Every character in Genshin Impact has a range of different talents. These are specific to them and will influence their combat as well as give them other skills and abilities. They can be leveled up in the same way as character levels, weapons, and artifacts. Constellations can also affect them.

In this guide, we take a look at the different talent types, when and how to ascend them, and the benefits they can unlock.

Updated September 4, 2021 By Helen Ashcroft: Now Inazuma has been released there are also new talent materials to collect from additional domains. This article has now been updated to reflect the new talent tree items you’ll need to ascend your Inazuma inhabitants.

Combat Talents In Genshin Impact

The majority of characters have three combat talents; normal attack, elemental skill, and elemental burst. The normal attack talent will affect normal, charged, and plunging attacks. These are your regular attacks, those which consume stamina, and attacks performed from a height.

Your elemental skill is also known as your E move, while elemental burst is your Q move.

The combat talents tend to be similar across characters, for instance, normal attacks will often be boosted to perform up to five rapid strikes, and plunging from mid-air will often deal AOE damage on impact. Other combat talents will be very specific, depending on the elemental class and moves of your character.

Combat talents can be upgraded using talent level-up materials, alongside common ascension items and their maximum level is linked to your character’s ascension phase. They can also be affected by constellations, for example, Traveller’s third constellation, Sweeping Gust, increases the level of their Gust Surge talent by three, as well as increasing the level cap up to 13.

Passive Talents In Genshin Impact

Passive talents are variable and generally, two of them will be linked to a character’s skills. For example, they may add increased damage or healing utility to elemental or burst attacks. These will be unlocked at the first ascension phase, at adventure rank 15, and the fourth ascension phase, at adventure rank 35. The third talent is known as the passive utility talent and is unlocked from level one.

None of these talents are upgradable.

Some passive utility talents offer a bonus when cooking or crafting, others reduce stamina usage for your party while gliding or swimming and finally, there are talents that display specific items on your map including certain kinds of ore or items native to specific areas.

Ascension Phases In Genshin Impact

Talent leveling and unlocking is dependant on your character’s ascension phase. Ascension phases are linked to adventure rank and increase the maximum levels of your characters, weapons, and talents. Here’s how.

First Ascension Phase

Ascension phases begin at adventure rank 15 when your character can hit a maximum level of 40 and your first passive talent unlocks.

Second Ascension Phase

This is unlocked at adventure rank 25 and increases character level to 50 and combat talent leveling to level two.

Third Ascension Phase

At adventure rank 30 your character’s level cap increases to 60 and combat talents can be leveled up to four.

Fourth Ascension Phase

When you hit adventure rank 35 the character level rises to 70 and your second passive talent is unlocked. You’ll also be able to raise combat talents to level six.

Fifth Ascension Phase

Adventure rank 40 unlocks this next phase which raises the level cap to 80 and your combat talent level to eight.

Sixth Ascension Phase

The final ascension phase increases the level cap for characters to 90 and your combat talents can now go up to level ten, or slightly higher if affected by constellations.

Leveling Combat Talents In Genshin Impact

Combat talents scale as they are leveled up and the majority will hit cap at level ten. The exceptions are when constellations add extra levels, which stop at level 13. Talents cannot be leveled past ten, except with a constellation talent.

The primary items needed are six different types of talent level-up books, each with three levels of rarity. The higher the talent, the rarer the book you’ll need. These books drop from different domains across Mondstadt, Liyue and Inazuma. As with other ascension materials, lower rarity items can be combined using alchemy to create higher-level ones.

There are also nine items that drop from weekly bosses that are used to level talents to seven and above. Finally, the crown of insight can only be obtained during limited-time events and is used to level talents up to ten.

Where To Find Talent Level Up Books

There are three types of books per region.

Mondstadt

  • Freedom Resistance Ballad

Liyue

  • Prosperity Diligence Gold

Inazuma

  • Transience Elegance Light

Each one has three levels. The most common is teachings of each book type, followed by the mid-level guide to book type, and finally the philosophies of book type.

These books are spread across the three Domains of Mastery, in Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma. Here’s where and when to find each one.

Note: All books are available on Sundays.

Freedom Books

  • Found In: Forsaken Rift: Domain of Mastery in Mondstadt, just below Springvale. Days Dropped: Monday, Thursday, Sunday. Used By: Aloy, Klee, Tartaglia, Traveler, Amber, Barbara, Diona, Sucrose.

Resistance Books

  • Found In: Forsaken Rift: Domain of Mastery in Mondstadt, just below Springvale. Days Dropped: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday. Used By: Diluc, Eula, Jean, Mona, Traveler, Bennett, Noelle, Razor.

Ballad Books

  • Found In: Forsaken Rift: Domain of Mastery in Mondstadt, just below Springvale. Days Dropped: Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday. Used By: Albedo, Venti, Traveler, Fischl, Kaeya, Lisa, Rosaria.

Prosperity Books

  • Found In: Taishan Mansion: Domain of Mastery in Liyue, just below Jueyun Karst. Days Dropped: Monday, Thursday, Sunday. Used By: Keqing, Qiqi, Xiao, Traveler, Ningguang

Diligence Books

  • Found In: Taishan Mansion: Domain of Mastery in Liyue, just below Jueyun Karst. Days Dropped: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday. Used By: Ganyu, Hu Tao, Kazuha, Traveler, Chongyun, Xiangling.

Gold Books

  • Found In: Taishan Mansion: Domain of Mastery in Liyue, just below Jueyun Karst. Days Dropped: Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday. Used By: Zhongli, Traveler, Beidou, Xingqiu, Xinyan, Yanfei.

Transience Books

  • Found In: Violet Court, Domain of Mastery, West of Inazuma City. Days Dropped: Monday, Thursday, Sunday. Used By: Yoimiya

Elegance Books

  • Found In: Violet Court, Domain of Mastery, West of Inazuma City. Days Dropped: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday. Used By: Ayaka, Kujou Sara.

Light Books

  • Found In: Violet Court, Domain of Mastery, West of Inazuma City Days Dropped: Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday. Used By: Raiden, Sayu

Weekly Boss Drops For Talent Leveling

Alongside the books, you will need weekly boss drops. There are five bosses in total and each one drops three items. Here’s what you need to know.

Andrius - The Wolf of The North

  • Drop: Tail of Boreas Used By: Qiqi, Venti, Traveler, Xingqui. Drop: Ring of Boreas Used By: Keqing, Klee, Mona, Barbara. Drop: Spirit Locket of Boreas Used By: Fischl, Kaeya, Ningguang, Sucrose.

  • Used By: Qiqi, Venti, Traveler, Xingqui.

  • Used By: Keqing, Klee, Mona, Barbara.

  • Used By: Fischl, Kaeya, Ningguang, Sucrose.

Dvalin

  • Drop: Dvalin’s Plume Used By: Diluc, Jean, Bennett. Drop: Dvalin’s Claw Used By: Lisa, Noelle, Razor, Xiangling. Drop: Dvalin’s Sigh Used By: Traveler, Amber, Beidou, Chongyun.

Childe

  • Drop: Tusk of Monoceros Caeli Used By: Albedo, Zhongli, Xinyan. Drop: Shard of a Foul Legacy Used By: Hu Tao, Tartaglia, Diona. Drop: Shadow of the Warrior Used By: Ganyu, Xiao, Rosaria.

Azhdaha

  • Drop: Dragon Lord’s Crown Used By: Eula, Yoimaya, Traveler Drop: Bloodjade Broach Used By: Ayaka, Yanfei Drop: Gilded Scale Used By: Kazuha, Sayu

Signora

  • Drop: Molten Moment Used By: Aloy, Raiden Drop:Hellfire Butterfly Drop: Ashen Heart Used By: Kujou Sara

  • Used By: Diluc, Jean, Bennett.

  • Used By: Lisa, Noelle, Razor, Xiangling.

  • Used By: Traveler, Amber, Beidou, Chongyun.

  • Used By: Albedo, Zhongli, Xinyan.

  • Used By: Hu Tao, Tartaglia, Diona.

  • Used By: Ganyu, Xiao, Rosaria.

  • Used By: Eula, Yoimaya, Traveler

  • Used By: Ayaka, Yanfei

  • Used By: Kazuha, Sayu

  • Used By: Aloy, Raiden

  • Used By: Kujou Sara

Talent Leveling Costs

Talent leveling is expensive but the cost is spread quite well due to the ten-level cap. Each phase has a Mora cost as well as requirements for other items. Here’s what to expect at each level.

  • Talent Level 1-2 12,500 Mora 3 x low-level books 6 x one-star common ascension materials. Talent Level 2-3 17,500 Mora 2 x mid-level books 3 x two-star common ascension materials. Talent Level 3-4 25,000 Mora 4 x mid-level books 4 x two-star common ascension materials.

  • Talent Level 4-5 30,000 Mora 6 x mid-level books 6 x two-star common ascension materials. Talent Level 5-6 37,500 Mora 9 x mid-level books 9 x two-star common ascension materials. Talent Level 6-7 120,000 Mora 4 x high-level books 4 x three-star common ascension materials 1 x weekly boss drop. Talent Level 7-8 260,000 Mora 6 x high-level books 6 x three-star common ascension material 1 x weekly boss drop.

  • Talent Level 8-9 450,000 Mora 12 x high-level books 9 x three-star common ascension material 2 x weekly boss drop Talent Level 9-10 700,000 Mora 16 x high-level books 12 x three-star common ascension material 2 x weekly boss drop 1 crown of ascension (from special events).

Total Cost of Levelling Talents to Ten

The total cost of leveling talents up to ten is:

  • 12,500 Mora 3 x low-level books 6 x one-star common ascension materials.

  • 17,500 Mora 2 x mid-level books 3 x two-star common ascension materials.

  • 25,000 Mora 4 x mid-level books 4 x two-star common ascension materials.

  • 30,000 Mora 6 x mid-level books 6 x two-star common ascension materials.

  • 37,500 Mora 9 x mid-level books 9 x two-star common ascension materials.

  • 120,000 Mora 4 x high-level books 4 x three-star common ascension materials 1 x weekly boss drop.

  • 260,000 Mora 6 x high-level books 6 x three-star common ascension material 1 x weekly boss drop.

  • 450,000 Mora 12 x high-level books 9 x three-star common ascension material 2 x weekly boss drop

  • 700,000 Mora 16 x high-level books 12 x three-star common ascension material 2 x weekly boss drop 1 crown of ascension (from special events).

  • 1,652,500 Mora 3 x low-level books 21 x mid-level books 38 x high-level books 6 x one-star ascension materials 22 x two-star ascension material 31 x three-star ascension materials 6 x weekly boss drops 1 x crown of insight

Balancing Talents While Levelling

Different characters have different priorities for talent leveling. As such if you can’t increase everything at once it’s a good idea to check the details of each talent. Depending on your playstyle and primary role, different talents will be more important.

A good example of this is with characters who have healing abilities linked to their Q moves, such as Diona. If you always play in a party with another healer boosting the Q moves healing won’t be as important as if you run heavily DPS focused, or have characters like Beidou or Hu Tao who damage themselves in order to increase their damage.

Overall, talents can be expensive to level but make a large impact on your character, so make sure to check your options at the appropriate ascension stages. It’s also a good idea to run through domains you’ll need between phases as resin will be the biggest barrier for collecting ascension materials. If you have Geo Traveler you may also want to cheese the Childe fight.