Genshin Impact — Character Builds, Weapons & Team Compositions
Build Guide Philosophy
Every character build has three tiers: Best-in-Slot (BiS) using 5-star weapons and ideal artifact sets, Strong F2P using 4-star weapons available from the game without spending, and Budget using easily farmable or craftable options. Team compositions are listed as core (non-negotiable role) plus flex (adaptable slot).
Pyro Characters
Hu Tao — 5-star Pyro Polearm
Role: Main DPS, vaporize/melt enabler Playstyle: Hu Tao's E (Infernal Shift) consumes her HP to enter a powered state that converts her normal attacks to Pyro and buffs her damage based on Max HP. Optimal play is low HP (ideally 50% or below) to maximize her A1 passive. She hits extremely hard in short burst windows.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Staff of Homa (5-star) — massive HP bonus, massive ATK bonus when below 50% HP, synergizes perfectly
- Artifacts: 4pc Crimson Witch of Flames — reaction bonus and Pyro DMG
- Substats priority: CRIT Rate/DMG, HP%, Elemental Mastery
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Dragon's Bane (4-star, event) — EM scaling, massive damage on vaporized hits
- Weapon: Deathmatch (4-star, BP) — reliable CRIT Rate
- Weapon: White Tassel (3-star) — best 3-star option for pure Normal ATK scaling
Budget:
- Weapon: Halberd (4-star, random world drop) — ATK% and normal attack bonus
- Artifacts: 2pc CW + 2pc Wanderer's Troupe for EM, or 4pc Lavawalker if mono-Pyro
Core Teams:
- Vaporize: Hu Tao / Yelan / Xingqiu / Zhongli — Yelan + Xingqiu provide constant off-field Hydro application for Vaporize reactions. Zhongli provides shielding so Hu Tao can stay at low HP safely.
- Melt: Hu Tao / Rosaria / Layla / Bennett — Cryo application from Rosaria and Layla enables Melt. Bennett provides healing and ATK buff.
- Budget: Hu Tao / Xingqiu / Sucrose / Noelle — Sucrose provides EM buff and grouping; Noelle provides shields and healing.
Notes: Hu Tao is one of the highest individual DPS characters in the game. Her weakness is survivability — she requires either shield support or precise dodging. She does NOT want Bennett in most teams because his healing pushes her above the HP threshold for her passive.
Yoimiya — 5-star Pyro Bow
Role: Main DPS, single-target Pyro applicator Playstyle: Yoimiya's E turns her Normal Attacks into Pyro for 10 seconds. Her kit is entirely Normal Attack focused, making her the best bow Normal ATK DPS. She applies Pyro rapidly to a single target, enabling consistent Vaporize.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Thundering Pulse (5-star) — Normal ATK stacking bonus, ideal fit
- Weapon: Aqua Simulacra (5-star) — pure DMG% bonus works well
- Artifacts: 4pc Shimenawa's Reminiscence — Normal ATK DMG bonus, though the ER cost is real
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Rust (4-star) — Normal ATK DMG% at the cost of charged attack, which Yoimiya never uses
- Weapon: Hamayumi (4-star, craftable) — craftable, Normal ATK focused
Core Teams:
- Vaporize: Yoimiya / Yelan / Fischl / Zhongli — Yelan for Hydro application, Fischl for off-field Electro (enabling Overloaded/Aggravate variety), Zhongli for shield
- Mono Pyro: Yoimiya / Bennett / Xiangling / Kazuha — Bennett for ATK buff, Xiangling for off-field Pyro, Kazuha for elemental DMG% bonus and grouping
Notes: Yoimiya's weakness is AoE — she is single-target focused. Her burst applies Pyro to enemies that hit her allies, which is a creative mechanic for spreading damage.
Xiangling — 4-star Pyro Polearm (Free from Spiral Abyss Floor 3-3)
Role: Off-field DPS, Pyro applicator, one of the best 4-stars in the game Playstyle: Xiangling is unique — despite being a 4-star, she is a top-tier off-field DPS through her Burst (Pyronado), which spins around the active character continuously for 14 seconds, applying Pyro. Combined with Hydro supports, she generates constant Vaporize reactions from off-field.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Staff of Homa (5-star, also works off-field HP scaling)
- Weapon: The Catch (4-star, free from fishing) — ER and Burst DMG bonus, extremely cost-effective
- Artifacts: 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate — ER to Burst DMG conversion, essentially made for her
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Kitain Cross Spear (4-star, craftable) — ER passive, reduces Burst cost in effect
- Weapon: Favonius Lance (4-star) — pure ER for more consistent Burst uptime
Core Teams:
- National Team: Xiangling / Bennett / Xingqiu / Sucrose (or Kazuha) — one of the most consistent teams in the game, works on nearly all content
- Childe-Xiangling: Childe / Xiangling / Bennett / Kazuha — Childe applies Hydro rapidly, Xiangling's Pyronado Vaporizes off Childe's application
- Raiden National: Xiangling / Bennett / Xingqiu / Raiden Shogun — Raiden charges energy for the whole team
Notes: Xiangling requires significant ER investment (typically 180%+) to maintain Burst uptime. She benefits enormously from Bennett's ATK buff because Pyronado snapshots buffs at the time it's cast.
Bennett — 4-star Pyro Sword (One of the best supports in the game)
Role: Healer, ATK buffer, Pyro applicator Playstyle: Bennett's Burst creates a field that continuously heals characters inside it and provides a massive ATK bonus (based on Bennett's Base ATK) to characters above 70% HP. This ATK buff is flat and applies to all damage types, making him useful in virtually every team.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Aquila Favonia (5-star) — highest Base ATK of any sword, maximizes his ATK buff
- Weapon: Mistsplitter Reforged (5-star) — Base ATK + Elemental DMG buffs both work here
- Artifacts: 4pc Noblesse Oblige — team ATK% bonus on Burst use, perfect support set
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Festering Desire (4-star, limited event) — ER and Skill DMG
- Weapon: Favonius Sword (4-star) — ER for consistent Burst
- Weapon: Black Sword (4-star, BP) — if using Bennett as a pseudo-DPS
Notes: CRITICAL — Bennett's C6 converts all sword/claymore/polearm characters in his field to Pyro infusion. This is extremely powerful for some teams and completely destructive for others (it ruins physical carry teams and some specific reaction teams). Most experienced players recommend NOT using Bennett C6 unless you know exactly what you're doing.
Dehya — 5-star Pyro Claymore
Role: Damage mitigation tank, off-field Pyro, sub-DPS Playstyle: Dehya places a field that redirects damage from allies to herself and provides periodic Pyro application. She is one of the most unique tanks in the game — she absorbs hits instead of blocking them with a shield. Her Burst allows rapid punching in a brief window.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Beacon of the Reed Sea (5-star, her signature) — HP and ATK bonus when taking damage
- Artifacts: 4pc Tenacity of the Millelith — HP and shield/team ATK bonus
Core Teams:
- Dehya / Furina / Kazuha / Bennett — Furina rewards characters who take damage; Dehya's damage absorption synergizes perfectly
- Mono Pyro: Dehya / Bennett / Xiangling / Kazuha
Hydro Characters
Yelan — 5-star Hydro Bow
Role: Off-field DPS, Hydro applicator, damage amplifier Playstyle: Yelan's Burst summons dice that follow the active character and periodically deal Hydro damage, similar to Xingqiu but with higher individual hit damage and a unique buff — the longer her Burst is active, the more damage bonus the active character gets (ramping from 1% to 50% DMG bonus over 15 seconds).
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Aqua Simulacra (5-star, her signature) — HP% and DMG% bonus when enemies are nearby
- Artifacts: 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate — ER to Burst DMG, enables consistent uptime
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Fading Twilight (4-star, event) — cycling DMG% bonus
- Weapon: Favonius Warbow (4-star) — ER generation for team
Core Teams:
- Vaporize support: Any Pyro main DPS / Yelan / Xingqiu / flex — double Hydro application is extremely consistent
- Furina / Neuvillette teams: Yelan works beautifully in Fontaine-focused compositions
Notes: Yelan is largely considered a direct upgrade to Xingqiu for teams that can use both, but Xingqiu has the unique advantage of providing damage reduction (making him better for fragile DPS like Hu Tao).
Xingqiu — 4-star Hydro Sword (Free from in-game events periodically)
Role: Off-field DPS, Hydro applicator, damage reduction provider Playstyle: Xingqiu's Burst summons Rain Swords that follow the active character, dealing Hydro damage on Normal Attacks and providing damage reduction. He is one of the most versatile supports in the game and appears in more top-level teams than almost any other character.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Haran Geppaku Futsu (5-star) or Primordial Jade Cutter (5-star)
- Weapon: Sacrificial Sword (4-star) — most F2P BiS, allows double E cast for energy generation
- Artifacts: 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate
Core Teams: National Team, any Pyro vaporize team, Hu Tao team, Kamisato Ayato teams
Neuvillette — 5-star Hydro Catalyst
Role: Main DPS, Hydro applicator, self-sufficient damage dealer Playstyle: Neuvillette is unique — his power comes from a Charged Attack that he charges by collecting Water Droplets generated through reactions and his own skills. His fully charged attack deals massive AoE Hydro damage. He is one of the strongest DPS characters currently, largely self-sufficient, and does not require specific reaction partners (though he benefits from them).
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Tome of the Eternal Flow (5-star, signature) — HP and Charged Attack DMG
- Artifacts: 4pc Marechaussee Hunter — CRIT Rate increase when HP changes, pairs with his HP fluctuation passive
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Sacrificial Jade (4-star) — HP% bonus
- Weapon: Prototype Amber (4-star, craftable) — ER and HP healing
Core Teams:
- Neuvillette / Furina / Kazuha / Jean — Furina amplifies damage when characters lose HP; Kazuha groups enemies; Jean heals
- Neuvillette / Furina / Baizhu / Kazuha — Baizhu provides shields that let Furina work without risk
- Budget: Neuvillette / Barbara / Kazuha / Zhongli
Furina — 5-star Hydro Catalyst
Role: Support DPS, team damage amplifier, HP fluctuation enabler Playstyle: Furina summons a Salon that includes characters who drain HP from active characters and deal Hydro damage. Simultaneously, she has a mechanic where she accumulates a stack (Fanfare) based on how much HP team members gain or lose — higher Fanfare gives her Burst a larger damage bonus to the whole team. She rewards teams where HP fluctuates frequently.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Splendor of Tranquil Waters (5-star, signature)
- Artifacts: 4pc Golden Troupe — off-field Skill DMG bonus
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Favonius Codex (4-star) — ER for consistent Burst
Core Teams:
- Furina / Neuvillette / Kazuha / Charlotte — premier Neuvillette team
- Furina / Wriothesley / Shenhe / Kazuha — Cryo DPS with Furina support
- Furina / any HP-fluctuating DPS / healer / buffer — she works with almost any DPS
Notes: Furina requires a dedicated healer on the team because her Salon deals constant HP drain. She is not compatible with shield-only protection.
Electro Characters
Raiden Shogun — 5-star Electro Polearm
Role: Main DPS / ER battery, Electro applicator, Burst DPS Playstyle: Raiden generates Resolve stacks based on team members' Burst damage. Her own Burst consumes all Resolve for a massively powerful Musou Isshin state where she deals high Electro damage with normal attacks and restores energy for the whole team. She is simultaneously an ER support and a burst DPS.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Engulfing Lightning (5-star, signature) — ER to ATK conversion, ER secondary stat
- Artifacts: 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate — ER to Burst DMG
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: The Catch (4-star, free fishing) — ER, Burst DMG and CRIT, exceptional value
- Weapon: Favonius Lance (4-star) — ER focused
Core Teams:
- Raiden National: Raiden / Bennett / Xiangling / Xingqiu — among the most consistent teams ever
- Raiden Hypercarry: Raiden / Sara / Kazuha / Bennett — all buffs focused on Raiden's Burst
- Raiden Furina: Raiden / Furina / Nahida / flex — Nahida enables Quicken/Aggravate, Furina buffs Burst
Cyno — 5-star Electro Polearm
Role: Main DPS, extended Burst DPS, Aggravate/Quickbloom enabler Playstyle: Cyno's Burst gives him a powerful extended state (unlike most Bursts, his lasts 18 seconds and he uses the Burst as his combat mode). He deals high Electro damage through Normal Attacks during this state, and his A4 passive extends the state further when he uses his Skill. He works best in Dendro reaction teams.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Staff of the Scarlet Sands (5-star, signature) — EM to ATK conversion
- Artifacts: 4pc Thundering Fury — Electro DMG and reaction-triggered CD reduction
Core Teams:
- Aggravate: Cyno / Nahida / Fischl / Baizhu — Fischl for off-field Electro and energy, Nahida for Dendro application, Baizhu for shields and healing
- Quickbloom: Cyno / Nahida / Xingqiu / Fischl
Fischl — 4-star Electro Bow
Role: Off-field Electro DPS, energy generator Playstyle: Fischl's Skill summons Oz, a raven who continuously deals Electro damage to enemies. At C6, whenever Fischl or Oz triggers an Electro reaction, Fischl deals additional joint ATK damage. She is the premier off-field Electro applicator and appears in a huge range of teams.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: The Stringless (4-star) — Elemental Mastery, Skill and Burst DMG bonus
- Artifacts: 4pc Thundering Fury (for C6) or 4pc Golden Troupe (for Oz uptime)
Core Teams: Aggravate teams, Quickbloom teams, Superconduct physical teams, National Team variants
Cryo Characters
Ganyu — 5-star Cryo Bow
Role: Main DPS (Charged Attack), Sub-DPS (off-field Burst), Cryo applicator Playstyle: Ganyu's Charged Attack has two levels. Her Level 2 Charged Attack (Frostflake Arrow) fires a homing arrow that explodes in AoE Cryo on contact. This is her primary damage source. She is one of the highest-ceiling DPS characters in the game for AoE content.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Amos' Bow (5-star) — Charged ATK DMG bonus, arrow travel time bonus
- Artifacts: 4pc Blizzard Strayer — CRIT Rate bonus against Cryo-affected enemies (effectively gives free CRIT)
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Prototype Crescent (4-star, craftable) — ATK% on weak point hit, Ganyu almost always hits weak points
Core Teams:
- Freeze: Ganyu / Kokomi / Kazuha / Shenhe — Kokomi provides Hydro for Freeze, Kazuha groups and buffs, Shenhe buffs Cryo damage
- Melt: Ganyu / Bennett / Xiangling / Zhongli — Xiangling applies Pyro off-field; Ganyu's arrows Melt for 1.5x damage
- Mono Cryo: Ganyu / Shenhe / Kazuha / Layla
Ayaka — 5-star Cryo Sword
Role: Main DPS, Freeze team anchor Playstyle: Ayaka's Dash applies Cryo on exit, her Normal Attacks are elegantly chained, and her Burst summons a snowstorm that deals extremely high Cryo damage over 5 seconds. She is the centerpiece of Freeze teams and one of the most visually impressive DPS characters.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Mistsplitter Reforged (5-star) — Elemental DMG and stacking bonus
- Artifacts: 4pc Blizzard Strayer — like Ganyu, Ayaka benefits enormously from the free CRIT Rate
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Amenoma Kageuchi (4-star, craftable in Inazuma) — ER passive, helps with Burst uptime
Core Teams:
- Freeze: Ayaka / Kokomi / Kazuha / Shenhe — the premier Ayaka team
- Ayaka / Mona / Venti / Diona — older freeze composition, still very effective
Wriothesley — 5-star Cryo Catalyst
Role: Main DPS, Charged Attack focused Playstyle: Wriothesley is a melee catalyst DPS whose combat revolves around consuming his own HP through a special punch-based Charged Attack. He recovers HP through his passive when he hits certain thresholds, creating a HP management rhythm. He deals extremely high damage in short windows.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Cashflow Supervision (5-star, signature) — ATK and Charged ATK bonus when HP changes
- Artifacts: 4pc Marechaussee Hunter — CRIT Rate when HP fluctuates, perfect synergy
Core Teams:
- Wriothesley / Furina / Shenhe / Kazuha
- Wriothesley / Furina / Nahida / Charlotte — Quickbloom variant
Anemo Characters
Kazuha — 5-star Anemo Sword
Role: Crowd control, elemental DMG% buffer, Swirl DPS Playstyle: Kazuha's Skill and Burst Swirl elements he absorbs, and his A4 passive converts Elemental Mastery into elemental DMG bonus for the entire team (based on the element he Swirls). 200 EM gives 40% elemental DMG to the absorbed element for all allies. He is the best Anemo support for reaction teams.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Freedom-Sworn (5-star) — EM primary stat, team buff on Swirl reactions
- Artifacts: 4pc Viridescent Venerer — reduces enemy Elemental RES by 40%, standard for all Anemo supports
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Iron Sting (4-star, craftable) — EM stat, solid budget option
- Weapon: Xiphos' Moonlight (4-star) — EM primary, team ER generation
Notes: Kazuha is arguably the single best support in the game for elemental teams. He appears in more high-investment team compositions than any other character. His F2P weapon options are genuinely competitive.
Venti — 5-star Anemo Bow
Role: Crowd control, ER battery, grouping support Playstyle: Venti's Burst pulls all non-boss enemies into a vortex for 8 seconds, dealing Anemo damage and absorbing another element to deal additional damage. He is the best grouping character in the game. His Skill also launches enemies. He restores 15 energy to all teammates of the absorbed element type after his Burst ends.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Elegy for the End (5-star) — EM and team ATK/EM buff, excellent for support
- Artifacts: 4pc Viridescent Venerer
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Favonius Warbow (4-star) — ER generation
- Weapon: Stringless (4-star) — EM and Skill/Burst DMG
Notes: Venti loses significant value against large enemies and bosses that cannot be sucked into his Burst. He is exceptional in Spiral Abyss against small-medium enemies.
Geo Characters
Zhongli — 5-star Geo Polearm
Role: Shield support, shred support, off-field sub-DPS Playstyle: Zhongli creates the strongest shield in the game (based on his Max HP) and his Stele resonance reduces enemy Geo and ALL elemental RES by 20% just by existing near enemies. His Burst petrifies enemies. He is the gold standard for defensive support.
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: Staff of Homa (5-star) — HP and ATK bonus, high shield value
- Weapon: Black Tassel (3-star) — actually one of his best weapons, pure HP% focus for maximum shield
- Artifacts: 4pc Tenacity of the Millelith — HP and shield strength, team ATK bonus on Skill hit
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Favonius Lance (4-star) — ER for more consistent Burst
- Weapon: Prototype Starglitter (4-star, craftable) — ER and Normal ATK bonus
Notes: Zhongli with Black Tassel is a legitimate budget option that outperforms many 5-star weapons on him because his shield scales purely from HP. He is one of the most universally useful characters in the game — every team benefits from his shield and RES shred.
Dendro Characters
Nahida — 5-star Dendro Catalyst
Role: Off-field Dendro DPS, Elemental Mastery buffer, reaction catalyst Playstyle: Nahida marks enemies with Seed of Skandha through her Skill (she can mark multiple enemies), and every elemental reaction that triggers on marked enemies deals bonus Dendro damage. Her Burst buffs the team based on the elements present (EM bonus from Pyro characters, Crit Rate from Electro, duration from Hydro).
Best-in-Slot:
- Weapon: A Thousand Floating Dreams (5-star, signature) — EM and team EM buff
- Artifacts: 4pc Deepwood Memories — Dendro RES shred, best support set; or 4pc Gilded Dreams for personal DPS
Strong F2P:
- Weapon: Sacrificial Fragments (4-star) — EM primary, double Skill cast
- Weapon: Magic Guide (3-star) — actually competitive at R5, EM secondary and DMG bonus against wet/electro enemies
Core Teams:
- Quickbloom: Nahida / Raiden / Xingqiu / Baizhu — Dendro + Electro + Hydro for Quicken, Bloom, and Hyperbloom reactions
- Aggravate: Nahida / Fischl / Keqing / Kazuha
- Burgeon: Nahida / Thoma / Xingqiu / flex — Thoma triggers Burgeon explosions
General Team Building Principles
Resonance Bonuses Worth Building Around
- Pyro Resonance: +25% ATK — reason Bennett appears in so many teams
- Cryo Resonance: +15% CRIT Rate against Frozen or Cryo-affected enemies — reason Freeze teams can drop CRIT Rate investment
- Geo Resonance: +15% shield strength, +15% DMG while shielded — makes double-Geo teams inherently strong
- Dendro Resonance: +50 EM and additional EM scaling — makes Dendro-heavy reaction teams hit harder
The Four Roles in a Team
- Main DPS: On-field as much as possible, most field time, primary damage
- Sub-DPS: Off-field damage through Skills or Bursts
- Support: Buffs, healing, shields, crowd control
- Battery: Generates energy particles for the team (often doubled with another role)
ER (Energy Recharge) Thresholds — Common Benchmarks
- Xiangling: 180-200% ER
- Fischl: 120% ER (minimal, Oz generates well)
- Raiden: 250-300% ER (converts to ATK via passive)
- Bennett: 170-190% ER
- Xingqiu: 180-200% ER
- Nahida: 120-130% ER (low cost Burst)
Artifact Investment Priority
Invest in characters in this order for efficient resource use:
- Main DPS — highest priority for good substats
- Key supports (Bennett, Kazuha, Xingqiu) — 4pc set bonus matters more than substats
- Flex support — functional artifacts sufficient
- Shielder/healer — set bonus matters, substats less critical