10 Best Sub-DPS Characters in Genshin Impact

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Penned by Devin Dornbrock

Devin has always been a fan of good writing and compelling visuals. She learned from an early age that video games are the best and most satisfying... Read more

Reviewed by Jeffrey Hsu

When you’re building a team in Genshin Impact, there are a few different roles you’re going to want to fill. First, you’ll want a DPS as your primary damage dealer. Next, you’ll want a Support, either a healer or someone that can give consistent buffs. Lastly, you’ll need a Sub-DPS to round out your team and step in when your DPS is in cooldown. That’s why we came up with a list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact!

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Top 10 Best Sub-DPS Characters in Genshin Impact, Ranked

Our rankings are generally based on fully-leveled, Constellation 0 characters. The rankings might look a little different with a specific team or at a higher Constellation level, and that’s okay! If you find something that works better for you, definitely stick with your preferences.

Our job is simply to help explain how these characters work and give you an idea of how to build an effective team. At the end of the day, though, just play what you enjoy and don’t worry about the rest.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s get into the best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact!

10/10

Venti (5-Star) — Anemo Bow

Starting off our list of the best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact is Lord Barbatos himself, Venti the Anemo Archon!

Venti is a light-hearted character with a turbulent past who has been helping the Traveler in their journey from pretty much the beginning. While he may seem like a drunkard chasing his next bottle of wine, he also seems to know more than he’s letting on.

What Makes Venti So Good?

Venti is a pretty versatile character, like most of the best Sub-DPS characters. His Elemental Burst and Elemental Skill both are great for crowd control, and can group enemies up with the power of Anemo. Grouped enemies are easy targets for DPS characters to take out in one blow, which is why Venti is a great character to have on your team.

His Elemental Burst, Wind’s Grand Ode, creates a Stormeye that sucks in nearby enemies and deals continuous Anemo DMG. While the Stormeye is active on the field, it can deal additional damage through Elemental Absorption after coming into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro energy.

Venti’s Elemental Skill, Skyward Sonnet, deals AOE Anemo DMG and launches enemies into the air. When his Elemental Skill is held, Venti summons an air current that sucks enemies in and launches them while dealing AOE Anemo DMG. After holding his Elemental Skill, Venti is also lifted into the air for a short time.

Being able to boost himself into the air is very nice when it comes to exploring Teyvat. Solving puzzles is easier, climbing requires less stamina, and out-of-reach platforms become accessible.

Venti’s Utility Passive Talent, Windrider, is also pretty nice to have while exploring, since it decreases Stamina consumption while gliding by 20%. 

Drawbacks

Venti is primarily useful against groups of smaller enemies. When faced against larger opponents or bosses, his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst are much less effective. He also doesn’t deal a lot of damage on his own, which is why he’s most effective as a Sub-DPS. 

The best way to use him is to bring him out while exploring, or when his Elemental Burst is ready to pop off. Once combat begins or his Energy is too low, it’s better to switch him out for a more offensive character.

While Venti is a good character to have, there are other characters who can do pretty much everything he can but do it better. Hence his low placement on our list.

Artifact Sets

Individual artifacts for Venti should prioritize the following stats:

• Elemental Mastery
• Anemo DMG Bonus

The best artifact set for Venti is the 5-star Viridescent Venerer set. It increases Anemo DMG, and the four-piece effect increases Swirl DMG on top of that, which is essential for Venti. 

Venti’s best 4-star artifact set alternative is either The Exile set, which increases Energy Recharge and generates Energy for the rest of the party, or the Instructor set. The Instructor set is geared toward Elemental Mastery and is much better for increasing damage through Swirl Reactions.

9/10

Albedo (5-Star) — Geo Sword

Taking the ninth spot in our list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact is another Monstadter. He’s the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, as well as Captain of the Investigation Team — it’s Albedo!

Albedo is a synthetic human and acts as an adopted brother to another 5-Star character from Monstadt, the Spark Knight Klee.

What Makes Albedo So Good?

Albedo is another character great for exploring. His Elemental Skill, Abiogenesis: Solar Isotoma, deals AOE Geo DMG and creates a Solar Isotoma Geo construct.

His Solar Isotoma also works as a lift for active characters who stand on it for a moment. When activated, the Solar Isotoma lifts characters up into the air, where they can jump off and either get a head start on climbing a wall or make a plunging attack against enemies waiting below.

Aside from being able to lift characters into the air, the Solar Isotoma also creates a wide field of Geo energy. Enemies who enter the field will then be hit by Transient Blossoms up to once every 2 seconds. Transient Blossoms deal AOE Geo DMG, which scales with Albedo’s DEF.

This Elemental Skill is a great way to deal AOE Geo damage to multiple enemies over a period of time while your main DPS character triggers Crystallize reactions. 

The Solar Isotoma can also increase the damage dealt by Albedo’s Elemental Burst, Rite of Progeniture: Tectonic Tide. When using his Elemental Burst, Albedo summons Geo crystals that surge out from him in a large AOE. Enemies are dealt AOE Geo DMG, and if a Solar Isotoma is within reach, 7 Fatal Blossoms will also deal extra AOE Geo DMG. 

Basically, Albedo is a really good character for dealing prolonged Geo DMG and creating Crystallize reactions with Pyro, Cryo, Electro, and Hydro characters. 

Drawbacks

Unfortunately, while Albedo’s Elemental Skill is really handy, it can also be a huge pain in the neck. Players who don’t pay attention may accidentally activate the Solar Isotoma’s lift abilities in the middle of an attack. Not only does this break your attack flow, it can also mean missing enemies with heavy hitters and even Elemental Bursts on accident.

The Solar Isotoma’s lifting abilities also don’t activate unless the terrain is perfectly flat. If there is even a hint of a slope, it won’t work at all, which can be very annoying.

Artifact Sets

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

• DEF%
• Geo DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

The most effective artifact set for Albedo is going to be the 5-star Husk of Opulent Dreams set. It increases DEF by 30%, which is definitely necessary to increase the damage dealt by his Elemental Skill. The four-piece effect of this set also further increases DEF and Geo DMG, which is even better.

For players wanting a 4-star alternative artifact set, we suggest the Defender’s Will set. It also increases DEF by 30%, but rather than increasing Geo DMG with its four-piece effect, it increases Elemental RES. Keep in mind that this artifact set is only good for Elementally diverse teams, though, so if you have a Geo heavy team, you may want to consider another set. 

8/10

Kamisato Ayaka (5-Star) — Cryo Sword

For our eight spot on the list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact, we have the Shirasagi Himegimi of Inazuma and young lady of the Kamisato Clan. 

Kamisato Ayaka is a dignified and noble young woman who worked tirelessly to free her people from the tyranny of the Sakoku Decree. While she seems unapproachable to many of her people, Ayaka longs to break from her family’s lofty reputation and make some friends her own age.

What Makes Ayaka So Good?

Ayaka is an incredibly strong character to have on your team and can actually work very well in a few different roles…if you know how to use her.

Ayaka’s Talent, Kamisato Art: Senho, is an Alternate Sprint Talent. When in use, Ayaka disappears into a small frozen fog and can even run over water. This means she’s fantastic to have when fighting enemies near deep water or when you need to cross a deep river quickly.

When exiting her Alternate Sprint, Ayaka is able to unleash Cryo energy on both her enemies and her blade. This energy both applies Cryo to nearby enemies and changes Ayaka’s Normal Attack DMG to Cryo DMG for a short time. 

When using her Elemental Burst, Kamisato Art: Soumetsu, Ayaka summons a Frostflake Seki no To, which takes the form of a moving snowstorm. Enemies caught in this snowstorm are dealt repeated Cryo DMG. The snowstorm explodes after 5 seconds, dealing heavy AOE Cryo DMG. 

For her Elemental Skill, Kamisato Art: Hyouka, Ayaka launches enemies into the air with blooming ice. Enemies caught in the blooming ice are dealt AOE Cryo DMG. 

All that is to say that Ayaka has many different ways to deal and apply Cryo energy to enemies, making them ripe for Elemental Reactions. She works especially well with Hydro characters who can freeze them in place. 

Drawbacks

Ayaka’s biggest drawback is her Alternate Sprint. For players who aren’t used to it, it’s easy to mistime dodges and take unnecessary hits from enemies. It’s also easy to forget that she still consumes stamina while sprinting and may run out of it while over water, thus drowning the whole party. A lot of players who manage to avoid the above can still have a hard time making the most of her Cryo energy application when coming out of her sprint, too. 

Overall, Ayaka is a very strong character, she can just be tricky to use and isn’t the best Sub-DPS character. 

Artifact Sets

For Ayaka’s artifacts, we recommend looking for pieces with the following stats:

• ATK%
• Cryo DMG Bonus
• CRIT DMG

The best artifact set for Ayaka is the 5-star Blizzard Strayer set. It increases Cryo DMG at the two-piece level, and increases CRIT Rate against enemies affected by Cryo at the four-piece level. 

As a 4-star alternative artifact set, and for specifically a Sub-DPS build, we recommend the Gambler artifact set. It increases Elemental Skill DMG by 20% and can end Elemental Skill Cooldown after defeating an enemy up to once every 15 seconds. This isn’t the best 4-star artifact set for Ayaka overall, but it is the best for a Sub-DPS build. 

7/10

Yae Miko (5-Star) — Electro Catalyst

The seventh spot on our list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact has a penchant for pranks and is a mischievous spirit at heart. It’s none other than the Lady Guuji of Inazuma’s Grand Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko!

Miko is a longstanding friend of the Electro Archon. She has also had her finger on the pulse of Inazuma’s culture for a very long time with the Yae Publishing House. 

What Makes Yae Miko So Good?

Miko’s best Talent is her Elemental Skill, Yakan Evocation: Sesshou Sakura. When used, Miko summons an Electro turret called a Sesshou Sakura. She can create up to three turrets, which will periodically attack nearby enemies and objects with lightning. The lightning strikes deal Electro DMG, and when multiple turrets are near each other, the damage dealt by their lightning strikes is increased. 

This Elemental Skill is a great way to consistently trigger Elemental Reactions, since Miko’s turrets stay on the field even if she is switched out. Even without Elemental Reactions, the turrets can deal a good bit of damage on their own to chip away at enemies’ HP. 

Yae Miko’s Elemental Burst, Great Secret Art: Tenko Kenshin, manifests an image of the Sky Kitsune and summons lightning to strike down enemies of the Grand Narukami Shrine. The lightning dealt by this attack deals AOE Electro DMG and will consume existing Sesshou Sakura to deal added AOE Electro DMG.

When properly built, Miko’s Elemental Burst can deal absolutely massive Electro DMG without her needing to be on the field too long. Just make sure to set her turrets back up before you switch her out.

Drawbacks

While having Electro DMG attacks on hand at all times is pretty nice, Miko’s Normal Attacks don’t deal a lot of damage. They also don’t have a lot of reach, and her Charged Attacks take forever to wind up. This can leave her open and vulnerable to interruption from nearby enemies.

Another drawback to Miko is that you’ll need to keep an eye on the number of turrets on the field when using her. Fewer turrets means less Electro DMG being dealt and it can be distracting to keep track of at times. Her low cooldown makes placing them easy, but you can still have your attack flow messed up trying to keep turrets constantly on the field.

Artifact Sets

The best artifact stats for Yae Miko are as follows:

• ATK%
• Electro DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

There are a couple of different options for artifacts depending on how Yae Miko is being used. For players wanting to focus on Elemental Reactions, we suggest the 5-star Gilded Dreams artifact set. It increases Elemental Mastery by a base of 80 and an additional 50 for each character of a different Elemental type in the party after triggering an Elemental Reaction.

Some players may not want to worry about Elemental Reactions, or they may not have reached the Spire of Solitary Enlightenment domain yet. For those players, we suggest mixing a two-piece ATK buff artifact set (like the 5-star Gladiator’s Finale) with the 5-star Thundering Fury set for some added Electro DMG. 

6/10

Fischl (4-Star) — Electro Bow

It may come as a surprise to see a 4-star on our list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact but hey, higher rarity doesn’t always mean a better character. That’s why our sixth spot on the list goes to the 4-star Electro Bow wielder, Fischl!

Fischl is another Monstadt character who took center stage in 2022’s Summertime Odyssey event. Her speech and mannerisms may be over the top, but she’s a reliable friend and strong ally to the Traveler. Not to mention a real asset to most team comps, too.

What Makes Fischl So Good?

Similar to Yae Miko, Fischl’s Elemental Skill also lets her leave an Electro construct on the field that will attack periodically even when Fischl herself is switched out. Fischl’s Elemental Skill, Nightrider, summons her familiar, Oz. When summoned, Oz deals AOE Electro DMG to nearby enemies and continuously attacks for up to 10 seconds. 

Using Fischl’s Elemental Skill again while Oz is on the field lets her re-summon him and move his position on the field (this does not reset his time on the field, though). Being able to move Oz around is pretty nice, especially when dealing with waves of enemies who may spawn out of range. 

When using her Elemental Burst, Midnight Phantasmagoria, Fischl takes on Oz’s form and is able to move much more quickly than usual. Enemies nearby will be struck with lightning and take heavy Electro DMG. Once the ability ends, Oz will remain on the field. If he was already on the field, his time will be reset.  

Thanks to Oz, Fischl is able to consistently apply Electro damage to enemies, and he is much easier to keep track of than Yae Miko’s Sesshou Sakura turrets. 

Without Oz, though, Fischl is still pretty strong too. Her Normal and Charged Attacks provide a decent amount of damage, and her ATK SPD makes it easy to fire off a few shots before switching out to a Support or DPS character. 

Drawbacks

Fischl is okay as a Sub-DPS at Constellation Level 0. She becomes great as her Constellation levels up, though. Not only does it provide extra levels (and extra damage) to her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst, it also increases the DMG dealt by her Normal Attacks. Even the amount of time Oz can stay on the field when summoned is increased. 

Normally we wouldn’t consider Constellations in our rankings, but as a 4-star character, it’s a lot easier to level Fischl’s Constellation up. Some events will even give her to players for free without wishing. 

We do still count it as a weakness here, though, so if you aren’t keen on waiting to level up her Constellation, you may want to consider another Sub-DPS for your team.

Artifact Sets

The best artifacts for Fischl should have the following stats:

• Elemental Mastery
• Electro DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

Elemental Reactions are key to making the most of Fischl’s Talents, which is why we recommend the 5-star Gilded Dreams artifact set. It increases both Elemental Mastery and ATK, depending on the composition of your team. If you’re having a hard time getting good artifacts for this set, though, the 5-star Thundering Fury set is also a good choice.

The 4-star Instructor artifact set is also viable for players who don’t want to farm 5-star artifacts. It will only increase Elemental Mastery, but it does increase the Elemental Mastery of all other characters in the party after triggering an Elemental Reaction.

5/10

Xiangling (4-Star) — Pyro Polearm

Our fifth pick for the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact is a renowned chef from Liyue. She is also the only 100% free character on our list. It’s Xiangling!

Xiangling is an experimental chef who loves trying out new exotic ingredients, including but not limited to various monster parts and secretions. She is also one of the few characters in the game who can be obtained without Wishing. Players brave enough to face the Spiral Abyss can add her to their team after clearing the 3rd Floor of the Abyss. 

What Makes Xiangling So Good?

Xiangling’s Elemental Burst, Pyronado, surrounds the active character with a spinning, burning Polearm. This Pyronado lingers for 10 seconds even if Xiangling is switched out, and deals Pyro DMG to any enemies that get too close. 

Not only is the damage dealt by the Pyronado pretty good, it also makes the perfect set up for an explosive Elemental Reaction. When combined with almost any other Element, you can sit back and watch enemies go down without even needing to attack. 

Seriously, Xiangling’s Elemental Burst is really, really powerful when you use it correctly.

If that wasn’t enough, her Elemental Skill, Guoba Attack, deals AOE Pyro DMG and continues to deal Pyro DMG periodically for the next seven seconds. After this duration is up, a chili pepper is dropped on the field, which increases ATK by 10% for the next 10 seconds.

While not the most consistent buff given the amount of time between chili pepper drops, it’s still a nice little party buff.  

Drawbacks

While Xiangling’s Elemental Burst is incredible, her Elemental Skill leaves something to be desired. Guoba is cute and he does drop a party buff when he exits the field, but it’s so easy for him to miss his attacks. He can also be moved around a little by enemies or Anemo, so he becomes even less consistent. 

It’s good when he hits, but more often than not, he misses most of his potential damage. Either by accidentally being placed in the wrong spot or by auto-targeting a single enemy and ignoring nearby groups.

Artifact Sets

Artifacts for Xiangling should prioritize the following stats:

• Energy Recharge
• Pyro DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

The best artifact set for Xiangling is undoubtedly the 5-star Emblem of Severed Fate set. It increases Energy Recharge and uses that to increase Elemental Burst DMG, aka the strongest part of her kit.

For players who haven’t reached Inazuma yet, we suggest The Exile as a 4-star artifact set alternative. It also increases Energy Recharge, but rather than upping Elemental Burst DMG, it provides other party members with Energy.

4/10

Xingqiu (4-Star) — Hydro Sword

Coming in fourth place in our list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact is the second young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild. He also happens to be one of the top practitioners of the Guhua Clan’s arts — it’s Xingqiu!

Xingqiu is another mischievous character to grace our list, but it’s all in good fun. Most of his pranks also seem to be targeted at a certain exorcist, but that’s neither here nor there. Xingqiu is more than just his pranks and family, he’s also an accomplished author, though his fame in that regard is largely limited to Inazuma. 

What Makes Xingqiu So Good?

The most important part of Xingqiu’s kit is his Elemental Burst. Guhua Sword: Raincutter creates a number of Rain Swords that attack in conjunction with the active character’s Normal Attacks. Rain Swords remain active for 15 seconds and deal Hydro DMG.

This alone makes Xingqiu an amazing Sub-DPS, since his Rain Swords remain active while he is off the field. It means players can switch to their DPS and have added Hydro DMG. Which is especially powerful for DPS characters who can infuse their Normal Attacks with Elemental DMG. 

When using Xingqiu’s Elemental Skill, Guhua Sword: Fatal Rainscreen, he strikes nearby enemies with Hydro DMG and also creates a number of Rain Swords. Unfortunately, Rain Swords created through his Elemental Skill work differently than the ones made with his Elemental Burst. 

Rain Swords created by Xingqiu’s Elemental Skill circle the active character, but rather than attacking along with Normal Attacks, they increase the active character’s resistance to interruption. Rain Swords made with Xingqiu’s Elemental Skill also shatter when the active character takes damage, reducing the amount taken. 

After unlocking Xingqiu’s first Ascension Passive Talent, Hydropathic, shattered and expiring Rain Swords will regenerate HP based on 6% of Xingqiu’s max HP.

So not only does Xingqiu provide complimentary DMG, he also takes the edge off DMG taken, increases Resistance to enemy attacks, and even heals some HP while he’s at it. 

Drawbacks

Xingqiu is hands down one of the best Sub-DPS characters in the game. He unfortunately has some pretty long cooldowns, though, too. It’s also unfortunate that his Ascension Stat is ATK%, even though his Normal and Charged Attacks typically aren’t used very much. They have low damage potential, so there’s little point in putting the resources into leveling up the Talent. 

A lot of players also may not understand how Xingqiu works unless they read through his Talent descriptions. Or come across a guide like this one. What we mean is, the best character in the world is pretty useless if you don’t know how to use them. 

Artifact Sets

The best artifacts for Xingqiu should prioritize the following:

• Energy Recharge
• Hydro DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

The best artifact set for Xingqiu is the 5-star Emblem of Severed Fate set. Its four-piece effect increases his Elemental Burst DMG, which works nicely with the effect of his Rain Swords. 

For a 4-star alternative artifact set, we suggest The Exile. It also increases Energy Recharge and gives party members extra Energy after using his Elemental Burst. It’s not the greatest, so we highly recommend farming for good 5-star artifacts if you can.

3/10

Yelan (5-Star) — Hydro Bow

Third place in our ranks of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact goes to Liyue’s best intelligence agent. She works from the shadows under the Tianquan directly, it’s none other than Yelan!

We don’t know a whole lot about Yelan. She keeps her cards close to her chest and only reveals information about herself when she deems it necessary. And it’s almost never necessary. 

What Makes Yelan So Good?

Yelan’s Elemental Burst, Depth-Clarion Dice, deals AOE Hydro DMG when used and creates an Exquisite Throw. This Exquisite Throw manifests as a rolling die. For the next 15 seconds, Yelan’s Exquisite Throw follows the active character and attacks in conjunction with the active character’s Normal Attacks. It will also attack after Yelan uses her Elemental Skill. Damage dealt by the Exquisite Throw deals Hydro DMG and scales with Yelan’s max HP. 

If that all sounds similar to Xingqiu’s Elemental Burst, that’s because it is. It’s basically a better version of Xinqiu’s Raincutter. Yelan’s Exquisite Throw stays on the field longer, costs less Energy to use, and is able to make more hits.

On top of Yelan’s Elemental Burst, her Elemental Skill, Lingering Lifeline, allows her to run forward even faster than her sprint speed without consuming stamina. While running, she trails a glowing blue Lifeline behind her. In this state, her resistance to interruption is increased.

Any enemies caught up in her Lifeline will be dealt Hydro DMG when she stops running. DMG dealt by her Lifeline scales with her Max HP. 

Even without Yelan’s Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst, she’s able to deal some pretty good damage quickly. Her Normal Attack Talent, Stealthy Bowshot, has a special Breakthrough State. When in her Breakthrough State, Yelan’s next Charged Attack has an 80% decreased Charge Time and deals AOE Hydro DMG that scales with her max HP. 

Drawbacks

Yelan doesn’t have too many drawbacks, in all honesty. She’s a really good Sub-DPS character to have on your team. 

One thing, though, is that she works better on Elementally diverse teams. One of her Passive Talents increases her HP based on the number of Elements in the party. It’s hard to pass up the extra 30% HP just to double up on one Element or another. This can kind of limit the team comps she works with. 

If you can increase her Constellation level, she does get even stronger ,but that is such a pain for 5-star characters that we don’t want to recommend it to anyone. 

Artifact Sets

The best artifacts for Yelan should have the following stats:

• HP%
• Hydro DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

Yelan is a very versatile character who can work in a number of roles. The best artifact set for her will differ depending on her role. For Sub-DPS, we suggest the 5-star Emblem of Severed Fate set. Her Elemental Burst is the most important part of her kit for Sub-DPS roles, so increasing the DMG there is really good.

For players wanting 4-star alternative artifacts, try The Exile set. It will increase Energy Recharge by a nice amount and decrease the time waiting to use Yelan’s Elemental Burst. 

2/10

Raiden Shogun (5-Star) — Electro Polearm

Second on our list of the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact is also one of the most powerful characters in the game period. She hails from Inazuma and has been dead set in her idea of Eternity for nearly 500 years. It’s obviously the Raiden Shogun.

The Electro Archon may seem cold and unfeeling at first glance, but that’s probably just the puppet she made to rule Inazuma in her stead. The real Raiden Shogun, or Ei as she’s known to her friends, is a much warmer person. She will also do whatever she thinks is right to protect her people and her sister’s legacy. 

What Makes the Raiden Shogun So Good?

The Raiden Shogun’s most important move is her Elemental Burst. Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu switches her weapon stance from Polearm to Sword, and she unleashes a massive AOE Electro attack.

The DMG dealt by the Raiden Shogun’s initial Elemental Burst attack is increased depending on the number of Chakra Desiderata stacks she consumes. These stacks are gained when other members of the party use their Elemental Bursts. The higher the Energy cost of the Elemental Burst, the more stacks the Raiden Shogun gains. The Raiden Shogun can also gain Chakra Desiderata stacks when party members gain Elemental Orbs. 

For a short time after her initial attack, she retains her sword and her attacks are infused with Electro DMG. When attacking with her sword, the Raiden Shogun will also regenerate Energy for her party members. This can happen up to five times. In this state, her resistance to interruption is increased and she is immune to Electro-Charged DMG. 

On top of her crazy powerful Elemental Burst, the Raiden Shogun can also do some decent off-field damage through her Elemental Skill. Transcendence: Baleful Omen grants party members (even co-op ones!) the Eye of Stormy Judgment. 

Characters with the Eye of Stormy Judgment have their Elemental Burst DMG increased based on the Energy Cost of the move. When active characters deal DMG to enemies, the Eye will also deal AOE Electro DMG up to once every 0.9 seconds. 

Drawbacks

Raiden Shogun is more of an on-field character than a lot of the other Sub-DPS characters on our list. She’s a phenomenal character to have on your team and doesn’t require a specific team comp, but she’s mostly there to deal damage directly. 

She doesn’t offer a whole lot in the way of buffs, though the Elemental Burst DMG increase is certainly nice. 

One odd thing to note is that she can’t cook. Not only does she not have a special dish, she cannot be used to cook at all. A notice will pop up saying she doesn’t cook. It’s not really a drawback, but it is interesting. 

Artifact Sets

Artifacts for the Raiden Shogun should prioritize the following stats:

• Energy Recharge
• Electro DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

Regardless of her build, the Raiden Shogun’s best artifact set is the 5-star Emblem of Severed Fate set. Its increased Energy Recharge and Elemental Burst DMG go a long way to creating insane Elemental Burst DMG numbers.

The best 4-star alternative artifact set is The Exile set. As mentioned before, it increases Energy Recharge like the Emblem of Severed Fate set. Rather than increasing Elemental Burst DMG, though, it provides party members Energy. 

1/10

Kaedehara Kazuha (5-Star) — Anemo Sword

Finally, taking the number one spot in the top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact is everyone’s favorite wanderer! 

Kaedehara Kazuha is a humble man and the first character from Inazuma we meet in the game. His gentle nature and ability to read the wind has earned him a place among the crewmembers of The Crux under Captain Beidou. 

What Makes Kazuha So Good?

Both Kazuha’s Elemental Burst and Elemental Skill make him more than worthy of being the best Sub-DPS in the game. 

His Elemental Burst, Kazuha Slash, creates a field of wind called the Autumn Whirlwind. Creating this field deals AOE Anemo DMG. The field periodically continues to deal AOE Anemo DMG to enemies within it. The Autumn Whirlwind also deals extra Elemental DMG if it comes into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro. 

Kazuha’s Talent, Poetics of Fuubutsu, further increases DMG dealt by his Autumn Whirlwind by increasing all party members’ Elemental DMG. This DMG Bonus is given after he triggers a Swirl Reaction, which happens often if Autumn Whirlwind comes into contact with another Element. 

His Elemental Skill, Chihayaburu, pulls objects and enemies toward him before launching them in an AOE and dealing Anemo DMG. Kazuha is then lifted into the air, similar to Venti’s Skill. Unlike Venti’s Skill, though, if Kazuha makes a Plunging Attack while in the air, he unleashes a Midare Ranzen attack.

Midare Ranzen attacks deal Anemo DMG and create a wind tunnel, again pulling in nearby enemies and objects. 

Kazuha’s Talent, Soumon Swordsmanship, increases the DMG of Midare Ranzen attacks further by giving them the potential for added Elemental DMG. If Kazuha comes into contact with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro when using his Elemental Skill, an extra 200% of that DMG type will be added on top of the initial Anemo DMG. 

So Kazuha can group enemies up, deal huge amounts of damage, and even increase his party members’ Elemental DMG. As a cherry on top, his Talent, Cloud Strider, decreases sprinting Stamina costs too. 

All that makes him the perfect Sub-DPS. He can hold his own in combat but also grant buffs and set up enemy groups for DPS characters, too. 

Drawbacks

There are some limits to Kazuha’s Swirl capabilities. Usually it’s pretty minimal, but it can be annoying to deal with if you aren’t aware ahead of time. If an enemy already has a permanent Element applied to them (think Slimes and other Elemental beings), he will still deal Anemo DMG. You just won’t get the other benefits of triggering a Swirl Reaction.

Overall, Kazuha really doesn’t have any downsides. We definitely recommend pulling for him the next time he has a banner re-run. 

Artifact Sets

The absolute best artifacts for Kazuha will prioritize the following stats:

• Elemental Mastery
• Anemo DMG Bonus
• CRIT Rate or DMG

The best artifact set for Kazuha is the 5-star Viridescent Venerer set. It increases his Anemo DMG and works beautifully to increase his Swirl DMG, which is very important to his Talents.

For a 4-star alternative artifact set, we suggest the Instructor set. The added Elemental Mastery is a decent option if you don’t feel like farming for the Viridescent Venerer pieces.

Join the High Ground

That’s our top 10 best Sub-DPS characters in Genshin Impact! Did we nail it or miss the mark? Let us know in the comments below. We also ranked the best DPS characters in Genshin Impact, so make sure to check that out if you haven’t already. We’re always adding new tips, guides, and rankings so be sure to check back soon for more Genshin content.

Happy gaming!

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