WhenGenshin Impactfirst came out in September 2020, many players and reviewers unjustly slapped a “Breath of the Wildclone” tag on it. Sure, there were quite a lot of similarities between the two games that could not really be ignored, but the originalfeatures and gameplay componentsthat were implemented inGenshinsurely deserve some recognition.
One of the unique aspects present inGenshin Impactis the element-based combat and original elemental abilities and powers of various characters that really diversity the gameplay and makes the game’s underlying systems much deeper and more complex than they may seem at first glance.
With a total of seven elements, all of which can combine with each other in unique and destructive ways, the combat system inGenshin Impactis easy to grasp but very difficult to master. One of the most underrated elements in the game is Hydro, which doesn’t mean that it does not have some useful andformidable characters to choose from.
Updated Jun 04, 2025,by Siddarth Narasimman:SigewinneandMualaniare the latest additions to theGenshin ImpactHydro characters roster. Both characters are exceptionally designed, and lean more towards the wholesome side compared to other recent entries on this list, such as Neuvilette and Furina. However, Sigewinne and Mualani are wildly different in their current power in the meta. Apart from these two additions, there haven’t been many shake-ups in the meta regarding Hydro characters, as the usual dominant figures such as Xingqiu, Neuvillete, and Furina continue to reign supreme in the endgame.
14Hydro Traveler
Honorary Senior Researcher Of The Fontaine Research Institute
The Hydro Traveler, despite being a character that players can obtain for free, may not meet the high expectations set by some of the newly introduced Hydro characters. In comparison to their Dendro counterpart, who is a solid F2P alternative for other Dendro characters, the Hydro Traveler falls short in terms of their performance. The Hydro Traveler isbest suited as a Sub-DPScharacter, although their low damage modifier limits their potential in this role.
Their additional constellations do unlock some support abilities, making them a viable team member for specific setups, such as a Bloom team alongside characters like Nilou. While this setup allows the team to benefit from Hydro resonance and some support abilities, it doesn’t go much beyond that. This is primarily because Hydro Traveler’s Hydro application capabilities are lacking when compared to other characters, which diminishes their overall value. In many scenarios, other Hydro characters, including some 4-star options, can perform tasks better than the Hydro Traveler. This leaves the Hydro Traveler with a limited role and less desirability in the game’s current meta.
13Candace
Guardian Of Aaru Village
Candace is a Hydro Support that brings a range of powerful abilities to the party, making her a fun character to include inthe team composition. Her biggest strength is enhancing party members' Elemental Normal Attacks with her Elemental Burst. She also has a powerful shield and parry mechanic similar to Beidou that can help mitigate damage and protect the team from harm. She can be a great supplemental damage dealer with her Elemental Burst, and at sixth constellation, she can be a top-notch off-field Sub-DPS.
However, she has some significant weaknesses that make other Hydro units rank higher than her. Her buff is below average compared to other characters, and she has quite a low Elemental Particle generation, making it difficult to utilize her Elemental Burst, which is her biggest strength. Additionally, Hydro infusion from Elemental Burst can be detrimental to some team compositions.
12Barbara
Mondstadt’s Shining Idol
In the lore ofGenshin Impact,Barbara is the Deaconess of the Church of Favonius. She provides care and support to all those who may need it and is a beloved character in the city of Mondstadt. Plenty of characters in the game refer to her general kindness and devotion, not only to the cause of the Knights of Favonius but to the entire city. She is Jean’s younger sister and is very much determined to do everything in her power to help her out.
Combat is definitely not Barbara’s strongest suit. Her normal attack is shooting out water droplets that deal moderate damage even to the weakest of enemies. As for the Elemental Skill, she is able to summon a spinning shield of water around her that heals her and her allies over time. However, players should note that this skill also applies wet status to the active character and could be a little annoying if they are affected by another element. As this skill is very low range, she also doesn’t provide great Hydro application.
Her relative lack of attacking prowessdoes not make Barbara worthless, though. She has a very useful Elemental Burst, known as the Shining Miracle, which immediatelyrestores more than half of the party’s HP.If players have her sixth constellation, she can even resurrect a team member. Every party needs a healer just as much as a DPS — Barbara just ranks lower than some because she lacks versatility and additional benefits some other characters provide.
11Sigewinne
Sigewinne, the Fortress of Meropide’s Head Nurse, is one of the most lackluster 5-star characters released in recent versions. As a healer, she takes up too much time on the field during her Elemental Burst, where she takes out a large syringe and sprays enemies with damage based on her max HP. She also has other issues, such as sub-par Hydro application and long cooldowns.
However, she does have strong healing and fills a particular role of buffing off-field elemental skills, which is quite unique and beneficial for stronger characters like Furina. Overall, Sigewinne falls on the weaker side of Hydro characters and is not a must-pull in the slightest for players looking for a dedicated healer in their team.
10Mona
Enigmatic Astrologer
Mona is quite a quirky character. As an astrologist (which is apparently a real profession in the world ofGenshin Impact), she is an incredibly smart and rather straightforward woman. Her blunt nature is not appreciated by other astrologists, which is why she does most of her research on her own. While a lot can be said about her intellectual abilities, she isn’t particularly entrepreneurial and often runs into money problems.
As one of the four five-star Hydro characters in the game,Mona’s combat abilitiesare understandably formidable. Her normal attack, Ripple of Fate, emits water splashes at enemies, much like Barbara’s, except that her hits are much stronger than anything Barbara could throw at foes.
Mona’s Elemental Skill is known as Mirror Reflection of Doom and allows her to deceive enemies by creating explosive Phantoms that deal loads of damage. Finally, with Mona’s Stellaris Phantasm Elemental Burst, players can trap enemies within illusory bubbles that not onlyimmobilize them but also make them susceptible to extra damage.In general, players often see her in showcases that highlight her immense burst damage buffing potential. Outside of that, she is most commonly used in freeze teams; with the addition of Dendro, she can also be used in Bloom teams. However, due to her weaker application in comparison to many other Hydro characters, her popularity has taken a hit in recent times.
9Nilou
The Star of Zubayr Theater
Nilou, an elegant dancer at the Zubayr Theater, has captured the hearts of many fans with her warm personality, involvement in the Archon quest, and unique play style. Her passion for the art of dance is evident in her work, and her enthusiasm during the Archon quest is inspiring. When it comes to her play style, she definitely brings a unique one. As a sub-DPS and Bloom reaction-focused character, she can do massive AOE damage with her Bountiful Cores, a special type of Dendro core she can create. Her second constellation can also apply a strong debuff to enemies, reducing their Hydro and Dendro resistance. Depending on how her Elemental Skill is used, she can be utilized differently.
Nilou’s unique skill comes with an important limitation - she can only be used to generate her Bountiful Cores when the team composition consists of Dendro and Hydro units. This can be both beneficial and detrimental, as the AoE damage caused by the cores can deal great damage to enemies while also posing a risk to the team if not balanced with a dedicated healer. This makesNilou a niche character,as the low availability of both Dendro characters and suitable healers limits her versatility.
8Tartaglia
The Eleventh Fatui Harbinger
Originally hailing from Sheznaya, Tartaglia, also known as Childe, is avaluable addition to any partyif they are looking for a Hydro main DPS character. DPS output-wise, he is quite formidable, and for this purpose, players can pick either Ayato or Childe, depending on which character they like better. His normal attacks are ranged bow shots, and he can whip up as many as six consecutive strikes.
His Elemental Skill turns each and every attack into a Hydro DMG strike, with an incredibly powerful Riptide effect added to the mix. Havoc: Obliteration, Tartaglia’s Elemental Burst, can take three different forms. These include Flash of Havoc, which entails shooting a Hydro-imbued arrow; Light of Obliteration, which is a slash that deals incredibly high Hydro DMG to all enemies within reach, applying the Riptide effect to each of them; and finally, the Riptide Blast, which explodes enemies who are affected by the Riptide effect. He can be a great asset in Dendro Element-related reactions as well.
7Kamisato Ayato
The Yashiro Commissioner
Coming in version 2.6, Kamisato Ayato was one of the biggestupsets in the Hydro hierarchysince the release of Tartaglia in version 1.1. A natural DPS with quick-paced heavy-hitting attacks, Ayato has become a Hydro DPS character like no other.Genshin Impactplayers can rely on Kamisato Ayato for both DPS and support purposes.
Kamisato Ayato utilizes an elemental skill that offers multiple quick-paced Hydro slashes and an elemental burst that creates a nifty AoE that works well for passive applications. On the skill side, once Kamisato Ayato activates his Kamisato Art: Kyouka, he will be able to use up to 15 Hydro slashes (which override his normal attack). These heavily increase attack damage and speed, in addition to an illusion that explodes.
On the elemental burst side, Ayato creates a garden of purity that rains down blades of Hydro-infused damage, much like Ganyu’s elemental burst does. In addition to the obvious damage and Hydro application, Ayato’s burst also increases the normal attack of anybody in the zone. This allows Ayato to fit in any team that requires Hydro Element.
6Mualani
Hero From The People Of The Springs
If players are looking for outrageous damage numbers with a single click of a button, then Mualani is the character that they should be eyeing up. Mualani is a fairly easy character to build as her damage scales off her max HP, which is easy to obtain. Mualani has incredible mobility and unreal AoE burst damage to decimate opponents in her path.
However, she has the major problem of being a very niche character that only fits into Vaporize teams well. Any other team composition featuring Mualani is often not worth it, as Vaporize team compositions are the main way through which she can attain her immense burst damage. Mualani is one of the best-designed characters from Natlan with a very wholesome yet deadly vibe to her kit.
5Yelan
Enigmatic Spy
Although Yelan is another Hydro bow character right above Childe, her play style is significantly different. Her elemental skill adds afast-sprint to the game, allowing players to move around much faster during exploration. Furthermore, this skill also generates a string that Yelan can tie around enemies, to apply Hydro damage and inflict great damage.
Overall, her skill helps to supplement the downtime of Main DPS characters extremely well. Her Elemental Burst particularly stands out, dealing great Hydro DMG when used with an Active character’s normal attack, as well as applying Hydro application. She is a great unit that is suitable for a variety of team compositions and is especially effective in Vaporize and Bloom teams. To maximize her effectiveness, she may require a few constellations to improve her weaknesses, such as her energy regeneration and slightly inconsistent Hydro application with her burst.
