So you haven't been blessed with 5-star characters yet? Not to worry, Genshin Impact doesn't exactly pressure players into having the best damage or the best team compositions around. Because surprise-surprise, 4-star characters are actually viable in-game regardless of the content level.
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They may not be as flashy as 5-star characters, but at least players don't blow half their salary trying to get them. Then again, not all of them are good if math and efficiency are concerned. Knowing which 4-star characters are worth putting in a party is also incredibly helpful. Here's how they stack up against one another.
Updated July 17, 2021, by Sid Natividad: It's not often Genshin Impact developers shower the players with the generosity of 4-star characters. But when they do, any 4-star character is bound to make some unforgettable waves. They fill in a difficult spot as they usually can't be more powerful than 5-star characters, but still more interesting than the older ones.
Now, with update 1.7/2.0 on the horizon, players can expect several new additions to the 4-star lineup. In near future, the best 4-star characters in Genshin Impact might look drastically different. As it is, the two new additions since the list was made have shaken up the rankings.
18 Amber
- Low attack
- Makes up for it with pyro abilities
- Good for lighting up torches
Some things never change, which is quite sad for Amber. She's been at the bottom of the heap ever since the game began and is crowned as the worst character when it comes to damage. Still, she does have her uses, such as lighting up braziers from afar if players are too lazy to get close.
17 Lisa
- Slow electro application
- Abilities and talents reduce enemy defenses
- Has niche usage in a Eula team, but not much outside that
Lisa is great for climbing, and for those who crave a witch-type character (even though she's a librarian). However, her attacks are simply too slow or too weak. She does electro damage, which is one of the weakest elements in the game. Her abilities don't synergize well with her playstyle, since they require her to be in the thick of things.
16 Xinyan
- Semi-reliable shielder
- C4 variant works well in a Eula team
- Not reliable as a pyro DPS
Despite being the only pyro claymore user aside from Diluc, Xinyan remains as unpopular as ever. It's most likely due to her abilities, which are all over the place.
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She needs to have a high defense for her Elemental Skill, while her Elemental Burst is a split of physical and pyro damage. It's hard to build her one way without pulling away from the other aspects.
15 Kaeya
- Excellent melee cryo application
- Makes water traversal easy
- Works well in a Diluc, Hu Tao, or Klee team
- Can be a DPS carry
There have been reports that using Kaeya as the main DPS can produce decent results, but ultimately, he still gets overshadowed by even 4-star characters who are DPS-based. At best, Kaeya acts like the perfect support for a Diluc melt composition. Beyond that, though, other cryo users simply deal better cryo status at longer ranges or larger areas of effect.
14 Chongyun
- Excellent cryo application and infusion
- Elemental Burst is difficult to aim
- Works well as a cryo support for pyro DPS mains
Speaking of dealing cryo status in a large area, Chongyun is one of the best in the 4-star category. He's the only cryo claymore user, so he can be a decent DPS. However, his Elemental Burst, while damaging, is too small and can miss a lot. Players mostly include him in the party as support for Melt or Frozen compositions, because his Elemental Skill is superb.
13 Barbara
- Both abilities heal
- Decent hydro application
- Can function as a janky DPS, thanks to vaporize reactions
It's too bad that the only healer players can get if they don't have any 5-star characters is Barbara. She does heal consistently, but does it slower compared to Qiqi or Jean.
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Barbara also has no other purpose than being a healer; her attacks are too feeble and she's too slow on the hydro application to deal Frozen status frequently. Still, any port in a storm is good if free-to-play players need some healing.
12 Yanfei
- Strong charge attacks
- Pyro element makes her viable as a DPS carry
- Requires hydro or cryo support to function as a fully-fledged DPS
Yanfei is the newest 4-star character on the roster, and she's proven herself to be quite a capable pyro damage dealer. She's Klee's closest 4-star alternative right now. As usual, Yanfei can shine if players provide her with adequate support characters such as Xingqiu or Kaeya.
Yanfei's charged attacks can make her viable in the Spiral Abyss and other late-game content in Genshin Impact. Granted, most pyro characters (with the exception of Amber and Xinyan) will excel if given a proper reaction setup.
11 Rosaria
- Gives out tons of CRIT Rate
- Good cryo application
- Can also work as a DPS
Speaking of a pyro character support, Rosaria is a viable candidate thanks to her persistent off-field Elemental Burst that continuously deals cryo damage. As such, Rosaria is a good sub-DPS to have.
If players want to, they can even make her a fully-fledged DPS. All they need is a reverse-melt setup. She's a polearm user too, meaning her DPS is competent, but not as robust as a claymore user for dealing with shields.
10 Beidou
- High damage ceilings
- Needs lots of patience to time her counterattack
- C6 variant can match C0 Eula for DPS
- Requires lots of field time to function as a sub-DPS or DPS
Beidou is an underrated fan favorite. She can function as both a tank and a DPS, which makes her quite a versatile main character. The only issue is that she's slow on the damage and relies on enemies attacking her before she can actually live up to her potential as a good DPS. If players have that patience, then she can be quite a monster on the field.
9 Diona
- Can fill in many roles
- Good, reliable shielder
- Healing is slower than Bennett's, but works well enough
- Good energy generation
If players find Barbara lacking, one other "healer" that free-to-play players can for would be Diona. Granted, healing isn't exactly her main role, but it's a good bonus. She's mostly there for providing some Melt or Frozen reactions since her Elemental Skill has a low cooldown. The bow also helps in kiting some enemies as a clutch move.
8 Xiangling
- Can surpass even Diluc at C6
- Can carry a team even with a Tartaglia in it
- Pyronado is a devastating Burst
- Guoba can be cumbersome and inaccurate
Now we're getting to decent DPS territory. Xiangling is a good alternative for those who lack Diluc since her Elemental Burst, Pyronado, is devastating against any enemy within jabbing distance of her spear.
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Her Elemental Skill is a bit problematic though. Gouba, the fire-breathing bear, tends to miss enemies a lot and can't move.
7 Noelle
- Fills in many roles
- Has a strong shield
- Can heal while attacking
- C6 variant can benefit greatly from poor DEF artifact rolls
- Claymore user, making her great for general combat
For a little bit of everything, one can't go wrong with Noelle. She's a tank, a healer, and a DPS; she truly lives up to her title as a dutiful maid should. If given the right defense-centric artifacts at constellation six, Noelle can become one heck of a beast, since her ATK would scale off her DEF. Players shouldn't be surprised if they see a level 80 or 90 Noelle in the late game.
6 Fischl
- Excellent electro application and support
- Long cooldowns
- C6 variants can become an amazing physical DPS
- Bow user; ranged attacks are always better
Another awesome DPS at constellation six is none other than Fischl. At that point in her progression, her physical attack output is so high she essentially becomes a machine gun. Of course, she doesn't even have to be C6 in order to shine; she does well as electro support at lower constellations.
5 Sucrose
- Excellent anemo and swirl application
- Powerful crowd control
- Grants tons of Elemental Mastery
- Perfect for elemental reaction teams
Sucrose is one of the best anemo support characters in the game after Venti or Jean, since the Viridescent Venerer fits her like a glove. Many Melt or Vaporize compositions have Sucrose in them, because her Swirl can easily add up to 40 percent more damage. Additionally, she can cluster up together enemies for other characters' big bursts.
4 Razor
- High physical damage
- Fast attacks, not much CRIT Rate needed
- Claymore user, great for general combat
- Lowered Stamina cost is underrated
No Xiao? No problem. Razor fulfills does a similar role, except with physical damage and with better regard for personal safety.
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He's one of the few "selfish" DPS characters in the game, but worth the price of ascension and leveling. Just slap a 4-piece Gladiator's Finale set on him and let him rip.
3 Ningguang
- High geo damage
- Decent defenses with the Jade Screen
- Generates shield particles fast
- Marks resources on the map
With the most recent buffs to geo damage, Zhongli, Albedo, and Ningguang (heck, even Noelle) are on a roll. This is especially true for Ningguang, since she just became a part of the endgame META as a sought-after DPS in domains. She deals tons of geo damage like a Gatling gun, and can generate shields to boot. Need we say more?
2 Xinqiu
- Excellent hydro application
- High damage, can work well as main DPS or sub-DPS
- Almost always required in a Diluc or Hu Tao team
- Has a bit of healing
As a sub-DPS, Xinqiu shines bright. He's considered one of the highest damage dealers, right up there with Ningguang, although expect to see him less. Xinqiu's purpose is more suited for solo gameplay, like boosting a pyro user's Vaporize damage. On his own, he can also deal impressive amounts of hydro damage.
1 Bennett
- Best, fastest consistent healing in the game
- Healing field doubles as a buff
- Can also function well as a main or sub-DPS
- Low cooldowns
- Generates energy fast
His luck might be down in the mud, but Benny boy has a special place in every Genshin Impact player's heart. He's the best support there is; he can buff damage and heal at the same time. Meanwhile, thanks to his Elemental Skill, he can also function as a DPS especially with Melt teams. Of course, the best part about him remains his enthusiasm and voice lines (maddening as they are).