Best Anemo Characters in Genshin Impact, Ranked

| Image: miHoYo via HGG / Devin Dornbrock

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Reviewed by Jeffrey Hsu

Anemo is one of the most overlooked elements in Genshin Impact. Characters of this element tend to be soft-spoken and offer gentle support to their friends and family. That doesn’t mean they aren’t a force to be reckoned with. Some of the best teams would be nothing without Anemo characters, which is why we’re ranking the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact!

8 Best Anemo Characters, Ranked Good to Overall Best

The majority of Anemo characters are going to focus on their Support abilities and the amount of damage they can deal through Swirl Reactions. Those are just the best ways to use them, which means our ranks for the best Anemo characters are going to be largely based on those two things.

Characters higher or lower on the list aren’t necessarily better or worse, so don’t get too caught up in the rankings. Characters you enjoy playing are much more important than the others, regardless of the meta.

Now that you understand the criteria for our list, let’s get into it.

8/8

The Traveler (Sub-DPS)

Kicking off the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact is the very first character in the game, the Traveler!

Pretty much everyone who has ever played Genshin Impact has mained the Traveler at one point or another. They’re a very easy character to play, and with their ability to resonate with different elements, there’s a new way to play them in every new area of Teyvat unlocked.

Why the Traveler is so good

The Traveler’s best ability, at least while resonating with Anemo, is their Elemental Skill. Palm Vortex creates a vacuum that deals Anemo DMG to enemies in the vicinity. After a few seconds, the vacuum explodes and deals even more Anemo DMG. Holding the skill will prolong the amount of time the vacuum lasts before exploding.

The ensuing explosion will also knock back nearby enemies, which is great for getting some space in hilichurl mobs. Using this Elemental Skill, the Traveler is able to take advantage of Elemental Absorption, which deals additional damage if the vacuum comes into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro.

Ascending the Traveler unlocks their Passive Talent Second Wind, which generates 2% HP for 5 seconds after killing an enemy with their Elemental Skill. All that means that the Traveler’s Elemental Skill has the capacity to deal some serious damage and even regain some HP when used correctly.

After the Traveler’s Elemental Skill, their Elemental Burst is also very handy. Gust Surge summons a small tornado which picks up and whisks enemies away. While on the field, the tornado continuously pulls enemies toward it and also has the potential for Elemental Absorption.

While the Traveler’s Elemental Burst doesn’t deal a great amount of damage, it is still a nice way to gather enemies in one place and trigger Elemental Reactions.

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback to the Traveler is that they can’t move while using their Elemental Skill. They only have minor resistance to interruption, so it’s pretty easy for enemies to attack while they’re charging up their skill. Getting attacked can also mean the skill ends prematurely and you get a large chunk of HP taken out.

Another unfortunate drawback is that while their Elemental Burst gathers enemies up in one place, that place is usually not very close by. Their tornado does pick up enemies, but it also moves them across the field, away from your active character.

The tornado can also be tricky to aim well. If you time it wrong, it will go in the opposite direction from the biggest enemy clusters, all but wasting the Elemental Burst.

Artifacts

The best artifacts for the Traveler will have the following stats/substats:

Energy Recharge
Anemo DMG Bonus
CRIT Rate or DMG

Like most Anemo characters, the best artifact set for the Traveler is the 5-star Viridescent Venerer artifact set. It increases Swirl damage, which is where most of the Traveler’s damage comes from, making this artifact set the best choice.

For players who would rather not grind for Viridescent Venerer pieces, though, the Instructor artifact set is a good 4-star alternative. While this set doesn’t increase Swirl damage directly, it does increase Elemental Mastery. Which basically means it indirectly increases Swirl damage.

7/8

Sayu (Support)

At number seven in the ranks of the best Anemo characters is the only playable character who also happens to be an actual ninja. It’s Sayu!

She may prefer to sleep most of the time, but that doesn’t mean she’s not a reliable helper and friend to the Traveler in their journey.

Why Sayu is so good

Sayu is basically Hoyoverse’s take on Sonic the Hedgehog. Her Elemental Skill, Yoohoo Art: Fuuin Dash, causes Sayu to curl up into a Fuufuu Windwheel and start rolling while cloaked in Anemo energy. Holding her Elemental Skill will prolong the amount of time Sayu stays curled up in her Windwheel.

If Sayu comes into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro, she will trigger Elemental Absorption and deal extra damage. This is especially helpful for dealing with enemies who use Elemental shields like Abyss Mages. While she doesn’t deal much damage, the Elemental Absorption will still chip away at shields pretty quickly.

When Sayu exits her Fuufuu Windwheel, she unleashes a Fuufuu Windwheel Kick, which deals AOE Anemo DMG.

Sayu’s Elemental Burst, Yoohoo Art: Mujina Flurry, creates a large field of Anemo energy and summons a Daruma doll. Enemies within the field will be dealt Anemo DMG while allies within it will be healed.

Sayu’s Utility Passive Talent is also a godsend for players who can’t seem to catch Crystalflies and other skittish wildlife. Yoohoo Art: Silencer’s Secret allows active characters, when Sayu is in the party, to avoid startling certain animals and Crystalflies. The other creatures Sayu’s ability works on includes Loaches, Frogs, Crabs, Lizards, and Unagi.

Drawbacks

Sayu’s Elemental Burst is pretty good for healing active characters, but without increasing her Constellation level, it is somewhat limited. If enemies are within the field, her Daruma will only heal characters up to 70% before solely focusing on attacking enemies.

Her Elemental Skill can also be hard to use in actual combat. Press the skill button too long and Sayu will just rub up against enemies, doing very little damage. Not pressing it long enough will usually not give enough time to gain Elemental Absorption and limit the amount of damage she deals.

While her Elemental Skill is very useful for covering large expanses of flat ground, earlier versions of the game would see Sayu also getting stuck very easily. This would force the player to exit her Fuufuu Windwheel prematurely.

Artifacts

The best artifact pieces for Sayu will focus on the following stats:

Elemental Mastery
Energy Recharge
Healing Bonus

The best 5-star artifact set for Sayu is the Viridescent Venerer set. Its four-piece effect is great for Sub-DPS and Support roles, since it decreases enemies’ Elemental RES when they’re hit by Swirl reactions.

As a 4-star alternative artifact set, the Instructor set is a good option. The increased Elemental Mastery helps Sayu’s Swirl damage and also increases party members’ Elemental Mastery at the four-piece level, too.

6/8

Shikanoin Heizou (DPS)

Our number six in the ranks of the best Anemo characters is the young detective of Inazuma. Shikanoin Heizou is a later addition to the Anemo family and the first male Catalyst user in the game, though he seems to treat his Catalyst as more of a suggestion than an actual weapon.

Why Heizou is so good

When performing his Normal Attacks, Heizou performs up to five fisticuffs moves. Each move deals Anemo DMG. His Charged Attack causes him to deal a sweeping kick, dealing high Anemo DMG.

While his Normal Attacks are certainly unique, his best Talent is undoubtedly his Elemental Skill. Heartstopper Strike launches powerful hits that deal Anemo DMG. Holding his Elemental Skill will charge energy and periodically gain Declension Stacks.

Each Declension Stack increases the power of the next Heartstopper Strike with a max of four stacks. After gaining four stacks, the Conviction effect will kick in and further increase the strength and AOE of the next Heartstopper Strike.

Basically, Heizou punches the air and deals Anemo DMG to enemies with his Elemental Skill. Holding his Elemental Skill charges it, the longer it is held, the stronger the strike. His base Elemental Skill DMG is 409% with an additional 100–200% when it is fully charged.

Drawbacks

Unlike most Anemo characters, Heizou’s Elemental Burst is honestly not that great. It’s hard to position and can get in the way of his powerful Elemental Skill. Since its effect is set off by the first enemy it touches, it has to be positioned just so or it will miss mobs and only hit a single target.

That means it’s better to focus on upping Heizou’s Elemental Skill and Normal Attack Talents before his Elemental Burst, which is unfortunate. It means he has to be on the field to be effective, unlike other characters, who can be switched on and off field quickly after using their Elemental Bursts.

Artifacts

Artifacts for Heizou should focus primarily on the following stats and substats:

Elemental Mastery
Anemo DMG Bonus
CRIT Rate or DMG

Despite not being able to trigger as many Elemental Reactions as other Anemo characters, the 5-star Viridescent Venerer artifact set is still the best choice for Heizou. The Anemo DMG can’t be passed up since literally all of his damage is Anemo.

Since Elemental Mastery is so important to Heizou, it should be no surprise that the best 4-star artifact set for him is the Instructor set. The increased Elemental Mastery is perfect for him and is also quite helpful for the rest of the party, too.

5/8

Venti (Sub-DPS)

Number five of the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact is none other than the Tone-Deaf Bard and Anemo Archon, Venti!

Venti may not be as powerful as he was in his heyday, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a phenomenal character and a feather in the cap of any good Genshin Impact player.

Why Venti is so good

For dealing with large numbers of small enemies, there is no better character than Venti. Both his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst are great at gathering enemies into one place, making them easy pickings for your main DPS.

His Elemental Burst Wind’s Grande Ode creates a Stormeye, which sucks opponents in and deals continuous Anemo DMG. When the Stormeye comes into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro, it will gain Elemental Absorption and deal additional damage of that type.

With the right team build, Venti’s Elemental Burst has a lot of damage potential through Elemental Reactions.

Venti’s Elemental Skill is also a great source of easy Elemental Reaction damage and enemy grouping. Skyward Sonnet summons a Wind Domain at an enemy’s location and launches them into the air while dealing AOE Anemo DMG.

After using his Elemental Skill, Venti is gently lifted into the air himself, which is really handy for exploring Teyvat outside of combat.

Drawbacks

Venti’s strengths lay in controlling large groups of small enemies. Larger enemies that aren’t affected by his Elemental Burst or Elemental Skill are much harder for him to deal with. Their size makes them immune to the pushing and pulling effects of his Talents. Nice for taking on hilichurls, less nice for dealing with the Fatui.

Another drawback to Venti’s Talents is that his Elemental Burst doesn’t really do much against shields. Even against elemental shields like those used by Abyss Mages stand strong against the Anemo Archon’s best moves.

Artifacts

There are a couple of different ways to build Venti but the best artifacts will have the following stats/substats:

ATK%
Anemo DMG Bonus
CRIT Rate or DMG

Unsurprisingly, the 5-star Viridescent Venerer artifact set is the best option for Venti. Increasing damage dealt by Swirl Reactions is critical for the Tone-Deaf Bard’s damage dealing ability.

Players looking for a 4-star alternative will want to consider The Exile artifact set. It doesn’t increase Elemental Mastery or Swirl damage, but it does increase Energy Recharge. The Exile set will also generate Energy for the rest of the party when using Venti’s Elemental Burst, which is pretty handy.

4/8

Xiao (DPS)

Our fourth ranked among the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact goes by many names. Bane of all Evil, Conqueror of Demons, the last Yaksha, and even Alatus. Most players will recognize him by the name of Xiao, though, and he is undoubtedly one of the most powerful Anemo DPS characters in the game.

Why Xiao is so good

Similarly to Venti, Xiao is also a great character to have when exploring Teyvat. His Elemental Skill, Lemniscatic Wind Cycling, is one of the few Elemental Skills that can be used mid air. When used, Xiao lunges forward and deals Anemo DMG to any enemies in his path.

While his Elemental Skill is certainly useful though, Xiao’s biggest damage dealing move is his Elemental Burst. Bane of All Evil increases Xiao’s physical abilities/attack AOE and converts his attack DMG to Anemo DMG. Typically, the best way to utilize his Elemental Burst is to leap up into the air and perform rapid Plunging Attacks to enemies below.

Using Xiao’s Elemental Burst is a highly effective method of crowd control when faced with dense clusters of enemies. This is especially true since Xiao doesn’t take fall damage, even in his normal, non-Elemental Burst state.

Drawbacks

Health management is a huge piece of using Xiao to his fullest. While using his Elemental Burst, Xiao will constantly lose HP, so players who aren’t careful may get taken out by enemies if they aren’t paying close attention.

Xiao’s Elemental Skill is also more helpful for exploring than it is for combat. Since he lunges forward in a straight line and often auto-locks onto targets, it can be easy for him to miss the biggest threats.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Xiao’s Plunging Attacks while using his Elemental Burst will push enemies away. That means dispersing dense clusters of enemies and making it harder to take out in fewer attacks. It also means prolonging fights by having to run around more to fight stray enemies.

Artifacts

The best artifact pieces for Xiao should prioritize the following stats and substats:

ATK%
Anemo DMG Bonus
CRIT Rate or DMG

Depending on the way you want to build Xiao, you can equip him with the Viridescent Venerer artifact set, but it isn’t actually the best for him anymore. With the addition of Version 2.6, the 5-star Vermilion Hereafter artifact set is actually best suited for Xiao.

The four-piece effect of this artifact set increases ATK when HP decreases after using an Elemental Burst, which is perfect for Xiao.

Players who haven’t made it to The Lost Valley domain can substitute The Exile 4-star artifact set instead. The increased Energy Recharge will be helpful in using Xiao’s Elemental Burst more frequently and also provide a nice Energy boost for other party members.

3/8

Jean (Support)

Best Anemo Characters in Genshin Impact - Jean — **“I swear by my sword!”***| Image: miHoYo via HGG / Devin Dornbrock*

For number three of the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact is the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius from Monstadt. It’s Jean Gunnhildr!

Why Jean is so good

Jean’s best Talents are her Elemental Burst and Elemental Skill. Her Elemental Burst, Dandelion Breeze creates a swirling Dandelion Field. This Dandelion Field launches nearby enemies and deals Anemo DMG while simultaneously regenerating HP for party members.

While the Dandelion Field is in effect, active characters within it will continue to regain HP and are imbued with Anemo energy. Enemies entering or exiting the field will take Anemo DMG as well.

Jean’s Elemental Skill, Gale Blade, is great against groups of small enemies. When held, she can create a whirlwind to pull nearby enemies toward her and launch them into the air. The direction enemies are launched can be changed as long as her Elemental Skill is being held, though holding her Elemental Skill does consume stamina.

This means Jean is quite capable of healing her party all at once and clearing away small enemies that might try to sneak up on you. The amount of HP regenerated scales with her ATK, too, so she can still pack quite a punch when launching enemies with her Elemental Skill.

Drawbacks

It can be tricky to use Jean outside of a Support role unless a player really knows what they are doing. Her abilities are mostly geared towards healing and pushing enemies away, which can make it tough to trigger Elemental Reactions or take on larger enemies.

Even Jean’s Passive Talents are geared towards Support. Her 1st Ascension Passive Talent gives her a chance to regenerate HP for the party. Jean’s 4th Ascension Passive Talent just regenerates Energy after using her Elemental Burst. This Talent is pretty helpful, it’s just not a great way of dealing damage.

Artifacts

Artifact stat priorities may change depending on her build, but in general, artifacts for Jean should focus on the following stats:

ATK%
Anemo DMG Bonus
CRIT Rate or DMG

We suggest the 5-star Viridescent Venerer artifact set mainly for its four-piece effect, which decreases enemies’ Elemental RES after triggering a Swirl Reaction. The decreased Elemental RES is especially helpful if the Swirl Reaction includes your main DPS’ element.

As a Support, it’s important for Jean to be able to use her Elemental Burst. That means it shouldn’t be a surprise we recommend The Exile artifact set for players wanting a 4-star alternative.

2/8

Sucrose (Support)

We honestly don’t know too much about the backstory of our second best Anemo character. She may seem cute and sweet, but some of her voice lines and lore would indicate a darker personality beneath the surface. If you aren’t sure who we’re talking about, it’s none other than Sucrose!

Why Sucrose is so good

As a Support character, Sucrose is one of the best in the game despite being a 4-star. Her Elemental Burst, Forbidden Creation — Isomer 75/Type II, has been used in many character showcases. It is a powerful move that both pulls in enemies and hits them with extra damage through Elemental Absorption.

Her Elemental Skill, Astable Anemohypostasis Creation — 6308, creates a small Wind Spirit which pulls enemies in before launching them and dealing Anemo DMG. It is another really good move that clumps enemies up for main DPS characters to finish off in one swift attack.

Even without her Elemental Skill or Elemental Burst, as a Catalyst wielder, Sucrose is able to trigger Elemental Reactions very easily. Unlike the other Anemo Catalyst wielder on our list, though, it is much easier for Sucrose to trigger Elemental Reactions because her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst both linger on the field somewhat.

On top of being helpful all on her own, Sucrose’s Ascension Passive Talents both increase her party members’ Elemental Mastery. This is incredibly helpful when switching out to other characters and triggering Elemental Reactions with the Anemo energy left behind by Sucrose.

Drawbacks

There really aren’t many drawbacks to Sucrose. Her abilities are very useful for teams geared toward Elemental Reactions, and her Passive Talents even bolster her party members’ damage potential, too.

The biggest drawback to Sucrose is that her Elemental Burst has a high energy cost and she doesn’t have a very high base Energy Recharge. This weakness can be overcome with the right artifacts and weapons, though.

Artifacts

The best artifacts for Sucrose should focus on the following stats:

Elemental Mastery
Energy Recharge

Anemo DMG and Swirl Reactions are both incredibly important to Sucrose, so the 5-star Viridescent Venerer artifact set is the perfect choice for her. The decreased Elemental RES is incredibly easy to trigger since most of Sucrose’s attacks will likely trigger Swirl Reactions.

For players wanting a 4-star alternative artifact set, we recommend the Instructor set. The increased Elemental Mastery is the best option among 4-star artifact sets and will be very useful for high damage Swirl Reactions.

1/8

Kaedehara Kazuha (Sub-DPS)

Our number one ranked character of the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact is also the first playable character from Inazuma! From tragic backstory to memorable character design and incredible moveset, Kaedehara Kazuha definitely deserves his place as the best Anemo character in the game.

Why Kazuha is so good

Kazuha is the king of Swirl Reactions. His Elemental Burst, Kazuha Slash, creates a wide Autumn Whirlwind field. Within this field, enemies are dealt periodic AOE Anemo DMG. Autumn Whirlwind also has a lot of potential for Elemental Absorption. If Kazuha is affected by another element when using his Elemental Burst, even that is enough for his Autumn Whirlwind to gain Elemental Absorption.

Kazuha’s Elemental Skill, Chihayaburu, pulls objects and enemies toward him and launches him into the air while knocking enemies back with Anemo DMG. If Kazuha performs a Plunging Attack while still airborn from his Elemental Skill, he can unleash an even more powerful Plunging Attack called a Midare Ranzen.

Midare Ranzen attacks also have the potential to gain Elemental Absorption very easily. Kazuha can gain Pyro absorption from nearby cooking fires or from elements he is affected by (excluding Geo, Anemo, and Dendro).

Kazuha’s Elemental Skill, like Xiao’s, can also be used midair, which makes it incredibly helpful for exploring Teyvat. Holding his Elemental Skill will launch him higher, giving players a headstart on climbing high mountains without consuming stamina.

Not only are Kazuha’s Elemental Talents impressive, his Passive Talents are as well. His 4th Ascension Passive Talent gives his party members an Elemental DMG Bonus after triggering Swirl Reactions. This is what makes him such a powerful addition to any team, since every point of Elemental Mastery he has increases DMG dealt by other party members.

His Utility Passive Talent is also pretty handy for exploring since it decreases stamina consumption while sprinting.

Drawbacks

Thanks to his party buffs, crazy high Elemental damage potential, and exploration Talents Kazuha has very few downsides. With the right build he can deal serious damage. Admittedly, he isn’t the best character for a DPS role on most teams.

Kazuha’s Normal Attacks aren’t very powerful, so he works best as a Sub-DPS who can be switched in and out as his skill cooldowns pass.

Artifacts

The best artifacts for Kazuha will have the following stats and substats:

Elemental Mastery
Anemo DMG Bonus
CRIT Rate or DMG

It’s pretty obvious that Kazuha’s best artifact set is going to be the 5-star Viridescent Venerer artifact set. The increased Anemo and Swirl DMG is just too good to pass up for our favorite wanderer. Even for players who hate grinding, we really do recommend putting in some time for his artifacts.

If for whatever reason, a 4-star alternative artifact set is needed, the best option is going to be The Exile set. The Instructor artifact set is also a pretty good choice since either Energy Recharge or Elemental Mastery are going to be helpful for Kazuha’s Elemental Burst.

Join the High Ground

There you have it, our ranking for the best Anemo characters in Genshin Impact! Do you agree with our list or would you switch things up? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our other rankings. We ranked the best Electro characters here and you can check out the best Cryo characters here!

We’re always adding content, so be sure to check back soon for the latest Genshin Impact guides and tips.