All Playable Cryo User in Genshin Impact: In many games created by Hoyoverse, the role of elements is essential in determining character utility. This is particularly pronounced in Genshin Impact, where elemental interactions give rise to various reactions. Certain reactions, including Melt, are highly regarded by players, making Cryo one of the most favored elements. Thus, players tend to pay significant attention to characters that feature the Cryo element.
Genshin Impact has witnessed considerable growth in its character roster across all elemental types, with Cryo particularly distinguished by the presence of 15 characters utilizing this element. This wealth of Cryo characters grants players a broad spectrum of options, each with unique strengths and utilities that enhance the gaming experience. However, it is essential to understand that the capabilities of Cryo characters are not identical; their effectiveness can fluctuate depending on their abilities, roles, and the synergies they form within team setups.
1. Ayaka
Ayaka possesses one of the most distinctive move sets in the game, particularly advantageous for exploration. Additionally, her sprint significantly enhances her combat capabilities by allowing her to infuse her blade with Cryo, ensuring a reliable source of Cryo application and damage. Overall, she boasts the highest potential for raw Cryo damage among all Cryo characters, attributed to her formidable auto-attacks and Burst.
When her ascension stat is considered, which is Crit Damage, along with her excellent synergy with the Cryo Resonance and the Blizzard Strayer artifact set, she can inflict catastrophic damage when paired with the right team, especially in Freeze compositions.
2. Wriothesley
The recent launch of Wriothesley has diversified the Cryo DPS alternatives for players, while also marking the debut of the first Cryo Catalyst character. Wriothesley’s popularity is well-justified, as his abilities provide substantial DPS potential and exhibit a distinctive fighting style similar to Heizou, thereby differentiating him in terms of animations and gameplay as a catalyst character.
Wriothesley integrates effortlessly into the overarching theme of Fontaine characters, highlighting the dynamics of HP gain and loss inherent in their abilities. This characteristic complements his exceptional synergy with other characters from the Fontaine region, establishing him as both a collaborative team member and an independent unit. His distinctive buffs and healing functions enhance his self-sufficiency, fostering a unique playstyle that appeals to numerous players.
When compared to Ayaka, a character known for her versatility as a Cryo DPS, Wriothesley appears to have certain constraints. Ayaka’s prowess is attributed to her lack of dependence on specific synergies with other characters or situational requirements. Moreover, Ayaka possesses a superior ability to engage multiple targets, a domain where Wriothesley is less effective, even though both characters operate in close combat.
3. Shenhe
The Elemental Skill of Shenhe, which generates Icy Quills, is a valuable asset for teams that focus on Cryo DPS. It can also be advantageous for Physical builds, as she is adept at reducing the Cryo and Physical resistance of enemies. Despite these strengths, she has certain drawbacks, particularly her specialized utility, which may not make her the most compatible choice for all team compositions, in contrast to other characters on this list.
Moreover, it is unfortunate that her E skill has significant periods of inactivity that players must manage. On the other hand, her Burst ability offers a satisfactory uptime, although it does not greatly impact the total damage per second (DPS). Taking everything into account, Shenhe is still a commendable character and is almost essential for Cryo team setups, given that her specialized Cryo support utility is unmatched by any other options available.
4. Ganyu
Ganyu, introduced in version 1.3, continues to be recognized as one of the finest Cryo DPS units available, largely due to her versatility and high damage output. Her support capabilities are noteworthy as well, particularly her ability to apply Cryo effectively with her extended Elemental Burst. Moreover, her Elemental Skill enables her to maintain distance from enemies while executing charged attacks, thus providing a reliable crowd control mechanism for both herself and her fellow team members.
Players who primarily utilize charge attacks with a bow may find Ganyu less suitable as a leading DPS character. Nevertheless, her kit is exceptionally powerful and works harmoniously with her own abilities as well as those of other characters. When optimized for a melt composition, she has the potential to surpass Ayaka as a primary DPS Cryo unit. However, with the introduction of newer characters, Ganyu has undoubtedly experienced a decline in her ranking, particularly as the charged attack playstyle has become less advantageous in certain content and is no longer as distinctive, given the emergence of characters like Tignari and Lyney who share a similar approach.
5. Diona
A significant number of Genshin Impact players have been tempted to bypass Diona when selecting a Cryo character, especially in the early game when Qiqi was regarded as a more effective healer. Nevertheless, this error was quickly recognized, as players came to understand that Diona is indeed a high-caliber healer and support unit. The primary advantage of Diona is her versatility. Although she may not specialize in any particular skill, her range of abilities allows her to adapt to multiple roles when necessary, such as healing, enabling, shielding, and more. Her healing capability is particularly noteworthy, as it creates a healing area that also applies the Cryo status.
In terms of team composition, Diona is compatible with a wide range of characters. Nevertheless, it is recommended to utilize a Cryo support healer build. A team that focuses on elemental mastery or elemental reactions can significantly benefit from her C6 ability. This approach allows Diona to provide healing while simultaneously enhancing the elemental mastery of her teammates. Additionally, players may consider forming an effective Freeze team with Ayaka or a physical damage team featuring Eula.
6. Charlotte
The version 4.2 update introduces Charlotte to the playable roster, offering a rare combination of sub-DPS and healing functions, which makes her an adaptable choice for specific team arrangements. By teaming her with characters such as Wriothesley and Furina, players can achieve a robust synergy, particularly beneficial for those seeking a character that extends beyond basic healing.
An important aspect, particularly concerning her initial constellation, is Charlotte’s exceptional healing output, which is a surprising attribute for a character that focuses on both healing and sEula is considered the best physical damage unit in the game. When played effectively, her Elemental Burst can produce outstanding damage output, often capable of eliminating nearly all adversaries it strikes. Furthermore, her Cryo element makes it easier to create Superconduct reactions in collaboration with off-field Electro characters such as Fischl, Raiden, and Yae Miko.
Moreover, Eula exhibits a more consistent DPS than her counterparts, attributed to her minimal periods of inactivity. The stacks from her elemental skill not only augment her interruption resistance but also elevate her base defense statistics. Furthermore, when these stacks are activated, they can lower the Physical and Cryo resistance of nearby enemies, consequently boosting her total damage. Thus, Eula is a character that is relatively easy to build, providing sufficient flexibility in team arrangements to maximize her effectiveness and damage delivery.
8. Layla
Layla is the most recent member of the Cryo roster, having been incorporated into the game with the 3.2 patch. Her main role is to provide defensive support, as her Elemental skill generates a shield. During the activation of this shield, she also creates Night Stars, which facilitate Cryo application and energy generation. In terms of her build, she is quite easy to configure, favoring Artifacts and Weapons that enhance Energy Recharge to decrease cooldowns, along with maximizing her HP. However, it is not advisable to pursue a damage build due to her low damage modifiers.
While Layla’s effectiveness is significantly tied to her Constellations, she is still a commendable unit that can be incorporated into numerous team setups. It is important to note, however, that her shield is not particularly strong; if it is broken, her other benefits—such as damage, cryo application, and energy particle generation—will become inactive. Overall, with proper construction, she can be a valuable member of any team.
9. Mika
Mika’s role as a Physical support character is notably unique, setting him apart from other niche characters such as Faruzan, Gorou, and Kujou Sara, who each cater to specific elemental needs. While he offers valuable buffs and healing to his team, the challenge remains in identifying the most suitable team compositions that can fully exploit his abilities. The specialized nature of Physical teams, along with Eula’s exceptional performance in this category, poses challenges for Mika in attaining widespread applicability.
Generally, Physical teams are less favored for tackling challenging content, especially in the later tiers of the Spiral Abyss. Unless future updates improve the performance of Physical DPS teams, Mika may not be seen as a priority by a considerable number of players.
10. Rosaria
Rosaria is a remarkable 4-star Cryo Polearm character, equipped with a highly adaptable and potent skill set that allows her to assume multiple roles within diverse team compositions. Both her Skill and Burst can trigger the Melt reaction, facilitating significant damage output for the team.
Furthermore, her short skill cooldown ensures reliable off-field Cryo application and contributes to effective energy generation. A standout feature of her kit is the team-wide Crit buff, which harmonizes exceptionally with other Cryo characters.
Despite her strengths, she encounters considerable competition from other Cryo characters that frequently fulfill comparable roles. Additionally, her burst ability imposes certain limitations, as the party must stay within the designated burst area. Although she does not depend entirely on Constellations, several of them—particularly the second—play a crucial role in enhancing her overall performance.
11. Freminet
Fontaine’s first patch debut featured Freminet, a Cryo Claymore character, alongside his more acclaimed siblings, Lyney and Lynette. While Freminet does not possess significant synergy with his siblings, his standalone utility is also somewhat limited. He can be configured as either a Physical or Cryo DPS, which allows for some versatility, yet his damage output is comparatively lower than that of existing characters.
The kit indicates the Shatter reaction, implying that employing Freeze could be a viable strategy; however, Shatter is not regarded as a particularly powerful or desirable elemental reaction when compared to other Cryo-related interactions.
Nevertheless, for players keen on trying out new Physical builds and who do not have characters such as Eula, Freminet may present an interesting alternative to consider.
12. Qiqi
It is well-known that Qiqi was a character of great demand when Genshin Impact first debuted. Her healing abilities were crucial for any team, making her a favored selection among players. However, circumstances have changed, and with the introduction of new characters, Qiqi’s reputation as the leading healer has waned.
The main concern regarding Qiqi is her lack of versatility, which confines her to the role of a healer. In comparison to Diona, another Cryo healer, Qiqi is unable to generate energy for her team or offer shielding. Additionally, although her Cryo application is useful for Superconduct teams, it does not deliver any special advantages in other situations.
13. Kaeya
While it is true that Kaeya offers considerable advantages during the early game among the five free characters, his effectiveness diminishes when compared to other Cryo units. His combat potential is somewhat restricted, as his skill, though straightforward to utilize, lacks the potency of other Cryo abilities. This observation extends to his burst ability as well, although both skills can still provide support. In contrast, Kaeya excels as a utility character, yet his contributions are significantly reduced without extensive character enhancement.
An additional challenge in optimizing Kaeya’s capabilities is the difficulty in obtaining his constellations. He is not featured in any rate-up banners, which limits players to acquiring him through random pulls on the Standard banner or by purchasing him from the Starglitter Shop, if he is available. For those who wish to integrate Kaeya into their teams, a solid team composition can effectively counterbalance his deficiencies. Players will find that Kaeya’s support build is particularly efficient in facilitating Cryo reactions.
14. Chongyun
In the initial stages of Genshin Impact, Chongyun emerged as one of the most favored and desired characters among players for team composition. His ability to infuse Cryo made him a formidable partner in battles. However, as the game has progressed, the necessity of Chongyun’s Cryo application has diminished, leading to a decline in his popularity, particularly with the arrival of characters like Ayaka, who can seamlessly integrate Cryo into her weapon, as well as other units that offer superior Cryo application.
Overall, Chongyun can be effectively categorized as a Cryo support or DPS character. In his capacity as a support, he focuses on facilitating elemental reactions by creating a Cryo infusion zone through his elemental skill. This strategy, however, is not without its drawbacks; it infuses all attacks, requiring that the character responsible for triggering the reaction abstain from using their attacks within Chongyun’s zone unless their skills are not influenced by his infusion. On the flip side, Chongyun can also perform as a Cryo DPS by generating reactions in his zone. Nonetheless, this approach carries its own challenges, as it complicates the enabler’s role for the same infusion-related reasons.
15. Aloy
Aloy is the premier and unique playable crossover character in Genshin Impact, resulting from a collaboration between Guerrilla Games and HoYoverse. To celebrate her addition to the game, she was provided at no cost to all players who logged in during a specific timeframe, while her weapon was exclusively available to those on PlayStation.
Unfortunately, Aloy does not make a notable impression compared to other characters in Genshin Impact, as she appears somewhat incongruous. Her character kit is often considered weak, lacking any substantial or innovative contributions to the team. Additionally, the inability to unlock constellations for her results in Aloy being a character that is frequently forgotten.
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