Genshin Impact: Best F2P Character Builds for Beginners to Dominate

Welcome, Travelers! Starting your adventure in the vast world of Teyvat can feel overwhelming. With a huge roster of characters, each with unique abilities and constellations, knowing where to begin can be tricky, especially if you're playing Genshin Impact as a free-to-play (F2P) player. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to build powerful and effective F2P character builds that will let you dominate the early game and beyond! We'll focus on easily accessible characters and strategies to help you succeed without spending a dime.

Choosing Your Starter: A Foundation for Success

Your journey begins with choosing a starter character: Amber, Kaeya, or Lisa. While not the strongest in the long run, these characters provide a solid foundation for understanding Genshin Impact's combat mechanics. Let’s break down each starter and a basic build to get you going:

• Amber (Pyro Archer): Amber's Baron Bunny provides consistent Pyro damage and crowd control. Focus on leveling her Normal Attack and Elemental Skill. Artifacts can be whatever you find early; prioritizing ATK% is a good starting point.

• Kaeya (Cryo Sword): Kaeya excels at applying Cryo for elemental reactions. Prioritize leveling his Elemental Skill and Burst for consistent Cryo application. Again, early game artifacts focusing on ATK% are sufficient.

• Lisa (Electro Catalyst): Lisa’s charged attacks deal significant Electro damage over time. Level up her Normal Attack and Elemental Skill. Focus on Energy Recharge on artifacts to ensure you can use her Elemental Burst frequently.

No matter who you choose, remember that early game progression focuses on exploration and learning the game’s mechanics. Don’t worry about perfect builds initially; just have fun and experiment!

Noelle: The Unbreakable Geo Shield Maiden (and surprisingly good DPS!)

Noelle is a fantastic F2P option who shines in multiple roles. Her Geo abilities provide a sturdy shield, and with the right build, she can become a surprisingly powerful DPS (Damage Per Second) character.

Weapon: Whiteblind (obtained from crafting) is perfect for Noelle, significantly boosting her defense and attack. If you don't have that, any decent claymore will suffice.

Artifacts: Early on, focus on artifacts that provide ATK% and DEF%. Later on, aim for sets that boost her Geo damage and DEF%, maximizing her shield strength and damage output. The "Retracing Bolide" set is excellent once you get it.

Gameplay: Noelle's strength lies in her consistent shield and powerful Normal Attacks, especially when her constellation is leveled up. Focus on using her Elemental Skill to create a shield and then unleashing her powerful Normal Attacks.

Xiangling: The Pyro Support Queen (and surprisingly good sub-DPS!)

Xiangling is a 4-star character readily available through various events and wishes. She's an incredible support character who provides consistent Pyro application, setting up powerful elemental reactions. However, with proper investment, she also functions as a surprisingly strong sub-DPS.

Weapon: The "Dragon's Bane" polearm is great for her if you can obtain it (a gacha weapon), but the craftable "Black Tassel" is a strong alternative.

Artifacts: Prioritize ATK%, Pyro DMG Bonus, and Energy Recharge. The "Crimson Witch of Flames" artifact set is ideal once you're able to farm it. This makes her a valuable DPS as well as a support unit.

Gameplay: Use her Elemental Skill to deploy Guoba, dealing Pyro damage over time, and then use her Elemental Burst to summon Pyronado for more AoE Pyro damage.

Sucrose: The Anemo Support Masterclass

Sucrose is another excellent 4-star F2P support. Her Anemo abilities provide crowd control and group elemental reactions. This makes fighting groups of enemies much easier.

Weapon: The "Sacrificial Fragments" catalyst has a chance to reset her Elemental Skill cooldown, letting you use it more frequently. Any other catalyst focusing on Elemental Mastery is also a viable option.

Artifacts: Prioritize Elemental Mastery. The "Viridescent Venerer" artifact set is excellent for maximizing Sucrose's Swirl damage.

Gameplay: Sucrose excels at grouping enemies and applying Elemental Mastery boosts to the team, facilitating elemental reactions.

Razor: The Electro Physical DPS (Early-Game Powerhouse)

Razor is a strong Electro character who deals significant Physical damage. This makes him particularly effective in the early game where elemental reactions might be less reliable than straightforward physical damage.

Weapon: Prototype Archaic (craftable Claymore) is good because it gives him a large amount of Physical DMG and ATK increase. The 3 star weapon called the "Bloodtainted Greatsword" is also a strong alternative.

Artifacts: For Razor, you want to focus on artifacts that increase his Physical Damage and ATK.

Gameplay: Focus on Normal Attacks boosted with the electro element.

Fischl: The Oz-Equipped Electro Sub-DPS

Fischl is a powerful off-field Electro sub-DPS, her summon, Oz, providing consistent Electro damage. This allows you to deal Electro DMG while focusing on other characters, leading to powerful elemental reactions.

Weapon: Stringless is a great 4-star option for her, increasing her elemental skill damage. Otherwise, any bow focused on ATK or Elemental Mastery will do.

Artifacts: Focus on ATK%, Electro DMG Bonus, and Energy Recharge. The "Thundering Fury" artifact set is a good choice for boosting her Electro damage.

Gameplay: Summon Oz, then switch to another character to deal damage while Oz does consistent off-field Electro damage.

Barbara: The Healing Hydro Support

Barbara is your main healer in the early game. She's readily available and provides consistent healing to keep your team alive. While not a damage dealer, her consistent healing is invaluable.

Weapon: Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (3-star weapon) is great because it increases the ATK of your next character by a large amount. Otherwise, any catalyst is okay.

Artifacts: Prioritize HP% and Healing Bonus.

Gameplay: Use her Elemental Skill to heal and her Elemental Burst for an AoE heal and extra damage.

Building Your Team: Synergy and Elemental Reactions

Remember that building a strong team in Genshin Impact is about synergy. Combining different elemental characters allows you to trigger powerful elemental reactions:

• Melt (Pyro + Cryo): Increases Pyro damage significantly.
• Vaporize (Pyro + Hydro): Increases Pyro damage significantly.
• Electro-Charged (Electro + Hydro): Deals consistent AoE Electro damage.
• Superconduct (Cryo + Electro): Reduces enemy Physical resistance.
• Swirl (Anemo + Any Element): Deals AoE damage of the infused element and pulls enemies together.

Experiment with different character combinations to find what works best for you!

Leveling Up and Ascension: A Steady Progression

Leveling up your characters and weapons is crucial for progression. Remember to use the appropriate ascension materials which are specified for each character. Prioritize characters you use most frequently and build them evenly, rather than focusing all your resources on one character at the start. Don't spread yourself too thin!

Resource Management: The F2P Way

As a F2P player, resource management is key. Focus on the characters and weapons that best suit your playstyle and team composition. Don't be afraid to experiment, but avoid spreading your resources too thinly across multiple characters.

Conclusion: Dominate Teyvat as a F2P Player!

This guide provides a solid foundation for building powerful F2P teams in Genshin Impact. Remember to experiment, learn from your mistakes, and enjoy the journey! With a bit of strategy and dedication, you can dominate the world of Teyvat without spending a single dollar. Good luck, Travelers!