They may not be as valuable as 5-stars, but 4-star characters get the job done and, when built right, can even exceed the strength of their golden counterparts. These are the units that are easier to get as we are guaranteed one in every 10 wishes (if not a weapon). Getting the exact unit that you want is another matter, of course, because there is no guarantee for specific 4-star characters.

Read along to find out the best 4-star characters in the game so far (Patch 3.2). Take note that by “best”, we mean to evaluate the character as a whole, not just combat and utility but also when it comes to characterization, style, and impact in the game. Also keep in mind that these characters are judged at C0 to measure combat prowess fairly.

10. Kuki Shinobu (Sub-DPS/Support)

Mender of Tribulations, she always knows what to do in a pickle

This character started as just another niche 4-star unit. People were unimpressed with how she had multiple scaling, especially with EM. With the release of the Dendro element, she quickly proved why her kit was built as it is and is now one of the best options for hyperbloom teams.

This is the Deputy Leader of the Arataki Gang, Kuki Shinobu. She is smart and responsible; no wonder Itto puts so much trust in her. She has a ninja-like character design and a really cool mask that she takes off during her idle animation.

Combat 

With the release of Dendro, Kuki is now an unstoppable force. Her skill allows her to heal and apply electro consistently for an extended period of time with nearly 100% uptime. Her burst is an upward stream of electro that is great for wrecking shields. All of her kit is AoE so having her trigger hyperblooms is easy enough.

Analysis

Kuki is one of those characters that didn't make much sense during their release. Nowadays, she is dominating team compositions as the electro enabler and the healer, which is hitting two birds with one stone. The only drawback to her kit is the HP cost for casting her skill, which gets annoying at times.

My Recommended Build

You can build Kuki as your main healer and buffer with the 4 piece Tenacity of the Millelith set but with Dendro, you can build your Kuki with the 4 piece Gilded Dreams set to maximize EM and produce crazy hyperblooms. 

Her best weapon is the Freedom Sworn Sword for that juicy EM stat but the Iron Sting is a good alternative.

Best Kuki Shinobu Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/top-3-genshin-impact-best-kuki-shinobu-builds-current-patch?page=1,0

What Makes Kuki Great?

• She’s looks like a ninja.
• Her normal attack animation has her throwing down knives.
• She can be built in many ways.
• Building her EM also boosts her healing and damage due to her passive talent.
• Great for Inazuma expeditions.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Apply consistent off-field electro to your enemies.
• Easily trigger hyperblooms.
• Shred enemy shields quickly.

9. Chongyun(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Frozen Ardor, the exorcist will handle all your evil spirit concerns

When it comes to cryo, this character has filled our slots since the early days of Genshin Impact. We love his cool demeanor and dedication to tradition. 

This is none other than our favorite exorcist, Chongyun! He’s always there when spirits are in the area;  just make sure not to ruin his yang energy. When he’s not too busy sucking on popsicles, he goes around giving a helping hand to his friends in Liyue.

Combat

His elemental skill infuses melee weapons with cryo, making application much easier. With one of his passives, you can actually increase the attack speed of the character on the field by 8%. You can bring giant spirit swords down through his burst which can also be amplified with melt. 

Analysis

Chongyun is great with melt and freeze teams. Back then, when options were fewer, he was always the one being jammed in with units like Diluc or Mona. Nowadays, he still serves his role, but it can be argued that his value has gone down quite a bit with the appearance of newer cryo characters.

My Recommended Build

You can build a burst focused Chongyun with the 4 piece Noblesse Oblige set or an on-field-focused fighter with the 4-piece Blizzard Strayer set. His best weapon is the Wolf’s Gravestone but the Luxurious Sea Lord claymore is also good if you have it.

What Makes Chongyun Great?

• Is confirmed to be related to Shenhe.
• Generally easy to build.
• He can help you travel over water.
• His skill infuses your melee weapon with cryo.
• He eats a lot of ice cream.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Freeze everything around you all the time (team up with a hydro character).
• Summon ice swords down onto your foes.
• Get powerful melt damage numbers.

8. Razor(DPS)

Wolf Boy, defending the pack

One of the few physical attack focused characters in the game. He never fights alone, as he has his electro-wolf spirit with him to slash his foes to dust. If you’re a fan of high-speed combat, then surely you’ve got this fighter in your party.

This is our one and only wolf boy, Razor. He’s young, but he grew up learning the way of the wolves and would do anything for his pack. Good thing the Knights of Favonius always have his back whenever he needs human help.

Combat

Razor’s normal attack is the most important talent in his kit, as it’s going to be your main damage dealer. His skill performs a slash that deals mediocre damage but gives him a decent chunk of energy. 

Using his burst brings out the wolf inside him, literally. He empowers himself by summoning a large electro wolf to attack alongside him, increasing his attack speed and dealing electro damage per strike.

Analysis

This guy was a must have back then when DPS options were scarce. His kit clearly defined his role as a DPS and he did it well and with style. Although physical damage units have gone down in popularity due to the rise of EM teams and Dendro, Razor still packs a punch and will be a good addition to your team if you need him.

My Recommended Build

Razor gets to maximize his kit with the 4-piece Pale Flame set but the 4-piece Gladiators Finale also works. His best weapon is the Song of Broken Pines, for maximum physical damage. Generally you would want a teammate that applies cryo to further boost your damage with the superconduct reaction.

Best Razor Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-builds-for-razor

What Makes Razor Great?

• He has a stand!! (Jojo Reference).
• He grew up with wolves and kinda looks like one.
• Feral instincts don’t take away his kind heart.
• Personally trained by Grand Master Varka himself in combat.
• Really easy to build and is a good DPS for new players.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Swing your claymore with wicked attack speed.
• Experience using a physical attack focused unit.
• Finally use superconduct.

7. Beidou(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean, sea monsters cower before her might

A master of the sea, this unit originated the counter/parry playstyle in the game. She took down Haishan with her bare hands, which earned her a vision. Her newfound ability to use electro only made her a more formidable fighter—and a fantastic applicator!

The Captain of the Crux Fleet, Beidou, joins our list. One of the coolest female characters so far, her name is widely known, and the same can be said about her feats. She has a soft spot for lost people, giving them a second chance at life in her crew and ensuring their safety anywhere they may go.

Combat

The all-famous perfect counter skill is a core part of Beidou’s kit. Tap this skill at the right time that an enemy strikes you, and make them regret it when you instantly slap them back with her claymore. Her burst empowers her team with off-field chain lightning every time you do a normal attack.

Analysis

Beidou can serve your team in almost every role due to her flexible kit. She is now used as an electro-applicator due to dendro and is still highly valued due to her ability to reach multiple enemies.

No matter what way you decide to build her, hitting that perfect counter will forever be satisfying to pull off.

My Recommended Build

Beidou as a DPS can make the most out of 2-piece Thundering Fury and 2 piece Gladiators Finale (or any other ATK% 2 piece sets). If you’re building her for off-field use,  4-piece Emblem of Severed Fate is your best bet.

Her best weapon is Wolf’s Gravestone, but The Unforged is a great premium option as well. For a more budget friendly choice, Prototype Archaic or Rainslasher are good depending on how you want to use her. 

What Makes Beidou Great?

• Also called the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean.
• She’s basically a pirate… but a good one.
• Plays a huge role in both the Liyue and Inazuma quests.
• Her red rebel design matches her personality perfectly.
• Can still bring lots of value despite being an older character.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Get those perfect counters!
• Use chain lightning on groups of enemies.
• Wave her claymore around like a madman with her special charged attack.

6. Sucrose(Sub-DPS/Support)

Harmless Sweetie, who knows what she has under her sleeve

The low budget crowd control queen. She’s one of the genius alchemists of Mondstadt and a trusted colleague of Albedo. If you’re into large AoE wind vortexes, then this is the unit for you.

Sucrose and her creations make the list as she provides some of the best crowd control skills in the game, second only to the likes of Venti and Kazuha. She may be sweet and awkward, but a well-built Sucrose can take down large camps of enemies, sometimes even before the main DPS gets to work.

Combat

Her skill summons a single pulse of anemo to knock up enemies in an AoE. Sucrose’s burst is sort of an evolved version of her skill where she unleashes her creation that triggers a large AoE swirl vacuum that ticks every second. Her passives are also high value, as she gives her teammates a flat 50 EM or 20% of her total EM by just hitting opponents.

Analysis

You can bet that Sucrose will make any reaction based team better with her abilities. This is a unit that can help you get through those pesky Spiral Abyss stages where the enemies are always far apart. 

My Recommended Build

4-piece Viridescent Venerer on Sucrose increases her bust, but if you're having trouble farming good pieces, 4-piece Noblesse Oblige also works. Using Sacrificial Fragments with her really helps her with energy, but you can also use the good old Thrilling Tales of the Dragon Slayer if you want to buff your team ATK instead.    

What Makes Sucrose Great?

• You just have to stack EM on her and she’s good to go.
• Nerdy character design .
• She makes all sorts of inventions to help improve the lives of the people.
• She can work as an on-field catalyst for taser teams.
• Her charged attack happily pushes enemies off cliffs.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Vacuum in groups of enemies.
• Give a big EM boost to your team.
• Swirl elements all around for maximum application and resistance shred.

5. Diona(Sub-DPS/Support)

Katzlein Cocktail, we're lucky she doesn't make molotovs

The bartender of the Cat’s Tail. She’s an expert brewer, and any concoction she makes is just heavenly. Be careful not to get too drunk because she hates drunkards (that means you Draff).

The feline mixologist Diona makes it to our list as she is a super-powered support for all your needs. Looking for a shielder? Yeah, she can do that.  Need a healer to be on the safe side? She can play that role too!

Combat

Diona’s skill throws out icy paws and produces a shield based on how many hits land. This has a tap and hold version, but generally you’d want to hold it for maximum effect. Her elemental burst summons a cryo field that deals damage and heals you at the same time.

Analysis

She’s the definition of a complete support. You can be sure that she’ll keep your team alive with her kit and give you cryo application while at it. For newer players, this is someone you’ll want on your team so you don’t die every now and then.

My Recommended Build

Generally, 4-piece Noblesse Oblige is going to be best for her, but you can do with separate sets of Tenacity of the Millelith, Retracing Bolide, or Emblem of Severed Fate depending on your needs. Her best weapon is actually the Sacrificial Bow, as its skill resetting mechanic is great for her energy.

Best Diona Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-builds-for-diona?page=1,0

What Makes Diona Great?

• She’s adorable.
• Makes great drinks but is actually against the alcohol industry.
• Very useful in co-op.
• Can be built in many ways depending on what you have.
• Have a good uptime to your shield if you have your Sacrificial Bow.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Have a shielder and healer in one slot.
• Buff yourself and debuff enemies.
• Apply consistent cryo with her burst.

4. Xiangling(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Exquisite Delicacy, who likes it spicy?

Who knew that cooking and combat would make such a destructive combination? This is exactly the specialty of the next unit on our list. Behold her fiery dishes and reliant companion as she takes over the field.

The culinary prodigy of Liyue, Xiangling takes our top 4 spot. She's a little difficult to categorize because she can work as the pyro applicator, setting up reactions for others, or having others set up reactions for her to be wrecked by her Pyronado!

Combat

Xiangling’s skill summons Guoba, he’s the reliable cooking assistant that eats chilis and breathes fire onto their enemies. Her burst is the core of her kit, she summons the Pyronado, a gigantic whirlwind of fire that revolves around to wreck all enemies in sight.

Analysis

Another unit whose worth was initially underestimated due to her ease of acquisition. It took a while to really see the value of her no ICD burst and high reaction numbers. Xiangling can easily carry your team early on and still take down high-level baddies in Spiral Abyss later on.

My Recommended Build

Get the most out of her burst with the 4 piece Emblem of Severed Fate set. She can generally go with any good polearm, but her best weapon is the Engulfing Lightning for that juicy ER substat.

Best Xiangling Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-xiangling-best-builds

What Makes Xiangling Great?

• She summons her cute pal Guoba.
• Depending on what you want to build, the majority of the polearms in the game right now are viable for her.
• She was trained by an adeptus.
• You essentially get her for free when you clear Floor 3 of Spiral Abyss.
• Picking up the chili that Guoba drops can give your team an ATK boost.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Unleash a circling wave of fiery destruction with no ICD.
• Deal lots of damage if your early in the game.
• Get lots of bonuses from cooking.

3. Fischl(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Prinzessin der Verurteilung, bow down to her highness

Opening our top 3 list is a powerful unit that just got buffed even more because of the release of Dendro. She’s mysterious and elegant. This is except for the times that she breaks character.

The Prinzessin der Verurteilung herself, Fischl graces our list with her presence. She and her familiar Oz dominate all the 4-star electro units. 

Combat

Her skill summons Oz, a raven that automatically attacks enemies with an electro-like turret, which is the core of her kit. Her burst combines the two in one quick swoop and summons Oz at the end to refresh the duration.

With dendro now, her passive “Undone Be Thy Sinful Hex” is of even greater value, as she deals bonus electro damage to enemies every time an electro related reaction is made.

Analysis

I’ve been a Fischl user from the beginning, and it’s just amazing to see how she gets more value every time a big update comes out. There are even times where she can be more useful than Raiden Shogun or Yae Miko depending on the team composition. 

My Recommended Build

Depending on what pieces you have, the 4-piece Gilded Dreams set and the 4-piece Thundering Fury set are both great options for her. When it comes to the weapon, the Polar Star is going to bring her the most value, but The Stringless is a popular choice for many.

Best Fischl Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-fischl-builds

What Makes Fischl Great?

• She is one of the most lore rich characters in the game.
• Everyone just accepts who she is and plays along with her strange personality.
• Her familiar Oz has a conscience of his own and is essentially a separate character.
• If you’re an older player, you might have received her free skin.
• Dendro units just love having her in the team.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Use a turret based playstyle.
• Pop multiple spread or aggravate reactions because of Oz.
• Generate lots of electro particles.

2. Xingqiu (Sub-DPS/Support)

Juvenile Galant, don't disturb him when he's reading

He’s as useful as he is smart. Vaporize and freeze teams wouldn’t be the same without this guy. They say the pen is mightier than the sword. but in this case, we can say that they may be equal.

From the Feiyun Commerce Guild, we have Xingqiu. The best and most efficient hydro applicator in the game. He’s proof that good supports really do make a huge impact. 

Combat

His skill performs a somersault with two instances of hydro damage, then produces a ring of swords around you that can apply hydro, reduce damage taken, and heal you when they disappear. Xingqiu’s burst summons off-field hydro swords that rain down on enemies with every normal attack you do. 

Analysis

Every DPS is thankful to have Xingqiu on their team. Having his hydro swords maxed out can even take down most of the enemies before you finish a rotation. Just make sure you have enough ER to maintain your burst.

My Recommended Build

Xingqiu needs a ton of ER so it’s almost a must to have a 4-piece Emblem of Severed Fate set built on him. Pairing this with his signature Sacrificial Sword will give him an extra instance of his skill to get lots of energy.

Best Xingqiu Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-xingqiu-builds

What Makes Xingqui Great?

• Strives to be a chivalrous hero like the ones in his books.
• Is an instant upgrade to any team.
• No-brainer playstyle.
• He does a really cool somersault that never gets old.
• Can serve as an amazing battery if you're running another hydro unit with a big burst cost.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Apply hydro off-field.
• Make sword shields to reduce the amount of damage taken.
• Enemies can be frozen or vaporized to bits.

1. Bennett(Sub-DPS/Support)

Trial by Fire, he won't let us down

We all knew this was coming. This unit, without a doubt, brings the most value out of all the 4-star characters, and some even say that he’s stronger than other 5 star supports. He was first considered as a 4-star Diluc, but little did we know that his burst was actually the core of his kit.

Benny’s Adventure Team assemble! Our clumsy friend Bennett is leading the charge at the top of our list. He may be unlucky when going out with his fellow adventurers, but he is definitely a blessing when he’s in our party.  

Combat

His skill is a quick pyro strike that has a really low cooldown. This is extremely beneficial because you'll want to store as much energy as possible so you can always use your burst.

Bennett’s burst summons a big red circle that heals everyone in it based on his HP. The scaling is so great that units near death can be restored to full health almost instantly. To make it even better, he is the best buffer in the game, as this circle also boosts the ATK of units in it depending on his base ATK. At level 90 and with a maxed out 4 star weapon, he can more or less give you around 1000 bonus ATK.

Analysis

He really is a must have character. Even without the healing part, his burst is valuable enough just for the ATK boost. Bennett is a sure upgrade to any team, and seeing as the 4 star units being released nowadays are becoming more and more niche, he’s going to enjoy sitting at the top for quite a while longer.

My Recommended Build

Maximize his already insane ATK buff with the 4 piece Noblesse Oblige for that juicy 20% boost. His best weapon is the Mistsplitter Reforged but he’s still great with the Sacrificial Sword or the Favonious Sword.

Best Bennett Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-bennett-builds

What Makes Bennett Great?

• As an orphan, all the men at the Adventurers Guild serve as his “dads” and is very wholesome touch to his character.
• Best 4 star in the game right now.
• Generally easy to build .
• Value is so high that you’ll have to wish on a banner just for him and not necessarily the featured 5 star.
• He can easily setup high damage reactions with his skill.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Launch yourself backwards with his fully charged skill.
• Achieve crazy damage numbers because of his ATK buff.
• Tank almost any fight while inside his healing radius.

You May Also Be Interested In:

• Genshin Impact Best Support Tier List (1.6)
• Genshin Impact Best Main Dps Tier List (1.6)
• [Top 10] Genshin Impact Best Teams That Wreck Hard

• Genshin Impact Best Artifact Stats
• [Top 10] Genshin Impact Best Artifact Sets
• [Top 3] Genshin Impact Best Xiao Builds That Wreck Hard!