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They may not be as flashy as 5-star characters, but at least players don’t blow a good chunk of 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 30, 2022 by Sid Natividad: It’s not often developers shower the players with the generosity of the best 4-star characters in Genshin Impact. But when they do, any 4-star character in Genshin Impact 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 a lot more updates 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.
25 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.
24 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.
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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.
23 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.
22 Thoma
Good for pyro resonance Has a shield
Thoma fills in a bit of a niche role because despite being a pyro character, he’s not as desirable as mainstays like Bennett. His focus is on enhancing shields and also ensuring that other characters get plenty of energy.
Still, there are better options if players want what Thoma can offer. It also seems his weapons are mismatched with his abilities, as many expect polearm-wielders to at least be sub-DPS or at least have decent damage outputs.
21 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.
20 Kuki
Has decent healing abilities Scales with HP Electro element allows good energy generation
Kuki Shinobu was placed in a similar spot to Thoma. When she came out, there were already tons of other characters that did what she specialized in but better.
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Still, for those who are in need of a healer and someone to complete electro resonance at the same time, then Kuki can be a solid contender. Besides, her design is enigmatic and mysterious, quite different compared to a lot of other characters.
19 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.
18 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.
17 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 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.
16 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.
15 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?
14 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.
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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.
13 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.
12 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.
11 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.
10 Sayu
Anemo healer Great for fast traversals & exploration Anemo element gives her access to elemental resistance shred
Sayu is an awesome all-around support character that not only provides healing but also a considerable damage buff for teams that rely on elemental damage or elemental reactions. It’s all thanks to her anemo element, which allows her to fully utilize Viridescent Venerer. Moreover, Sayu has a hold variant for her skill which allows her to roll fast over long distances.
9 Gorou
Great for geo resonance Provides plenty of defensive buffs for teammates Great for ensuring that other characters don’t get interrupted Also great for DEF-scaling characters
Gorou has a defensive focus on his abilities and while that might not be needed for some, he’s a great alternative for players who don’t have Zhongli. Because Gorou provides a truckload of defense for the party and this includes resistance to interruption. Apart from that, Gorou can be an excellent teammate for characters like a C6 Noelle, Arataki Itto, or even Albedo as their damage scales with defense.
8 Yun Jin
Good for Geo resonance Has a shield Provides stacking attack speed buffs
With the influx of relatively new 5-star characters that rely on their normal attacks to do damage, Yun Jin’s role is more important than ever. She’s one of the few characters in the game that can give a hefty attack speed buff which increases the overall damage output. Coupled with her geo resonance access, she easily becomes a must-have for teams revolving around normal or even charged attacks.
7 Kujou Sara
Provides lots of energy particles due to electro element Can buff teammates like Bennett Deals good off-field damage
Kujou Sara is also a little bit of everything in the support and sub-DPS department. Thanks to her inherent element, she can provide energy for the team. But where she excels at is giving buffs to teammates. She’s not exactly as good as Bennett but she gets the job done, especially when one considers the off-field damage from her abilities.
6 Heizou
Anemo character Good substitute for Sucrose Versatile roles
Heizou is currently one of the latest and best 4-star characters in Genshin Impact to be released since he’s both an anemo user and an all-around character. Thanks to anemo, he also has access to Viridescent Venerer shred, giving him good support capabilities.
On top of that, he also deals respectable damage and can utilize elemental mastery well in a team. The possibilities are flexible and endless with a jack-of-all-trades like Heizou.
