The current Genshin Impact tier list is led by Sandrone and Odette. Sandrone is the strongest main DPS in Version 7.0, and Odette is the best sub-DPS in the game right now. Alyosha is a free four star, and one of the most valuable supports available. Mavuika, Skirk, Flins and Neuvillette remain top tier main DPS options.
Version 7.0, Everwinter Without Mercy, launched on August 12, 2026 and took players to Snezhnaya for the first time. It also brought Stellar Swirl, the second Stellar Glimmer reaction after Stellar-Conduct. That single addition reshaped the top of the meta. Here is where every role stands today.
Best main DPS characters
| Tier | Characters |
| SS | Sandrone, Mavuika, Skirk |
| S | Flins, Lohen, Nefer, Zibai, Neuvillette, Varka |
| A | Klee, Wriothesley, Arlecchino, Kinich |
Sandrone is the clearest pick of the patch. The seventh Fatui Harbinger triggers Stellar-Conduct and puts up some of the highest damage in the game. She performs well even without a full Snezhnaya team. That is rare for a unit built around a new reaction.
Neuvillette stays the easiest top tier main DPS to clear content with. He asks less of your team building than most of the units above him.
Klee made the biggest jump this patch. Recent buffs made her a viable Pyro option after years of being off meta.
Best sub-DPS characters
| Tier | Characters |
| SS | Odette, Columbina |
| S | Linnea, Durin, Furina, Yae Miko, Xiangling |
| A | Fischl, Sigewinne, Xingqiu |
Odette is the headline. She enables Stellar Glimmer reactions on her own. That makes her the closest thing this meta has to a required sub-DPS. She works in Stellar-Conduct teams built around Sandrone and in Stellar Swirl teams alike.
Yae Miko climbed after recent buffs and is now the best Electro unit for Stellar-Conduct comps. Fischl and Venti also moved up following changes to their kits.
Xiangling remains the best free sub-DPS in the game. She is still the reason many players clear content they otherwise could not.
Best support characters
| Tier | Characters |
| SS | Alyosha, Bennett, Furina |
| S | Nicole, Lauma, Escoffier, Kazuha, Columbina |
| A | Albedo, Chevreuse, Illuga, Cryo Traveler |
Alyosha is the standout, and he is free through the Archon Quest. He cannot trigger Stellar Glimmer reactions himself. He does raise reaction damage for the whole team, and he heals.
Bennett is still Bennett. He is still the most accessible and most universally useful four star buffer in the game.
Cryo Traveler is worth building if you skipped Odette. It is an alternative enabler for Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl, and it costs nothing.
Albedo now stands as the most important Geo support after changes to his kit.
Characters with conditions attached
Some high placements come with a catch, and this is where a plain tier list can mislead you.
Nicole buffs team ATK and Pyro damage heavily. Most of that potency disappears without other Hexerei characters on the team.
Varka is a strong Anemo DPS. His signature weapon accounts for close to 40 percent of his damage, and he drops noticeably without it.
Kinich is powerful but leans hard on Emilie. Illuga is the only Lunar Crystallize support in the game. He is essential for Zibai teams and close to pointless outside them.
Check the condition before you spend on any of these.
Why Genshin Impact tier lists disagree with each other
Compare a few tier lists and the same character appears as SS, S and S+ across three sites. That is not sloppiness. The methods genuinely differ.
Some lists rate characters at C0 with no constellations. Others assume a signature weapon. A unit like Varka swings wildly depending on which assumption applies.
Most rankings judge characters inside their best team rather than in isolation. A support who enables one specific comp can rank very high on one list and modestly on another.
The content being measured matters too. Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater reward different things. Each patch also rotates which reactions get damage bonuses.
The important caveat is one every good tier list makes. Every character in Genshin Impact can clear all content with enough investment. Tier lists show relative efficiency, not who is worth playing.
Tips for using a tier list properly
Pull for characters you actually want to play. Investment matters more than placement. A B tier unit you enjoy beats an S tier unit stuck at level 60.
Fill your roles before chasing damage. Most failed Abyss runs come down to a missing healer or buffer, not a weak main DPS.
Build the free options first. Alyosha, Cryo Traveler and Xiangling cost nothing and appear high on this list.
Check what a character depends on. Half the units near the top need a specific teammate or weapon to hit their ceiling.
Grab the latest redeem codes before the Version 7.1 Special Program on September 12. These broadcasts traditionally drop fresh primogem codes live.
Frequently asked questions about Genshin Impact tier list
There is no single best unit. Sandrone leads main DPS, Odette leads sub-DPS, and Alyosha is the strongest support of the current patch.
For most players, yes. She enables Stellar Glimmer reactions by herself and fits both Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl teams. That makes her unusually flexible.
Alyosha, earned through the Version 7.0 Archon Quest. Xiangling and Bennett remain the best free four stars overall.
No, but they help. Sandrone performs well without a full Snezhnaya team. Units like Nicole lose most of their value outside their intended comps.
Meaningfully every major version, roughly every six weeks. Buffs and new reaction types can move units several tiers at once.
The Special Program airs September 12, 2026, and will detail the new version alongside Vesna and Vodyanitsa.
Final thoughts
Version 7.0 rewards players who committed to the Stellar Glimmer reactions. Sandrone and Odette sit at the top because they define the fastest clearing teams. It is not that their raw numbers are untouchable.
If you are free to play or building on a budget, the good news is that this patch is unusually generous. Alyosha is free, Cryo Traveler is free, and both land near the top of their roles. Check the current banners on the official Genshin Impact site before committing your primogems.
