Last Updated on June 6, 2025 by Dante
Pyro has always had a hold on Genshin Impact’s meta — not just because it enables the strongest Amplifying reactions (Melt and Vaporize), but because Pyro characters tend to be built for damage, aggression, and raw impact.
This isn’t a hype-fueled tier list of the best Pyro characters Genshin Impact has to offer, and it’s not just based on raw numbers.
We’re talking field time value, reaction consistency, build flexibility, and long-term viability — the stuff that matters when you’re building teams, not just chasing showcases.
This guide ranks every playable Pyro unit in Genshin Impact as of Version 5.6 using a detailed rubric that balances technical performance with practical team impact.
Best Pyro Characters Genshin Impact: Table of Contents
Pyro Character Tier List (Genshin Impact 5.6)
| Tier | Characters |
|---|---|
| S+ | Hu Tao, Mavuika, Bennett |
| S | Xiangling, Arlecchino, Lyney |
| A | Yoimiya, Dehya, Yanfei, Chevreuse |
| B | Thoma, Xinyan, Amber, (Pyro) Traveler |
| C | Klee |
Best Pyro Characters by Role
| Role | Top Picks |
|---|---|
| Main DPS | Hu Tao, Arlecchino, Lyney, Mavuika |
| Sub-DPS | Xiangling, Yanfei, Yoimiya (C6), Klee |
| Support | Bennett, Chevreuse, Thoma, Pyro Traveler |
| Shielding | Thoma, Dehya, Xinyan |
| Reaction Driver | Xiangling, Mavuika, Traveler (Pyro) |
Ranking Criteria: How These Pyro Units Were Judged
This ranking doesn’t rely on a single metric like raw damage per screenshot or C6 one-shot potential.
Every Pyro character in this list is evaluated across six core categories that reflect how they actually perform in daily gameplay, Abyss runs, and long-term account planning.
Damage Output
How much reliable, repeatable damage does this character contribute to a team?
- Do they scale well across talent levels and investment?
- Is their damage tied to constellations or usable at C0?
- Can they output meaningful damage in context, not just in vacuum showcases?
Elemental Application
Pyro is all about reactions — so how effectively does the character apply the element?
- Frequency of Pyro application (rate of skill/burst/attack triggers)
- Durability of elemental application (1U vs 2U, etc.)
- Whether they interfere with or enable reactions like Vaporize, Melt, Overloaded, Burning, or Burgeon
Utility
Not every Pyro unit has to be a damage dealer.
- Does the character offer healing, shielding, interruption resistance, or buffs?
- Are they good battery units, taunters, or defensive tools?
- Do they offer anything that’s hard to replace in current team comps?
Team Synergy
No character operates alone. This category evaluates:
- How well they slot into current meta teams
- Whether they create reactions efficiently with common partners
- Their ability to flex into multiple team styles (mono Pyro, reaction spam, quickswap, etc.)
Ease of Use
How much friction is there in using this character?
- Is their rotation smooth or clunky?
- Do they require rare weapons or high artifacts to work?
- Can they function in casual hands as well as hardcore setups?
Ceiling vs Floor
Some characters are good at C0. Others don’t come online until C2 or higher. This score weighs:
- Their performance at minimal investment
- How much better they get with constellations, premium weapons, or full meta teams
- How well they scale with player knowledge and mastery
Each Pyro unit’s tier reflects a balance of these categories, not just peak damage. A character with average numbers but insane flexibility or off-field value may rank higher than someone who requires 3 constellations and an event-limited weapon just to function.
S+ Tier Pyro Characters
The characters in this tier don’t just deal damage — they shape the meta.
They are either must-picks in high-end content or so versatile and impactful that they stay relevant regardless of team shifts or new releases.
If Pyro is still dominant in Genshin Impact 5.6, these are the reasons why.
Mavuika – The Pyro Archon
- Weapon: Claymore
- Region: Natlan
- Primary Role: On-field DPS / AoE Reaction Driver
Mavuika stands at the top of the Pyro hierarchy not just because she’s the Pyro Archon, but because her kit was clearly built to solve every problem Pyro DPS units traditionally struggle with.
She blends wide-area Pyro control, reaction support, and self-scaling durability into a rotation that feels both aggressive and composed — a rare balance in Genshin’s current meta.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | High — Mavuika’s kit scales well with both Elemental Mastery and ATK, delivering fast, AoE-heavy Pyro damage that excels in reaction-based teams. |
| Elemental Application | Excellent — She applies Pyro consistently and quickly, making her ideal for Dendro core reactions like Burning, Burgeon, and Hyperbloom setups. |
| Utility | Moderate — No healing or shielding, but brings strong self-EM buffs and smooth energy generation, enabling her to act as a reaction engine. |
| Team Synergy | Very High — Works exceptionally with Dendro cores like Nahida, Baizhu, or Kirara, and thrives alongside Hydro units like Xingqiu or Neuvillette. |
| Ease of Use | Moderate — She’s fast and responsive, but benefits from positioning and rotation awareness. Easy to use, harder to fully optimize. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | High Floor, Very High Ceiling — Great at C0, but her constellations push her into top-tier DPS performance for AoE and reaction-based metas. |
Final Verdict:
Mavuika represents a shift in how Pyro DPS units are designed: less burst-dependent, more rhythm-based, and capable of enabling modern elemental metas without stepping on the toes of other reactions.
She doesn’t replace Hu Tao, Xiangling, or Lyney — she exists in her own class.
S+ Tier. If she’s on your account, she’s your core DPS — period.
Hu Tao – The Crimson Calamity
- Weapon: Polearm
- Region: Liyue
- Primary Role: On-field Main DPS / Single-Target Vaporize Specialist
Hu Tao has held the DPS crown for years — and for good reason. She combines absurd scaling with one of the highest damage-to-field-time ratios in the game.
Even in Version 5.6, surrounded by Dendro bloom comps and AoE-focused kits, Hu Tao’s ability to delete bosses and elites remains unmatched.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Extremely High — Hu Tao remains one of the most explosive single-target DPS units in the game. Her charged attacks during Paramita Papilio hit incredibly hard, especially when triggering Vaporize. |
| Elemental Application | Strong — While her Pyro application is focused on single-targets, it’s fast, consistent, and well-paced for triggering reactions like Vaporize or Melt with Xingqiu or Yelan. |
| Utility | Low — Brings no healing, shielding, or buffs to the team. All of her value lies in raw damage. Her only team support comes from her passive EM boost at low HP. |
| Team Synergy | High — Hu Tao’s meta is well-defined. She thrives with Hydro supports, off-field damage dealers, and shielders. Xingqiu, Yelan, and Zhongli are nearly required for optimal rotations. |
| Ease of Use | Low to Moderate — Mastering her animation cancels, HP management, and reaction timing takes practice. She punishes sloppy play but rewards skill expression. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Low Floor, Very High Ceiling — At C0, she can feel clunky and squishy, but at high investment or with C1+, Hu Tao becomes one of the hardest-hitting and most satisfying DPS units to use. |
Final Verdict:
Hu Tao is a legacy carry — and she’s earned it. She hasn’t aged out of the meta at all.
Her target-focused Vaporize gameplay, HP-scaling flexibility, and high-skill expression keep her among the strongest damage dealers in the game. What she lacks in AoE and utility, she makes up for in raw boss-melting power.
S+ Tier — the queen of single-target still holds her crown.
Bennett – The Engine of the Meta
- Weapon: Sword
- Region: Mondstadt
- Primary Role: Burst Support / Buffer / Emergency Healer
- Also Functions As: Battery, Reaction Enabler, Pyro Resonance Trigger
Bennett is the poster child for “too good to be 4-star.” He’s been meta since launch and remains not just relevant, but foundational.
Whether you’re running Hu Tao, Diluc, Lyney, Xiangling, or even non-Pyro teams like Eula or Ayaka, if you want your numbers to go up — Bennett is still your best bet.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Moderate — While Bennett can deal decent Pyro damage with his skill and burst, he’s rarely built for personal DPS. His strength comes from support scaling, not raw output. |
| Elemental Application | Decent — His skill applies Pyro in a small AoE, and his burst can enable Pyro resonance or trigger reactions in coordinated teams. He’s not a reaction driver but supports them well. |
| Utility | Extremely High — Bennett’s burst is one of the best abilities in the game: it heals, buffs ATK based on his base stat, and creates a safe zone for rotation teams. |
| Team Synergy | Universal — Bennett works with nearly every character in the game. From enabling Overload to buffing Hypercarries, his synergy is unmatched. He’s core to multiple meta team comps. |
| Ease of Use | Very High — Simple, fast, and low-maintenance. Drop skill, burst, rotate. No complex mechanics, and his buff value doesn’t require fancy setups. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | High Floor, High Ceiling — He’s incredible at C1, but even at C0, he carries. With higher investment or refined support builds, he remains one of the most efficient picks in Genshin Impact. |
His kit is clean, focused, and disgustingly effective.
Final Verdict
Bennett isn’t flashy. He doesn’t set enemies ablaze or dominate the field. But in terms of raw team value, no Pyro unit comes close.
He is the reason many comps work at all, and the only unit in the game that can simultaneously heal, buff, battery, and enable resonance without stepping on anyone’s toes.
S+ Tier — the definition of universal value.
S Tier Pyro Characters
These characters are strong, efficient, and absolutely worth building — even if they require a bit more setup, field time, or support than the S+ tier. They’re often team-core units in niche comps or flex picks in Pyro-heavy reactions.
Lyney – The Charged Shot Magician
- Weapon: Bow
- Region: Fontaine
- Primary Role: On-field Main DPS / Charged Shot Nuker
Lyney is one of the few characters in Genshin who thrives entirely off charged shots, turning what’s typically a niche mechanic into a centerpiece.
His playstyle is deliberate and high-impact, built for single-target burn-throughs with the flair of a stage magician and the math of a boss killer.
Rubric Breakdown:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Very High — Lyney is a charged-attack-centric main DPS who scales well with ATK and crit stats. His damage shines in single-target and small group fights, especially against enemies weak to Pyro. |
| Elemental Application | Good — His charged shots apply single-instance Pyro, making him less ideal for reaction spam, but great for cleanly timed Amplifying reactions like Vaporize. |
| Utility | Moderate — His burst provides AoE damage and minor healing, and he generates Pyro particles consistently. He’s not a team buffer, but his self-sustain gives him independence. |
| Team Synergy | Moderate to High — Works best with mono Pyro teams or structured Vape teams. Needs shielders (like Zhongli or Thoma) to protect his charged attack setup. Can slot into quickswap teams with caveats. |
| Ease of Use | Moderate — His gameplay centers around charged attack timing and stamina management. Smooth in experienced hands, but can feel punishing without shields or positioning awareness. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Medium Floor, High Ceiling — Lyney works decently at C0 but requires proper rotation support and shielding to shine. At higher constellations, he becomes one of the most consistent Pyro carries. |
Final Verdict:
Lyney is a laser-focused carry. If you want precision over chaos, and a Pyro DPS who doesn’t need to spam buttons or chase reaction spam, he’s for you. While he’s not as universal as Hu Tao or Mavuika, he’s a boss-killer with real staying power.
S Tier — targeted, stylish, and reliable.
Xiangling – The Timeless Pyro Core
- Weapon: Polearm
- Region: Liyue
- Primary Role: Off-field Pyro DPS / Reaction Driver
Xiangling is one of the most dominant 4-star characters in the game, and that hasn’t changed even with the release of Natlan.
Despite her free status and humble design, she scales hard with investment, and in the right team, she’s still a top-tier Pyro damage dealer.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Very High — Xiangling’s off-field damage from Pyronado is among the highest in the game. Scales well with Elemental Mastery and ATK, and benefits from quickswap teams and reaction setups. |
| Elemental Application | Excellent — Pyronado applies consistent, circular Pyro hits that pair perfectly with Hydro or Cryo supports. Her skill, Guoba, adds even more Pyro coverage with minor crowd control. |
| Utility | Moderate — While not a healer or shielder, she enables powerful elemental reactions, generates energy, and contributes to Pyro resonance. She’s also free via Spiral Abyss (Floor 3). |
| Team Synergy | Extremely High — Staple in National Team (Xiangling/Xingqiu/Bennett/Flex) and fits into a wide range of Vape, Overload, or Burgeon comps. Works with both 4-star and 5-star rosters. |
| Ease of Use | High — Just drop Guoba and Burst, then rotate. Her damage scales mostly from burst uptime and buffs, not precision or field time. Easy to slot into teams once geared. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | High Floor, Very High Ceiling — Xiangling performs well even with free gear (like The Catch) and no constellations. At higher investment, she’s a core pick in Abyss and meta clears. |
Final Verdict
Xiangling is the F2P queen of Pyro — still relevant, still dangerous, and still a meta pick after all these years. With a proper support core, she’s basically a 5-star in disguise.
S Tier — timeless, team-core, and terrifying when built right.
Arlecchino – The Crimson Duelist
- Weapon: Polearm
- Region: Snezhnaya
- Primary Role: On-field Hypercarry / Soloist DPS
Arlecchino is all about swagger, precision, and hard-hitting combos. As a hypercarry, she excels in solo field time, and her kit is tailor-made for players who want high skill expression and big payoffs.
She doesn’t rely on external buffs as much as others — and that’s both a blessing and a curse.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Extremely High — Arlecchino is a self-buffing, hypercarry DPS with aggressive scaling, fast-paced melee attacks, and one of the highest single-target outputs in the game at C0. |
| Elemental Application | Very Good — She applies Pyro rapidly with both her skill and normal attacks during Bond of Life mode. Less ideal for coordinated reactions, but dominant in mono-Pyro or raw DPS teams. |
| Utility | Low — Arlecchino is fully self-focused. She does not shield, heal, or support the team in any way. In fact, she disables healing on herself, requiring more creative team building. |
| Team Synergy | Moderate — Best used in mono-Pyro or quick-swap teams with buffers like Bennett, Thoma, or even Dehya. Doesn’t pair well with typical reaction supports like Xingqiu or Kokomi. |
| Ease of Use | Moderate — Her kit is responsive and flashy, but the Bond of Life mechanic punishes careless play. Rotations need to be tight, and team support needs to be proactive rather than reactive. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Moderate Floor, Extremely High Ceiling — Arlecchino is powerful right out of the gate but truly explodes with proper stat balance, team support, and constellation growth. |
Final Verdict
Arlecchino is flashy, dangerous, and self-centered — and that’s her charm. If you love solo carry playstyles and tight, satisfying rotations, she’s top-tier. But she’s not for every team or every player.
S Tier — soloist excellence with caveats.
Diluc – The Original Pyro Poster Boy
- Weapon: Claymore
- Region: Mondstadt
- Primary Role: On-field DPS / Reaction Driver
Diluc was once the gold standard for Pyro DPS — and while time and power creep have moved the spotlight, he still holds his ground as a reliable, smooth, and comfortable carry.
He might not top Abyss leaderboards anymore, but he’s far from obsolete.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Decent — Diluc still hits hard with his claymore combos and burst, especially in AoE. His multipliers hold up, but his damage ceiling has been outpaced by modern Pyro units. |
| Elemental Application | Good — His skill chains three Pyro slashes, and his burst adds a wide Pyro AoE, offering strong application. Works well for Vape or Overload reactions. |
| Utility | Low — Diluc doesn’t offer healing, shielding, or buffs. His value is almost entirely focused on his on-field damage. Energy generation is just average. |
| Team Synergy | Moderate — Pairs nicely with Xingqiu, Bennett, and Fischl in traditional reverse Vape or Overload comps. Less flexible in modern Dendro or Burgeon setups. |
| Ease of Use | Very High — One of the most beginner-friendly characters in the game. Simple skill pattern, clean burst animation, and minimal rotation stress make him easy to play. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | High Floor, Moderate Ceiling — Diluc still clears content well at mid-investment, but lacks the burst scaling or reaction optimization of top-tier Pyro carries. |
Final Verdict
Diluc isn’t flashy anymore — but he’s trustworthy, reaction-ready, and smooth to pilot. He’s the kind of character you always feel good about building, even if you eventually move on to more advanced DPS options.
S Tier — consistent, classy, and criminally overlooked.
A Tier Pyro Characters
These characters are viable with the right build, comps, and support, but tend to lack the meta dominance or team flexibility of S Tier units. That said, every unit here can still clear high-level content when played to their strengths.
Yoimiya – The Single-Target Sharpshooter
- Weapon: Bow
- Region: Inazuma
- Primary Role: On-field Main DPS / Auto-Attack Carry
Yoimiya is a Pyro infusion DPS who focuses on precision over splash. Her kit centers on converting her normal attacks into blazing Pyro arrows, allowing her to tear down bosses and single enemies with speed and consistency.
She’s not a crowd control queen, but in the right lane, she’s lethal.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | High — Yoimiya’s single-target damage is excellent when fully buffed. Her normal attacks during her skill window deal strong Pyro damage with consistent scaling, especially in Vape teams. |
| Elemental Application | Moderate — Applies Pyro with each normal attack, but struggles with AoE and consistent reaction coverage compared to units like Xiangling or Arlecchino. |
| Utility | Low — Yoimiya offers no team buffs, healing, or defensive support. Her utility comes purely from off-field talent buffs and elemental resonance. |
| Team Synergy | Moderate — Works best in Vape comps with Xingqiu or Yelan. Needs a shielder like Zhongli to avoid interruption. Limited synergy with Dendro or reaction-heavy teams due to slow Pyro pacing. |
| Ease of Use | Moderate — Straightforward rotation, but positioning and target lock can be frustrating in certain content. Her single-target bias also limits her general use. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Medium Floor, High Ceiling — Needs the right team and investment to shine, but can perform at a very high level with solid support. Weapon and artifact flexibility help raise her potential. |
Final Verdict
Yoimiya remains a solid pick for boss fights and focused content. In the world of AoE chaos and rotation juggling, she’s a deliberate, consistent damage dealer — and still very much viable.
A Tier — reliable, elegant, and reaction-hungry.
Dehya – The Bruiser of Sumeru
- Weapon: Claymore
- Region: Sumeru
- Primary Role: Off-field DPS / Tank / Field Support
Dehya is built like a frontliner, plays like a tank, and performs like a Pyro bruiser.
Her role in most teams revolves around soaking damage, applying wide-area Pyro, and offering some minor off-field hits. Though she’s not meta-defining, she’s one of the most durable characters in the game.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Low to Moderate — Dehya can dish out decent damage in optimized builds, but her split scaling, low multipliers, and internal cooldown issues keep her from being a strong DPS. |
| Elemental Application | Poor — Her Pyro application is slow and inconsistent, making it difficult to maintain reactions. Better used to trigger resonance than drive elemental combos. |
| Utility | Moderate — While she lacks healing or strong buffs, Dehya provides interruption resistance and mild damage mitigation through her skill. Her burst can be used for some crowd control. |
| Team Synergy | Limited — Dehya fits best in teams that need a tanky frontliner or someone to carry a support set like Tenacity of the Millelith. Not viable in reaction-heavy or high-DPS rotations. |
| Ease of Use | High — Very simple rotation and forgiving playstyle. Drop her skill, absorb hits, then burst. Doesn’t require animation canceling or tight windows. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Low Ceiling, Moderate Floor — Dehya is usable in casual play, especially with defensive builds. However, her kit limitations make her hard to justify in high-end Abyss or meta teams. |
Final Verdict
Dehya offers a unique, unorthodox support DPS role, especially for players who want durability and aesthetics over peak efficiency. She’s functional, fun, and hard to kill — even if her numbers lag behind.
A Tier — the queen of survivability and style.
Yanfei – The Charged Attack Carry
- Weapon: Catalyst
- Region: Liyue
- Primary Role: Main DPS / Charged Attack Driver
Yanfei is a starter-friendly Pyro DPS with a clean, readable rotation based on building up Scarlet Seals for charged attacks.
While she’s been outpaced by newer 4-stars, her access to steady Pyro, strong Constellations, and ease of use keep her relevant in F2P teams and overworld play.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Moderate to High — Yanfei deals strong charged attack damage with proper stamina management and buffs. She scales well with ATK and crit stats, making her a viable Pyro carry at mid investment. |
| Elemental Application | Good — Her normal and charged attacks apply consistent Pyro, great for triggering Vaporize and Overload reactions when supported properly. |
| Utility | Low — Yanfei doesn’t provide team buffs, healing, or energy. However, her C4 and C6 offer minor shielding utility, giving her some survivability if fully invested. |
| Team Synergy | Moderate — Best used in reaction comps with Xingqiu, Fischl, or Bennett. Lacks synergy with Dendro teams, but can shine in mono-Pyro or traditional reverse-Vape setups. |
| Ease of Use | Moderate — Her kit is intuitive, but charged attack spam makes stamina management and enemy spacing important. Proper timing is key to maximizing damage. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Medium Floor, High Ceiling — Yanfei performs well at C0 for mid-game players, but C4 and C6 give her added durability and damage scaling that elevate her viability in high-end content. |
Final Verdict
Yanfei is a gateway Pyro DPS, perfect for teaching core mechanics and reward cycling. She may not headline meta teams, but she’s still a versatile and fun carry for the early and mid game.
A Tier — smooth, stylish, and dependable.
Chevreuse – The Pyro Reaction Support
- Weapon: Polearm
- Region: Fontaine
- Primary Role: Team Buffer / Overload Enabler
Chevreuse fills a rare role in the Pyro roster: a reaction-focused support.
Her kit is tailored toward boosting teamwide damage, especially for Overloaded, Burning, or Electro-Charged Pyro hybrids. She’s not a frontliner — she’s an amplifier.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Low — Chevreuse isn’t built for personal damage. Her role is primarily to buff team ATK and reduce enemy defenses, not contribute to DPS directly. |
| Elemental Application | Moderate — Applies Pyro through her skill and burst, but not frequently enough to serve as a reliable reaction driver. More effective as a Pyro resonance enabler. |
| Utility | Very High — One of the best Pyro supports introduced post-Natlan. Her buffs are team-wide, consistent, and scale well with EM-based comps or reaction teams. Also provides resistance shred. |
| Team Synergy | Excellent — Core support in Overload, Vape, and even some Burning comps. Works especially well with Electro DPS units like Raiden or Fischl and helps bolster Pyro team flexibility. |
| Ease of Use | Very High — Straightforward rotation: skill for buff zone, burst for debuff, then swap out. Doesn’t require field time and fits seamlessly into many quickswap teams. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | High Floor, High Ceiling — Strong even at C0 and with 4-star weapons. With investment and artifact tuning, Chevreuse becomes a reliable support in high-end Abyss teams and Pyro/Electro hybrids. |
Final Verdict
Chevreuse is a reaction niche pick. When placed in the right comp, she brings huge utility and unlocks damage potential in otherwise unused team styles. Just don’t try to force her into traditional roles.
A Tier — niche power with surprising value.
B Tier Pyro Characters
These characters struggle to maintain relevance in the current meta, often due to scaling issues, team inflexibility, or powercreep.
Still, they can be viable for overworld play, fun comps, or specific reaction setups when built intentionally.
Thoma – The Shielded Flame
- Weapon: Polearm
- Region: Inazuma
- Primary Role: Shielder / Reaction Enabler
Thoma is a Pyro support with strong aesthetics and a niche defensive role. His kit revolves around generating a shield via his burst and applying Pyro consistently with normal attacks.
He’s often used in Overloaded or Burgeon teams, but lacks the impact or flexibility of more modern supports.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Low — Thoma’s personal damage is negligible, even with constellations. His value lies in shielding and reaction setups, not DPS. |
| Elemental Application | Moderate — Applies Pyro through his skill and burst, which deliver multi-hit Pyro pulses. This makes him decent in Overload or Burgeon teams. |
| Utility | Good — Provides scaling shields that refresh with normal attacks during burst uptime. Also contributes to Pyro resonance and supports defensive comps. |
| Team Synergy | Niche — Pairs best with attack-string characters like Yoimiya or Hu Tao. Also usable in Burgeon comps as a safe Pyro trigger. Less effective in Vape teams. |
| Ease of Use | Moderate — Requires understanding his shield refresh mechanic and needs Energy Recharge to keep burst uptime. Relies heavily on rotation timing. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Medium Floor, Low Ceiling — Thoma is great in casual play or niche comps, but lacks the versatility or output to compete with higher-tier supports or shielders. |
Final Verdict
Thoma does a little bit of everything — but not quite enough of anything. He’s a solid niche pick in Burgeon comps or Yoimiya teams, but rarely the best option.
B Tier — stylish, tanky, and team-dependent.
Xinyan – The Rocker That Time Forgot
- Weapon: Claymore
- Region: Liyue
- Primary Role: Hybrid DPS / Shielder
Xinyan was Genshin’s original attempt at a defensive DPS hybrid, combining physical scaling, Pyro AoE, and shielding.
The result is a complicated, split-scaling mess that struggles to find a role in modern teams. Still, she has her fans and fun use cases.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Moderate — Her skill and burst offer decent AoE damage, scaling off both DEF and ATK. Physical builds exist but require heavy investment and are rarely optimal. |
| Elemental Application | Inconsistent — Pyro application is sporadic and limited, making her a poor pick for reaction teams. Full physical DPS builds often ignore her element entirely. |
| Utility | Situational — Her shield can reduce interruption and cleanse status effects, but only shines at C4 or higher. Struggles to offer value in high-end Abyss content. |
| Team Synergy | Low — Xinyan is difficult to optimize. Her split scaling and niche kits don’t fit most team comps. Usable in Mono Pyro or physical meme teams but rarely competitive. |
| Ease of Use | High (early), Low (late) — She feels smooth in casual or co-op play. Burst clears mobs, and skill shields. But her limitations quickly show at higher difficulty or investment levels. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Low Ceiling, Playable Floor — Can be fun with investment or in overworld play. However, her kit is internally conflicted, with poor synergy and limited long-term viability. |
Final Verdict
Xinyan is a victim of early game design. While she’s got flavor, personality, and a unique kit, she’s outpaced by nearly every newer 4-star in her role.
B Tier — rock on, but not for long.
Amber – The Original Pyro Archer
- Weapon: Bow
- Region: Mondstadt
- Primary Role: Support / Puzzle Solver / Meme Queen
Amber is Genshin’s first Pyro character and one of its most iconic. Unfortunately, her kit is fundamentally outdated, with a clunky taunt, limited damage, and nearly no team synergy. Despite that, she’s still loved by fans and sees niche use in DPS meme builds, puzzle content, and exploration.
Hell, even I still use her for dungeons and archon quests, mostly out of nostalgia while my stronger Pyro characters are sitting on the shelf like the trophies they are.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Very Low — Amber’s kit deals minimal damage even with investment. Her charged shots and burst have poor scaling and long animations. Mostly used for memes or fun team comps. |
| Elemental Application | Mediocre — Pyro application is slow and limited to her clunky bunny and charge shot. Doesn’t apply fast enough for consistent reactions outside of niche combos. |
| Utility | Situational — Baron Bunny can taunt enemies, and her burst provides AoE Pyro, but neither are reliable in modern combat. Still valuable in exploration and puzzle-solving. |
| Team Synergy | Poor — Lacks synergy with most meta comps. Best used in meme teams or Pyro mono-teams for fun. Needs heavy support to shine even slightly in serious content. |
| Ease of Use | Beginner Friendly — Amber is easy to use early game, especially for aiming puzzles or lighting torches. But her kit feels clunky and underpowered in late-game or Abyss. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Low Ceiling, Low Floor — Her value is almost entirely nostalgic or stylistic. Can clear content with dedication, but significantly outclassed by every other Pyro unit. |
Final Verdict
Amber is charming, nostalgic, and still technically playable — but only with heavy support or love-fueled commitment. In most cases, she’s more of a mascot than a meta unit.
B Tier — Mondstadt’s morale officer.
Pyro Traveler – The Balanced Flame
- Weapon: Sword
- Region: Natlan (Elemental Resonance)
- Primary Role: Off-field Support / Reaction Driver / Utility
Pyro Traveler debuted in Natlan with a kit that finally felt purpose-built, offering a more reaction-friendly, team-complementary support option.
Unlike earlier iterations (Geo, Anemo, Electro), this version of the Traveler brings actual Pyro utility to the table, though still with some limitations due to Traveler’s usual design constraints.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | Modest — Their skill and burst deal decent AoE Pyro damage, but lack the scaling and reaction synergy to match top-tier DPS units. Still far from useless, even without constellations. |
| Elemental Application | Consistent — Provides controlled and steady Pyro application, useful for Burning, Burgeon, or Overloaded reactions. Doesn’t interfere with setups like Xiangling sometimes can. |
| Utility | Good — Their burst creates a supportive Pyro field and offers some team energy regeneration, especially at higher constellations. Investment is light, making them accessible. |
| Team Synergy | Flexible — Fits into Dendro+Pyro or reaction-heavy AoE teams with ease. Great for players lacking Bennett or Thoma, offering free Pyro coverage and low field-time commitment. |
| Ease of Use | Very High — Simple, quick-cast skills with low cooldowns and reliable uptime. One of the easiest characters to slide into rotation-based teams. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | High Floor, Moderate Ceiling — Surprisingly capable for a free unit. While they won’t top charts, they provide clean utility and value in many Pyro-based comps, especially for early-to-mid game. |
Final Verdict
Pyro Traveler is surprisingly competent, a rare case of a Traveler kit feeling like a real team member. They’re not breaking the meta, but they’re not filler either. Free, flexible, and useful for reaction setups.
B Tier — the most balanced Traveler variant to date.
C Tier Pyro Characters
These characters are severely outclassed, have fundamental kit limitations, or require so much investment and workaround that they become impractical in most team comps.
They may still shine in overworld content, casual play, or with dedicated fans — but they’re not suitable for high-efficiency runs or Spiral Abyss clears in the current landscape.
Klee – The Chaos Catalyst
- Weapon: Catalyst
- Region: Mondstadt
- Primary Role: On-field Main DPS
Yeah, we ranked her lower than Amber, and it’s for good reason.
Klee was once Genshin’s premier Pyro DPS — a bursty, bouncy powerhouse who felt like a firecracker in combat. But with time, her kit design has aged poorly, and she’s now one of the hardest characters to use effectively in the entire roster.
Despite her high potential damage, the execution required to make her viable is extreme — especially when compared to more fluid, modern units.
Rubric Breakdown
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Damage Output | High (in theory), Low (in practice) — Klee has massive multipliers and strong reaction potential, but her clunky animations and poor uptime keep her from delivering it consistently. |
| Elemental Application | Strong — As a Catalyst user, Klee applies rapid Pyro on every hit. However, she often pays for it with positioning issues, frequent interruptions, and an unforgiving play loop. |
| Utility | None — Klee brings no healing, buffs, or shields. Her burst creates a Pyro AoE field, but its randomized targeting and weak uptime make it unreliable for sustained pressure. |
| Team Synergy | Poor — Can function in Vape or Overload teams on paper, but lacks mobility and fluidity to thrive in modern reaction teams or fast-swap rosters. Struggles heavily in Burning environments. |
| Ease of Use | Very Low — Her kit is awkward, technical, and punishing. Short auto-attack range, slow movement, and weird dashes make her one of the most difficult characters to use effectively. |
| Ceiling vs Floor | Low Floor, Moderate Ceiling — Without major investment and mastery of her clunky mechanics, Klee performs poorly. Even at her best, she’s outclassed by easier, more modern Pyro carries. |
Final Verdict
Klee isn’t bad — she’s just outdated. She was built in an era before modern fluidity and reaction design. While her animations are cute and her lore is iconic, her gameplay loop demands too much work for too little payoff.
C Tier — explosive in spirit, but fizzled in practice.
Final Thoughts
The Pyro element continues to dominate in Genshin Impact thanks to its powerful reactions and high-scaling characters.
Whether you’re vaporizing with Hu Tao, burning through mobs with Xiangling, or flexing Bennett in nearly every team, Pyro remains one of the most versatile and valuable elements in the game.
Each character on this list has a place — even lower-tier picks can shine with creativity, synergy, and proper investment. But if you’re aiming for peak performance, the top tiers offer unmatched value in both meta and casual content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is the best Pyro DPS in Genshin Impact?
As of Version 5.6, Mavuika stands at the top of the Pyro DPS rankings. Her kit blends massive damage, fast Pyro application, and reaction flexibility in a way that outpaces even Hu Tao and Arlecchino. She’s especially dominant in Dendro-Pyro reaction teams, with consistent uptime and incredible scaling.
Is Bennett still worth using in 2025?
Absolutely. Bennett remains one of the most valuable 4-star characters in the game. His burst provides massive ATK boosts and healing in a single button press, making him a staple in meta teams across Abyss and events.
Who is the most underrated Pyro character?
Chevreuse quietly became one of the best Pyro supports in the game, especially in Overload and Burgeon teams. Her kit looks unassuming but offers huge team value with minimal field time.
Why is Klee ranked so low if her multipliers are high?
Klee’s raw numbers are strong, but her clunky movement, short attack range, and slow animations severely limit her uptime in real-world content. In modern teams where fluidity and fast swaps matter, she simply struggles to keep up.
Can Thoma still be used as a shielder?
Yes — Thoma can provide consistent shields in Normal Attack teams like Yoimiya comps. He’s also a safe option in Burgeon teams, though he’s not as strong or versatile as newer units like Chevreuse.

Dante is Editor-in-Chief (Lord Hokage), which means he runs editorial and operations at BrandAnime. That means this whole thing was his idea, and he spends his time making stuff work and covering the latest anime and games. When he’s not doing 100 things at once, he’s usually… watching anime or playing games. His life isn’t that interesting, honestly.



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