Is Levelling to 90 in Genshin Impact Worth It? A Friendly, In-Depth Guide
You may be wondering if it‘s worth spending all those precious resources to get your favorite Genshin Impact characters to the maximum level of 90. I‘ve tested and analyzed this extensively, so let me share the key insights I‘ve learned!
Quick Summary
Level 90 is generally only recommended for your main DPS characters. The costs are astronomical compared to other upgrades you could be doing instead.
However, it can be highly worthwhile for swirl-focused Anemo characters like Kazuha and Venti. I‘ve also found it impactful on key damage dealers in transformative reaction teams, like Ayaka in freeze comps.
Supports can comfortably remain at level 70~80 and still enable powerful team builds for all content. Rather than over-leveling supports, better to invest those resources into your main DPS!
Below I‘ll provide all the nitty-gritty details so you can determine if level 90 makes sense for your specific characters and teams!
Just How Much Does Level 90 Cost?
I was pretty shocked when I added up the total books, mora, and materials needed to go from level 80 to 90:
- Hero‘s Wit Books: 422
- Mora Cost: 8,148,500
- Common Ascension Materials: 168
- Weekly Boss Materials: 46
That‘s roughly equivalent to the entire amount of resources you‘d spend getting a brand new character to level 80!
And what do you gain for that massive investment? Here are the key benefits:
- Increased Max HP/ATK/DEF: +6-7%
- Higher Base Stats: +20-30 Elemental Mastery, +25 Energy Recharge
- Stronger Reactions: Swirl, Electro-charged, Shatter, etc scale on level
Let‘s compare that to some other valuable upgrades:
- Talent Level 9 → 10: ~10% skill/burst damage, lower costs
- Character Ascension: Major stat boosts, passive talents
- Artifacts +20: Often 15-30%+ damage increase
Looking at those options, level 90 starts to seem far less appealing! The next sections go over the cases where it can be worthwhile.
Top Targets for Level 90 in Genshin
Based on my testing in Spiral Abyss across multiple team comps, here are the characters that benefit the most from reaching max level:
Anemo Units for Swirl Damage
Swirl reactions directly scale with the Anemo character‘s level. This makes level 90 extremely impactful for:
- Kazuha: My level 90 Kazuha‘s Swirls deal over 30% more damage than at level 80!
- Venti: His Succ absorbs and Swirls are noticeably stronger at max level.
- Sucrose: Large boosts to Swirl-focused builds and EM buffs.
I highly recommend level 90 for your Anemo mains. The difference is very noticeable compared to other units.
Key Damage Dealers for Transformative Reactions
Characters like Ayaka, Ganyu, and Kokomi who enable Freeze and Electro-charged teams also benefit nicely from level 90:
- Ayaka: My level 90 Ayaka‘s Freeze damage is improved by 15-20% vs level 80.
- Ganyu: Higher Charged Shot damage and stronger Frostflake Bloom.
- Kokomi: Improved Hydro application and Bloom damage. Healing also scales with Max HP.
I feel level 90 is very worthwhile for Ayaka and Ganyu if playing Freeze teams. Kokomi is a bit lower priority but still nice.
Main DPS Carries, Especially HP/DEF Scalers
Your primary damage dealers who stay on field deserve first priority for level 90 investments. It boosts Normal/Charged/Plunging attacks.
Some key targets:
- Hu Tao: The massive HP increase empowers her skill/burst.
- Itto: His Charged Attacks hit harder with higher DEF.
- Noelle: Her C6 Sweeping Time gains a lot from the DEF bump.
- Xiao: Impressive Anemo plunging damage boost.
I typically get my main DPS like Hu Tao to 90 first before considering supports. Their field time and carry potential benefits more.
Are Supports Okay at 70~80?
The short answer is yes. Here‘s why most sub-DPS units work great at level 70~80:
- Xingqiu – His burst damage doesn‘t increase with levels. You primarily want the talent upgrades.
- Fischl – Oz and A4 don‘t get stronger. I just ascend her to unlock talents.
- Beidou – Still shreds at 70/80 while being very cheap to build.
- Bennett – His buff only scales with base ATK and talent level, not character level.
- Xiangling – I keep her at 70/80 since Pyronado is the focus.
I‘ve cleared the Spiral Abyss using top supports at 70~80 levels without issues. Only consider 90 if you‘ve already built your main DPS carries.
Weighing the Value for Your Roster
When deciding on level 90, look at both the costs and the potential benefits:
| Character | Value of Level 90 | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Venti | Big Swirl damage boost | High priority |
| Fischl | Minimal improvement | Low priority |
| Xiao | Gains ATK and DMG bonuses | Consider for main DPS |
| Noelle C6 | Large DEF boost improves DPS | Good if Noelle is carry |
| Bennett | Negligible buff difference | Leave at 70/80 |
Carefully evaluate each case – don‘t blindly level everyone to 90! Supports can still enable powerful team comps at 70~80.
Prioritize Your Main DPS First!
Instead of over-investing in levels for every character, I recommend focusing resources on your main DPS carries first:
- Level key weapons to 90
- Farm artifacts until you have well-rolled sets
- Max out important attack talents to 9 or 10
- THEN consider level 90 for your mains
This order will give you the most impactful power gains for your teams. Venti can lift enemies just fine at level 80 – max out your carries first!
The only exception is if you play quickswap comps without a clear hypercarry. Then it‘s reasonable to gradually level your whole team to 85~90.
Closing Thoughts
Level 90 in Genshin is certainly tempting to maximize your favorites! But it‘s a luxury reserved for your Anemo swirlers and primary DPS once their artifacts, weapons and talents are already built up.
Hopefully these tips help provide clarity on which characters benefit the most from max level. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to chat more about Genshin strategies and optimization.