Many players in Genshin Impact see the Elemental Burst as the be-all, end-all ability, that one button that might as well be labeled “delete enemies.” However, that’s only true for some characters. Because no matter how shiny some Elemental Bursts are, some Elemental Skills simply outshine or outperform them. For characters with such a trait, consider that a blessing.
For one, Elemental Skills have no other cost than their cooldown. Another benefit of having such a character is how their talents can be cheaper to upgrade. If they’re a one-trick pony that mostly relies on their Elemental Skill to be useful or do damage, then you already got a good deal compared to other characters. So to help you know which of these characters have tastier appetizers than main courses, here they are and how their skills stack up.
10 Chongyun
Liyue’s resident exorcist – even though ghosts are friendly in Genshin Impact, for the most part – Chongyun is a cool character. Among all his cryo abilities though, most of you would want him for his Elemental Skill, Spirit Blade.
It’s where Chongyun creates a field of effect that converts all normal attacks to cryo. It’s a lot more useful than his clunky and underwhelming Elemental Burst. Most players have resorted to using Chongyun to procure Melt reactions with consistency. That way, he can contribute more damage to that party compared to using his Burst.
9 Albedo
Albedo, or Elevator boy for the cultured players of Genshin Impact, is one of the most underrated geo characters in the game. He’s a lovely cross between Zhongli and Ningguang, ability-wise. His Elemental Burst leaves a lot to be desired though.
That one is slow and doesn’t hit as wide or hard compared to Zhongli’s meteor. Consequently, many players have built Albedo around his strongest asset, which is his Elemental Skill or his elevators. Not only does it raise up the players both in spirits and elevation but also bolsters each attack with geo damage and a chance to generate shields.
8 Qiqi
Qiqi is currently considered as the worst 5-star character right now and also one of the worst healers in the game due to her long skill cooldowns. One saving grace she has is her Herald of Frost Elemental Skill which provides periodic heals and mediocre cryo application.
It’s actually a bit wasted if you use it and switch to another character as using it on Qiqi and then making her attack will tag the target with a life-leech curse. This way, Qiqi’s purpose as a healer gets improved. You can also safely ignore her Elemental Burst due to the demanding energy requirement and the long cooldown.
7 Jean
Jean Gunnhildr is one of the most flexible characters in the game due to her skill set. Truth be told, her Elemental Burst isn’t that bad as it’s a healing and anemo damage field. The only caveat is that it doesn’t always synergize well with her Elemental Skill, Gale Blade.
That’s because Gale Blade is one of the best crowd control abilities in the game. When held, it can group together enemies and prime them up for some nasty yeeting in any direction. Compared to what the Elemental Burst can offer, that one’s more exciting.
6 Xinyan
Xinyan is one of the least popular characters in the game since her specializations are all over the place despite being a pyro claymore user. Her Elemental Burst is a mix of physical and pyro damage, making her Elemental Skill a more consistent ability.
Xinyan’s Elemental Skill, Sweeping Fervor, is a wide damage field that also generates a shield. It also infuses her with pyro damage and the shield scales off Xinyan’s defense. The best part is that the shield stays even if you switch characters.
5 Diona
Despite being an alcoholic furry (someone had to say it), Diona is actually one of the most reliable healers and shield-generators in the game. Her Elemental Skill, Icy Paws, is an adorable way to kill Hilichurls which also doubles up as a way to freeze their lifeless bodies.
Once you’ve killed them and made corpsicles out of their carcasses, you then get a shield that absorbs thousands of damage. More than anything, it eliminates the need for Diona’s Elemental Burst which is a healing field.
4 Fischl
Fischl has been overshadowed by many competent supports and crippled by her own electro element which is considered as the weakest in the game right now. However, her Elemental Skill, Oz, remains one of the most available and generous abilities in the game.
It summons Fischl’s raven companion who deals tons of electro damage and also makes you feel illiterate with how posh and Shakespearean he is. It’s so good that even her Elemental Burst brings back Oz.
3 Beidou
Those who have mastered Beidou’s capacity to fully counter any attack will swear by her and how she can compete with some 5-star characters. That counter stems from Beidou’s intricate Elemental Skill, Tidecaller.
Its hold variant lets Beidou use her claymore as a shield whereupon it will absorb any incoming damage. Once Beidou releases the hold, all that damage will come hurdling at the enemy’s face. At times, it can deal higher numbers compared to her Elemental Burst.
2 Tartaglia
Tartaglia is notorious for having a long cooldown for his abilities, making him nigh-unusable in hydro leyline domains. In regular unhandicapped situations though, it’s easy to see where his strength lies: in his Foul Legacy Elemental Skill.
It allows Tartaglia to change weapons and fighting styles were switching to melee lets him deal consistent hydro damage. In fact, even his Elemental Burst depends a lot on his Elemental Skill, making him more complex than other straightforward DPS carries.
1 Diluc
Shocking isn’t it? But any Diluc main worth his salt shouldn’t be relying on Dawn, the Elemental Burst. Because once the numbers have been calculated, it turns out Diluc’s Searing Onslaught, the Elemental Skill, is actually a more consistent damage output. It also has a lower cooldown and can be repeatedly used thrice.
If you do have Diluc, make sure to put all the talent level up his Elemental Skill to max first. It’s actually his bread and butter and synergizes better with Xingqiu’s hydro application.
NEXT: All Genshin Impact Weapons, Artifacts, And Elements Guides
