At the time of writing, there are 40 characters available in Genshin Impact. You can freely mix and match the characters to form your dream team. But with so many things to learn about the game, finding your comfort picks can be daunting. So, if you want to solid place to start, take a look at our Genshin Impact tier list!

Table of Contents

SS+ Tier

The SS+ characters are by far the strongest in the Genshin Impact universe. The characters in this tier can pretty much carry your whole party through most of the game's content. However, some are more difficult to use than others. You'll need practice and good knowledge of the game to make the most out of them.

The SS+ Genshin Impact tier list includes:
  • Diluc: Considered the best DPS character in the game with devastating Pyro elemental abilities. The cherry on top: Diluc’s elemental burst cooldown is 12 seconds and only needs 40 Energy. When you build him right, this character is invincible.
  • Keqing: Possesses incredibly high stats and strong Electro abilities. This Sword-wielding character ranks among the best in all categories: attack power, HP, and defense.
  • Venti: Arguably the best elemental support in the game whose elemental skill absorbs and converts Pyro, Electro, Hydro, and Cryo elements.
  • Hu Tao: An incredible character with massive single-target damage. However, Hu Tao won't be able to dish out as much AoE damage as Diluc.
  • QiQi: A Cryo Sword-fighter with healing abilities that scale off with her attack power. QiQi is a great damage dealer and healer packed into one.
  • Ganyu: A Cryo bow-shooter who owns powerful AoE elemental abilities. With a little practice, you can continuously harm and freeze enemies.
  • Eula: Capable of dealing a massive amount of physical damage from stacking Grimheart to unleash huge AoE burst.
  • Kamisato Ayaka: A great damage dealer with massive Cryo AoE damage.
  • Yoimiya: Great DPS character with firework-based attacks and Pyro AoE skills.
If you want the best DPS, get Diluc.

S Tier

The next in line is the S-tier characters. They're slightly less powerful than the SS+ tier but still a force to be reckoned with.

The S-tier characters in our Genshin Impact tier list are:
  • Xiao: A pure DPS character who can attack multiple enemies at once with his plunging attacks. Xiao can easily trigger his elemental reaction Swirl with a host of characters, earning him a slot in most rosters.
  • Tartaglia: This Hydro character comes from the unavailable nation of Snezhnaya. Unlike most Hydro characters, Tartaglia's elemental damage is exceptional.
  • Klee: A bombing expert with a high base attack, extra ascension Pyro damage, and a Catalyst. Klee is easy to build, making her a great choice for everyone.
  • Albedo: A Geo character who can continuously trigger highly damage Geo-infused elemental reactions. His elemental abilities deal AoE damage with an exceptionally short cooldown time of only four seconds.
  • Kazuha: The first Inazuma character in Genshin Impact with his incredible versatility. Put him into a team composition that utilizes elemental reactions and you will see what this character can do.
  • Mona: A great Hydro character who can immobilize several enemies at once, best to combo with a Cryo teammate.
  • Zhongli: Positively buffed by the recent update, a good DPS/Support character.
  • Raiden Shogun: An amazing character with a power kit. But her Electro element cannot compete with other elemental skills. If Electro gets a buff, Raiden Shogun could definitely move higher up on the tier list.
Xiao can attack multiple enemies at once.

A Tier

The A tier contains characters who put up a decent performance but lacks something that makes them stand out. They're good picks for mid-game content and some easy events or missions.

The A-tier characters in the Genshin Impact tier list 2.1 are:

  • Razor: Best main DPS dealer until you get a 5-star one to replace. His elemental abilities enhance his melee attacks but are less useful when creating elemental reactions.
  • Jean: Low attack but highly versatile as Anemo support and healer. In the right team, Jean can carry a team with her combined melee attacks, crowd control, and HP regeneration.
  • Yanfei: A Pyro character with the third-highest base attack. Upgrade her artifacts and weapons will yield much better results.
  • Rosaria: Can be doubled down as both a DPS and support character. Rosaria’s damage output isn't the greatest, but, her abilities are incredibly versatile.
  • Xiangling: One of the best Pyro characters in Genshin Impact with an elemental skill that drops an auto-targeting, fire-breathing teddy bear. Her elemental burst creates a firewall that surrounds her for up to ten seconds.
  • Fischl: With some love and attention to her maximize Oz’ Electro damage output, Fischl is still a decent pick in 2.1. Her ability has the potential to create Electro-infused elemental reactions.
  • Barbara: While this Hydro Catalyst may have the lowest base attack in the game, she is an amazing healer. She'll make a great support character.
Barbara and Jean will carry you through mid-game.

B Tier

This list includes characters who have potential but require you to put much more effort into unlocking it. They will be your main choices for early to mid-game content. As soon as you get hold of enough Primogems, we recommend doing some gacha and switch to a higher tier.

Check out all the B-listers in Genshin Impact:

  • Sayu: A decent Anemo and claymore user who can deal damage and heal party members. However, she's only a four-star character, meaning Sayu struggles to stand out against characters like Ganyu or Diona.
  • Xingqiu: Put our decent damage but his elemental cooldowns are way too long. You have to pair Xingqiu with the right team for him to really performs.
  • Xinyan: A Pyro character with the highest base attack of all four-star characters. However, she cannot compete with Diluc, who has the same weapon and elemental type.
  • Chongyun: A good Claymore melee user with an area of effect Cryo skill set. Needs a good team combo to pull off permanent chain attacks.
  • Sucrose: An alchemy-enthusiast who can launch enemies in the air with her elemental skill. She also absorbs all Pyro, Electro, Hydro, and Cryo elements with her burst.
  • Diona: Katzlein Diona is not good as a ranged damage dealer, but more like a support thanks to her Cryo abilities. She can easily freeze several enemies at once and also heal and create protective shields.
  • Bennett: Not a good DPS character due to his low base attack powers. Bennett provides a decent attack bonus and heals his teammates (scaling off his HP).
  • Aloy: As she is a free character, you cannot expect much from Aloy. However, she still performs decently as a sub DPS option in the correct teams.
  • Kujou Sara: Requires a lot of upgrades to be effective in the game. However, her performance doesn't really justify the cost. Additionally, you need at least one more Electro character in the lineup to get the most out of Sara.
If Sayu has 1 more star, she will definitely make it further on the list.

C Tier

C-tier characters are nowhere near as useful or strong as the other characters from the upper tiers. In fact, the power gap is pretty huge. To make the most out of the C-tier characters, you need to put in a lot of investment and build a suitable team combo. They are only viable for early-game content.

With that said, check out the following C-listers in our Genshin Impact character tier list:

  • Noelle: An extremely defensive Geo Claymore character. Her shield and healing ability are really good for new players to learn the game. However, she greatly falls off as you explore more content.
  • Lisa: A good AoE Electro character for starting players. She has a higher base stat, an area of effect attacks, and is easy to use.
  • Kaeya: A Sword-wielder who fits the role of main DPS for beginning players. You can use her to practice and get the sense of the game.
  • Traveler: The only advantage you have as a Traveler is the unique ability to change the elemental type. However, you should replace this spot as soon as possible.
  • Ningguang: Owns a rather unique shield ability that can be used to shape the battlefield.
  • Beidou: Super complicated to use. Beidou requires way too many upgrades to access just an average performance. Razor will be a much better alternative.
Noelle makes a lovely friend.

D Tier

We've reached the last tier in our list today. And the D tier only has one character in it: Amber.

Everything about this character is off. Her elemental skill has a long cooldown, very low damage output, and scales with her HP. On top of that, it's perhaps the worst skill in the game to trigger manually. Her elemental burst and normal attack also have nothing much to offer.

Amber needs some love from MiHoYo. After all, she's only a starting character.

There you have it, a complete Genshin Impact tier list in the latest 2.1 update of the game. If you're starting out, we suggest sticking with a team of B-listers first. They do a solid job and are quite easy to maneuver. Once you're familiar with the game, switch to a better party.

To create your own tier list, use the templates for the Genshin Impact tier list maker at TierMaker.

>>> Read more about Geo Genshin Impact Characters to know their weaknesses and how to defeat the Geo boss!