Genshin Impact has currently released about 80 playable characters as of the Version 4.5 Update. As we are almost in the middle of Fontaine Version Updates, which has started from Version 4.0, it is time to assess the general rankings of all characters and what category they fall in the current Tier list. This tier list will look into which characters are the most viable and the strongest in the latest 4.5 Update of Genshin Impact.
Genshin Impact 4.5 Tier List: Present condition of the game
Genshin Impact characters have an assortment of varying kits and as such they are categorized in 3 ways, Main DPS, Sub DPS, and Support. Some fill in the role in more than one way while other playable characters have their whole kit revolved solely around only one role. When we initiate a well-put-out Tier List to sort out the current META of the system, we take many of the End-game content into account. For example, the Spiral Abyss plays a big part in the end-game content for many veteran players. As such, here is the current condition of the meta up to Version 4.5 in the game.
With the introduction of the brand new nation, Fontaine, there will no doubt be an assortment of different gaming mechanics introduced in Version 4.0 onwards. With the introduction of Dendro in the Sumeru region patches, Fontaine also has their gimmick in mind as well. Many of the Fontaine playable characters that have been released now have HP-increasing and draining mechanics tied to their kits.
The general idea is that they will boost their damage and or the damage of other characters in the party when they lose HP. Inversely, they can also self-heal themselves and gain HP back, similar to Hu Tao. Additionally, many of the playable characters are HP-scaling units and hence building them will prove to be quite easy for F2P players.
There is also a game mechanic that has been introduced which is the Ousia/Pneuma gimmick. Fontaine puzzles are filled with this mechanic. This mechanic is exclusive to Fontaine playable characters, where each character will either be Ousia aligned or Pneuma aligned (except Furina who is both Ousia-Pneuma aligned). As a result, the mechanic will inadvertently be useful especially when players fight Fontaine bosses, making the fights much easier and quicker to finish.
Other than that, there have been many popularized team comps as of now, mainly with the teams that are non-reactionary. Team comps that involve Lyney and Neuvillette are usually mono-elements. Other popular team comps have now popularized Baizhu and his usage mainly in the Spiral Abyss. Lastly, the long-awaited Hydro Archon Furina certainly became a game changer as expected and has now opened doors to explore many new team comps with her in it.
Genshin Impact 4.5 Tier List: Ranking the characters across three roles
Main DPS
Best Characters
- Neuvillette: Neuvillette quickly shot up to be a great Hydro DPS unit, and now standing tall to be the current best Hydro DPS in the game. To briefly summarize Neuvillette’s kit and play style, he is a Charged Attack on-field DPS character who specializes in dishing out Hydro damage with his Charged Attacks. With the release of Fontaine characters, most of them including Neuvillette depend on their HP scaling mechanics which lets them be easy to build in the long run (since Neuvillette only requires stats that provide HP, Crit, and gauge the requirements of his ER). His teams are versatile, with Tazer comp being the most used. With Furina in the party, his damage enhanced significantly. Suffice it to say the best Hydro DPS crown won’t be falling off of Neuvillette anytime soon.
- Lyney: Lyney surprised many with his release back in Version 4.0 as everyone expected him to have a power-scale level comparable to Yoimiya. Although he did not outrank Hu Tao, Lyney’s damage is still quite comparable with her and in competition for the best Pyro DPS title. Lyney’s scaling is purely attack-based and his kit is tailored to only dishing out raw Pyro damage. As such his teams are no doubt mono-pyro related. Although he can also be matched with Vaporize. Lyney can deal both single target and AoE with his charged shots and has elevated previous characters like Dehya to be quite sustainable in the new patches.
Sub-DPS
Best Characters
- Furina: The most noteworthy character for now is undeniably Furina, the Hydro Archon herself. No doubt her kit and what she brings to the table has completely shifted the META just like her previous Archon buddies Nahida and Raiden Shogun. To summarize Furina’s kit and why she is such an amazing Sub-DPS/Support unit, she dishes out high amounts of Hydro damage with her 3 buddies off-field, as well as applies good Hydro application to the enemies. Most notable is her damage buff to all her party members when they take the field. She enhances their damage in exchange for depleting their HP. Furina also scales off purely from HP and is the only character who is Ousia/Pneuma. Furina has opened up many team comps with her in the roster acting as a damage booster. Overall, Furina is a highly recommended character to have in your party as she will be a great asset to your roster overall in the long run.
Support
| Tier | Pyro | Cryo | Hydro | Electro | Dendro | Anemo | Geo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overpowered (SS) | Bennett | Shenhe | Xingqiu Kokomi Furina | Kuki Shinobu | Nahida Baizhu Yaoyao | Sucrose Kaedehara Kazuha | Yun Jin Zhongli |
| Strong (S) | Thoma | – | Mona | Kujou Sara Beidou | Tighnari Kirara Dendro Traveler | Faruzan Venti Jean Xianyun | Albedo Gorou |
| Good (A) | – | Qiqi Kaeya Rosaria | Barbara | Collei | Sayu Lynette | – | |
| Average (B) | Xinyan | Layla Aloy Mika Diona Chongyun | Candace | Dori | – | – | Noelle |
Best Characters
- Baizhu: A character that is severely underrated as a unit and overshadowed by many in the community, Baizhu is a great unit to have in your party especially with new characters being playable in the coming patches, with his viability and usage shooting up slowly. With the release of Furina, Bazihu has opened up many team comps with her included in the party.
Final Thoughts
The new characters of Navia, Xianyun have made major leaps in the Tier List to bring itself in the S-Tier of the current meta, whereas, it is too early to place Chiori anywhere higher in its Tier List.
