Genshin Impact has many characters, each with specialization and abilities. While healers are essential, there’s no doubt that main DPS and Sub DPS characters are predominant in taking on various challenging enemies in the game. Are you confused about who to pick? This guide will go over all main DPS and Sub DPS characters in Genshin Impact and rank them in a tier list.
Best Main and Sub DPS Characters in Genshin Impact
Below is a tier list for all main DPS and Sub DPS characters in Genshin Impact. The grid is split into two departments, one for main and one for sub — so feel free to check out whichever you want to include in your party. Further down, I will detail two characters for each tier — one main and one sub — and why they fit into that tier slot.
| Tier | Main DPS | Sub DPS |
|---|---|---|
| S | Ayaka, Hu Tao, Raiden Shogun, Alhaitham, Ayato, Ganyu, Arataki Itto, Tighnari, Tartaglia, Nahida. | Nahida, Raiden Shogun, Xingqiu, Yelan, Xiangling, Kazuha, Fischl, Yae Miko, Nilou, Albedo, Kuki Shinobu. |
| A | Cyno, Wanderer, Yoimiya, Keqing, Xiao, Eula, Yelan. | Venti, Ganyu, Kirara, Mona, Ayato, Rosaria, Beidou, Collei, Sucrose. |
| B | Nilou, Kokomi, Noelle, Ningguang, Kaveh, Diluc, Klee, Shikanoin Heizou, Yanfei. | Kaeya, Zhongli, Jean, Dehya, Lisa, Layla, Dendro, Thoma, Kokomi. |
| C | Baizhu, Dehya, Kaeya, Candace, Fischl, Razor. | Chongyun, Shikanoin, Sayu, Xinyan, Candace. |
| D | Baizhu, Rosaria, Beidou, Barbara, Chongyun, Yun Jin, Aloy. | Amber, Geo Traveler, Anemo Traveler. |
As you can see, characters are mentioned twice in the tier list. This is because some characters may be amazing as the Main but not so great as a Sub-DPS. For those unfamiliar with how it works, the main DPS focus is the player’s primary way to deal damage. In contrast, Sub DPS focuses on supporting the main by dealing additional damage.
S-Tier Main and Sub DPS
Characters that fall under the S-tier are the best when used in the appropriate field — main or sub. Two standout names should be any player’s go-to choice.
Ayaka
Ayaka is a five-star character and stands out in the S-ranking for the main DPS characters due to her ability to unleash high base critical damage. Besides severe crit damage, Ayaka also executes a significant Elemental Burst damage while using a straightforward application of Cyro with every talent she entails. She is even helpful outside of battle, where she has a special sprint that aids exploration.
Yelan
As for the best Sub DPS character in the S-ranking, Yelan is a five-star who has made a massive name for herself. She specializes in talents that fill in spots for the cooldown time of your main and uses her Elemental Bursts to increase another character’s damage.
A-Tier Main and Sub DPS
These characters are fantastic and can be interchangeable regarding S-tier and A-tier. Still, I have put them down a rank mainly due to some weaknesses players have noticed that their higher-ranked counterparts don’t struggle with.
Keqing
While Keqing’s charged attacks have a higher cost of stamina than other characters on the main DPS list, she makes up for it due to the speed of executing every charged attack. She stands out due to the Elemental Skill in which she teleports and targets the enemy’s weak points. Keqing is one of the best and fits right at home in the A-tier for main DPS.
Mona
Mona is fantastic, and players should not feel discouraged due to her low base HP and low defense. In fact, players won’t recognize this downfall much due to her movement style that allows for speedy actions and an Elemental Burst that deals a ton of damage and damage buffs. Also, she is arguably one of the best Sub DPS that can handle crowd control due to her decoy ability.
Related: All Geo Characters in Genshin Impact, Ranked
B-Tier Main and Sub DPS
Don’t look down upon those in B-tier as all of them have some strengths that can make a difference as a main and sub-DPS. That said, players should take into account their weaknesses.
Diluc
Diluc will make some players angry as a main DPS due to his low attack speed. This can cause some issues, but his strengths make up for his lack of speed. For example, his Elemental Burst has a large area of effect, and pairing this with his ability to infuse his weapon with Pyro makes him a top choice in the B-tier. Additionally, he’s one of the few characters in the game whose crit rate increases with Ascension.
Layla
Layla is a solid Sub DPS choice with powerful shields and high HP. These two combined make her very difficult to kill, but she would rank higher if she dealt greater damage. Still, despite the lack of damage output, you can’t go wrong with adding her to your squad. Oh, and she has the ability to keep her Elemental Skill and Burst almost always activated.
C-Tier Main and Sub DPS
Characters in the C-tier should be skipped, but they aren’t the worst decisions a player can make. Usually, these characters are more substantial in a different field such as healing or support — and not in DPS. Still, there are some notable names in this ranking level. Players can do decently with the two characters in the corresponding roles.
Kaeya
For example, Kaeya as a main DPS isn’t the best decision — but he still has some perks. This four-star character has constellations that are difficult to acquire, and an Elemental Skill with a small area of effect makes this character lacking. Still, he has short cooldowns for applications of Cryo and a decent auto-attack function.
Xinyan
On the other hand, we have Xinyan, who has disappointed the community as a Sub DPS. Not saying there’s nothing good about her — with the ability to provide shields and a physical damage boost — she still has the downfall of needing to hit multiple enemies for Pyro damage maximization.
D-Tier Main and Sub DPS
Like C-Tier, D-tier is filled with characters that can be used more substantially in different fields — but these are worse than those in C-ranking. Let’s take a look at two names in this tier that shouldn’t ever take the lead in the corresponding roles.
Barbara
Barbara should not be used for the main DPS if you want your party to do its best. She is fantastic in the healing department, but she doesn’t really have anything else special about her. Her strengths lie in healing the party, while her weaknesses stem from low base damage and low HP.
Amber
Amber is only good in the exploration, where her fire element comes in handy. Outside of that, though, her skills have a long cooldown for a Sub DPS — and the wait isn’t worth it. Amber also has low base damage and low HP. Plus, the area of effect on elemental skill needs some improvement.
I hope this list has helped you decide who to put as your Main and Sub DPS and who to avoid. Combining two higher-ranking options — paired with a top-notch healer — can make your party a force to reckon with. Feel free to mix and match; you’ll eventually find the perfect combination.
