Which Free 5-star Character to Pick | Genshin 2025 Anniversary

Hello, Travelers! The highly anticipated free 5-star characters reward of Genshin Impact's 6th anniversary will be available at September 10, 2025. This time, the character selection has been expanded to include Yumemizuki Mizuki, making it the perfect opportunity to obtain the key item for upgrading to Level 100 — the Masterless Stella Fortuna! Not sure which character to choose? Don't just pick randomly—choose the character that best fits your current team. Or you'll have to wait a whole year for the next chance!

This guide offers tips tailored for you, helping you find a character that matches your playstyle. Let's get started!

 

Character Choosing Priority

After the version update, the level cap for characters has been raised to 100. When a 5-star character has reached maximum Constellation, any additional copies of that character will grant a new item, Masterless Stella Fortuna, which can be used to unlock further level limits. Raising a character to Level 100 increases their base stats, and at present it appears to be especially beneficial for characters focused on transformative reactions.

• Upgrading from Lv. 90 → 95 consumes 1 Masterless Stella Fortuna
• Upgrading from Lv. 95 → 100 consumes 2 Masterless Stella Fortuna
• No additional EXP materials or Mora are required.

In other words, bringing a character to Level 100 requires a total of 2 Masterless Stella Fortuna. Rather than dispersing resources across multiple characters, it is more efficient to focus on bringing one Standard Banner character to max Constellation. This way, players can steadily obtain “Masterless Stella Fortuna” twice a year—once during the Lantern Rite and once during the Anniversary event. For characters who rarely see field time, increasing their Constellations carries limited practical value.
※ Surplus Constellations from previous versions will also be recorded and retroactively compensated, so there is no need to worry.

 

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Power-focused players:

Recommended choices:

Keqing, Mona, Jean, and Tighnari. Keqing performs well in a Catalyze team, and unlocking her C2 and C4 significantly increases her playability.  As a support, Mona has a relatively high priority. Tighnari provides stable damage even with budget teammate. Yumemizuki Mizuki who introduced in version 5.4 is an Anemo on-field DPS. She has complete mechanics and deals automatic Swirl damage. However, her damage is average and her single-target capability is weak, so if your team isn't lacking DPS, she can be skipped.

Collection-focused players:
Prioritize unlocking codex entries first, then focus on unlocking constellations.

True-love players:
Choose whichever character you like the most.

General Advice:

For most players, the first choice will always be their favorite “XP” character, and that is unlikely to change. The second priority is completing the roster, while focusing on a single Standard character to obtain Masterless Stella Fortuna is also an excellent option. 
It's expected that many players will pick Yumemizuki Mizuki this time, or use this opportunity to unlock constellations for characters who have reached C5. Qiqi at C6 can revive the whole team in the open world, which is impressive. Pulling her repeatedly in the banner can be frustrating. But if a C5 accidentally becomes C6, it's a nice surprise.
For free-to-play players, it's recommended to prioritize characters you don't already own. Even though you'll eventually collect them all if you play long enough, there's no telling how long that will take.

 

Recommended Character

Diluc

Position：DPS | Element: Pyro

As an early-game main DPS, Diluc is very useful for beginners if you happen to pull him. However, with many strong Pyro DPS characters now, he has gradually fallen out of the meta. His main playstyles are Plunge or Melt teams, but his damage output is average and cannot compete with top-tier DPS.

Aside from being helpful in the early game, he is now mostly favored only by true fans. Not recommended for general selection, though true fans can ignore this advice.

Key Constellation：

C1、C4、C6

Tighnari

Position：DPS | Element：Dendro

Tighnari is undoubtedly a reliable permanent pick. Although his current usage rate isn't very high, he still has practical value. When paired with Nahida team, his damage output is excellent and the rotation flows smoothly. He performs well without requiring his signature weapon, and his Constellation upgrades are quite impactful. Players with a complete Dendro team are recommended to prioritize him.

Key Constellation

C1、C2、C4、C6

Dehya

Position：Support | Element： Pyro

Dehya has a perfect character design, but her strength and mechanics are average. She mainly provides damage reduction, interruption resistance, and off-field Pyro application. At present, she can serve as a Pyro applicator in Ganyu or Kinich teams, but both have better alternatives. Ganyu has long faded from the meta, and Kinich also has more suitable teammates. Overall, she is not recommended. True fans can ignore this advice—XP comes first.

Key Constellation

C1、 C2、 C6

Qiqi

Position：Support | Element：Cryo

Qiqi's healing ability is decent but her overall versatility is low. While her C6 can revive teammates but old players rarely need it. And new players are unlikely to reach C6. That said, Qiqi is undeniably adorable, and pulling her once to complete the codex is already enough. Overall, she is not recommended, though XP-focused players can ignore this advice.

Key Constellation

C1、C6

Jean

Position：Sub-DPS | Element：Anemo

Jean was once considered a well-rounded “hexagon warrior.” However, her presence was not strong before the Fontaine version. She had some specific playstyles during that time. After Furina's release, her performance improved greatly. Her Elemental Burst offers instant healing and sustained on-field healing. She can also use the Viridescent Venerer set to reduce enemy resistance. If your Furina team lacks a healer, Jean is a good choice.

Key Constellation

C2、C4

Keqing

Position：DPS | Element：Electro

Keqing's early strength was highly debated. At the time, the Electro element lacked suitable reactions. After the Sumeru update, she gained a boost in strength through the Catalyze reaction. However, with Clorinde's release, her optimization potential has largely been replaced.

She is not recommended. That said, for new players in the early game, pairing her with Dendro can still be effective.

Key Constellation

C4、 C6

Mona

Position：Sub-DPS | Element：Hydro

She was once one of the must-have characters for early-game teams, with a pretty kit. Her Elemental Burst's damage boost and her valuable Hydro element allow her to fit into many teams, though there are now better alternatives. After Furina's release, Mona has been in a semi-retired state.

If you lack a Hydro damage buffer, she's an option, but her Hydro application time is average and not very long. It depends on your roster.

Key Constellation

C1、C4

Yumemizuki Mizuki

Position：DPS | Element：Anemo

Yumemizuki Mizuki debuted in version 5.4 as an Anemo DPS focused on Swirl reactions. She is simple and easy to play, requiring only three off-field element applicators to perform well. Her unique Elemental Burst features an HP-based mechanic, dealing AoE damage and healing allies when their HP is low. Overall, her damage output is average—strong in multi-target situations but less impressive against single targets. Paired with Ineffa, her overall damage is still decent. However, compared to other DPS units, her damage scaling is not particularly outstanding.

Key Constellation

C1、 C2、 C6

 

Conclusion

Don't miss this anniversary's rare chance to choose a free 5-star character! Whether you decide based on team synergy, collection goals, or pure preference, take a moment to plan so your pick truly pays off. Before you set out on your adventure, head to LDshop for practical guides and pro tips—plus exclusive discounts to top up Genshin Impact and power up fast!