Genshin Impact: Ganyu Build (Weapons, Artifacts and Talents)

Preview

Ganyu is a versatile character and can be used as a Main DPS or Sub DPS role in your team. This guide will give you options for both using her as a Main DPS or Sub DPS, including varied weapons, artifacts to suit your team's needs. There will also be options for free to play, as well as beginner players. 

Ganyu has the potential to be both an amazing Main and Sub DPS, due to her AoE Cryo damage when it comes to her charged shots, skills, as well as her ultimate. Additionally, she can leave her ice lotus on the field even when swapping to another character, allowing for continuous Cryo damage dealt to enemies. Do consider her role in your team and your playing style before building her with certain talents or artifacts!

If playing on mobile where it is more challenging for you to aim, you might prefer using Ganyu as a Sub DPS for her ice lotus skill and her ultimate to deal AoE Cryo damage, instead of relying on her charged shots as a Main DPS.  

Weapons

For Sub DPS Ganyu, you can use the 4 star Stringless for the Elemental Burst DMG sub-stat as that allows for greater AoE Cryo damage if you plan to use Ganyu for her ultimate. If you have the 5 star Skyward Harp, it allows for increased Crit DMG and increased Physical ATK DMG. Unfortunately, there aren't many free-to-play options for a Sub DPS Ganyu so if you don't have both of these weapons, you can consider a different build below. 

The Sharpshooter's Oath is a 3 star weapon and is a great option for beginners in the game, but it requires some skill as the sub-stat of increase in ATK is only if you can shoot the enemies at their weak points. 

Prototype Crescent is ideal for a Free to Play player without other bows recommended in this article as it is craftable and increases ATK with a sub-stat that increases movement speed. However, this weapon also requires skill in terms of hitting the weak points of enemies, but it seems to be the best F2P option for now. 

The 5 star Amos Bow is the best option due to the stackable ATK stats of the weapon, and the increased normal and charged shot DMG has the potential to deal insane DMG. Particularly, the increased DMG for arrows being in flight allows for extremely long-range attacks. 

The Viridescent Hunt can be obtained from the Gnostic Hymn of the Battle Pass and the cyclone generated with the icicles dropped on enemies has proven to deal higher DMG. Rust can also be used due to its ATK stat, and both these weapons can be used for either a Sub or Main DPS Ganyu.

However, both these weapons seem to be better for Tartaglia (due to his melee attack) and I would recommend using them on him instead if you have the other weapon options available for Ganyu.   

Artifacts

For a Sub DPS Ganyu, the best artifact sets to use would be a 2-set Blizzard Strayer and a 2-set Noblesse Oblige. This allows for an Elemental Burst DMG bonus, as well as a Cryo DMG bonus such that she will allow for higher damage numbers when using her ultimate. This facilitates elemental reactions such as Superconduct, Melt and Frozen.  

The Blizzard Strayer set can be obtained from the Peak of Vindagnyr domain, you can view the guide on completing this domain here. 

The Noblesse Oblige set can be obtained from Clear Pool and Mountain Cavern, which I will make a guide about later on.

The stats and sub-stats that you should prioritise are as below: 

• Flower sub-stats: Crit DMG, Crit Rate and ATK 
• Feather stat: ATK; sub-stat: Crit DMG, ATK
• Watch stat: Energy Recharge 
• Goblet stat: Cryo DMG Bonus (can be any artifact set, as long as the main stat is Cryo DMG)
• Mask stat: Crit DMG or Crit Rate

Gladiator's Finale set can be obtained from defeating any bosses (such as Hypostases, Regisvines, Oceanid, Childe, Stormterror and Wolf). 

For a Main DPS Ganyu, you should have a 2-set Gladiator's Finale and a 2-set Blizzard Strayer set. This allows for a higher ATK percentage and Cryo DMG Bonus. 

The stats and sub-stats that you should prioritise are below:

• Flower sub-stats: Crit DMG and Crit Rate
• Feather stat: ATK; sub-stat: Crit Rate, Crit DMG, ATK% 
• Watch stat: ATK Percentage 
• Goblet stat: Cryo DMG Bonus (can be any artifact set, as long as the main stat is Cryo DMG)
• Mask stat: Crit DMG or Crit Rate

Ganyu has the highest base ATK than any other character in Genshin Impact, so do make use of the ATK% artifacts to fully realise her potential. 

If you are just starting to play Genshin Impact, you can use Gladiator's set as well for increased ATK percentages.

Talents

The best order to upgrade your talent is dependent on whether Ganyu is a Sub DPS or Main DPS.

For Sub DPS Ganyu: 

Celestial Shower > Trail of the Qilin > Liutian Archery 

For Main DPS Ganyu: 

Liutian Archery > Celestial Shower > Trail of the Qilin 

Party Setup

If you are using Ganyu as a Sub DPS, you should use a Pyro character as your Main DPS such as Diluc or Klee or an Electro character (Razor, Beidou, Fischl) for greater Melt or Superconduct elemental damage. Other characters in your team should have elements that can give reactions with Cryo, due to Ganyu's ultimate with massive AoE Cryo damage. 

If Ganyu is the Main DPS, I would recommend characters such as Bennett for Melt damage, and your other characters should also have elemental reactions with Ganyu. 

You should also use Barbara as her ultimate can make all enemies Wet such that they will all be Frozen with Ganyu's ultimate. 

Materials

Conclusion