Alright fellow Travelers, I've been diving deep into Archon gameplay lately, and I just HAD to share my thoughts on these godly characters. We're now well into 2025, and after countless Spiral Abyss runs and open-world adventures, I think I've finally sorted out which of these divine beings truly deserve their godly status.
You know how everyone says Archons are supposed to be the cream of the crop in Genshin? Well, that's mostly true, but not all gods are created equal. I've spent an embarrassing amount of time testing each one, and I'm ready to spill the tea on who's actually worth your primogems.
The Fallen God: Venti
Poor Venti. Remember when he was absolutely broken at launch? His black hole ult could trivialize entire domains and Abyss floors. Those were the days... Unfortunately, HoYoverse kept introducing enemies that basically said "nope" to his crowd control. Now he's in this awkward spot where he dominates against small enemies, but those enemies die to basically anything anyway.
What's crazy is that unlike Zhongli, who got buffed after community outcry, Venti never had that same rallying support. The drunk bard has been collecting dust on my account for ages now. I still bring him out for nostalgia sometimes, but watching enemies just stand there menacingly during his ultimate is painful.
The Electro Powerhouse: Raiden Shogun
Raiden is still an absolute beast even in 2025. If you need a battery, she's your girl. If you need big damage numbers, she's also your girl. Her C2 is still one of the best constellations in the game, and I remember emptying my wallet to get it back in the day (worth it though).
The Shogun fits into so many team comps, and she's still my go-to when I need reliable Electro application. That said, she's not quite as universally applicable as some other Archons on this list, which is why she's not at the very top.
I've been running her with the new characters from Natlan, and the synergy is chef's kiss. Still, I can't help but wonder if HoYoverse will ever give her a slight update to keep up with power creep.
The Unbreakable Shield: Zhongli
Zhongli made me forget how to dodge. No, seriously. Whenever I run teams without him, I die embarrassingly fast because my dodge reflexes have completely atrophied. His shield is THAT good.
Remember the drama when he was first released? He was underwhelming, fans revolted, and then HoYoverse gave him one of the most significant buffs in Genshin history. Now he's been a staple in my teams for years.
What puts Zhongli above Raiden for me is his universal utility. That resistance shred works for EVERY damage type, making him valuable in practically any team. Plus, his meteor provides good CC and looks cool as hell. Style points matter, people!
The Dendro Revolution: Nahida
Oh Nahida, how did we ever play Genshin without you? Dendro reactions completely changed the game, and Nahida is the queen of enabling them. Bloom, Hyperbloom, Burgeon, Spread - she does it all with ridiculous efficiency.
The little radish (sorry, Lesser Lord Kusanali) packs a surprising punch too. Her E skill damage adds up quickly, and her off-field Dendro application is unmatched. I've built her with 1000 EM and she just deletes everything through reactions.
I still remember how skeptical I was about Dendro when it was first announced. Now I can't imagine the game without it, and Nahida is the reason why. She's essential for so many of my favorite teams.
The Controversial Pyro: Mavuika
Let's talk about the elephant (or should I say motorcycle?) in the room. When Mavuika was first revealed with her Flamestrider, the community lost its mind. "A MOTORCYCLE in my fantasy game?!" people screamed. I was skeptical too, but after playing her for months now, I have to admit - it's ridiculously fun.
Gameplay-wise, Mavuika is an absolute monster. Her damage ceiling is insane, and she applies Pyro reliably both on and off-field. I've been pairing her with the new Hydro sub-DPS from Fontaine's underwater expansion, and everything just melts.
That said, I do understand the immersion complaints. Sometimes I'm riding across Teyvat on a magical fire motorcycle and I think, "This is a bit much, even for Genshin.