Genshin Impact: Which 5-star DPS character is best for your playstyle?
Genshin Impact's combat system gives players a variety of unique ways to combat the game's mobs of enemies and ferocious bosses.
Some players like to utilize the game's elemental reaction system to dish out damage.
Others prefer seeing one huge damage number as their enemies turn to ash. There are also those who like spamming one button, or even just press one button, to decimate their opponents.
No matter what your preferred style of play may be, there's a 5-star DPS character out there that fits the bill.
So, here’s our guide on choosing the best Genshin Impact 5-star DPS character for you, according to your playstyle!
All about teamwork
If you’re the type of player who likes to rely on team compositions to maximise your damage, and likes to plan out certain tactics and rotations, you’re better off utilising a DPS that can thrive off of elemental reactions and various supports.
Characters to go for:
Childe - Hydro Bow
This Fatui Harbinger may deal solid Hydro DMG, but his one-hit ultimate is perfect for the Vaporize reaction.
When used as the core of a Vaporize team, you’ll expect to see Childe's damage double up or even triple.
Other elemental reactions on the other hand, like Freeze or Electro-charged, are not as stellar as his Vaporize reactions, so make sure to keep him teamed up with Pyro supports.
Hu Tao - Pyro Polearm
While she is a selfish DPS, giving her off-field support to proc elemental reactions is what makes Hu Tao shine.
She thrives well with Vaporize or Melt reactions, be it through her skill-empowered charged attacks or her elemental burst build.
Hu Tao can easily hit high damage numbers with the help of off-field supports like Xingqiu, Sucrose, Kaeya, or Mona.
Overload on the other hand, isn’t as viable as the reaction can send enemies flying, which means that you’ll have to spend precious stamina to finish them off.
Yae Miko - Electro Catalyst
Yae Miko’s kit is more flexible than Childe’s and Hu Tao’s, as she can deal consistent damage even when she’s off-field thanks to her elemental skill.
Doubling it down with Electro-Charged is definitely the way to go, as she pairs extremely well with a Hydro sub-DPS.
Yae Miko's elemental burst is a force to be reckoned with too, and it can be supported with elemental reactions to amp up her Electro DMG.
Just make sure to have a buffer on hand like Bennett or Kujou Sara.
Diluc - Pyro Claymore
Diluc is one of the earlier 5-star characters in Genshin Impact.
You might have lost the 50/50 during your first wishing spree and ended up with Diluc rather than the event banner character you were gunning for.
Diluc may have fallen off the top tier by the standards of today's metagame, but that doesn’t mean he’s no longer viable as a DPS.
He’s pretty good when you’re lucky enough to have gotten him at the Standard Wish Banner during the early game.
Like Hu Tao, pair him with a Vaporize or Melt team and you’re good to go.
Yelan - Hydro Bow
Yelan is also a flexible character like Yae Miko, with her kit allowing her to fill the both main and sub DPS roles.
If you got Yelan during her first-ever run, you’re sure to enjoy experimenting with a lot of builds and team compositions with her in the mix.
But if you choose to make Yelan your main DPS, Vaporize and Electro-Charged reactions are definitely the way to go.
Her full HP scaling also makes it relatively easier for Yelan to reach her full potential.
Yoimiya - Pyro Bow
Yoimiya may not seem suitable for crowds because her kit focuses mainly on her normal damage infused with Pyro, but that’s not much of an issue when you pit her against single bosses.
That being said, if you want to stick with her single-target mechanic, a crowd control character like Sucrose or Venti can ease the difficulties of targeting the right enemies.
And like with any other Pyro DPS, Yoimiya maximises her damage output with Vaporize and Melt reactions.
Klee - Pyro Catalyst
This little girl may be cute, but her bombs are weapons of mass destruction.
Klee may be a little hard to play as her short stature is to her detriment and you just can’t help but feel so guilty when she gets damaged.
With that said, she’s a great Pyro DPS who can one-shot enemies easily with the right build.
Klee's damage can also be maximised with the help of a team that can shield, heal, and proc reactions with her.
Like all other Pyro DPS characters, Vaporize and Melt is the way to go.
All about the spam
Consistent, self-reliant, pure raw damage.
If these words appeal to you, you’re more likely to enjoy characters who don’t need elemental reactions to amp up their damage.
You prefer to stick to one character without having to switch between elemental supports, and only relying on a buffer and shielder. If that’s the case, these spam-happy DPS characters are the ones suited for you.
A fair warning though, if you’re someone who aims to have meta damage, you need to be fully invested in building these characters to maximize their potential.
This could mean perfecting their artifacts, crowning all their talents, getting their signature weapons, or completing their support buffer lineup.
But if you do that, then you can just mindlessly go ham on whatever the game throws your away and emerge victorious.
Characters to go for:
Xiao - Anemo Polearm
What’s great about Xiao is that even if he's an Anemo character, he doesn’t rely on Swirls to amp his damage.
Instead, he relies on pure Anemo DMG to decimate enemies.
His kit isn’t complicated and all you really need to do is slash through enemies with his skill and spam plunge attacks with his burst.
Arataki Itto - Geo Claymore
Arataki Itto may seem a bit daunting at first because his kit is a bit on the complicated side with his stacks, but it’s not a deterrent to enjoy the raw Geo DMG this beefcake can showcase with his ultimate.
Plus, he has Ushi.
Kamisato Ayato - Hydro Sword
He may be a Hydro character, but Kamisato Ayato can deal great, consistent damage even without the Vaporize reaction.
His greatest seller is his unique skill, a series of quick Hydro-infused slashes that can be buffed even more by his burst, which increases normal damage.
Out of all the bunch in this section, the boba tea loving Ayato is the most self-sufficient.
Keqing - Electro Sword
Keqing is another 5-star character you can get in the Standard Banner or when losing the Event Banner 50/50.
Much like Diluc, Keqing is a great 5-star to have when you’re in the early game.
She’s a quick hitter whose damage mostly comes from her burst and Electro-infused normal and charged attacks.
Although Electro-Charged is a viable elemental reaction for her, Keqing's agile hits are more suited to pure Electro DMG.
Cool gals don’t look at explosions
You’re the kind of person who thinks that the main character walking away unscathed as a giant explosion flares up behind them, Michael Bay-style, is totally awesome.
Or when the hero in the action movie walks away nonchalantly after their win as a cool rock outro begins to play in the background.
Either way, you like it when your attacks deal big damage, regardless if it’s raw or elemental-reaction based.
These two Cryo characters are at the top of the meta, and are the ones you should gun for if you like battles over quick, easy, done and dusted.
Characters to go for:
Ganyu - Cryo Bow
When Ganyu was first released, she immediately climbed the ranks of the meta DPS list thanks to her kit being open to maximum damage with and without elemental reactions.
However, she’s a very technical character, with much of her damage coming from her charged attacks (which have a somewhat annoying charge time).
Don’t be deterred, though.
There’s a reason why Ganyu, who was one of the earlier Liyue 5-stars, is still dominating the current meta.
Kamisato Ayaka - Cryo Sword
Released as the poster character for version 2.0, Kamisato Ayaka rocked the meta by being an unstoppable force of chilling nature.
The constant barrage of Cryo DMG she puts out with her Cryo-infused normal attacks, skill, and burst means that she can freeze her enemies without as much as getting a scratch on her.
With Ayaka on your side, you'd be surprised to see that the fight is over mere seconds after it began.
One-hit wonders
No, this is not like Gotye and Somebody That You Used To Know.
This is about pressing one button and looking at the aftermath where your enemies suddenly no longer exist.
If you’re the kind of player that relishes in seeing one big damage number, you’re sure to enjoy these damage per screenshot characters who can decimate mobs and bosses alike with just one press.
Raiden Shogun - Electro Polearm
The God of Eternity proves to be the most powerful Archon released by HoYoverse so far, as her devastating Mussou no Hitotachi in lore had killed a literal serpent god and a powerful witch (RIP Signora) with just that one slash.
In-game it’s no different.
You just need to get full resolve stacks by using the elemental bursts of your supports — and with the perfect buffer and a timely crit — you can destroy mobs and bosses alike with just the first slash of the Raiden Shogun's fearsome Elemental Burst.
Zhongli - Geo Polearm
The God of Contracts may be the grandpa of the Archon bunch, but his old age is not a deterrent to his awe-inducing power.
He may have been subject to a controversy which saw him get buffed after his disappointing first release (it’s something no Genshin player can ever forget), but the clamour to give Zhongli the right treatment was well worth it in the end, as his Burst can wipe enemies off the battlefield.
Zhongli may be seen as having more of a support kit, but his ultimate can readily match other DPS characters — when you build him right.
Eula - Cryo Claymore
Revenge may be her middle name, but massive Physical DMG is her game.
Eula’s kit lets her deal an inhuman amount of Physical DMG with her Elemental Burst, sending her enemies into an early grave.
With that said, you can't just mindlessly press buttons if you want to maximize Eula's damage output.
You need to learn how to properly use skill-burst-skill-normal attack combos to ensure that the final explosion from her burst will deal as much damage as possible.
But if you do it right (and get lucky with crits), then there's nothing more satisfying than seeing a huge damage number pop up in your screen while your enemies turn to ash as Eula gracefully strikes a pose. Very elegant!
Yan Ku is a full-time dog parent, part-time (gacha) gamer, and part-time writer.
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