Character Skills

Overview

Genshin Impact's combat system revolves around each character's unique set of skills and talents. Every playable character has three core combat abilities: Normal Attack, Elemental Skill, and Elemental Burst, plus Passive Talents (unlocked at ascension phases) and Constellations (obtained via duplicate pulls). Understanding how to use, upgrade, and combine these skills is essential for maximizing damage, survivability, and team synergy.

This guide covers the universal skill mechanics, then breaks down skill archetypes by role (Main DPS, Sub DPS, Support, Healer, Shielder), and finally provides representative character examples with detailed skill descriptions, cooldowns, upgrades, combos, synergies, and recommended builds. While it is impossible to list every single character in full depth here, the principles apply to all—use the official wiki or in-game menu for exact numbers on any specific character.

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Universal Skill Mechanics

1. Normal Attack (NA)

• Type: Charged sequence of physical or elemental hits. Press the attack button repeatedly.


• Charged Attack: Hold attack button after a normal attack to use a charged version (often consumes stamina).


• Plunging Attack: While airborne, press attack to plunge downward, dealing AoE damage.


• Scaling: Based on ATK stat and talent level. Some characters convert physical to elemental damage (e.g., Hu Tao with her E skill).


• Best Use: Main DPS builds focus on maximizing NA damage via set bonuses (Gladiator's Finale, Shimenawa's Reminiscence).




2. Elemental Skill (E Skill)



• Type: Press or hold (some characters have a hold variant). Grants elemental particles (1–5) on hit, which feed energy for Bursts.


• Cooldown: Varies from 6s (e.g., Bennett) to 15s+ (e.g., Zhongli pillar).


• Damage: Scales with ATK, DEF, or HP depending on character.


• Best Use: Often the primary source of elemental application for reactions. Some skills provide mobility, shields, or healing.




3. Elemental Burst (Q Skill)



• Type: Ultimate ability that requires energy (40, 60, or 80 max). Deals massive damage, applies powerful effects, or provides team buffs/healing.


• Energy Cost: Lower cost (40) means faster recharge; higher cost (80) often has greater impact.


• Cooldown: 12s–20s, typically.


• Snapshotting: Many bursts snapshot buffs at cast time (e.g., Bennett's ATK buff). Important for team rotations.




4. Passive Talents



• Utility Passives (1st Ascension): Often related to exploration or crafting (e.g., reduced stamina consumption, bonus ore doubling).


• Combat Passives (4th Ascension): Provide bonuses like increased team damage, energy recharge, or healing enhancements.


• Exploration Passives (native): Some characters have unique exploration talents (e.g., Sayu's faster movement during roll).




5. Constellations



• Effect: Each constellation (C1–C6) modifies or enhances a skill. Not essential for most characters but can significantly change gameplay (e.g., C6 Bennett turns sword attacks into pyro damage).


• Acquisition: Obtained by pulling duplicate characters from banners or using Starglitter shop (limited rotation).


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Skill Upgrade Priorities



In general, follow the priority:
1. Main DPS: Normal Attack > Elemental Skill > Elemental Burst (or Burst first if it's the main damage source, e.g., Raiden Shogun, Eula).
2. Sub DPS: Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill > Normal Attack.
3. Support/Healer: Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill > Normal Attack (skip Normal Attack entirely if not used for damage).

Always level talents as high as your resources allow. The game caps talent levels at 10 (can be increased to 13 with Constellations, event items, or weekly boss drops).

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Roles and Skill Archetypes





Main DPS (On-Field)



• Characteristics: High Normal Attack damage, field time heavy, often use reactions.


• Examples: Hu Tao, Ganyu, Xiao, Raiden Shogun (when built as carry), Eula, Ayaka.


• Typical Skills:

- Hu Tao: E skill (Guide to Afterlife) consumes HP to convert attacks to Pyro and increase ATK; Q (Spirit Soother) deals massive AoE Pyro and heals. Passive boosts crit rate when HP low.
- Ganyu: Charged attack (Frostflake Arrow) deals two-tier Cryo damage; E skill (Trail of the Qilin) taunts enemies; Q (Celestial Shower) rains Cryo shards over large AoE.
- Xiao: E skill (Lemniscatic Wind Cycling) dashes forward 2 charges; Q (Bane of All Evil) converts all damage to Anemo, increases jump height, and drains HP over time. Needs a healer.



Sub DPS (Off-Field)



• Characteristics: Swap in, use skills, then swap out. They provide continuous elemental damage or utility from off-field.


• Examples: Xiangling, Fischl, Xingqiu, Yelan, Beidou, Albedo.


• Typical Skills:

- Xiangling: E (Guoba) summons a Pyro bear that shoots fire; Q (Pyronado) creates a spinning fire wheel that stays on the field even after swapping.
- Fischl: E (Oz) summons a raven that attacks enemies with Electro; Q (Midnight Phantasmagoria) transforms and then leaves Oz on field.
- Xingqiu: E (Fatal Rainscreen) creates rain swords that reduce damage; Q (Raincutter) applies Hydro on attacks and deals off-field Hydro damage.



Support/Enabler



• Characteristics: Provide buffs, debuffs, crowd control, or healing to the team.


• Examples: Bennett, Sucrose, Kazuha, Zhongli, Venti, Jean, Sayu.


• Typical Skills:

- Bennett: E (Passion Overload) has press/hold variants; Q (Fantastic Voyage) creates an AoE that heals and gives massive ATK buff to characters above 70% HP. (His C1 removes HP restriction).
- Sucrose: E (Astable Anemohypostasis Creation - 6308) pulls enemies; Q (Forbidden Creation - Isomer 75/Type II) deals Anemo damage and spreads elements for crowd control.
- Zhongli: E (Dominus Lapidis) create a Stone Stele, hold variant generates a strong shield; Q (Planet Befall) petrifies enemies.



Healer / Shielder



• Characteristics: Dedicated to keeping the team alive.


• Examples: Kokomi, Qiqi, Barbara, Diona, Noelle, Thoma, Layla.


• Typical Skills:

- Kokomi: E (Kurage's Oath) summons a jellyfish that heals on tick; Q (Nereid's Ascension) increases damage and healing based on HP.
- Diona: E (Icy Puff) fires a shield that absorbs Cryo damage; Q (Signature Mix) heals and applies Cryo.
- Noelle: E (Breastplate) creates a shield that scales with DEF; Q (Sweeping Time) converts attacks to Geo and heals based on DEF.

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Elemental Reactions and Skill Synergy

Skills are the primary trigger for reactions. Understanding which skills apply elements and at what frequency is key.

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Recommended Builds and Skill Synergies

Here are some classic team archetypes and how their skills interact:

1. Melt Ganyu

• Ganyu (Main DPS): Focus on charged attack. Use E to taunt, Q for AoE Cryo application.


• Xiangling (Sub DPS): Use E (Guoba) and Q (Pyronado) to apply Pyro. Build energy recharge.


• Bennett (Support): Use Q for ATK buff and healing.


• Zhongli (Shielder): Hold E for shield to avoid interruption; Q for petrify.


• Rotation: Zhongli shield → Bennett Q → Xiangling E+Q → Ganyu charged attacks (melt every shot).




2. Hu Tao Vaporize



• Hu Tao (Main DPS): Use E to infuse Pyro, then charged attack + jump cancel. Q when low HP for massive damage and heal.


• Xingqiu (Sub DPS): Q followed by E to maintain Hydro application.


• Sucrose (Support): E and Q to swirl Hydro, reduce Hydro RES with 4pc Viridescent Venerer (VV).


• Zhongli or Thoma (Shielder): Shield to protect Hu Tao since she stays low HP.


• Rotation: Sucrose E → Xingqiu Q+E → Zhongli shield → Hu Tao E and spam charge attacks. Use Hu Tao Q when burst is ready.




3. Raiden National Team



• Raiden Shogun (Main DPS/Sub DPS): Use E (Transcendence: Baleful Omen) to boost team burst damage; Q (Musou Shinsetsu) deals massive damage and recharges energy.


• Xiangling (Sub DPS): Q (Pyronado) off-field Pyro.


• Xingqiu (Sub DPS): Q (Raincutter) off-field Hydro.


• Bennett (Support): Q (Fantastic Voyage) for ATK buff and healing.


• Rotation: Raiden E (use first) → Bennett Q → Xingqiu Q+E → Xiangling Q → Raiden Q (drive the team's bursts). This maximizes energy recharge and damage.


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When to Use Each Skill: General Tips




• Elemental Skill (E): Use to generate energy particles before Burst. If your E has multiple charges (like Xiao, Hu Tao, or mobile characters), use them strategically for mobility or damage.


• Elemental Burst (Q): Use when your team's buffs are active (e.g., Bennett Q, Sucrose VV shred). Do not waste high-cost bursts when enemies are invulnerable or about to phase.


• Normal/Charged Attack: On a dedicated DPS, weave charged attacks for extra damage (e.g., Hu Tao, Ganyu, Ayaka). On supports, generally avoid trivial auto-attacks.


• Plunging Attack: Only relevant for characters like Xiao (during burst) or Keqing, Diluc (mobility). Not a primary damage source for most.


• Hold Variants: Many characters (Zhongli, Bennett, Diona, etc.) have a hold version of E that trades damage for stronger utility (shield stronger, longer, or AoE). In combat, often prefer hold for defense.


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Upgrading Skills (Talents)




• Materials: Common Ascension materials (dropped by bosses or weekly bosses), plus mob drops (slimes, hilichurls, etc.). Character-specific Talent Level-up Materials (from domains on certain days).


• Weekly Boss Drops: Needed for level 6->7 and above. Each character requires a specific drop from a boss (e.g., Dvalin's claw, Childe's shard, Azhdaha's material, etc.).


• Crown of Insight: Extremely rare item used to raise a talent from level 9 to 10. Use only on your favorite character's most impactful talent (e.g., Ganyu's normal attack, Raiden's burst).


• Priority: As above.

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Conclusion

Mastering character skills in Genshin Impact requires understanding each ability's purpose, cooldown, energy cost, and how they fit into team rotations. Always read the skill descriptions in-game for exact numbers (which change with talents). Build teams around complementary elemental reactions and role synergies. While this guide covers the core framework, every character has unique nuances—so dive into their specific talents and experiment! For full details on over 70 characters, refer to the in-game Archive or community resources like the Genshin Impact Wiki.

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Note: Skill values, cooldowns, and effects are subject to change with patches. Always verify in-game for the most current information.