By Elara Leclair
Updated
Players looking for options to deal serious damage per second in Genshin Impact will want to choose these characters.
Genshin Impact is no stranger to shaking up the power hierarchy with every new update, and the latest one is no exception. With the addition of several new 4-stars and 5-stars, the DPS character roster only gets more crowded. This has left players scratching their heads, wondering which characters to aim for, as well as how to best use these characters to get the most out of their play style.
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From Pyro to Hydro, each element has its own unique set of viable DPS options, and it can be difficult to compare one to another. With the arrival of the massive Sumeru update with version 3.0 of Genshin Impact, this challenge has become even greater, considering the introduction of Dendro Element and new reactions. But with a deeper understanding of each character's strengths and weaknesses, players can find the perfect DPS companion to tackle even the most difficult end-game content, such as the Spiral Abyss.
Best Pyro DPS - Hu Tao
- Best strategy: Use charged attacks after activating her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst when she is low HP - Vaporize Team
Pyro has always been regarded as one of the most powerful DPS elements in Genshin Impact due to its diverse character options, Pyro resonance, and extremely strong Elemental Reactions such as Vaporize and Melt. These factors make it a favorite among many players for DPS. Among the many options for Pyro DPS, including Yoimiya, Diluc, and Klee, Hu Tao has stood out for a long time as the best Pyro DPS character and possibly the best DPS character overall.
Hu Tao's Burst damage is one of the highest single-instance damage outputs seen in the game. To maximize her Burst potential, she should be paired with characters like Mona and Sucrose and equipped with a 4-piece Crimson Witch of Flames and a Pyro goblet artifact set. Her Burst should be used when her HP is below 30%, as this will allow her to deal additional damage, and it also heals afterward. However, it is important to note that her Elemental Burst is only a portion of her playstyle, and relying solely on this single instance is not the most effective way to use her.
The best way to play Hu Tao is to focus on her Elemental Skill, which infuses her weapon with Pyro. This allows her to do extremely strong Charged Attacks, especially when paired with a character like Xingqiu, to enable multiple Vaporize instances during the duration of Hu Tao's elemental skill. In addition, her first constellation ability allows her to not consume stamina, and her signature weapon, Staff of Homa, is highly sought-after. All in all, Hu Tao has an excellent kit that can be utilized to great effect.
Best Cryo DPS - Ayaka or Ganyu
- Best strategy for Ayaka: Cryo-infused Charged attacks with a Hydro applicator for a Freeze comp and occasional Elemental Bursts
- Best strategy for Ganyu: Charged attacks for Melt or Burning + Melt
Not only are Ayaka and Ganyu considered top-DPS characters among Cryo users, but they are also commonly recognized as two of the best DPS characters in the game in general. With their drastically different play styles yet similar DPS outputs, it is difficult to deny a place for either of them. Luckily, players can easily decide which gameplay and elemental reactions to focus on, depending on their personal preference.
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Ayaka best shines in Freeze compositions with her impressive kit. She is one of the only characters that can use Blizzard Strayer artifact set to its full potential, thanks to her very consistent Cryo application on the field. Ayaka is able to upkeep almost permanent Cryo-infusion as long as she uses her alternative sprint in between every few attacks. This allows her to keep enemies constantly Frozen with her fast attacks, as long as there is a Hydro character in the party that can have great off-field Hydro application with characters such as Xingqiu or Yelan. Furthermore, this strategy is equally enhanced if there is another Cryo character in the party to activate the Cryo resonance. Ayaka's elemental Burst is also quite strong, which can be a finisher move in many instances or in the worst case, deal massive damage.
As for Ganyu, she is just as capable as Ayaka when it comes to dealing massive damage. She has been a fan-favorite since her release. Although still a great choice for Freeze composition, Ganyu really shines in Melt compositions due to her slower-charged attacks. This gives players more time to apply Pyro with Xiangling, creating an effective team composition. Players looking to maximize Ganyu's potential should equip her with a full set of Wanderer's Troupe and pair her with Xiangling and Bennett for a powerful team that synergizes well.
Players who opt for Ganyu can now also count on the Burning Reaction to offer a consistent Pyro infusion if they are interested in experimenting with a different type of play. This allows Ganyu to create even more Melt reactions, greatly helping her DPS output. To make the most out of this, players should consider using characters such as Nahida and Xiangling in their team.
Best Electro DPS - Raiden Shogun
- Best strategy: Use everyone else's Elemental Burst before using her Burst and then attacking fast
As Pyro was a significantly better option initially, Electro wasn't very popular amongst many players for DPS purposes or even for enabling Elemental reactions. However, the Inazuma update brought a variety of strong Electro characters, such as Yae Miko, Raiden Shogun, and Kujou Sara, showcasing the immense power of Electro characters. Moreover, the Sumeru update allowed Electro to reach its true potential with the addition of strong reactions such as Aggravate and Hyperbloom, making even forgotten characters like Keqing popular again.
When it comes to Electro characters in Genshin Impact, choosing the best DPS character can be a tough decision, as both Keqing and Cyno are highly regarded for their DPS potential in the right team composition. Nevertheless, Raiden Shogun is the superior Electro DPS option due to her versatility. She functions differently from most DPS characters, often acting as a sub-DPS or Burst DPS. Her Elemental Skill enables a range of reactions, such as Hyperbloom, even when she is off-field, allowing for powerful Elemental Reactions to be triggered in team play.
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Raiden Shogun can be considered a formidable character with her Elemental Burst, especially if players have invested in the 4-pc Emblem of Severed Fate artifact set, as well as her constellations and signature weapon, Engulfing Lightning. To ensure the highest DMG potential with Raiden's Burst, it is recommended that players activate other team members' Bursts first, which will build up Raiden Shogun's Chakra Desiderata and add to her Elemental Burst damage. Having higher Burst energy cost characters in the team, such as Yae Miko and Xingqiu can be helpful to get the maximum amount of stacks.
Furthermore, if this team also has a character like Nahida, Hyperbloom reaction can be activated quite effectively while still focusing on Burst gameplay. Although Raiden has a long cooldown between her Bursts, during this time, she can also attack as much as possible for additional Electro damage, as well as to help her and other team members with Energy regeneration before switching to other characters to restart the rotation.
Best Hydro DPS - Tartaglia or Ayato
- Best strategy for Tartaglia: Use normal attacks after his Elemental Skill along with Elemental Burst when off-cooldown
- Best strategy for Ayato: Use normal attacks after his Elemental Skill along with Elemental Burst when off-cooldown
Hydro was not a popular DPS option in the early days of Genshin Impact, except for Tartaglia, who was released relatively early. The majority of Hydro characters were considered to be support characters with a variety of strong off-field Hydro applications or healing abilities. The only other Hydro character released to act as a main DPS was Ayato, and more recently, Nilou has been added to the game, bringing a unique playstyle that has allowed Hydro to gain more popularity due to her Bloom reactions. While Nilou plays differently, Tartaglia and Ayato have similar DPS outputs, as well as a similar combo and party composition styles. Therefore, if players have one of either character, they usually do not need to seek out the other unless they enjoy the character for reasons other than its DPS capabilities.
Tartaglia's playstyle is based on maximizing damage with Vaporize. To achieve this, he should be paired with Xiangling who can apply Pyro to enemies with her Pyronado, as well as a character such as Kazuha whose Elemental Burst is infused with Pyro. Tartaglia can then deal great damage with his Hydro melee sword attacks. For maximum efficiency, it is best to use his Elemental Burst. To do this, Tartaglia should equip an artifact set with a 4-piece Heart of Depth and a Hydro damage goblet. His bow damage is relatively weak, so many players opt to use his melee stance for more powerful attack damage. It is also possible to use him with a team composition that utilizes Hyperbloom, paired with Kuki Shinobu, Nahida, and Xingqiu to further increase his damage output.
Nothing much different can be said for Ayato, especially when it comes to his party composition. His Elemental Skill allows him to consistently apply Hydro, infusing his Sword with the element. In comparison to Tartaglia, Ayato's on-field time is much longer due to the shorter cooldowns and longer uptimes of both his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst. His Elemental Burst offers additional ATK speed for Ayato, while also applying Hydro in intervals, even when Ayato is on or off-field. This makes Ayato an ideal candidate for a Freeze team alongside his younger sister Ayaka if players would prefer to have a dynamic playstyle that includes two main DPS characters in the same team.
Best Dendro DPS - Alhaitham
- Best strategy for Alhaitham: Utilizing Chisel-Light Mirrors one-at-a-time for a longer duration for Dendro Infusion Spread Team or stacking these mirrors all at once for Burst-DPS.
As Dendro Characters are quite new in Genshin Impact, undoubtedly, there are not many options for picking the best DPS characters amongst them. The first DPS character we've been introduced in this element was Tighnari, which is overshadowed by Alhaitham with the release of version 3.4. Luckily, Dendro DPS characters already have good artifact options, such as Deepwood Memories and Gilded Dreams, as well as the Spread reaction, which is excellent to add to the strength of these characters if they are paired up with an Electro support character.
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Alhaitham's combo rotation can be quite complex compared to other characters in Genshin Impact due to the variety of ways Chisel-Mirror Lights can be utilized depending on a player's preferences and team composition unless players wish to unlock his sixth constellation to enable both playstyles in one. Otherwise, his long cooldowns require careful planning for optimal effectiveness. For instance, players can choose to start with Alhaitham's Burst to benefit from three free mirrors, then use normal attacks to trigger the mirrors' damage instances and Dendro reactions.
To maximize the duration of Dendro infusion, it is recommended to save the charged attack for when the mirrors expire. Alternatively, players can begin with a Charged attack, followed by Skill, and then Burst with normal attacks in between until the Chisel-Light Mirrors expire and the charged attack cooldown can be reset. Ultimately, there are many ways to customize this combo approach to fit individual playstyles.
Players can also adopt a burst-oriented playstyle with Alhaitham by focusing on generating the Chisel-Mirror Lights in quick succession. This means players should begin by using Alhaitham's Elemental Skill to get Dendro infusion and two mirrors, then use his Charged attacks to get the third one. For a short duration, they can follow this up with a few Dendro infusion attacks before any of the Mirror stacks run out in order to be able to activate Elemental Burst for massive damage and additional 10 instances of projectile damage. This playstyle allows Alhaitham to be used as a sub-DPS or Burst DPS and gives players the flexibility to switch to other DPS characters when needed.
After his Burst consumes all the Mirrors, Alhaitham will need 10s to get infusion back again and resume his burst-oriented playstyle. Overall, his Dendro infusion playstyle will provide players with a more unique and engaging gameplay experience, as it offers an alternative to the abundance of Burst-DPS characters of different elements already available.
Best Anemo DPS - Xiao or Wanderer
- Best strategy for Xiao: Use plunge attacks when his Elemental Burst is activated
- Best strategy for Wanderer: Use Elemental Skill to enter the hovering state to do normal and charged attacks. Use Elemental Burst when not in hovering state.
Similar to Hydro, Anemo has often been seen as a support-focused element, primarily used for crowd control and to buff the team's damage output. This has been the main use of Anemo for a long time, as Xiao was the only DPS character until the release of Heizou and Wanderer. Anemo's only elemental reaction, Swirl, is not considered to be very strong in terms of its DPS potential, making Anemo less appealing for DPS. However, with the release of the niche Anemo support character Faruzan and new artifact sets for Xiao and Wanderer, they can still be quite formidable and fun to play.
Xiao is a unique character who specializes in dealing high plunge damage. His abilities require a consistent healer to keep him alive, as his Elemental Burst drains a percentage of his HP in intervals. His Elemental Burst is the primary source of his DPS, as it allows him to jump into the air and plunge down, dealing massive damage. It is recommended he equips a 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter, or if not possible, any 2-piece ATK +18% set and 2-piece Viridescent Venerer. For team composition, having Faruzan (if her sixth constellation is unlocked) alongside a battery character and healer such as Jean is recommended. Zhongli also works great in a flexible spot.
Wanderer plays significantly differently compared to Xiao. Unlike Xiao, Wanderer cannot plunge when he is in mid-air, but instead enters a Windfavored state (hovering state). During this state, his Normal and Charged Attacks are changed to deal more Anemo Damage, and their AoE radius is increased. Since this hovering state is powered by a different system than Stamina, Charged attacks can be used indefinitely until the hovering state ends.
Additionally, if Wanderer's Elemental Skill comes in contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro, it will be able to absorb two elements at once and grant Scaramouche buff effects based on the contact element, requiring players to be strategic when choosing party members. Having Faruzan in the team composition is highly recommended for maximum potential. As for the best artifact set, 4-piece Desert Pavillion is suggested for its powerful Anemo bonuses. Lastly, players should be aware that Wanderer's Burst should only be used when he is not in the hovering state, as it will end the hovering state.
Best Geo DPS - Arataki Itto
- Best strategy: Use Elemental Skill and normal attacks to generate stacks to be consumed by charged attacks. Use Elemental Burst whenever possible.
Often considered to be a defensive element, Geo is not only a strong element when it comes to the amount of DPS characters in the game but also very beneficial in battles that require shield breaking, such as the Golden Wolflord. While Geo may not be as powerful as some other elements in a multi-element team composition, it is particularly strong when it comes to mono-element team composition. It has some fun characters to consider as main DPS options, such as Itto or Ningguang.
When using Itto, the main priority should be collecting as many Superlative Superstrength stacks as possible. These can be obtained by using his Normal Attacks or Elemental Skill. Once a Superlative Superstrength stack is gained, his Charged Attacks can be used to deal increased DMG without consuming any stamina. Itto will also receive increased resistance to interruption. Itto can gain a maximum of 5 stacks of Superlative Supertrength at once, and upon using the final stack, he will deliver a powerful finisher that deals a massive amount of DMG.
Itto's Elemental Burst will infuse his Normal, Charged, and Plunge Attacks with the Geo Element, granting an ATK bonus based on his DEF and increasing ATK speed. Furthermore, he can gain additional stacks for his charged attack. It is highly recommended to use his Elemental Skill while Itto is in Elemental Burst when available, as the DEF to ATK buff from the Burst will greatly increase the summoned Ushi's DMG. The most common team composition for Itto is a Mono Geo team comp, which focuses on dealing only Geo DMG with a high Energy generation potential due to having a single shared Element. This team typically consists of Itto, Albedo, Gorou, and Zhongli.
Best Physical DPS - Eula
- Best strategy: Elemental Burst followed immediately by a mix of normal attacks and Elemental Skill
Physical Damage in Genshin Impact is a powerful option to consider when engaging enemies. It allows players to deal incredible amounts of damage without relying on elemental reactions. Physical damage can be increased by equipping weapons and artifacts with physical damage bonuses and by raising the character's attack stat. Furthermore, physical damage can still be further enhanced with Superconduct reaction, allowing players to maximize their damage output. Typically, many characters are suitable for Physical DPS role, except for catalyst users or characters that infuse their attacks with elements.
Although Physical DPS characters may not be as popular as they once were, Eula is still a formidable character who can deal a massive amount of damage with her Elemental Burst, which is on par with many other characters. As a Cryo user, she can easily activate Superconduct with the help of an off-field Electro user, such as Kuki Shinobu, Yae Miko, or Fischl. The team composition can be quite flexible depending on the needs of the fight.
Her Elemental Burst is the most important gameplay aspect of Eula. When used correctly, it can be a very powerful tool for dealing massive damage to enemies. Dealing DMG with her Normal Attack, Elemental Skill, and Burst will charge her Lightfall Sword and cause an explosion once the duration ends. Her Elemental Burst also increases her Physical DMG, allowing her to deal even more damage. Note that if she is switched to another character after using Eula's Elemental Burst, the Lightfall Sword will immediately explode, which in some cases might be enough to kill some enemies.
To get the most damage out of her Elemental Burst, however, Eula should use her Elemental Skill (tap) and then unleash the Burst. After that, she'll have a 7-second window to do 4 normal attacks, another Elemental Skill (hold), and another 4 normal attacks. All these will increase the damage of her delayed Elemental Burst until it pops off.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.
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