Building Your First Team in Genshin Impact: The 1 Main DPS + Elemental Resonance Framework for Beginners
A Genshin team is always exactly 4 characters, split into 3 roles: 1 Main DPS dealing most of the damage, 1-2 Sub-DPS adding extra damage or triggering reactions, and 1-2 Support/Sustain handling buffs, shields or healing. If you're new and don't have a 5-star yet, the cheapest team that still clears most content is the National Team (Xiangling-Bennett-Xingqiu + a flexible Anemo slot), thanks to constant Vaporize/Melt damage. Keep reading for how to pick the right Elemental Resonance and a checklist to run before locking in your first team.
A 4-person team isn't random — it always breaks down into 3 roles
Opening the game to see dozens of characters and no idea who goes with whom — that overwhelmed first-team feeling is close to universal. The good news: Genshin's team structure is remarkably fixed, not a guessing game. Every combat team is always exactly 4 characters, split into 3 core roles: Main DPS, Sub-DPS and Support (some sites split off a separate Sustain/Heal slot as a 4th role when they want to emphasize it).
In plain terms: one character does the heavy lifting on damage, and everyone else triggers reactions, buffs, or keeps the team alive. See the full team-building framework and the Elemental Resonance table on our team building guide.
What the 3 roles actually mean — and who among your beginner characters already fits
Main DPS stays on-field taking most of the damage output and usually needs the most investment. Sub-DPS characters jump in for a quick burst then leave the field (off-field), mainly to add extra damage or apply an element that triggers a reaction — their builds are much lighter than a Main DPS. Support/Sustain doesn't need to deal much damage at all; their job is buffing (ATK up, resistance down), shielding, or healing so the team survives.
Good news for beginners: you don't need a 5-star to already have all 3 roles covered. If you own Xiangling, she's a great off-field Pyro Sub-DPS; Kaeya applies cheap Cryo well enough to work as Sub-DPS/Support; Barbara or Noelle can cover Sustain early on. See the full list of free-to-get characters that fit each role on our beginner characters guide.
Elemental Resonance: the first thing to think about, not the last
Plenty of beginners lock in 4 characters first and only think about elements afterward — flip that order. Just 2 characters sharing the same element on your team triggers a Resonance, giving the whole team a free passive buff for the entire fight. The three resonances worth knowing first: Pyro (Fervent Flames) — team-wide +25% ATK, generally considered the strongest resonance in the game since it applies to any build; Cryo (Shattering Ice) — +15% CRIT Rate against Frozen or Cryo-affected enemies; Geo (Enduring Rock) — +15% shield strength, +15% damage for shielded characters, and -20% Geo RES on enemies.
There's no 'any element works' shortcut — each resonance fits a different kind of team. See the remaining 7 resonances and how to pick one for the team you already have on our Elemental Resonance page.
The first team worth building: the National Team — cheap, easy, no 5-star required
Xiangling + Bennett + Xingqiu + a Flex slot (Sucrose for Anemo grouping, Chongyun if you'd rather swap in Cryo for Freeze, or any support character you own) makes up what's commonly called the National Team — all four are 4-stars, no 5-star required anywhere in the lineup. This comp scores by constantly triggering two high-multiplier reactions: Vaporize (Pyro applied onto a Hydro-affected enemy = x1.5, Hydro applied onto a Pyro-affected enemy = x2) and Melt (Pyro applied onto a Cryo-affected enemy = x2, Cryo applied onto a Pyro-affected enemy = x1.5).
That's exactly why this all-4-star comp keeps getting ranked as the best F2P team across many patches: cheap to build, no complicated combo timing required, and damage lands continuously instead of waiting for the right burst window. See other reaction comps beyond Vaporize/Melt on our reaction teams guide.
What the Flex slot means — and a 5-question checklist before you lock in a team
'Flex slot' shows up throughout every team guide, including the 4th slot in the National Team above: it means you don't have to own the exact name suggested — you can swap in any character with the same role that you already have. No Sucrose? Use Kaedehara Kazuha instead, if you have them — as long as the role stays the same (here, Anemo support/grouping), the team still runs fine. Want Freeze instead of grouping? Swap in Chongyun (Cryo) for that slot instead, as the FAQ below explains.
Before locking in your first team, ask yourself 5 questions: (1) Is there a clear Main DPS, or are two Sub-DPS fighting over the main role? (2) Do you have at least 2 elements to trigger a reaction? (3) Does anyone cover Sustain (shield/heal), or is the team relying entirely on dodging? (4) Is there an Anemo unit or a buffer/grouper? (5) Is the team's Energy Recharge enough to burst reliably every rotation — if not, check how to calculate ER on our Energy Recharge guide. Answer all 5 and your team is ready to fight.
When your first team stops being enough — and what to build next
The National Team clears most content well, but the 'best team' always shifts depending on what you're playing: Spiral Abyss demands fast, time-limited kills, Imaginarium Theater rewards flexibility since it hands you a different random buff each round, and open-world exploration just needs a sturdy team — no damage optimization required. There's no single 'correct' team for everything.
Once the National Team starts feeling too slow for what you're running, the next step is checking how your current characters and weapons rank in the current meta on our Genshin tier list, and trying the live damage calculator right on this site to see exactly how much % damage swapping one character or one resonance would add before you invest more resources.
Does a 4-person team need 4 different elements?
No — you only need at least one pair sharing an element to trigger a Resonance. Mono-element teams (all Pyro, for example), 2-element teams (Pyro-Hydro, say), or a 3-element team like the National Team (Pyro-Hydro plus Cryo or Anemo in the Flex slot) all run perfectly well, as long as a reaction or resonance is supporting them.
If I don't have anyone to heal or shield yet, can I still build my first team?
Yes, but prioritize filling that slot with a Sustain character as soon as you can — going without Sustain makes tougher content (Spiral Abyss, world bosses) much easier to get caught out in mid-fight. Until then, lean on careful dodging and bring healing food.
What does the 'Flex slot' in a team mean?
It's a position you can fill with any character you own that shares the same role, not necessarily the exact name suggested — for example, the Anemo slot in the National Team can be Sucrose, Chongyun (Cryo instead of Anemo if you want Freeze), or Kazuha.
Does my first team have to use the exact 4 names suggested?
No. What matters more than the names is keeping the 3 roles covered (Main DPS, Sub-DPS, Support) and triggering at least 1 Resonance or elemental reaction — specific character names are just suggestions, swap in anyone with the same role that you own.
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