The world of Teyvat is ever-evolving, with each new region bringing not just fresh landscapes and stories, but fundamental shifts in the meta that breathe new life into older characters. As of 2026, looking back at the journey from Mondstadt to the recent regions, several characters once considered niche or underpowered have found redemption through the introduction of new elemental reactions, dedicated artifact sets, and synergistic support units. These indirect buffs have transformed team compositions and redefined the potential of heroes who had been waiting for their moment to shine. The game's continuous expansion has proven that no character is ever truly left behind, as the system's complexity offers new avenues for power.
10. Dehya: Saved by Fontaine's Hydro Archon
The Flame-Maned warrior Dehya's launch was plagued by clunky mechanics. Her elemental burst, which unleashes a flurry of automated punches, had notorious issues: it couldn't trigger coordinated attacks from key Hydro supports like Xingqiu or Yelan for consistent Vaporize reactions, and it could be easily canceled by freeze effects or accidental jumps. This made her feel unreliable as a main damage dealer. However, the release of Furina, the Hydro Archon from Fontaine, fundamentally changed her viability. Furina's elemental skill summons autonomous pets that independently apply Hydro to enemies. This external, persistent Hydro application finally allows Dehya to Vaporize her burst punches reliably. Combined with Furina's massive team-wide damage buff based on HP fluctuation, Dehya has ascended to become the powerful on-field DPS she was always meant to be, finding a premier spot in powerful Vaporize teams.
9. Cyno: Gaining Stability and Power
Cyno, the General Mahamatra from Sumeru, faced a unique dilemma. His extended on-field time during his burst state outlasted the duration of most support abilities, and switching characters prematurely would end his burst entirely. This created awkward rotations and limited his team options. Furina's arrival provided the perfect solution. Her skill's Hydro application lasts for an astounding 30 seconds, effortlessly covering Cyno's entire field time. This synergy unlocked his potential in his best team archetype: Hyperbloom. With Furina applying Hydro, a Dendro character creating cores, and Cyno's Electro attacks triggering them, his damage skyrocketed. The addition of Furina's buffing capability means a well-built Cyno can now comfortably defeat challenging bosses within a single rotation, transforming him from a finicky carry into a smooth and potent hyperbloom driver.
8. Thoma: From Shield Bot to Burgeon Specialist
For a long time, Thoma struggled to find a niche. As a Pyro shielder, he competed directly with the unparalleled support Bennett and the off-field Pyro powerhouse Xiangling. Furthermore, the coordinated Pyro attacks from his burst would often "steal" Vaporize reactions from primary DPS characters like Hu Tao, reducing overall team damage. The introduction of the Dendro element and the Burgeon reaction from Sumeru completely rewrote his role. Burgeon occurs when a Pyro attack hits a Dendro Core (created by Bloom), causing a large area-of-effect explosion. Thoma's slow, consistent Pyro application from his burst is perfect for safely triggering these explosions without causing unwanted Burning. This allowed him to become the core of new Burgeon teams, acting as both a defensive shield provider and the primary trigger for massive Dendro-based area damage.
7. Fischl: The Prinzessin's Eternal Reign
Fischl has always been a respectable off-field Electro damage dealer since the game's launch. However, for years, the Electro element itself was held back by underwhelming transformative reactions like Electro-Charged and Overload. She also lacked a dedicated artifact set that perfectly amplified her skill-based damage. The Sumeru era addressed both issues simultaneously. The Aggravate reaction (Dendro + Electro) provided a massive flat damage bonus to Electro attacks, directly buffing Fischl's rapid Oz strikes. Later, the Fontaine region introduced the Golden Troupe artifact set, which provides a colossal boost to elemental skill damage when the character is off-field. This set was tailor-made for Fischl, skyrocketing her damage output and cementing her status as one of the game's most versatile and powerful 4-star sub-DPS units.
6. Ningguang: A New Set of Whispers
The Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, Ningguang, was a solid Geo Catalyst user hampered by the lack of a perfect artifact set. Players were forced to use mixed two-piece combinations (like Archaic Petra and Gladiator's Finale), which limited her ceiling. Her fortunes changed with the release of Nighttime Whispers in the Echoing Woods in Version 4.3. This artifact set, designed for Navia, was a perfect match for Ningguang. It increases the wearer's attack and provides a further Geo DMG Bonus when protected by a Crystallize shield. As a Catalyst user who naturally generates Crystallize shards with her Normal Attacks, Ningguang can maintain this powerful buff with 100% uptime, unlocking a significant portion of her previously untapped damage potential.
5. Yae Miko: The Dendro Revelation
When Yae Miko was first released, players were puzzled by a key part of her kit: a passive talent that converted her Elemental Mastery into bonus damage for her elemental skill. At the time, Electro's reactions didn't synergize well with Elemental Mastery, making the stat seem inefficient on her. The mystery was solved with the dawn of Sumeru and the Dendro element. The Aggravate reaction scales directly with a character's Elemental Mastery and level, turning Yae's previously questioned passive into a premier damage amplifier. Her totems, which hit rapidly, trigger Aggravate consistently, making her one of the best Dendro-reaction drivers in the game. She also benefited immensely from artifact sets like Gilded Dreams (for EM stacking) and the later Golden Troupe, completing her transformation into a top-tier sub-DPS.
4. Jean: The Ultimate Furina Enabler
As an original standard 5-star character from Version 1.0, Jean watched as newer healers with additional utility were released. While she offered reliable team-wide healing and crowd control, she seemed to fall behind. The release of Furina from Fontaine triggered a renaissance for the Acting Grand Master. Furina's signature mechanic, Fanfare, grants a massive damage buff to the entire team based on HP fluctuation—both draining and healing. Jean's elemental burst provides an instantaneous, full-team heal. This allows her to max out Furina's Fanfare stacks in a matter of seconds, providing an unparalleled buff window. Furthermore, Jean can wield the Viridescent Venerer set to shred enemy Elemental RES. This combination makes Jean arguably the best partner for Furina, transitioning her from a simple healer to a cornerstone of one of the game's most powerful support cores.
3. Keqing: Electro's Resurgent Queen
Keqing, another launch-era 5-star, was often labeled as one of the weakest limited DPS options. Electro lacked access to powerful amplifying reactions like Melt or Vaporize, and her fast, multi-hit playstyle didn't have a reaction that could keep up. Dendro and the Aggravate reaction changed everything. Aggravate adds flat damage to each Electro hit, and Keqing's incredibly rapid attack sequence allows her to trigger this bonus damage more frequently than almost any other character. This synergy propelled her from a physical or Electro carry with middling returns to a premier Aggravate Hypercarry. Teams built around Keqing, a Dendro applicator like Nahida, and an Electro support like Fischl now boast some of the highest sustained damage ceilings in the game, fully redeeming the Yuheng's potential.
2. Noelle: The Beginner's Carry Makes a Comeback
Many players' first main DPS, the loyal maid Noelle, is a guaranteed pull from the beginner banner. As a 4-star Geo character, her damage inevitably plateaued as stronger 5-star carries were released. Fontaine, however, delivered a complete package that revived her. First, Furina arrived as her new best-in-slot support. Noelle's kit allows her to heal the entire party while dealing damage during her burst. This constant HP fluctuation perfectly feeds Furina's Fanfare stacks. Second, Fontaine introduced the Marechaussee Hunter artifact set, which increases the wearer's Crit Rate when their HP changes. Noelle, with her on-field healing, can maintain a near-permanent 36% Crit Rate bonus from this set. This combination of a perfect support and a perfect artifact set transformed Noelle from a beginner-friendly option into a formidable late-game Hypercarry capable of leading powerful Geo teams.
| Character | Primary Buff Source | New Role/Team Archetype | Key Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dehya | Furina (Character) | On-Field Vaporize DPS | External Hydro Application & DMG Buff |
| Cyno | Furina (Character) | Hyperbloom Driver | Long-Duration Hydro for Rotations |
| Thoma | Dendro Reactions (System) | Burgeon Trigger & Shielder | Safe Pyro Application for Cores |
| Fischl | Aggravate + Golden Troupe | Top-Tier Aggravate Sub-DPS | EM Scaling & Skill DMG Buff |
| Ningguang | Nighttime Whispers (Artifact) | Geo Main DPS | Crystallize-Shielded Geo DMG Bonus |
| Yae Miko | Aggravate Reaction (System) | Aggravate/Spread Sub-DPS | EM Passive Fully Utilized |
| Jean | Furina (Character) | Fanfare Stacker & Healer | Instant Team-Wide Healing |
| Keqing | Aggravate Reaction (System) | Aggravate Hypercarry | Fast Attacks for Many Procs |
| Noelle | Furina + Marechaussee Hunter | Hypercarry with Heals | HP Fluctuation for Buffs & Crit Rate |
The evolution of these characters highlights Genshin Impact's dynamic combat ecosystem. Buffs are not always delivered through direct number adjustments but through the introduction of new systems that unlock latent synergies. This design philosophy ensures that the meta remains fresh and that investing in a character is a long-term commitment, with the promise that future regions may hold the key to unlocking their greatest potential. As Teyvat continues to expand, more forgotten heroes will undoubtedly find their own paths to redemption. 😊