The best builds for Ganyu in Genshin Impact

How do you get Ganyu in Genshin Impact? Ganyu is an upcoming character in the game—due in Teyvat on December 23—and is the Liyue Qixing emissary. She’s a Cryo fighter, and comes armed with a bow. Most interesting about Ganyu though is the timing of her arrival. 

The Genshin Impact 1.2 update brings with it the new Dragonspine region, complete with frosty tundras, icy peaks, and snowy mountains. As a Cryo character then, Ganyu is set to play a considerable role in the upcoming story. While there are quite a few Cryo characters already in the game, Ganyu arriving alongside Dragonspine suggests the two will be heavily linked as the region’s story expands.

How to get Ganyu in Genshin Impact

Ganyu will be part of a new banner for the Genshin 1.2, and as a five-star character will be rare, although pity mechanics will roll over from the last banner. It could be that Ganyu and fellow new character Albedo will be arriving in the same banner, or they’ll get one each.

Genshin Impact Ganyu overview

Ganyu is a quiet and reserved character, with Xiangling noting that she always eats alone. Maybe she could use a little bit of companionship that comes with being in your party. Despite this, she's a very smart character, and a natural storyteller. Still waters and all that.

She’s good friends with Beidou, but seems to have few other connections to the cast. As a half-human, half-Adeptus (making her essentially a demi-God), just because she’s a shy loner doesn’t mean she can’t be a very useful ally on your adventures. The bow fighter could be useful as both a Support and a Sniper, so could bring some good versatility.

Normal attack: Liutian Archery

• Normal Attack: Ganyu fires up to six quick arrows, dealing Physical damage.
• Charged Attack: Ganyu aims a more powerful, precise arrow. At Level 1 charge, the arrow will deal Cryo damage. At Level 2 charge, it will become a Frostflake Arrow, dealing even more Cryo damage, and blooms to cause AoE damage upon hitting a target.
• Plunging Attack: Ganyu fires a flurry of arrows in mid-air, then strikes the ground below, dealing AoE damage.

Elemental Skill:  Trial Of The Qilin

Ganyu dashes backwards, dealing AoE Cryo damage, and leaving an Ice Lotus in her wake. This Ice Lotus attracts enemy attention, taking attacks away from Ganyu herself, and grouping them together, exposed to AoE attacks. Ice Lotus’ gets stronger as Ganyu’s Max HP rises. The Ice Lotus will bloom and deal more Cryo AoE damage once destroyed.

Elemental Burst: Celestial Shower

Ganyu summons frost to the area, which brings an Ice Soul Gem with it. This Gem will rain down shards of ice, dealing Cryo Damage, for the duration of the Elemental Burst.

Passives

• Undivided Heart: After firing a Frostflake Arrow, the critical hit rate of the next Frostflake Arrow rises by 20 percent for the next five seconds.
• Harmony Of Heaven And Earth: Characters under Celestial Showers gain a 20 percent Cryo damage bonus.
• Preserved For The Hunt: Grants a 15 percent ore refund when crafting Bows.

Constellations

• Dew Drinker: Enemies who take damage from a Charged Level 2 Frostflake Arrow have 15 percent less Cryo resistance for six seconds. Only occurs once per hit, and regenerates two Energy for Ganyu.
• The Auspicious: Trial Of The Qilin gets one extra charge.
• Cloud Strider: Increases Celestial Shower by three.
• Westward Sojourn: Enemies under Celestial Shower take increased damage. This starts at five percent, and increases by an extra five percent every three seconds, to a max of 25 percent. The effect remains for three seconds after an enemy leaves the area.
• The Mericul: Increases Trial Of The Qilin by three.
• The Clement: After Trial Of The Qilin, the next Frostflake Arrow will not need charging, so long as it is fired within 30 seconds.

Genshin Impact Ganyu build: Example set ups

As a five-star bow fighter, Ganyu seems like they could be effectively utilized as either a DPS fighter or as Support, depending on who else you have at your disposal. If you have a full five-star team, having Ganyu as a Support might be best, but if she’s your star player you bagged on a lucky pull, you can use her well as a Sniper DPS too.

Support

Weapon

• The Stringless: This bow develops Ganyu’s Cryo power, so it's a great Elemental DPS bow. It increases Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst damage by 24 percent, doubling to 48 percent when fully upgraded. It packs a serious punch and could make Ganyu your team’s ice queen.

Artifact

• Noblesse Oblige: 2-parts: Elemental Burst damage increased by 20 percent. 4-parts: Using an Elemental Burst increases all party members’ Attack stat by 20 percent for 12 seconds, but this effect cannot stack.

Sniper DPS

With this build, Ganyu is best used as a Sniper, meaning precise Charged Attacks instead of lots of Normal Attacks.

Weapon

• Sharpshooter's Oath: Increases damage against weak spots by 24 percent, rising to 48 percent when fully upgraded.

Artifact

• Wanderer's Troupe: 2 parts: Elemental Mastery +80 4 Parts: Increases Charged Attack damage by 35 percent if the character uses a Catalyst or Bow.