Genshin Impact is a game with a growing roster of characters. For a new player, this can become overwhelming. At the beginning of every player’s journey, the game provides opportunities to acquire characters for free. In this article, I aim to highlight each of these Genshin Impact Free Characters, how to acquire them, and their usage.
For more details on Genshin Impact Characters and how to improve them, check out our Genshin Impact Characters Guide.
Archon Quest Free Genshin Impact Characters
Following the natural flow of the game, a new player is greeted by Paimon. She leads the player throughout the Archon Quest. The first act of quests is where the player acquires their initial team of four free characters.
First, the Traveler themselves, chosen at the beginning of the game between a pair of twins. Then sometime after traveling through the quest, they run across Amber, where she joins the party. She leads the player to Mondstadt. Soon after, Kaeya and Lisa both request the player join them in Domains.
The Traveler
The Traveler, Aether/Lumine, is the main character of the game. They are who the player names and plays the main story as. With them, the player is able to immediately start exploring the world of Teyvat.
One of the first places the Paimon brings the player to is a Mondstadt Statue of the Seven. Upon interaction, the player gains access to their first element of Anemo. In other regions, this process is the same, gaining Geo from Liyue and Electro from Inazuma.
Both Anemo and Geo Traveler make for a great early Sub-DPS. Both have skills with fast cooldowns and utility, Anemo for grouping and Geo for overworld travel. Their bursts also serve as ways to provide additional damage.
The Electro Traveler can serve as a good Support Character. Both their skill and burst provide an elemental energy recovery, making the active character’s burst available often.
Amber
Outrider Amber is the first free character you acquire besides the Traveler. A Pyro Archer, is able to hit characters from a distance, taunt enemies, and deal area of effect damage.
In the early game, she gets through many Pyro puzzles. Although Amber is slightly underwhelming in combat compared to other characters, a worthy note. Any character built well can get through any content in the game.
Kaeya
Calvary Captain Kaeya is the first free Cryo character you can receive and is a sword user. A great starting Sub-DPS with abilities that are immensely useful in and out of combat.
His skill Frostsnaw has a very fast cooldown allowing for the building of energy for any of your character’s bursts. In travel, Kaeya is essential in getting across large bodies of water and able to make an ice bridge across oceans.
The burst Glacial Waltz is great in combat, providing a moving ring of ice damaging any who get near. Not only does he do good damage over time for a melee character, but also provides easy access to elemental reactions.
Lisa
Lisa the Witch of Purple Rose, an Electro Catalyst affiliated with the Knights of Favonius. A highly intelligent librarian mage who is a favorite from an aesthetic angle.
While she is not too powerful of a unit, she does make a good damage dealer early on during your gameplay. Indeed, she combines nicely with physical damage characters like Razor or Eula to lower enemy defenses.
Other Free Genshin Impact Characters
There are also four other Free Characters that can be acquired in Genshin Impact for any player.
Noelle
Noelle the maid of the Knights, is a powerhouse on her own. A Geo Claymore user who players are guaranteed of acquiring by pulling on the discounted beginner’s gacha banner. Noelle is so good that she also makes our list of the Best Genshin Impact Shield Characters.
This character is a fantastic choice for a starting Main DPS unit. Her skill gives her a shield, the potential ability to heal, and a little bit of damage. While her burst provides a damage buff and geo infusion scaling from Defense.
Barbara
Shining Idol Barbara is a Hydro Catalyst healing Support Character. After completing the quest A Long Shot and hitting AR 18, Barbara is available for anyone to claim for free.
Barbara’s entire kit provides healing. Her normal attacks provide healing and a decent range in a pinch. Likewise, her skill gives healing and reduces stamina consumption that follows the active character. Finally, her burst gives a full amount of healing to your entire party.
Xiangling
Xiangling is by far the best free character in the game, a Pyro Polearm user perfect for Sub-DPS. You are required to complete Spiral Abyss Floor 3 Chamber 3 to obtain.
Through a combination of her Skill and Burst, Xiangling provides a constant source of Pyro damage. This is good for elemental reactions on a number of characters, and for energy upkeep. Indeed, for this very reason, Xiangling can make a great member of a Bennett C6 Team.
Aloy
Finally, Aloy is the first crossover character in Genshin Impact. She is also the only event 5 stars as of the time of writing. Originally from Horizon: Zero Dawn, she’s a Cryo Bow user, available to any who reaches AR 20.
Aloy is an alright unit, able to utilize her long-range for various puzzles. In combat, she mostly provides an area of effect Cryo damage.
Genshin Impact Limited-Time Event Free Characters
In every other update of Genshin Impact since 1.1, there have always been free resources in the events to obtain. Additionally, in every other update, there will be a free four-star character available so long as players play in the event. This is an excellent means of acquiring a four-star you don’t have or to get an important constellation.
Genshin Impact Free Characters on Trial
While not free characters to keep, there is an important note to be had about playing with trial characters. Whether through limited-run banner trials, a story quest, or a hangout, testing a character lets you see if you like them. For free-to-play, this is even more important so you can see where to put your primogems.
More Genshin Impact Guides from OCG
Join our Community
If you found this list of the Free Genshin Impact Characters useful, then join our community to be kept up to date on any new Genshin Impact Guides added to the site.