the first character you will meet and after talking to you, she will join your team.
Amber’s Best Builds.
14. Anemo Traveler - 5🌟
The Traveler is a 5-star Sword character that is your main character who you start the game with. As this is your first elemental alignment, it is really good to start as they provide good crowd control. If you haven’t pulled in a banner, they will be your only free Anemo unit until you get Lynette or pull one in a banner.
Best aspects:
- Easy to constellate.
- Skill and burst offers crowd control and can absorb/deal additional elemental damage.
- Once fully constellated, they can reduce enemy elemental resistance.
You acquire this element alignment by activating the Statue of Seven in Mondstadt. This is the first one you get as it is part of the story progression.
-Best Beginner Builds.
15. Hydro Traveler - 4🌟
The Traveler is a 5-star Sword character that is your main character who you start the game with. This alignment is a decent sub-DPS unit for a free Hydro character. They are mainly only good for a Bloom reaction team, except for Burgeon.
Best aspects:
- Easy to constellate.
- Good F2P sub-DPS for any Bloom teams, aside from Burgeon.
- Once fully constellated, will heal a nearby party member with the lowest HP percentage by 6% of that character's max HP stat.
- At C2, increases movement speed of burst while extending its duration, allowing for a more consistent Hydro application.
You can acquire this element alignment by activating the Statue of Seven in Fontaine.
-Best Beginner Builds.
Time-limited events to unlock characters for free:
Every year we are guaranteed at least 2 free characters. One for a new region and the other for the Lantern Rite event. There is also a small chance that Hoyoverse will give us one for the Anniversary event, as they gave away a free 5-star from the Standard Banner in patch 5.0.
While we can never know who the new free character for the new region will be, until they announce it in the regions’ teaser trailer. One thing you can always count on is that you are given a free 4-star character that hails from the Liyue region, when you participate in the Lantern Rite event. This beautiful event atmosphere is to resemble the Chinese New Year celebration, this is mainly influenced by the fact that Hoyoverse is based in China and has a lot of pride in their gorgeous country.
Can you unlock 5-star characters for free?
As for 5-star characters, you can only expect one to be free if they ever do another collaboration (maybe with HSR or ZZZ?!). Unless they continue to make the anniversary rewards super generous, that may be the only way to get them outside of the Banner systems.
Hope this guide helps you on your journey through Natlan in the new version 5 patches. Be sure to check out our other Genshin Impact guides for character specific builds, if you’re not sure how to get the most out of your favorite characters. Safe travels and don’t forget your emergency food!
