Hydro Characters Genshin Impact [Ranked from Best to Worst]

With the ability to manipulate water, apply Wet status, and trigger powerful elemental combinations, Hydro characters make a valuable asset for your team.

From Mona’s hydro illusions to the relentless determination of Tartaglia’s hydro-infused attacks, join me as I explore the unique strengths and strategies of these characters.

In this article, I’ll explain all Hydro characters’ elemental powers in Genshin Impact and help you discover the unique role they play in the diverse roster of this beloved action RPG.

What Can the Hydro Characters Do?

Genshin Impact offers a diverse array of Hydro characters, each equipped with healing abilities and AoE buffs, making them highly valuable additions to various team compositions. These characters transcend in launching water-based attacks.

These attacks effortlessly apply Freeze, Vaporize, and Electro-Charged Elemental Reactions, making them formidable against strong enemies.

With a wide range of skills and attributes, every Hydro character in Genshin Impact brings unique advantages. Whether it’s the dedicated healer Barbara or the magical mage Mona, there’s a Hydro character to complement any play style.

Let’s uncover the perfect Hydro character for your squad. Adapt to your team’s dynamics and synchronize attacks with 4-star and 5-star Hydro characters.

List of All Hydro Characters in Genshin Impact

1. Best Hydro Character: Xingqiu

Rating: SS tier
Rarity: 4-star
Weapon: Sword
Role: Support
HP: 2202 to 9514
Damage: 67 to 188

Strengths

• Elemental Skill reduces damage done to his team.
• Elemental Skill generates multiple Elemental Particles to regenerate energy.
• Elemental Burst is a reliable and steady Hydro application on enemies.

Weaknesses

• Needs Consistent utility for acquiring constellations for enhanced performance.
• Normal Attacks have a low base damage output.
• Elemental Skill has a lengthy cooldown, limiting its frequent use.

Although Xingqui is a 4-star character, he can enhance any DPS unit by integrating their attacks with the Hydro element.

The strength of this union is evident, as Xingqiu currently has an impressive pick rate of approximately 85% and above in the Genshin Impact.

Xingqiu is a versatile character, often surpassing some 5-star counterparts in many teams. The rain swords surrounding him, produced by his Elemental Skill, deal damage to enemies and have protective benefits.

Xingqiu’s Elemental Burst is also powerful, similar to Yelan’s in many ways. It summons rain swords that execute regular attacks on the active character.

Additionally, his Passive Skill ensures a slight healing effect on the active character once the rain swords dissipate.

Moreover, as a 4-star character, unlocking Xingqiu is relatively easier. Because of his utility and versatility, Xingqiu rightfully claims the position of the best Hydro character in the game.

2. Strongest Hydro: Kamisato Ayato

Rating: S tier
Rarity: 5-star
Weapon: Sword
Role: DPS
HP: 2770 to 12,751
Damage: 84 to 301

Strengths

• Delivers formidable damage to both single targets and multiple foes.
• Can unleash long-lasting AoE damage over a wide area.
• Elemental Burst serves as valuable support for both his teammates and himself.

Weaknesses

• His Elemental Skill leaves you vulnerable to incoming attacks.
• Elemental Burst has a high cost, though his passive ability provides a partial remedy.

Kamisato Ayato is a strong Hydro DPS character, delivering some of the most substantial damage in the game. In this role, he outshines even Childe. Moreover, Ayato is also an exceptional support character because of the frequency of his Hydro powers.

Known for his natural DPS level and swift, heavy-hitting attacks, Ayato is a unique Hydro DPS character in the game, supporting both DPS and support roles.

His Elemental Skill generates rapid hydro slashes, and his Elemental Burst creates a massive AoE that efficiently applies passive Hydro effects. When Ayato activates his Kamisato Art: Kyouka Skill, he gains access to up to 15 Hydro slashes, overriding his normal attack and increasing attack damage & speed.

Besides inflicting damage and applying Hydro effects, Ayato’s burst enhances the normal attack of any character within the zone.

3. Best Hydro for Sub-DPS & Support: Yelan

Rating: SS tier
Rarity: 5-star
Weapon: Bow
Role: Sub-DPS & Support
HP: 2918 to 12,749
Damage: 49 to 215

Strengths

• Shows outstanding performance in battles as a Sub-DPS character.
• Elemental Burst skill significantly boosts the personal DMG output of the active character.
• Excellent alternative for DPS characters.

Weaknesses

• Without her 2nd constellation, Yelan’s Elemental Burst shows some inconsistency.
• Elemental Burst cost is relatively higher.

Yelan is proficient with her bow and has a unique scaling mechanism based on Health. Her kit is geared towards providing utility to support allies during battles. When she is in your squad, you can get more creative and diverse team compositions in the game.

Her Elemental Skill introduces a fast-sprint ability, enabling you to explore the game world with enhanced speed and mobility. Moreover, this skill empowers Yelan to bind enemies with a string, inflicting Hydro damage.

Yelan’s Elemental Burst delivers impressive Hydro DMG when combined with an Active character’s normal attack. As a versatile unit, she seamlessly fits into various team compositions, particularly in Vaporize with Pyro characters and Bloom with Dendro characters.

4. High DPS Hydro: Tartaglia (Childe)

Rating: S-tier
Rarity: 5-star
Weapon: Bow
Role: DPS
HP: 2646 to 12182
Damage: 84 to 280

Strengths

• Elemental Skill allows seamless transitions between Melee and a Ranged weapon.
• In encounters with multiple enemies, the damage output increases significantly.
• Elemental Burst offers versatile offensive attacks as it adapts to the chosen combat stance.
• Melee attacks apply pressure on foes consistently.

Weaknesses

• Requires upgrade to reduce CD.
• Without proper management, his Elemental Skill suffers from a lengthy cooldown.

As the eleventh member of the Fatui Harbingers, Tartaglia is well-accustomed to intense battles. Among the Hydro characters in Genshin Impact, Childe distinguishes himself for dealing significant damage, making him an ideal choice as a team’s primary DPS unit.

He can effortlessly switch between his bow and sword, enabling you to maintain constant pressure in all ranges.

When it comes to DPS output, he is simply unmatched, making him a popular choice alongside Ayato. He can unleash up to six strikes consecutively with his ranged bow attacks.

His Elemental Skill grants each attack Hydro DMG, accompanied by the powerful Riptide effect. Tartaglia’s Elemental Burst, Havoc: Obliteration, offers three distinct forms: Flash of Havoc, involving a Hydro-filled arrow; Light of Obliteration, a high damaging slash that affects nearby enemies; and Riptide Blast, an explosive blast for enemies under the Riptide effect.

5. Best Supporting Healer Hydro: Sangonomiya Kokomi

Rating: SS-tier
Rarity: 5-star
Weapon: Catalyst
Role: Healer
HP: 3619 to 12524
Damage: 86 to 218

Strengths

• An excellent support character due to her remarkable healing power.
• She applies decent damage output with her Normal Attacks while healing teammates during her Elemental Burst period.
• Her wide-area Elemental Skill effortlessly applies Hydro effects on enemies.

Weaknesses

• Elemental Burst requires a considerable amount of energy.
• Unable to do critical hits.
• Doesn’t have significant AoE damage capabilities.

Due to her exceptional healing capabilities, Kokomi is one of the most picked characters. As the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, she guides travelers through the most challenging places of the Spiral Abyss.

Similar to Mona, Kokomi effortlessly applies AoE Hydro effects, as all her abilities trigger the Wet status on foes. Moreover, her unparalleled healing prowess allows her to rescue allies from the brink of death.

However, her passive ability reduces her critical hit rate to prioritize healing, making her less suited as a critical hit DPS character.

Her healing and attack are scaled to her HP during her elemental burst, further amplified by her 4th passive, which increases her Healing Bonus. Kokomi excels in both support and healing roles, striking a balance between the two.

Her Elemental Skill, Kurage’s Oath, which simultaneously heals nearby teammates and attacks her foes. This skill enables her to apply the Hydro status while healing, augmenting her overall strength when coupled with her Elemental Burst.

With the addition of Bloom to the Elemental Reaction, Kokomi’s popularity in team compositions has substantially increased.

6. Best Supporting DPS Hydro: Nilou

Rating: S-tier
Rarity: 5-star
Weapon: Sword
Role: DPS & Sub DPS
HP: 3066 to 14117
Damage: 47 to 214

Strengths

• Transforms Dendro Cores into Bountiful Cores, a solid and enhanced variant, making them highly effective against multiple foes.
• Her effectiveness in battle amplifies when she applies formidable debuffs on enemies during her 2nd constellation.

Weaknesses

• Her Dendro Cores can cause friendly fire damage, making a dedicated healer essential for quick recovery.
• Relies on specific team composition.

Being a graceful dancer at Zubayr Theater, Nilou’s playstyle stands out as one-of-a-kind. She is a sub-DPS character with a focus on the Bloom reactions. She can unleash massive AoE damage through her unique creation, the Bountiful Cores with Dendro characters.

Her 2nd constellation enhances her combat ability by enabling her to reduce Hydro and Dendro resistance to enemies. Depending on how her Elemental Skill is utilized, you can use Nilou in various ways.

7. Strong Damage Buffs: Mona

Rating: S-tier
Rarity: 5-star
Weapon: Catalyst
Role: Support
HP: 2102 to 9,677
Damage: 81 to 267

Strengths

• Elemental Skill creates a decoy, effectively controlling crowds and diverting attention from the team.
• Has high-speed actions, making her gameplay dynamic and thrilling.
• Elemental Burst skill unleashes substantial damage and enhances overall damage output.

Weaknesses

• To achieve maximum damage output, she heavily relies on elemental reactions.
• She is more vulnerable in battles due to her low HP and DEF.

Mona plays the role of the resident Hydro mage. Despite her financial constraints, this astrologist compensates with her remarkable utility.

The Astral Reflection, her signature move, is a valuable asset for any team, immobilizing all enemies on the battlefield while inflicting considerable damage.

Mona’s proficiency in delivering AoE Hydro damage is apparent in her auto attacks, Elemental Skill, and Elemental Burst, making her an indispensable asset to Freeze compositions with Cryo characters.

8. Best Healer Hydro: Barbara

Rating: B-tier
Rarity: 4-star
Weapon: Catalyst
Role: Healer
HP: 2108 to 9110
Damage: 58 to 149

Strengths

• Elemental Skill delivers burst healing or sustained healing over time.
• Exceptional healing capabilities.
• Can auto-revive fallen characters at the C6 constellation.

Weaknesses

• Damage-dealing potential and survivability are comparatively low.
• Focuses entirely on healing.
• Skills have lengthy cooldowns.

Barbara is a 4-star character who wields a Catalyst as her weapon of choice. As one of the game’s free characters, Barbara is readily available to every player. She is an ideal healer, making her an invaluable asset for teams facing damage.

Barbara can effectively engage enemies from a safe distance, utilizing water-based attacks with her Catalyst. Her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst abilities offer crucial AoE heals, giving you the strength to persevere in battles.

In fact, by utilizing the best Barbara build, you can gain a significant advantage even against the most formidable bosses.

9. Best Supporting Hydro: Candace

Rating: B-tier
Rarity: 4-star
Weapon: Polearm
Role: Support
HP: 2342 to 10121
Damage: 46 to 196

Strengths

• Shield and Parry mechanics can reduce incoming damage.
• Delivers solid damage with her Elemental Burst skill.
• Elemental Burst can amplify her Elemental Normal Attacks.
• At the C6 constellation, she transforms into an outstanding off-field Sub-DPS.

Weaknesses

• DMG buffs fall below average relative to other characters.
• Her Elemental Burst causes Hydro infusion, which is bad for certain characters’ elemental reactions.
• Her overall energy regeneration is low.

As a support character, Candace brings so many abilities to your team. Her primary strength is enhancing another member’s Elemental Normal Attacks through her impactful Elemental Burst.

Furthermore, she has a strong shield and parry mechanism similar to Beidou to reduce damage and safeguard the team from harm. As she reaches her 6th constellation, Candace evolves into an exceptional off-field Sub-DPS, amplifying her value.

Despite her strengths, Candace does have some notable weaknesses that place other Hydro units ahead of her. Her buff is not as powerful compared to other characters, and she struggles with generating sufficient Elemental Particles.

Additionally, the Hydro infusion from her Elemental Burst may not be compatible with certain team compositions, limiting her overall presence in specific scenarios.

FAQs

Which Hydro character is best in Genshin Impact?

Xingqiu is the best Hydro character in Genshin Impact. He is an SS-tier character. His Elemental Skill generates multiple Elemental Particles to regenerate energy and reduces damage done to his team. Additionally, his Elemental Burst is a reliable and steady Hydro application on enemies.

How many hydro characters are there in Genshin Impact?

As of the latest update, Genshin Impact features 9 unique Hydro characters. The game has also teased an upcoming Hydro character, the Hydro Traveller, in their 3.8 Livestream, showcasing her abilities. She’ll most likely release on the 16th of August, 2023, in the 4.0 version update.

Who is the best hydro healer in Genshin?

Kokomi possesses distinct advantages when it comes to healing. Initially, she may not have been widely recognized as a primary healer, unlike Barbara. Still, she has ascended to become the top-tier healer in Genshin Impact.

Final Thoughts

Hydro characters in Genshin Impact offer a versatile and essential role in the game, providing valuable support, crowd control, and elemental reactions.

Here you’ll find all the Hydro character descriptions, their best attributes, and how to use them effectively in battles.

Comment below if you have further questions, and we’ll get back to you.