Genshin Impact: Best Crowd Control Characters

Genshin Impact thrives on its diverse array of characters, each bringing a unique flair to the gameplay. An essential yet sometimes underestimated element of team strategy involves leveraging crowd control (CC) characters. These heroes excel in orchestrating the battlefield, managing the positions and movements of enemies to tilt the scales in your favor.

Crowd control in Genshin Impact can be categorized into three main techniques: grouping (clustering enemies together for efficient damage), immobilization (preventing enemies from moving freely), and taunting (drawing enemy attacks away from more vulnerable teammates). Effectively combining these crowd control abilities with DPS and support skills can dramatically enhance your team’s effectiveness in combat.

In this guide, we delve into the best crowd control characters in Genshin Impact, highlighting those who not only disrupt enemy lines but also seamlessly integrate with various team compositions to dominate across Teyvat’s challenges.

#11: Jean

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Sword

As the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Jean is a formidable force both administratively and on the battlefield. Her Elemental Skill, Gale Blade, unleashes a whirlwind that sweeps enemies in the direction of her attack while inflicting Anemo damage. By holding down the Elemental Skill button, players can enhance the vacuum effect of Jean’s Gale Blade at the expense of stamina, increasing its crowd control capabilities.

Jean’s utility in any team is unmatched due to her dual role as a crowd controller and healer. She excels particularly in a DPS role when used to trigger Swirl reactions, making her an excellent partner for characters like Xiangling or Yae Miko, who specialize in sustained off-field damage.

Gale Blade Vacuum Field Overview:

• Activation Condition: Hold Elemental Skill
• Pulling Radius: 10 meters
• Strength Increase: From 2 to 4 with C1 (Constellation 1) unlocked
• Weight Requirement for Effectiveness: Greater than or equal to 150

Jean’s ability to control and heal makes her an invaluable addition to any Genshin Impact lineup, blending seamlessly into various team compositions to enhance both offensive strategies and defensive tactics.

#10: Amber

Element: Pyro
Weapon: Bow

Amber, the ever-cheerful outrider of Mondstadt, is likely the first companion you encounter in your Genshin Impact adventure. Known for her vivacious personality and strategic acumen on the battlefield, Amber’s Elemental Skill introduces Baron Bunny, a decoy explosive that not only captivates but controls enemy movements.

When activated, Baron Bunny performs an enticing dance, attracting the attention of nearby foes. After a short duration, it detonates, inflicting Pyro damage to all in proximity. By holding the Elemental Skill button, players gain the ability to precisely position Baron Bunny, allowing for tactical placement that leverages the terrain to funnel enemies into unfavorable positions or environmental hazards.

For instance, Amber can strategically deploy Baron Bunny near cliffs or ledges, luring enemies towards them and providing a prime opportunity for high-ground attacks. This skillful manipulation of the battlefield underscores Amber’s role not just as a damage dealer but as a master of crowd control, making her an unexpectedly versatile member of any team composition.

#9: Anemo Traveler

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Sword

The Traveler, when aligned with Anemo, transforms into a formidable force in crowd control with their Elemental Burst, Gust Surge. This powerful ability summons a fierce tornado that sweeps across the battlefield, entrapping objects and enemies in its path.

This tornado isn’t just a gust of wind; it features the unique Elemental Absorption property. This allows it to take on additional Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro elements from nearby sources, enhancing its destructive capability by dealing corresponding Elemental damage to those ensnared within its vortex.

Gust Surge Vacuum Field Characteristics:

• Pulling Radius: 5 meters
• Inner Radius: 1 meter
• Strength: 7
• Attenuation: 0.5
• Weight Requirement: Greater than or equal to 100

The Anemo Traveler’s Gust Surge is not only a spectacle of natural force but also a strategic tool in battle. Its ability to pull in enemies and synergize with other elements makes it particularly effective in controlling the flow of combat and setting up devastating elemental reactions, underscoring the Anemo Traveler’s role as a versatile and dynamic fighter in any team setup.

#8: Ganyu

Element: Cryo
Weapon: Bow

Ganyu, known for her half-qilin lineage and her role as the diligent secretary for the Liyue Qixing, excels in battlefield control with her Elemental Skill, Trail of the Qilin. This ability allows her to summon an ice lotus while gracefully leaping backward, creating distance between her and her foes. The ice lotus serves as a decoy, attracting enemy attacks and providing Ganyu a strategic position to safely execute her devastating archery skills. As the ice lotus concludes its duration, it detonates, dealing substantial Cryo damage to all nearby adversaries.

A key tactical feature of Ganyu’s skill is the persistence of the ice lotus on the battlefield, even after she is swapped out. This continuity allows for seamless integration of other characters’ abilities with the ice lotus, maintaining crowd control and enhancing overall team damage. This strategic deployment makes Ganyu a valuable asset in managing combat scenarios and maximizing the team’s offensive capabilities.

#7: Faruzan

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Bow

Madam Faruzan of Haravatat Darshan is not only revered for her profound knowledge of ancient technology but also for her adeptness in manipulating the battlefield. Her Elemental Skill, Wind Realm of Nasamjnin, employs a Pressurized Collapse effect that unleashes a forceful vortex when it strikes its target, pulling nearby enemies and objects into a swirling storm that inflicts significant Anemo damage.

What sets Faruzan apart is her skill’s synergy with allied characters. When Pressurized Collapse impacts an ally’s deployable object, like Amber’s Baron Bunny or Xiangling’s Guoba, it not only generates a vortex but also initiates a Swirl reaction. This dual action magnifies the damage output by combining the innate Anemo attack with enhanced effects from the ally’s object, thereby boosting the team’s tactical efficiency in combat scenarios.

Characteristics of Wind Realm of Nasamjnin Vacuum Field:

• Pulling Radius: 6 meters
• Inner Radius: 1 meter
• Strength: 2
• Attenuation: 2
• Weight Requirement: None

Faruzan’s ability to control the field and amplify damage through intelligent skill interactions makes her an invaluable asset in any team, particularly enhancing group dynamics and strategic positioning during engagements.

#6: Kaedehara Kazuha

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Sword

Kaedehara Kazuha, the sole heir of the esteemed Kaedehara blacksmiths, has masterfully intertwined the art of swordsmanship with his inherent Anemo powers. His Elemental Skill, Chihayaburu, epitomizes this fusion by drawing enemies in close before sweeping them upwards into the air, setting the stage for a powerful follow-up.

Upon executing a plunging attack, Kazuha creates a wind tunnel on impact that corrals his adversaries, further controlling the battlefield. This technique not only showcases his unique martial prowess but also his strategic Anemo manipulations, making him particularly effective in handling large groups of enemies in various settings like domains and the Spiral Abyss.

Kazuha shines brightest when teamed with characters who can exploit his Anemo for Swirl reactions, significantly amplifying the team’s overall damage output.

Chihayaburu Vacuum Field Dynamics:

• Standard Activation:
• Pulling Radius: 6 meters
• Inner Radius: 0.5 meters
• Strength: 4
• Attenuation: 2
• Weight Requirement for Small Enemies: Less than 100
• Weight Requirement for Large Enemies: Between 100 and 150
• Enhanced Holding Activation:
• Extended Pulling Radius: 10 meters
• Inner Radius: 0 meters for small enemies, 1 meter for large enemies
• Increased Strength: 2 for holding, 10 for small enemies and 20 for large enemies post-hold
• Increased Attenuation: 3 for small enemies and 4 for large enemies post-hold
• Weight Requirement: Less than 150 for holding, specific weights for post-hold conditions

Kazuha’s versatile skill set and his adept use of Anemo make him an invaluable asset to any Genshin Impact squad, blending traditional sword techniques with the modern dynamics of elemental combat.

#5: Lynette

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Sword

Despite her reserved nature, Lynette commands the battlefield with flair and strategic prowess. Her Elemental Burst, Magic Trick: Astonishing Shift, showcases her theatrical skills as she deals Anemo damage and then summons the mysterious Bogglecat Box. This enigmatic box captivates enemies, periodically emitting Anemo shots that lure foes towards it. When the box interacts with Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo elements, it generates Vivid Shots that match the contacted element, adding a dynamic layer to the battlefield.

Enhancing her crowd control abilities, Lynette’s C1 constellation, A Cold Blade Like a Shadow, introduces an additional tactical element. When her Elemental Skill, Enigmatic Feint, strikes an enemy, it creates a vortex at the impact site, pulling in nearby adversaries. This skill not only disrupts enemy formations but also sets the stage for powerful elemental combinations.

A Cold Blade Like a Shadow Vacuum Field Details:

• Pulling Radius: 6 meters
• Inner Radius: 1 meter
• Strength: 10
• Attenuation: 3
• Weight Requirement: None

Lynette’s blend of crowd control, elemental adaptability, and her unique theatrical combat style make her a versatile and intriguing character in Genshin Impact. Her ability to manipulate the battlefield with Anemo and other elements makes her an indispensable asset in any team composition, particularly effective in controlling large groups and enhancing elemental reactions.

#4: Sucrose

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Catalyst

As the dedicated assistant to Albedo and a gifted alchemist, Sucrose channels her scientific curiosity into her combat techniques. Her Elemental Skill, Astable Anemohypostasis Creation - 6308, and her Elemental Burst, Forbidden Creation - Isomer 75 / Type II, both unleash Wind Spirits that exert control over the battlefield. The former summons a small Wind Spirit that draws enemies in, while the latter calls forth a larger Wind Spirit with enhanced pulling power and the capability to lift foes, inflicting Anemo damage.

A distinctive feature of Sucrose’s Elemental Burst is its Elemental Absorption property. Should the Wind Spirit encounter Hydro, Pyro, Electro, or Cryo energies, it adapts to inflict additional Elemental DMG corresponding to that type, enhancing its tactical utility.

Sucrose’s Vacuum Field Attributes:

• Elemental Skill, Astable Anemohypostasis Creation - 6308
• Pulling Radius: 6 meters
• Inner Radius: 1 meter
• Strength: 4
• Attenuation: 2
• Elemental Burst, Forbidden Creation - Isomer 75 / Type II
• Pulling Radius: 15 meters
• Inner Radius: 3 meters
• Strength: 4
• Attenuation: 2

Sucrose is accessible as a four-star character on both the standard and Beginner’s Wish Banners, making her an excellent addition for free-to-play users. Her ability to quickly enhance team dynamics with her crowd control and elemental reaction capabilities makes her an indispensable support character, especially for players who can enhance her abilities early on.

#3: Mona

Element: Hydro
Weapon: Catalyst

Mona Megistus combines her adept knowledge of astrology with mastery in hydromancy to manipulate the battlefield. Her Elemental Skill, Mirror Reflection of Doom, summons a Phantom that not only draws enemy fire but also inflicts continuous Hydro damage. As the grand finale, this Phantom detonates after five seconds, drenching nearby foes with a powerful Hydro blast. For added utility, holding the Elemental Skill button grants Mona a brief window of invulnerability, allowing her to position or attack without interruption.

Her Elemental Burst, Stellaris Phantasm, showcases her true power by trapping adversaries within Illusory Bubbles. This immobilizes weaker targets and marks all ensnared enemies with the Omen debuff, increasing the damage they receive and setting the stage for devastating follow-up attacks.

Mona’s Elemental Abilities:

• Elemental Skill, Mirror Reflection of Doom:
• Phantom Lifetime: 5 seconds
• Damage Type: Periodic Hydro, followed by explosion
• Additional Feature: Invincibility on hold
• Elemental Burst, Stellaris Phantasm:
• Effect: Traps enemies in Illusory Bubbles
• Debuff: Omen, enhances damage against trapped enemies

Mona excels when synergizing with Dendro and Electro characters, leveraging the Hydro element to trigger potent Hyperbloom reactions. This strategic integration not only enhances her crowd control capabilities but also amplifies her role as a formidable force in any team composition. Her unique blend of defensive maneuvers and offensive setups makes her an invaluable asset in both cooperative play and solo ventures.

#2: Zhongli

Element: Geo
Weapon: Polearm

Zhongli, revered as the Geo Archon Rex Lapis, stands as a pillar of strength and versatility in Genshin Impact. His Elemental Skill, Dominus Lapidis, not only forges a formidable shield, touted as one of the mightiest in Teyvat, but also erects Stone Steles. These steles resonate with existing Geo constructs on the battlefield, continuously pulsing to deal Geo damage to adjacent foes.

With his Elemental Burst, Planet Befall, Zhongli calls down a meteor that crashes into the earth with devastating force, inflicting substantial Geo damage and Petrifying enemies. This Petrification effect immobilizes enemies, stripping them of their ability to act for several seconds, which is crucial for gaining the upper hand in battle.

Upon unlocking his C4 constellation, The Divine Retribution, the area of effect for Planet Befall is significantly expanded, enhancing Zhongli’s capability to command the battlefield by affecting even more enemies and setting up strategic plays for his team.

Zhongli’s Key Abilities:

• Elemental Skill, Dominus Lapidis:
• Shielding: Creates robust protective shields.
• Geo Constructs: Erects Stone Steles that deal ongoing Geo damage.
• Elemental Burst, Planet Befall:
• Damage: Deals massive Geo damage.
• Crowd Control: Petrifies enemies, rendering them immobile.
• Enhanced AoE: Expanded upon reaching C4 constellation.

Zhongli’s profound control over the Geo element and his unrivaled defensive capabilities make him an indispensable asset in any team composition, especially when challenging the most formidable opponents in Teyvat. His strategic prowess and protective nature not only safeguard allies but also lay the groundwork for victory across various combat scenarios.

#1: Venti

Element: Anemo
Weapon: Bow

Venti, the whimsical bard who is often seen with a wine cup in hand, is much more than meets the eye. As the Anemo Archon, also known as Lord Barbatos, he wields unparalleled control over the winds. His Elemental Burst, Wind’s Grand Ode, epitomizes crowd control, leveraging his command over the breeze to orchestrate the battlefield.

Upon activating his burst, Venti unleashes a torrential arrow, infused with the force of myriad winds, which summons a vast Stormeye. This powerful vortex draws in adversaries, trapping them while continuously inflicting Anemo damage.

A unique feature of the Stormeye is its Elemental Absorption capability, which allows it to merge with Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo elements it encounters. This adaptability enables Venti to deal additional elemental damage, greatly enhancing his effectiveness in combat by boosting the team’s ability to trigger various elemental reactions.

Characteristics of Wind’s Grand Ode Vacuum Field:

• Pulling Radius: 15 meters
• Inner Radius: 0.2 meters
• Strength: 6
• Attenuation: 0.5
• Weight Requirement: None

Venti’s exceptional ability to control groups of enemies with his Elemental Burst makes him an essential asset for any team, especially in situations requiring substantial crowd management. His dynamic role as both a crowd controller and a versatile damage enhancer cements his status as one of the most powerful and influential characters in Genshin Impact.

Conclusion

In Genshin Impact, mastering the art of crowd control can significantly enhance your strategic gameplay, particularly during challenging encounters. The characters highlighted in this blog—Venti, Zhongli, Mona, and others—represent the pinnacle of crowd control prowess. Each brings a unique set of abilities that can manipulate the battlefield, from pulling enemies together to immobilizing them, allowing for seamless integration of powerful elemental reactions and team strategies. Whether you’re tackling formidable bosses, navigating through domains, or competing in the Spiral Abyss, incorporating these crowd control specialists into your team can lead to a more controlled and effective combat experience. Harness the power of these characters to elevate your gameplay and turn the tides of battle in your favor.