Originally posted on November 5, 2021
Geo is one of the least used elements in Genshin Impact, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad at all. Geo characters can make great supports, and some deal massive amounts of damage that can’t be rivaled.
One of the biggest reasons that Geo isn’t picked often is because it doesn’t have any Elemental Reactions. While a lot of damage in Genshin Impact can come from basic attacks and other skills, a lot comes from Reactions. This doesn’t mean that Geo characters are bad, though.
There aren’t a lot of Geo characters to pick from. The ones that are available are pretty great though, so you should be able to find something you like. Here are the five Geo characters in Genshin Impact ranked.
1. Zhongli
The Geo archon himself comes at the top of the list, and it’s no real surprise. He can excel as either a support or main damage dealer, so he fits in on any team.
Zhongli’s damage is intense, and he can deal a lot of damage in a wide area. He can also petrify enemies, meaning that they’re stunned for a bit after he uses his Elemental Burst. This makes it really easy to either continue doing damage to them by swapping through your team and getting a quick Elemental Reaction going.
He can also shred through shields, especially if they’re Geo shields. He literally drains the Geo away, which can be really helpful in specific domains and boss fights.
He’s also got an ability that creates a pillar on the ground. This can be useful if you have any characters that specialize in plunging moves, like Xiao. It’s also just helpful to get around Teyvat with -- climbing mountains is a breeze with his pillar.
2. Albedo
Albedo is another really helpful five-star character to have on your team. While he’s not generally considered as good as Zhongli, he can dish out a decent amount of damage on his own.
Albedo’s abilities let him do damage to a pretty big group of enemies. He can also do this repeatedly since he’s got one of the shortest cooldowns on his abilities in the game. This makes him an extremely useful main attacker. His Elemental Burst also gives him a ton of energy back, which makes it even easier to continuously spam his abilities.
He’s also got the ability to make a little flower on the ground that will lift into the air after a few seconds. While this isn’t super helpful in the middle of a battle, it can make traveling much easier (and more fun).
However, he is a five-star character, so it’s going to be hard to get him if you don’t already have him.
3. Ningguang
Ningguang is a great Geo support character, especially considering the fact that she’s only a four-star.
Her ability gives her team a shield that’s pretty strong. This is super helpful when you’re fighting a group of enemies that has a ranged hilichurl attacking you from somewhere you just can’t get to. This is also just a good ability for any characters on your team that don’t have a very good defense.
Her shield is something that’s placed down physically instead of around your character. This shield can also deal pretty massive damage if you place it down on top of an enemy. This dual-purpose shield pushes her up the list.
Other than that, there’s not much that Ningguang can do. However, don’t underestimate that shield -- shields are hard to come by in Genshin Impact, so having one that can lessen a significant amount of damage is important. It can also help you out if you don’t have a good healer on your team yet.
4. Noelle
Noelle is a pretty popular Geo character considering everyone is guaranteed to get her on the starter banner! She can definitely be a good pick in the early game despite not being one of the best Geo characters.
She’s a very tanky character, meaning that her defenses are just high in general. Considering she’s a claymore user, this is really helpful. On top of that, her ability lets her gain health for her entire team -- she’s the first healer you run into, and that’s beneficial.
Her Elemental Burst makes her basic attacks much broader, and they’ll also deal Geo damage instead of just regular physical damage. This is helpful when you’re going after enemies with shields or Geo enemies.
However, her healing isn’t anything too special, and there’s not a lot she can do except just basic attack enemies. For this reason, she’s not a great four-star Geo character unless she’s your first healer. If she’s the first character that you pull, she’s definitely a good replacement for someone like Lisa.
5. Traveler
Once you get into Liyue, the Traveler will be able to use Geo abilities. This is the first time the Traveler changes abilities, so it can be really exciting for a lot of players who don’t know what’s coming up. However, the abilities just aren’t that good, and you’ll probably have better characters to run at that point in the game.
There’s not much damage that comes from a Geo Traveler, but there is one really helpful feature: the platform. The Geo Traveler can create a pretty big platform just about anywhere, and that makes exploring Teyvat a breeze. Considering you’ll get this for free, and without having to pull for anything, it’s helpful to just walk around as the Traveler. Be careful though, you can’t change out your party members once combat starts.
The Geo Traveler’s Elemental Burst can block damage, but you have to be careful with it -- it can also block your own party’s attacks. If you get stuck in a situation where you have to use the Geo Traveler in a fight, making a platform for some of your long-ranged characters is your best bet.
