In the ever-evolving landscape of Genshin Impact’s endgame meta, it’s always hotly debated who the best DPS characters are. In a recent in-depth conversation, theorycrafter Zajef77 dove deep into the topic, highlighting not only who the top four damage dealers are, but also why picking a clear fifth is so difficult. Let’s break it down.

🏆 The Undisputed Top 4 DPS Characters

According to Zajef, the top four carries in Genshin’s meta as of now are:

1. Neuvillette

Neuvillette’s insane AoE Hydro damage paired with his low input requirement and self-sustain puts him firmly at the top.
His ease of play and flexibility in team building make him one of the most accessible and consistent top DPS picks.

2. Mavuika

Often a top contender in high-end clears, Mavuika excels in burning-based teams with precise timing and mechanics.
The one drawback is that her power ceiling requires more attention and planning than other carries.

3. Arlecchino

Arlecchino’s raw single-target DPS and extreme front-loaded burst potential make her a dominant force, especially when optimized.
Her team flexibility also makes her easy to build around.

4. Varesa

Despite recent bug-related issues, Varesa is currently the most powerful Electro carry, thanks to her team damage contribution and strong internal scaling.
Once her bugs are fixed (as developers have acknowledged), she’ll likely climb even higher.

🤔 The Murky #5 Spot – Who Could It Be?

After the clear-cut top 4, things get complicated. The gap between the 4th and 5th slot is huge—larger than the gap between 5th and 10th, Zajef says.

Here are some contenders:

Ayaka

Still incredibly strong when her Shenhe + Freeze team operates perfectly.
However, her high energy demands, reliance on enemy freezing, and punishing rotations hold her back from being consistently great.
Against unfreezable enemies like the Seahorse or Fluid Avatar of Lava, Aayaka struggles significantly.

Navia

Navia boasts high damage and is very free-to-play friendly when supported by buffers like Xilonen.
Her main issue? Her “wheelchair team” (where the team carries her DPS) is doing much of the work, not Navia herself.
Her ceiling is slightly lower than others, but her reliability and ease of use make her a solid all-rounder.

Chiori

Chiori is surprisingly potent with Mono Geo teams and offers solid damage, but her power is heavily tied to specific archetypes like Navia + Geo resonance.
Outside of that niche, she doesn’t stand out.

Kinich

A powerhouse when you can perfectly perform 5D rotations, but that’s a massive ask for most players.
His burning teams with characters like Emilie are top-tier, but extremely demanding and fragile in execution.

Mualani

Her multi-hit burst and consistent Cryo damage look good on paper, but she suffers from bugs and awkward enemy interactions (like chomp bugs or missing a Venerable Vortex).
A strong candidate, but plagued by clunkiness in practice.

Hu Tao

Still powerful in vape teams, but relies heavily on wheelchair teams to reach top-tier performance.
While she remains viable, her aging mechanics and lack of quality-of-life updates limit her viability.

⚔️ Skirk’s Impending Arrival

One wildcard in this conversation is Skirk, the upcoming Cryo sword DPS expected to release soon.

“I’m calling it now—Skirk’s C1 is going to boost team DPS by 30–40%,” Zajef predicts.

He goes on to say he expects Skirk to immediately crack the top five, perhaps even reshuffle the existing rankings. Her synergy with Escoffier, strong passive bonuses, and likely burst-oriented gameplay make her the next big thing in Genshin’s meta if early theorycrafting is correct.

🧠 DPS vs. Playability

One of the biggest takeaways is that raw DPS isn’t everything. Characters like Arlecchino and Neuvillette excel not only due to their damage output but because they’re easy to pilot and team flexible. In contrast, Aayaka, Kenich, and Mualani demand near-perfect execution to shine.

Zajef points out that characters like Navia and Clarisse (Clarend) are examples of well-balanced units that may not dominate simulations, but provide reliable and consistent clears in actual gameplay.

🔮 Final Thoughts

As the game evolves and meta cycles shift with each Abyss rotation, Genshin’s top carries will continue to fluctuate. However, for now, the current consensus top four are clear: