Genshin Impact Version 7.1, A Rekviem for the Underworld, has pushed the Snezhnaya meta even further toward Stellar reactions. Vesna and Vodyanitsa join the roster, Skirk and Escoffier return, and the sixth anniversary hands every player two free 5-Star characters. This Genshin Impact tier list ranks the strongest characters right now, so players know exactly who to pull, build, and pick for free.

TIER	MAIN DPS	SUB-DPS	SUPPORT
S	Sandrone, Vesna, Mavuika, Zibai, Nefer, Flins	Columbina, Ineffa, Odette, Yae Miko, Linnea	Lauma, Nicole, Sucrose
A	Wriothesley, Yumemizuki Mizuki, Skirk, Varka, Arlecchino, Cyno, Traveler (Cryo)	Escoffier, Durin, Furina, Fischl	Vodyanitsa, Citlali, Chevreuse, Iansan, Bennett, Xilonen, Mona, Alyosha
B	Varesa, Clorinde, Mualani, Kinich, Lohen, Neuvillette, Chasca	Emilie, Yelan, Nahida, Venti	Faruzan, Diona, Illuga, Qiqi, Kazuha, Prune, Beidou, Nilou
C	Klee, Navia, Lyney, Hu Tao, Gaming, Wanderer, Raiden Shogun, Ayaka, Xiao, Itto, Alhaitham	Ororon, Albedo, Chiori, Xiangling, Xingqiu, Kuki Shinobu, Rosaria	Aino, Zhongli, Shenhe, Xianyun, Kokomi, Jahoda, Lan Yan, Gorou, Charlotte, Traveler (Pyro)

S Tier Characters

Let’s take a look at all of the characters in this tier:

Sandrone

Sandrone, the Fatui Harbinger known as the Marionette, is a 5-Star Cryo Claymore user and the strongest damage dealer in Version 7.1 by most measures. Her Charged Attack calls in Fagio, a robot that fires powerful beams, and those beams count as Stellar-Conduct or Stellar Swirl damage once the team triggers a Stellar reaction. She can also turn Superconduct and Cryo Swirl into their Stellar versions by herself.

Her top team runs Yae Miko and Odette for Stellar-Conduct, with Escoffier or a healer in the last slot. Vodyanitsa has also made her Stellar Swirl teams far stronger. Few characters can brute force hard content the way she does, which makes her a top priority whenever her banner returns.

Vesna

Vesna is the new 5-Star Anemo Sword main DPS from Version 7.1. Her Elemental Skill puts her in Armed for Action mode, where her attacks turn into Anemo damage and build Sword Essence. She then spends that resource on Windborne Sword, which gets stronger with each use and summons Spirit Blades that count as Stellar Swirl damage.

Most of her damage comes from her own attacks rather than the reaction, so she plays like a true hypercarry. Odette is the one partner she really needs, while Faruzan, Diona, and Qiqi fill out budget teams. Outside of combat, her Coursing ability lets her hover in the air, which makes exploring Snezhnaya much easier.

Mavuika

Mavuika, the Pyro Archon, is a 5-Star Pyro Claymore user whose Elemental Burst deals some of the biggest hits in the game. She works on field, off field, or as a quick swap, and she shines in both Vaporize and Melt teams.

Her damage ceiling is among the highest in Genshin Impact, but reaching it requires advanced combos that take practice. Even with simple rotations, she clears current endgame content comfortably, especially in Hexerei Vaporize teams with Sucrose.

Zibai

Zibai is a 5-Star Geo Sword user and arguably the strongest Lunar-Crystallize carry in the game. Her empowered Elemental Skill mixes steady damage with heavy burst hits, and her DEF scaling makes her very tanky in tough fights.

She needs Geo and Hydro teammates, with Linnea and Columbina forming her best core. Her damage ceiling is high and easy to reach, so she is one of the friendliest top carries for players who do not want to master complex rotations.

Nefer

Nefer is a 5-Star Dendro Catalyst main DPS built for Lunar-Bloom. She works in Lunar-Bloom teams without needing dedicated Bloom triggers, and with the right teammates she gathers Seeds of Deceit that she consumes for massive damage.

Her damage ceiling rivals Mavuika’s and is much easier to reach. The trade-off is that her best team is locked to Lauma, who boosts her damage by a huge margin. Nefer also dashes often, which gives her plenty of invincibility time when playing without a healer.

Flins

Flins is a 5-Star Electro Polearm main DPS made for Lunar-Charged teams. He only needs a Hydro teammate to start working, and his low-cost special Burst keeps his damage steady throughout a fight.

His raw damage is the lowest of the Lunar carries, but he handles a wider range of endgame fights than almost anyone. Columbina, Ineffa, and Sucrose form his best team, while Aino works as a cheaper Hydro option.

Columbina

Columbina is a 5-Star Hydro Catalyst sub-DPS and the backbone of almost every Lunar team. She applies Hydro from off the field, deals strong damage of her own, and her Gravity Ripple repeats Lunar reaction damage for extra value.

Whether a team runs Lunar-Charged with Flins, Lunar-Bloom with Nefer, or Lunar-Crystallize with Zibai, she is the Hydro unit to use. Other Hydro options fall far behind her in these teams, so she is a must-pull for anyone building Nod-Krai characters.

Ineffa

Ineffa is a 5-Star Electro Polearm sub-DPS who enables Lunar-Charged with full Electro uptime. Her Lunar-Charged damage can land critical hits, and her shield keeps the active character safe at the same time.

Flins needs her to reach his full strength, and she also pairs with Columbina to form an off-field core that clears much of Stygian Onslaught on its own. She even shares Elemental Mastery with the active character based on her ATK.

Lauma

Lauma is a 5-Star Dendro Catalyst support for Bloom and Lunar-Bloom teams. She applies Dendro with full uptime and lowers both Dendro and Hydro RES, which very few characters can do.

She gives Nefer one of the biggest support boosts in the game, around 30 to 40% more damage, and she is required for on-field Columbina and Bloom teams. Anyone who owns Nefer should treat Lauma as part of the same package.

Linnea

Linnea is a 5-Star Geo Bow support who turns Hydro Crystallize into Lunar-Crystallize. Her companion Lumi pounds enemies with Geo attacks, lowers their Geo RES, and can unleash a huge Million Ton Crush when Linnea rapidly taps her skill.

She also raises the team’s Moonsign level and shares Elemental Mastery with Moonsign characters. She is the best partner for Zibai, and she forms a strong Lunar-Crystallize core with Columbina for Geo-focused content.

Odette

Odette is a 5-Star Cryo Sword sub-DPS from Version 7.0 and the most important support for Stellar teams. She turns Superconduct and Cryo Swirl into Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl, while her Solo Dance Double attacks enemies from the side.

She is the best partner for every Stellar carry, including Sandrone, Vesna, and Wriothesley, and she even helps other teams in Stellar-favored content. Her strong off-field damage and party-wide Stellar buffs make her very hard to replace.

Yae Miko

Yae Miko is a 5-Star Electro Catalyst sub-DPS whose Sesshou Sakura turrets deal steady off-field Electro damage. In Stellar teams, she deals off-field Stellar-Conduct damage, making her the best Electro slot for Sandrone and other Cryo carries.

She is the main reason Stellar-Conduct teams rose to the top of the meta. A few endgame bosses do not suit her well, but she remains one of the most valuable older 5-Stars to own in Version 7.1.

Nicole

Nicole is a 5-Star Pyro Catalyst support from the Hexenzirkel. Her Elemental Skill gives the whole party a large ATK buff and creates a protective shield, and the buff grows stronger once a character stays on the field for a few seconds, or right away for Hexerei characters.

Her Burst summons coordinated attacks that match the active character’s element, and Hexerei teams get even more damage from them. She is one of the most flexible and comfortable supports in the game and fits almost any ATK-scaling team.

Sucrose

Sucrose is a 4-Star Anemo Catalyst who keeps showing up in the best teams. She shares a big boost of Elemental Mastery, pulls enemies together, and spreads Viridescent Venerer RES shred.

She is the best fourth slot for Flins and Nefer, a top pick for Sandrone, and a key part of Hexerei Vaporize teams with Mavuika or Arlecchino. As a cheap 4-Star with this many uses, she is one of the most valuable characters for free-to-play players.

A Tier Characters

Let’s take a look at all of the characters in this tier:

Vodyanitsa

Vodyanitsa is the new 5-Star Hydro Catalyst support from Version 7.1. Her Elemental Skill heals the active character, raises interruption resistance, and lowers enemy Hydro and Cryo RES by 30%. In Stellar Swirl teams, her passive also cuts enemy Anemo RES by 35%.

She is a big upgrade for Skirk and other Freeze teams and a solid fourth slot for Sandrone. Vesna does not need her though, so players chasing Vesna can skip her without losing much. Her C1 and C2 add a lot of value, so she shines more with extra copies.

Wriothesley

Wriothesley is a 5-Star Cryo Catalyst main DPS who found new life in the Stellar meta. With Odette in the team, his close-range punches deal Stellar-Conduct damage, turning him into a fierce single-target carry.

Some tier lists place him beside the very best carries, but playing him at that level takes practice. His C1 fixes many of his kit issues, so players who own it will get far more out of him.

Yumemizuki Mizuki

Yumemizuki Mizuki is a 5-Star Anemo Catalyst from the standard banner who now drives Stellar Swirl teams. She stays on the field swirling Cryo, buffs Swirl damage, and keeps the team healthy at the same time.

Her constellations make a big difference, and at C2 she becomes one of the comfiest Stellar Swirl carries around. Odette, Faruzan, and Sucrose are her best supports, and since she is in the anniversary standard selector, she is the easiest strong 5-Star to grab for free.

Skirk

Skirk is a 5-Star Cryo Sword main DPS with smooth controls and huge Freeze damage. She is at her best with Escoffier, and Vodyanitsa is now a strong new addition to her team.

Without Escoffier, she drops noticeably in power, so the two should be pulled together. Both return in Phase 2 of Version 7.1, which makes this the best time to complete the full Skirk team.

Escoffier

Escoffier is a 5-Star Cryo Polearm sub-DPS who deals steady off-field Cryo damage, heals the team, and shreds enemy RES. She is the core of nearly every Freeze team in the game.

Her value is tied to Cryo and Hydro lineups, so she is not a universal support. Still, she lifts Skirk and other Cryo carries to a much higher level, and she also fits into Sandrone teams.

Varka

Varka is a 5-Star Anemo Claymore main DPS who deals Anemo and a second element at the same time. He scales on ATK instead of Elemental Mastery and gets a big boost from Hexerei teammates.

He works best with another Anemo unit, two teammates of the same element, and a Hexerei support, which limits his options a little. In return, he adapts to many elements and has also found a place in Sandrone Stellar Swirl teams.

Furina

Furina is a 5-Star Hydro Sword support who boosts the whole team’s damage by draining and restoring HP, while her summons deal off-field Hydro damage.

She has slipped a little in Version 7.1 because Vodyanitsa often does the same job better in Freeze teams. She is still a strong and flexible pick for many lineups, just no longer the automatic choice she used to be.

Alyosha

Alyosha is a 4-Star Electro Polearm who joins every account for free through the Snezhnaya Archon Quest, Everwinter Without Mercy. He boosts party ATK, heals through his companion Tugarin, and adds off-field Electro for Stellar-Conduct teams.

At C6, he becomes the best fourth slot for Sandrone and other Stellar carries. He is a great budget option for players without Yae Miko, and extra copies from banners turn him from a decent filler into a real Stellar team piece.

B Tier Characters

Let’s take a look at all of the characters in this tier:

Faruzan

Faruzan is a 4-Star Anemo Bow support who raises Anemo damage and lowers enemy Anemo RES. Those buffs fit Stellar Swirl perfectly, making her the strongest Anemo support for both Vesna and Mizuki.

Her Burst needs a lot of Energy Recharge, which can be a pain in Stygian Onslaught, and she only truly shines at C6. Players who own a C6 Faruzan should get her ready, as Version 7.1 has turned her into a top pick again.

Diona

Diona is a 4-Star Cryo Bow support who brings shields, healing, and off-field Cryo. She has proven to be a great partner for Stellar carries, especially Sandrone and Vesna, who can handle the longer rotations she needs.

Her Energy can still be a problem in some Stygian Onslaught fights. Even so, she is a cheap and dependable fourth slot for anyone building Stellar teams on a budget.

Varesa

Varesa is a 5-Star Electro Catalyst who deals most of her damage through plunging attacks. She is simple to play and hits hard with easy-to-get buffers like Iansan and Chevreuse, which makes her friendly for casual players.

She has slipped a little in Version 7.1 as stronger carries raise the bar, and her C1 does not add much. Even so, she remains one of the best choices in the anniversary limited selector.

Clorinde

Clorinde is a 5-Star Electro Sword main DPS with fast combat and built-in self-healing. She works in regular Electro teams and can also slot into Lunar and Stellar lineups.

Between the anniversary limited selector and the Temper Thyself and Journey Far event, many players can now reach her C2. At C2, she often matches or beats Varesa, which makes her a smart selector pick for anyone who already owns her.

Neuvilette

Neuvillette is a 5-Star Hydro Catalyst main DPS known for his long Charged Attack beam. He is self-sufficient, easy to play, and still a comfortable pick for most content.

His power has faded as Lunar and Stellar carries took over, so he no longer sits near the top. Players who own him can still clear the Spiral Abyss without much trouble, but new players should focus on newer carries first.

Best Free 5-Star Picks From the Genshin Impact 7.1 Anniversary Selectors

The sixth anniversary gives every player two free 5-Star characters during Version 7.1. The standard selector sits in the anniversary event menu, while the limited selector unlocks after finishing the Version 7.1 Archon Quest. Both close when the version ends on November 3, 2026.

• Limited selector pool: Varesa, Clorinde, Nilou, Chiori, Baizhu, Tartaglia
• Standard selector pool: Yumemizuki Mizuki, Mona, Qiqi, Diluc, Jean, Keqing, Tighnari, Dehya

From the limited pool, Varesa is the best pick for most players, while Clorinde is the better choice for anyone who already owns her, since the extra copy pushes her toward C2. Nilou only makes sense for players who enjoy Bloom teams. From the standard pool, Yumemizuki Mizuki is the clear winner thanks to her Stellar Swirl value, with Mona as a strong backup for players who already have Mizuki.

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