The cream of the crop, 5-star characters in Genshin Impact are the most valuable units one could get. Considering that this is a gacha game, getting that most sought after golden animation is as satisfying as it gets. Players will spend months farming and saving primogems for character banners, so investing in the right unit is critical in this game.

Read along to find out the best 5-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 for 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. Klee (DPS)

Fleeing Sunlight, fishes beware

Our list starts off with the character who conquered the charts for highest banner revenue for a considerably long period. Her presence in the game is also one of the most iconic, and players around the world just adore her.

This is Spark Knight Klee from the Knights of Favonius! Don’t let her cute charms fool you; she is canonically one of the most powerful characters from Mondstadt just because of her sheer explosive power and taste for destruction; she is also the daughter of the world-class mage Alice.  When she’s not busy wreaking havoc through fish blasting, she spends her day like any normal child would. 

Combat 

This bomber is a main DPS that needs to be on-field to maximize damage output. Having a pyro vision, Klee benefits from the best reactions in the game, namely, melt and vaporize. 

Klee is known to be clunky and slow compared to other DPS characters, not to mention being very squishy. Nonetheless, she can dish out respectable damage numbers when paired up with the right team.

Analysis

I personally still use Klee whenever I need consistent pyro or whenever I feel like making stuff blow up, partnering her with Raiden Shogun is as satisfying as it gets. Her importance to the game, adorable design, and sweet personality are what earned her a spot on our list. 

My Recommended Build

If you’re planning on using her, make sure to build her with the Crimson Witch of Flames set, or if not, the Lavawalker set. Her best-in-slot weapon is the Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds catalyst, but if you value aesthetics like me, you can run her with the previously free event weapon Dodoco Tales. Teaming her up with a shielder like Zhongli would solve your squishy problems, and getting any hydro or cryo teammates to trigger reactions would be the way to maximize her strength.

Best Klee Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-klee-builds

What Makes Klee Great?

• Adorable model and personality.
• One of the characters that appears the most in events.
• She’s the youngest member of the Knights of Favonius but she’s also one of the strongest.
• Daughter of the mysterious and powerful mage Alice, it’s almost guaranteed that Klee will be a big part of her lore once she is revealed.
• Held the top spot for highest banner sales for the longest time.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Utilize a highly explosive playstyle.
• Have consistent pyro application due to being a catalyst user.
• Farm ores all over the world without the need for a claymore user or a geo-character.

9. Ayaka(DPS)

Frostflake Heron, serving opulence with a touch of kindness

Another unit who stole the hearts of players around the world. She appeared in the earlier beta versions of the game but was only released after Inazuma came out. People had been waiting for her banner for a long time, and she already had a large fan base before she was even playable.

The daughter of the Kamisato clan and sister to Kamisato Ayato, head of the Yashiro Commission. Ayaka is gentle as she is graceful, her design features traditional Japanese attire and signature white hair. She stole all of our hearts with her bravery and compassion, as seen on the Archon Quest and on her Story Quest. This is one princess that won’t back down.

Combat

Ayaka is one of the best cryo DPS units in the game. Her high damage numbers and cryo vision which gives her access to melt and freeze, are just a few advantages to begin with. Having a CRIT DMG ascension stat only makes her even better and easier to build.

Her unique dash lets you slide all over the place, apply cryo to your enemies, and gives your weapon a cryo infusion. This is absolutely great for world exploration; however, it is also one of her biggest disadvantages; not everyone is a fan of the unique dash especially when it comes to split-second dodging.

Analysis

She’s just one of those characters that are simple to use but have crazy scaling that you can literally mow down almost any content in the game. Her burst is a one click AoE wave of icy destruction that never gets old, and I believe other veteran players would agree that it’s one of the most satisfying attacks so far. 

My Recommended Build

Building a 4-piece Blizzard Strayer set is the most viable option, as you’d be maximizing her CRIT DMG  stat without worrying much about CRIT RATE. Her best in slot weapon is her signature weapon, the Mistsplitter Reforged. Having Ayaka as your main DPS in a freeze team is a must, just make sure you have enough hydro application with units like Xingqui or Yelan to keep up with Ayaka’s attacks.

Best Ayaka Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-kamisato-ayaka-builds-1

What Makes Ayaka Great?

• Classy Japanese aesthetic. 
• She’s literally a princess, walking down Inazuma feels royal and powerful.
• Very fast samurai-like sword style is satisfying to perform.
• Generally easy to build and free to play options are good.
• Partnering her with Ayato completes the Kamisato siblings.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Delete enemies with a single elemental burst.
• Slide around Teyvat as a snowball.
• Freeze everything around you all the time (team up with a hydro character).

8. Itto(DPS)

Hanamizaka Heroics, the Oni King has arrived!

How could we leavethis horned gangster off the list? He is quite possibly the best geo DPS character in the game right now, and it’s all thanks to his amazing kit and scaling. His arrival brought on themeta-all-geo party, with him and his claymore leading the charge.

Arataki Itto, the One and Oni! Leader of the Arataki Gang and notorious in Inazuma for his childish antics. He has a heated rivalry with Kujou Sara of the Tenryou Commission, and rivalries with probably every kid in Ritou when it comes to beetle fighting and card games. Don’t let his devilish looks fool you; he’s actually a really good guy who looks out for his friends and family in whatever way he knows.

Combat

Itto is unquestionably the best choice for a reckless brawler playstyle. His skill throws out his bull named “Ushi” right into the enemies’ faces and his burst converts all of his DEF into ATK while bringing out his Oni King Kanabou (basically a giant club) to bonk his enemies to death.

The problem with Itto is that he really needs to be in a geo party to thrive, at the very least, he needs Gorou there to support him and serve as a battery. You need this in order to keep his burst up because without it, his damage drops significantly. 

Analysis

I have to admit it, I’m an Arataki Itto main, and ever since I got him, the game has just gotten significantly easier. Holding down his charged attacks and pummeling everything in the way is something no other character can offer. 

My Recommended Build

Without a doubt, going with the 4-piece Husk of Opulent Dreams is a no-brainer set for Itto, you're going to need as much DEF as you can get and this provides the most out of all the options. His go to weapon is the Redhorn Stonethresher but a free to play option is the Whiteblind. 

Best Itto Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-arataki-itto-builds-1

What Makes Itto Great?

• His lore is based on the Japanese creature, the Oni, and it evokes a sense of mysticism and fantasy.
• He just oozes coolness and ferocity, from the voice acting to the character model.
• Use his Kanabou when you get tired of his equipped claymore.
• Is currently the game's tallest playable character.
• USHI THE BULL!

Use This Character If You Want To

• Get at least 30k per charged attack hit when in burst mode.
• Feel the full power of geo, no reactions needed.
• Finally make use of all those DEF artifacts that you have in stock.

7. Hu Tao(DPS)

Fragrance in Thaw, fire and funerals all around

Players that are into crazy high damage numbers are sure to have this unit in their arsenal. This character is the definition of high risk, high reward, and literally walks the line between life and death. 

Hu Tao, the 77th Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, is a girl with an unusual affinity for the dead. In keeping with her family tradition, she guides lost souls in Liyue to the afterlife.

Combat

Hu Tao is quite possibly the strongest pyro main DPS in the game. Her skill converts her HP into ATK and infuses her weapon with pyro, if it’s low enough, she can get even more stronger. Her burst unleashes a single AoE pyro attack that can deal up to 100k damage with melt or vaporize when combined with her skill buff.

Analysis

This is the DPS you want if you’re looking to take down bosses in record time. A well built Hu Tao with the right team may only need one rotation to clear bosses with no pyro resistance. Her risky playstyle is also thrilling and pushes you to actually dodge enemy attacks when you don’t have a shield.

My Recommended Build

If you’re going for big single damage numbers then you can go with 4-piece Crimson Witch of Flames but if you want consistently strong charged attacks, 4-piece Shimenawa’s Reminiscence is what you want. Her best in-slot weapon for any build is the Staff of Homa. When putting her in a team, you need a consistent hydro applicator like Yelan or Xingqui and a good shielder like Zhongli to keep you alive despite your red hp bar.

Best Hu Tao Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-hu-tao-builds

What Makes Hu Tao Great?

• Her eccentric personality does not take away her respect for Liyue traditions and customs.
• Unique dash turns her into a spirit for 1 second, no other character has this type of mini dash animation.
• Pair her with Xingqui and you’ve basically beaten the game.
• Her elemental skill sound effect is so satisfying to hear.
• ♪Silly-churl, billy-churl, silly-billy hilichurl.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Pierce through enemies with her empowered charged attacks 
• Maximize the power of melt and vaporize for high single damage numbers
• Slap enemies with a burning ghost

6. Venti(Sub-DPS/Support)

Windborne Bard, hear his tales while sipping on ale

The first ever featured 5 star banner character definitely deserves a spot on this list. This unit was a must-have way back then and is still viable to this day. 

Venti, Barbatos, or Anemo Archon—whatever you want to call him, he is the God of Freedom. He is as jolly as it gets; the people of Mondstadt don't even realize that this bard is actually their deity, just casually living among the citizens. His music and cool voice always set the right mood and are the perfect medium for storytelling or narration as we’ve seen in past quests.

Combat

Being the God of Anemo, he is obviously going to be one of the strongest units in the game. His elemental skill creates a wind current, making exploration a literal breeze, and his burst summons a massive black hole that sucks in almost all enemies in the area. Stacking him with enough EM can annihilate enemies without you even finishing your first rotation. 

Analysis

You’re going to want Venti on your team if you're taking on the Spiral Abyss. His crowd control just makes everything easier, and you can recharge his burst surprisingly quick. He’s also a lifehack when it comes to scaling mountains or gliding to hard-to-reach areas. 

My Recommended Build

A 4 piece Viridescent Venerer set is best for maximizing anemo damage while shredding enemy resistances. Elegy for the End is his best weapon, but The Stringless would do just fine. As an anemo unit, he is best paired with other elements that he can swirl, but it would be best to pair him with other AoE characters to maximize pairing with his burst.

Best Venti Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-venti-builds

What Makes Venti Great?

• He is the God of Freedom and Anemo.
• His character design is light and flowy which feels great when gliding around.
• Has so many voice lines and is guaranteed to have more in the future.
• Easy to build but it may take time to get a good Viridescent Venerer set.
• He creates wind currents for you to fly on.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Suck enemies into a single spot before unleashing mayhem.
• Make world exploration a breeze.
• Build a team based on elemental reactions.

5. Ganyu(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Plenilune Gaze, true to her contract, she serves Liyue faithfully

Initially categorized by players as just another cryo applicator due to her kit. When she came out we found out that she’s actually one of the most busted characters in the game. Having her as your main dps turns the game into a First Person Shooter game which is a big win for PC users. 

The Cocogoat ranks 5th on our list! Ganyu is the single best cryo AoE unit in the game. A devoted follower of Rex Lapis and a hard worker, this adeptus does not disappoint when it comes to getting the job done.

Combat

Her charged shots are legendary, you can take down enemies that are meters away and can almost guarantee a critical hit. Her skill creates a decoy that taunts enemies, and her burst is a giant AoE cryo storm. Overall, Ganyu can be used in multiple ways depending on the team composition but generally, you’d want her as your main DPS.

Analysis

She’s as chill as it can get (pun intended). Sniping down from afar is a style that only Ganyu can make decent, but going in close range to reverse melt enemies with Xiangling is a guaranteed boss buster. 

My Recommended Build

You can go multiple ways with her, but the two most famous builds are 4-piece Wanderer’s Troupe for reverse melt teams and 4-piece Blizzard Strayer for freeze teams. Her best weapon is the Amos Bow.

Best Ganyu Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-ganyu-builds

What Makes Ganyu Great?

• One of the adepti sworn to protect Liyue.
• Just amazing for taking down groups of enemies.
• Can also serve as a sub-DPS with her burst if you wish.
• Can hit enemy weak points as a bow user.
• Easy to build with lots of sets viable for her depending on your playstyle.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Play like your in a shooting game.
• Take down enemies from a safe distance, especially in co-op.
• Reverse melt enemies or freeze them til they drop.

4. Kazuha(Sub-DPS)

Scarlet Leaves Pursue Wild Waves, as one with wind and cloud

If the Genshin community was ever wrong about the power of an upcoming character, this guy definitely deserves an apology. The first ever Inazuma character to come out was seen as lacking or just another version of anemo Traveler but boy were we wrong.

Kaedahara Kazuha is the most sought after anemo unit right now. As you may notice, he ranks higher than the Anemo Archon himself but that’s not without reason. His cool composure and neat samurai skills are definitely a must have in any team composition.

Combat

Kazuha is an amazing crowd controller, with his skill grouping enemies below him as he jumps then slamming and swirling them as he goes down. This has a very good multiplier and can even be cast mid-air, which is great for exploration.His burst is a large AoE tornado that pulses anemo and absorbs any element it comes into contact with.

Analysis

The power of Kazuha was only realized after his release. Many streamers and content creators set him aside but we can see now that he is one of the most utilized units in Spiral Abyss. He is overall a better option than Venti in most cases, and his playstyle is much more dynamic and satisfying. Not to mention his cool, silent samurai personality and drifter attire adds a lot of flavor to the character.

My Recommended Build

As with the majority of anemo characters, you’re gonna want to build Kazuha with 4 piece Viridescent Venerer and his best in slot weapon is the Freedom Sworn sword which boosts his EM. Pair him with literally anyone and he’ll provide value to your team.

Best Kazuha Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-kazuha-builds

What Makes Kazuha Great?

• He’s a member of Beidou’s crew and travels all around the world.
• He canonically blocked the Musou no Hitotachi of the Electro Archon, a world renowned god level technique.
• Acclaimed for having used two visions simultaneously during his fight with Raiden Shogun (Not a delusion).
• His burst is literally named Kazuha Slash.
• His skill is like a double jump and you can plunge down with the wind right after.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Buff the EM of your entire party.
• Play as a legit samurai.
• Wreck Spiral Abyss in record time.
• Make use of low cooldowns and large AoE attacks. 

3. Raiden Shogun(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Plane of Euthymia, no mercy for the enemies of eternity

Our favorite antagonist turned ally definitely deserves a spot in our top 3. She started off as a soulless dictator, but then we find out that it was her puppet calling the shots all along while the real Ei was meditating inside.

The Raiden Shogun of Inazuma is known worldwide as a battle tested warrior who shows no mercy towards her enemies. Her signature attack, the Musou no Hitotachi is legendary for slicing up Inazuma to take down a gigantic serpent foe. Her design definitely emanates Japanese opulence,  and the purple ring behind her back to count her stacked Resolve is a cool addition. 

Combat

Raiden is one of the best applicators of electro with her skill triggering every time an enemy is damaged. Her burst unleashes her signature attack and weapon for a single large slice while staying in sword mode for a short duration after that to finish up what’s left. 

Her energy recharge is the core of her being, building this would increase her electro damage and energy regeneration for her and her allies.

Analysis

Since her release, she hasn't backed down from our team compositions. When you play with her, you can just feel her experience in battle with you and her godly power whenever she pops her burst. It’s also a good thing that she’s relatively easy to build.

My Recommended Build

Raiden Shogun needs her 4 piece Emblem of Severed Fate to maximize her kit. Her best weapon is the Engulfing Lightning polearm, but the free-to-play friendly The Catch also works. She can be paired with almost any team. 

You would do better, however, to team with allies that have bigger burst costs to charge her Resolve stacks quicker.

Best Raiden Shogun Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-raiden-shogun-builds-2

What Makes Raiden Shogun Great?

• She is the God of Eternity and Electro.
• Her true personality is fierce but also much more reasonable compared to the Shogun puppet.
• Use her polearm for weaker enemies then unleash her sword to show you mean business.
• She took down Signora, a Fatui Harbinger, with just one strike.
• Putting her in any team is an instant upgrade.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Instantly regenerate energy for your entire team.
• One shot enemies with your burst.
• Apply consistent electro.

2. Nahida(DPS/Sub-DPS/Support)

Physic of Purity, make yourselves at home

The newest released 5-star in our list automatically takes the top 2 spot. She is one of the most anticipated units in the game, and she did not disappoint. This dendro catalyst user may be tiny but her true power lies in the use of her element.

We have Lesser Lord Kusanali, or Nahida, the Dendro Archon. We’ve been seeing her in recent Archon Quests but now that she’s out, we can say that her pure heart is backed up by her combat prowess (though she denies it).

Combat

Nahida’s elemental skill is her bread and butter. She employs a camera-like targeting system before connecting all enemies with dendro chains. Subsequent reactions would then trigger the chains, damaging all the units tethered. 

Her burst is a simple buff. She unleashes a gigantic dome called the Shrine of Maya to empower everyone within. Depending on her teammates, she can increase the damage or trigger rate of her skill or lengthen the duration of her burst. This significantly boosts the EM of anyone inside.

Analysis

Nahida ranks way high on our list because of her utility and amazing scaling. She can be built with pure EM to maximize her skill and the buff of her burst, or build her as an on-field dendro applicator. She is truly the Archon of her element, and it’s going to be tough for future dendro 5-stars to follow up on her act.

My Recommended Build

She can be built with 4-piece Deepwood Memories or 4 piece Gilded Dreams depending on her team. Her best weapon is A Thousand Floating Dreams and it is recommended to place her in any team needing dendro reactions (bloom, hyperbloom, and burgeon).

Best Nahida Builds: https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/genshin-impact-best-nahida-builds

What Makes Nahida Great?

• She is the God of Wisdom and Dendro.
• Canonically the smartest character in Teyvat.
• She reminds us that even Gods have their own weaknesses and imperfections, probably the most humanized personality so far among the Archons.
• Her skill makes collecting materials a piece of cake.
• She builds her own bonus damage and CRIT RATE with EM scaling.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Buff the EM of your party to new heights.
• Read the minds of NPC’s.
• Unleash the largest burst animation in the game.

1. Zhongli(Sub-DPS/Support)

Vago Mundo, he will have order

The game would not be the same without this character. We have been with him for a long time through various quests, and we have learned a lot about Teyvat from his wise teachings. This guy is so important that he’s the only character to ever get a rework due to the demand of the fans.    

Our top spot of course belongs to the God of Contracts himself, Zhongli! He invented Mora as the Geo Archon; his projectiles in the Archon War turned into mountains; and his power and influence in Liyue remained despite his staged death.

Combat

The Geo Archon does not disappoint, his elemental skill summons a pillar that resonates damage, but holding the button causes Zhongli to create the strongest shield in the game. This allows you to face tank almost every attack, including boss attacks. Did I mention that it also shreds enemy resistances?

His elemental burst is as godlike as it gets. He summons a giant meteor from the sky to slam into his enemies. As if that wasn't enough, this also petrifies them for a few seconds giving you time to set up your next rotation or just go crazy on them. 

Analysis

Having him on your team is like setting the difficulty to very easy mode. You don’t even have to think anymore;just spam everything you’ve got. The cooldown of his shield is also not that long, so you can keep it up with just a few seconds of downtime. Dropping meteors for only a small 40 energy cost is another reason why we love him so much. 

Overall, his significance to the fans, the story, and combat utility earned him the top spot on our list.

My Recommended Build

Zhongli as a shielder can be built with 4-piece Tenacity of the Millelith, but for massive meteor numbers you're probably going to want to build 2-piece Noblesse Oblige and 2-piece Archaic Petra. His best weapon, believe it or not, isn't the Vortex Vanquisher but is actually the Staff of Homa (sorry Hu Tao). He is made to match with any team composition you want.

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

What Makes Zhongli Great?

• He is the God of Contracts and Geo.
• Zhongli is the oldest living Archon and is also one of the original seven.
• His voice actor has done a phenomenal job and we just can’t get enough of him.
• Fans adore him so much that Hoyoverse was practically forced to buff him after his initial release; they even buffed the geo element resonance itself.
• He will make any team great.

Use This Character If You Want To

• Ignore dodging forever.
• Drop meatballs on your opponents.
• Crack ores with a single hold of your skill.

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!