Genshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world action RPG from HoYoverse set in the world of Teyvat. You explore, fight with elemental powers and build a party of characters. The game does not explain everything clearly at the start, and its many currencies and systems can overwhelm new players. This guide covers the priorities that matter in your first weeks: the story and Adventure Rank, daily habits, Resin, the elemental system, free characters and how to build a party without wasting resources.
Start with the story
Epic Games guide gives the most useful advice for the first hours: focus on progressing through the story first. Your Adventure Rank (AR), which is your account level, rises as you advance, and the main story quests give large amounts of AR experience plus extra rewards from the Adventure Handbook. You may need side quests and exploration between chapters to keep up with the required rank. Adventure Rank matters because it unlocks co-op, events and higher-level gear farming.
Your first major region is Mondstadt. Once you reach Adventure Rank 12, you can speak to Katheryne at the Mondstadt Adventurers Guild to unlock more activities. Statues of the Seven around the map restore stamina and health and unlock points for fast travel, so activate them as you explore.
How to raise your Adventure Rank
- Complete quests, especially main story quests.
- Finish the Adventure Handbook tasks in the Experience and Embattle tabs, which reward you for leveling weapons, Artifacts and characters.
- Do your Daily Commissions every day. They take under 20 minutes, give more AR experience than regular side quests and award Primogems.
Daily habits that add up
Genshin is built around a small daily routine. Do the Daily Commissions, spend your Resin, and collect any resources you pass while exploring. These habits give steady Primogems and materials without needing long sessions. Limited-time events are also worth joining, particularly the anniversary and Lantern Rite events, which hand out extra rewards. Check each event AR requirement first.
Resin: your energy system
Original Resin works like energy in other games. You use it to claim rewards from domains and bosses and for some event challenges. It refills over time, and it caps at 160, so do not let it sit full. The Epic guide notes that unused Resin does not save automatically, and that you can convert it to Condensed Resin using Crystal Cores collected from butterflies. A Condensed Resin costs 40 Resin and gives double drops. If an event offers good rewards for Resin, prioritize that event over regular activities.
The seven elements
Combat is built on seven elements: Anemo (wind), Geo (earth), Electro (electric), Dendro (nature), Hydro (water), Pyro (fire) and Cryo (ice). Each character has a Vision that grants one of these elements. Elements also matter when exploring, since many puzzles need a specific element to solve.
Elemental reactions
When two elements meet on an enemy, they trigger a reaction. The guide lists the key reactions as Burning, Quicken, Bloom, Electro-Charged, Superconduct, Overload, Freeze, Shatter, Swirl and Crystallize, plus Melt and Vaporize. Order matters for Melt and Vaporize: apply Cryo before Pyro for Melt, and Pyro before Hydro for Vaporize, to get the stronger version. Experiment with your free characters to learn how elements interact, because understanding combinations is more important than having five-star characters.
Free characters
You do not need luck to get a starting team. The free characters named in the guide are the Traveler, Amber, Kaeya, Lisa, Barbara, Noelle, Xiangling, Collei and Lynette. They cover a mix of elements and roles, so you can try several combinations and learn the system before you spend any wishes.
Building a party
- Do not level every character. Resources are limited, so focus on a smaller team you will actually use.
- Teams with matching elements gain bonuses, such as two Pyro characters or two Hydro characters.
- Teams with four unique elements gain a resistance bonus.
- Decide which character will be your main damage dealer and build around them. A typical team has a damage dealer, a supporting damage dealer, a healer or shielder and a flexible fourth slot.
- Gacha characters may need Ascension Materials from regions you have not reached yet, so plan ahead before you invest.
How combat works
You control one character at a time from a party of four, and you can switch between them at any moment during a fight. Each character has a normal attack, an Elemental Skill and an Elemental Burst. The skill is a short-cooldown ability that applies the character element. The burst is a stronger ability that needs energy, which you gather by landing hits and picking up energy particles. Because switching is instant, good play comes from alternating characters: apply an element with one, then trigger a reaction with the next. Dodging and well-timed switching matter more than button mashing, and experimenting with your free team is the quickest way to learn.
Characters, weapons and Artifacts
Characters are defined by their element, their weapon type, their rarity from one to five stars and their skills. They level up with experience and ascension materials, and they equip a weapon and a set of Artifacts that add stats. You gain Artifacts and weapon materials by spending Resin on domains and bosses, which is why Resin is so important. Early on, do not worry about perfect Artifact stats. Use what you find and upgrade only items that are four stars or higher, as advised in the guide.
Mistakes new players make
- Letting Resin cap out and wasting it. Spend it each day or convert it to Condensed Resin.
- Leveling every character. Resources are limited, so focus on a few.
- Maxing out low-rarity weapons and Artifacts that you will replace.
- Skipping Daily Commissions, which give Primogems and AR experience for under 20 minutes of work.
- Rushing the story without side content, then hitting an Adventure Rank wall.
- Spending Primogems on wishes without deciding who you want.
- Ignoring elements. A team of mixed, complementary elements usually beats a single element team.
Gear and resources
Epic advice is not to worry about having the best characters, weapons or gear at the beginning. Do not max out early weapons or Artifacts below four stars unless you have a special reason. Spend materials on the characters you plan to keep using, and save high-rarity upgrade materials for them.
The wish system
Genshin uses a gacha system called Wishes to give you new characters and weapons. You spend Primogems or other wish items to try for them. Free-to-play players can earn Primogems from quests, exploration, commissions and events, so you do not have to spend real money to enjoy the game. Do not spend your Primogems on the first banner you see. Take your time, learn who you like, and decide which characters you want before you wish.
Exploration tips
- Open chests and collect oculi-style collectibles as you travel to build up rewards.
- Use the map markers and the Adventurer Handbook to see what you can do next.
- Climb, glide and swim with care, since stamina limits those actions.
- Elements help with exploration: for example, you may need Pyro or Electro to solve certain puzzles.
- Do not rush through the world. It is large, and you will return to earlier regions later.
What to expect from the world
Teyvat is a large world made of regions, and Mondstadt is the first. As your Adventure Rank grows you will unlock more of it, with new materials, enemies and characters in each region. This is why the guide stresses patience. You do not need to see everything in one session, and the game is designed so that returning to earlier areas with a stronger team is part of the loop. Play at a pace that you enjoy and keep an eye on the daily routine, which does most of the work of keeping you progressing.
Using elements to explore
Elements are not only for combat. Many puzzles and obstacles in Teyvat respond to specific elements, which is why you should keep a mix of elements in your party. Pyro can burn away obstacles, Electro can power mechanisms, Hydro and Cryo can create platforms or freeze water, and Anemo can spread elements and move objects. If you are stuck on a puzzle, switch characters and try another element before you give up. Exploration also rewards you with chests, materials and Primogems, which feed back into your wishes.
Co-op and friends
Co-op unlocks at Adventure Rank 16. Higher-level friends can invite you to their world to help with difficult bosses and domains. Playing with friends is a great way to see content you are not ready to face on your own.
A simple first-week plan
- Follow the main story until your Adventure Rank rises.
- Do Daily Commissions each day and spend your Resin.
- Try every free character and pick two or three to level.
- Learn the elemental reactions through play.
- Join events with rewards worth your Resin.
- Unlock co-op at Adventure Rank 16 and ask friends for help.
Frequently asked questions
Is Genshin Impact free?
Yes. It is free to play, with optional purchases for wishes and cosmetics.
What is Adventure Rank?
Your account level, which unlocks co-op, events and higher-level content.
How much Resin can I store?
The cap is 160. Spend it before it fills.
How many elements are there?
Seven: Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Hydro, Pyro and Cryo.
Which characters are free?
The Traveler, Amber, Kaeya, Lisa, Barbara, Noelle, Xiangling, Collei and Lynette.
When does co-op unlock?
At Adventure Rank 16.
Should I level everyone?
No. Focus on a small team of characters you enjoy.