Version 5.5 of Genshin Impact has introduced us to Varesa, the newest 5-star Electro DPS—and according to Jello Impact, this marks the beginning of a new generation of high-damage, high-quality-of-life characters. Dubbed the “post-Neuvillette DPS era,” Varesa combines smooth gameplay, exceptional Overworld performance, and high-tier multi-wave clear potential. But where exactly does she stand in the meta? And how does she synergize with popular characters like Yansan, Chevreuse, or even surprise picks like Lisa?

Let’s dive into what might be one of the most comprehensive early evaluations of Varesa yet.

⚡ Effortless Gameplay and Overworld Dominance

Right off the bat, Jello Impact praises Varesa for being an incredibly user-friendly unit. Her plunge-based kit is not only strong but extremely flexible. She isn’t gated by energy issues, she doesn’t rely heavily on her burst, and she’s surprisingly mobile—even faster than Yelan in some scenarios.

Notably, her charged attack plunge can mine ore and break objects, making her one of the few 5-star DPS characters with actual utility in the Overworld. She can dash through shallow water, scale down walls easily, and her skill feels great in and out of combat. Varesa is one of the most practical and fun characters to use casually, while still offering top-tier Abyss potential.

🌀 70+ Teams Tested: How Good is Varesa in Spiral Abyss?

To evaluate her true standing in the meta, Jello tested over 70 different teams—each pushed to their limits in a specific multi-wave Spiral Abyss chamber. While he admits that his future methodology will shift to full-side clears for broader context, the current results already reveal a lot.

💥 Top Performing Teams:

Varesa + Neuvillette + Chevreuse (C6) + Yansan (C6): This team outperformed even Neuvillette’s own best comp by a second. Massive synergy and damage output.
Varesa + Bennett + Yansan (C6) + Chevreuse: Consistently strong, reliable clears.
Varesa + Lisa + Chevreuse + Xiangling: A more free-to-play option with Lisa enabling Thrilling Tales buffs, DEF shred, and surprising consistency.

🔁 Rotation Flexibility:

Varesa excels in 18-20 second rotations, making her a natural fit with characters like Mauika, Yansan, and Chevreuse. Notably, teams without Yansan or Chevreuse still performed well—proving Varesa’s strength even in non-premium scenarios.

🔁 C0 Yansan? No Problem

Worried about Yansan constellations? Don’t be. Jello tested C0, C2, and C6 versions and found that C0 Yansan still enables very good clears, with only a small drop in time (a few seconds per run). While C6 obviously brings out Varesa’s peak performance, accessibility is one of her strongest assets.

🔁 Lisa’s Surprisingly Strong Synergy

Lisa makes a shocking appearance as a valuable pick in teams where you want more flexible rotations. With Thrilling Tales, defense shred, and a relatively low investment floor, Lisa’s timing lines up well with Varesa’s burst cycles. You can even offset Lisa’s long cooldowns by starting Varesa’s next rotation a little early—giving the team a unique tempo.

💬 Aggravate, Overload, and More: Versatility in Archetypes

Despite being mainly built for Overload and raw Electro plunge damage, Varesa holds her own in:

Aggravate/Quickbloom teams (e.g., Varesa + Nahida + Furina)
Burn-melt hybrid with characters like Kenich or Furina
Chevreuse Overload comps for consistent high AOE output
Lisa-based F2P teams for budget-friendly success

📊 Meta Tier Placement: Who Does She Beat?

Here’s Jello Impact’s summary on Varesa’s meta position:

Does not surpass Neuvillette, who remains the king of DPS.
On par with Novalet, depending on your preference for comfort vs. raw damage.
Exceeds Arlecchino, Mauika, Chiori, Navia, Kenich, and Clorinde in both DPS output and ease of use.

If comfort and rotation flexibility are important to you, Novalet might still edge out Varesa. But if you’re chasing damage, especially in multi-wave scenarios, Varesa is clearly in the same top-tier bracket.

🛑 Should You Pull for Varesa?

Jello’s advice is clear: Don’t pull for her just for meta reasons. If you’re drawn to her style, design, or gameplay, she’s a phenomenal choice. But she’s not Neuvillette, and HoYoverse seems to be setting a new standard with characters like Furina and Neuvillette being leagues ahead. Varesa marks the beginning of the next generation of 5-star DPS—powerful, polished, and accessible, but always a step behind the top Archon-level units.

🔧 Builds and Stats

Varesa performs best with her signature weapon, though other options like Kagura’s Verity, The Widsith, and Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds still work well.

Example Stats:

CRIT Rate: ~68%
CRIT DMG: ~190%
Electro DMG Bonus Goblet
EM or ATK Sands depending on team

🧠 Final Thoughts

Varesa is one of the most polished, enjoyable, and flexible DPS characters in Genshin Impact today. Her strength in free-to-play teams, ability to clear high-level content with minimal support, and fun mobility options make her an absolute win for casual and hardcore players alike.

But she’s not revolutionary like Furina or Neuvillette—and she doesn’t need to be. She’s a character made for players who want a solid, stylish DPS without high maintenance, and she fills that role beautifully.

If you’re already invested in Yansan, Chevreuse, or Furina, you’ll get massive value from adding Varesa to your roster.

For more Genshin Impact team guides, reviews, and meta breakdowns, visit ExploreGenshin.gg for the latest updates.