Genshin Impact has tons of different characters that are playable, and each has its own strengths. Naturally, this means that some characters will be better at clearing endgame content over others.
It’s difficult to measure “pick rates” in Genshin Impact, as the game is a gacha game. This means an expensive, relatively low-selling character may have lower pick-rates, even though it’s not necessarily indicative of their strength.
However, with data combined from websites like Genshin Lab and SpiralAbyss.org, we’re able to get a good idea of a character’s general strength and pick rate. Different data collection sites have slightly different data, but the top 10 characters or so are mostly consistent. As a result, the following list is not necessarily ordered.
Here are some of Genshin Impact’s most popular characters.
Bennett
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 81% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 91%)
Bennett has remained one of the best picks in Genshin Impact since his release at the start of the game, and for good reason. His Elemental Burst heals, provides a huge Attack boost for your team, and even deals some good damage on his own. He also has a strong Elemental Skill that generates tons of Pyro energy particles for your team.
It’s unlikely that Bennett will ever drop in pick rate until he is power crept, as his healing and Attack buff is too invaluable for most teams. He also fits in most teams in the game, so he’s not limited by team compositions.
Ganyu
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 50% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 76%)
Ganyu vs. Ayaka has been an eternal debate in the Genshin Impact community, with many fighting over which Cryo DPS carry is the better option. While Ayaka may work better as a DPS carry, for now, Ganyu is certainly better in other situations. You can even use Ganyu as a sub-DPS instead of your main DPS character.
However, Ganyu’s pick rate has been steadily dropping as new content is released, so it may be about time for Ganyu to lose her spot as one of the best DPS characters in the game.
Hu Tao
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 51% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 74%)
Hu Tao is probably the strongest single-target DPS character in the game. While she can’t deal much damage to groups of enemies, she deals tons of damage to enemies like the Maguu Kenki. As a result, she remains one of the best DPS characters in the game.
Her pick rate has been steadily dropping, however, so it may be about time for Hu Tao to creep enemies out rather than scare them.
Kazuha
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 78% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 95%)
Kazuha has had a historically high pick rate since his release, due to his ability to do nearly everything at once. He buffs his team’s elemental damage as he swirls, has great crowd control abilities, and even does some good damage on his own as well.
He will likely stay relevant as a character. Unlike Venti who relies on crowd control, Kazuha is an all-rounder and his buffs will always be useful, whereas crowd control is less effective on bosses.
Kamisato Ayaka
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 84% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 88%)
Ayaka is currently one of the strongest DPS characters in the game, with a very powerful Elemental Burst and the capability to fit in a freeze team. She deals tons of damage with her Elemental Burst once you freeze enemies.
That being said, as Ayaka is a DPS character, her pick-rate will likely lower in the future. As content grows harder and different characters are needed, she won’t keep her throne forever. But she’ll likely remain a strong pick for any account.
Kokomi
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 75% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 69%)
Kokomi was once regarded as a weak character, especially as healing was not too relevant in Genshin Impact at the time. She has since found her niche, however, providing tons of safety to different teams while also contributing to team damage. She is loved in Freeze teams or elemental reaction-based teams.
Her pick rate will likely fluctuate based on the content she’s used for, but she remains a strong pick for the Spiral Abyss.
Raiden Shogun
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 74% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 88%)
The Raiden Shogun is one of the best supports in the game, dealing tons of damage and empowering your other sub-DPS characters with tons of energy. She’s extremely flexible as support, DPS, sub-DPS, or all of the above.
Her pick rate will likely remain high, as she only gets stronger as other supports around her get stronger. She can help out most supports in the game, so it’s unlikely she’ll ever grow weak.
Xiangling
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 62% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 73%)
Xiangling has proven herself as one of the strongest sub-DPS characters in the game. Her Elemental Burst, Pyronado, deals so much AoE damage, keeping her extremely relevant. Not to mention, she’s free. Every player gets a free Xiangling for participating in the Spiral Abyss.
Xiangling is so strong as a free character that she’ll likely always remain useful. She competes with most, if not all of the 5-star characters in the game, and she’s cheap to build. It’s a win-win.
Xingqiu
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 84% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 89%)
Xingqiu is an extremely strong character due to his ability to apply tons of the Hydro element on enemies. His Elemental Burst allows you to consistently proc elemental reactions, such as Vaporize, Electro-Charged, or Frozen. His Elemental Skill also does tons of damage by itself.
Xingqiu will likely remain relevant until stronger options arrive, as his Hydro application is invaluable for many elemental reaction-based teams.
Zhongli
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 68% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 91%)
Zhongli is the ultimate safety pick for any account, as his shield invalidates much of the game. A well-built Zhongli can tank lots of damage with his shield, protecting your team greatly. It’s no wonder his pick rate is so high.
Zhongli is vital in teams that utilize DPS characters like Hu Tao, Xiao, and Arataki Itto. Additionally, characters like Yoimiya or Eula also appreciate the tankiness that Zhongli provides. However, miHoYo has notably been countering shields with new mechanics such as Corrosion, so Zhongli may not stay on top of his throne forever.
Honorable Mention: Venti
(SpiralAbyss.org Pick Rate: 23% | GenshinLab Pick Rate: 83%)
The two websites have drastically different pick rates for the once famed Anemo Archon, but the fact remains that Venti has become weaker as time passed. His ability to crowd control enemies suffered greatly as miHoYo added more enemies that are immune to crowd control.
His pick rate will fluctuate depending on whether or not his Elemental Burst will function well in a certain Spiral Abyss cycle. But he’ll likely never be a bad option for your account.
