Characters Genshin Impact

Every tile in the grid stacks 4 layers of information, so you can read all of it from the icon alone without opening each character:

• Colored dot in the corner = one of the 7 elements currently in the game: Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, Electro, Anemo, Geo, Dendro. Element decides which elemental reaction (Vaporize, Freeze, Superconduct...) fires when characters are grouped together, it is not just a cosmetic tag.
• The ★ count in the corner = rarity, and only 2 tiers exist in this list: 4★ and 5★. 5★ tend to be stronger and mechanically unique, but plenty of 4★ characters are still backbones of meta teams.
• The weapon-type filter above the grid splits characters into 5 types: Sword, Claymore, Polearm, Bow, Catalyst. Weapon type decides which weapon that character can equip to scale damage, it has nothing to do with element.
• Team role is not shown directly on the icon but can be filtered — see the role-breakdown section below for details.

Click any icon to open that character's full build page (weapon, artifacts, talent priority, recommended teams).

New players do not need to pull a banner right away just to get a "proper" first character — the game already forces one mandatory pick and hands out a few free characters within the first few hours, so the real task is choosing the RIGHT ORDER to invest in that starting roster before gacha even enters the picture.

• The Traveler is mandatory throughout the story and can switch element by chapter — keep raising it alongside everyone else, since it costs no pulls and is effectively 100% free.
• Pick who to invest in deeply based on role first, not rarity: a strong elemental Main DPS (Pyro or Electro tend to trigger reactions easily) paired with at least one elemental Support is the most stable early-game core to clear the opening story.
• Do not dump all your Mora and ascension materials into a single 5★ you just pulled if the team still lacks an elemental support — running out of steam on reaction-gated content (puzzles, shielded bosses) is a much bigger wall than lacking raw damage.

If you are not sure who deserves deep investment first, check the Character Tier List to see who currently ranks highly in exactly the role your team is missing.

Genshin Impact hands out several 4★ characters for free within the first few chapters and through companion quests, no gacha pulls required:

Character	How to get	Suggested role
Traveler	Mandatory from the start, switches element by chapter	Flexible (DPS/Support depending on current element)
Amber	Given right when the character system unlocks	Anemo Sub-DPS / opener
Kaeya	Early-chapter story quest	Cryo Sub-DPS
Lisa	Early-chapter story quest	Electro Sub-DPS
Noelle	Companion quest / early achievement	Geo Sustain / Support

What this group has in common: they are all 4★, so ascension and talent materials cost far less than 5★, making them ideal for getting used to the character-raising loop before spending rare materials on pulled characters. Do not skip this free group just because "free means weak" — several of them still hold spots in meta teams thanks to their support/elemental role, not just raw damage.

The role filter on this page splits characters into 4 clear groups, and understanding these 4 groups matters far more than looking at rarity alone when building a team:

• Main DPS: stays on field most of the time and carries the bulk of the team's damage. When building this role deeply, the common stat target is prioritizing CRIT Rate around 40-55% before stacking CRIT DMG, with CRIT DMG reaching at least roughly 100% for a stable crit ratio — this is a general direction, exact numbers still depend on each character's own kit.
• Sub-DPS: comes on field briefly to fire off a skill/burst then swaps out, contributing damage through follow-up hits or by triggering elemental reactions rather than staying on field long.
• Support: does not need to deal much damage; the main job is buffing the team, debuffing enemies, or setting up elemental reactions the Main DPS benefits from.
• Sustain: healers or shielders, keeping the team alive through wide attacks instead of focusing on damage.

A balanced team usually needs at least 1 Main DPS plus 1 Support or Sustain, with the remaining 2 slots flexible between a Sub-DPS and a second Support depending on the content you are playing.

The filter bar above the character grid has 3 button groups, and they combine with each other rather than only allowing one active button at a time:

• Rarity (5★/4★): click to show only the rarity tier you need right now, for example when you specifically want cheaper-to-build 4★ characters to round out a team.
• Element: each button carries a color dot matching its element, useful when hunting for same-element characters to set up a reaction, or spotting which element your current team is missing.
• Weapon type: filters by Sword/Claymore/Bow/Catalyst/Polearm, handy right after picking up a rare weapon when you want to see who can actually equip it.

All 3 filter groups stack together (AND logic) — clicking "5★" plus "Pyro" leaves only 5★ Pyro characters. The counter on the filter bar updates live with your selection, so you know exactly how many characters match without counting the grid by hand. Once you have narrowed down a candidate, click its icon for the full build page, or use the Genshin Tools Hub to check pity or simulate damage before committing resources.