March 26, 2025 takao

[Ver.5.5] Genshin Impact Beginner's Guide: Best Character Selection Strategy

Starting Genshin Impact can be overwhelming with so many characters to choose from. With Version 5.5 bringing new characters and rebalances, it's more important than ever to make smart gacha decisions.

This comprehensive guide will help you understand which characters are worth your precious Primogems and which ones you can safely skip as a beginner.

Key Point: Focus on versatile characters that work well in multiple team compositions rather than highly specialized units.

Character Tier List for Beginners (Ver.5.5)

S-Tier: Must-Have Characters

Zhongli

★★★★★ Beginner Friendly: 10/10

The ultimate comfort pick. His shield makes the game significantly easier for new players by preventing interruptions and reducing damage taken.

Kazuha

★★★★★ Beginner Friendly: 9/10

Incredible crowd control and damage amplification. Works in almost every team composition and makes exploration much more enjoyable.

Bennett

★★★★☆ Beginner Friendly: 10/10

4-star character that provides healing, attack buffs, and energy generation. Essential for most team compositions.

Version 5.5 New Characters Analysis

Varesa (New 5-Star Anemo)

Varesa

★★★★☆ Beginner Friendly: 7/10

Strong Anemo DPS with unique mechanics. Good for players who want something different from Kazuha, but requires more investment to shine.

Varesa offers a fresh take on Anemo DPS with her wind-based combat style. While powerful, she requires specific team compositions and artifact sets to reach her full potential.

  • Excellent for players who enjoy active, skill-based gameplay
  • Requires good understanding of elemental reactions
  • Best paired with off-field elemental appliers
  • Not recommended as your first 5-star character

Xianyun (Cloud Retainer)

Xianyun

★★★★☆ Beginner Friendly: 8/10

Versatile Anemo support with healing capabilities. Great for beginners who need both support and survivability.

Xianyun provides excellent utility with her healing and crowd control abilities. She's more beginner-friendly than Varesa due to her supportive nature.

Beginner-Friendly Team Compositions

F2P Friendly Team #1: National Team

  • Xiangling (Main DPS) - Free from Spiral Abyss
  • Bennett (Support/Healer) - Available from shop
  • Xingqiu (Sub-DPS) - Available from events
  • Sucrose (Crowd Control) - 4-star Anemo

This team uses mostly 4-star characters and is incredibly effective for clearing all content.

Beginner Friendly Team #2: Geo Comfort

  • Zhongli (Shield Support) - Banner character
  • Ningguang (Main DPS) - Free from events
  • Bennett (Support/Healer)
  • Flex slot (Any character you enjoy)

Perfect for new players who want a safe, comfortable gameplay experience.

Gacha Strategy for Beginners

Priority Order for Pulling

Recommended Pulling Order:
  1. One reliable DPS character (Hu Tao, Ganyu, or Ayaka)
  2. Zhongli for survivability
  3. Kazuha for team synergy
  4. Specialized characters based on your preferences

Characters to Avoid as a Beginner

  • Highly specialized DPS that require specific teams
  • Constellation-dependent characters that need multiple copies
  • Complex rotation characters until you understand the game better
  • Weapon banner - focus on characters first

Smart Primogem Management

As a beginner, your Primogems are precious. Here's how to use them wisely:

  • Save 180 wishes (28,800 Primogems) for guaranteed featured character
  • Only pull on banners with characters you really want
  • Don't pull just because you have wishes available
  • Consider the 4-star characters on the banner as well

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Gacha-Related Mistakes

  • Pulling on every banner - This spreads your resources too thin
  • Ignoring 4-star characters - Many are incredibly powerful
  • Pulling for meta only - Enjoyment matters more than tier lists
  • Not understanding pity system - Learn how it works to plan better

Team Building Mistakes

  • Using only 5-star characters - 4-stars can be just as good
  • Neglecting support characters - They're often more important than DPS
  • Not considering elemental reactions - They're crucial for damage
  • Focusing only on damage - Survivability matters too

Conclusion: Building Your Perfect Team

Remember, the "best" characters are the ones you enjoy playing. While meta considerations are important, Genshin Impact is designed so that most characters can clear all content with proper investment.

Final Tips:
  • Start with versatile, beginner-friendly characters
  • Build a solid foundation before chasing specialized units
  • Don't rush - take time to learn each character's playstyle
  • Have fun and don't stress too much about optimization

Use our Expected Value Calculator to plan your pulls and make sure you have enough Primogems for the characters you want!