Genshin Impact’s Archons: Which one is worth pulling to C2?

Genshin Impact has now taken Travelers through six nations, with six of the Seven Archons available as playable characters. From Mondstadt’s Venti to Natlan’s Mavuika, each Archon embodies a unique element and gameplay style. As the game has expanded, character stats and mechanics have grown more complex, and since the Inazuma era, Archons often see a notable power spike at Constellation 2, making their C2 value higher than that of most standard characters.

This guide will examine each nation’s Archon, highlighting their elemental traits and real combat performance, to assess the value of pulling for C2 and help players plan Primogems wisely for these critical power breakpoints.

Not recommended

Venti, the Anemo Archon

Genshin Impact Venti Build Guide : Weapons, Teams & Artifacts

• C1: Splitting Gales

Fires 2 additional arrows per Aimed Shot, each dealing 33% of the original arrow's DMG.

• C2: Breeze of Reminiscence

Skyward Sonnet decreases opponents' Anemo RES and Physical RES by 12% for 10s.
Opponents launched by Skyward Sonnet suffer an additional 12% Anemo RES and Physical RES decrease while airborne.

Venti’s core value lies in her powerful crowd control and Energy refund. C1 has almost no practical use, while C2 offers rare Anemo and Physical RES shred. However, the base 12% is modest, and the extra bonus requires enemies to be airborne, making it unreliable in most scenarios.

In modern Spiral Abyss, where many enemies are heavy or resistant to launch, C2’s impact is minimal. Investing large amounts of Primogems for such a situational boost is rarely worthwhile, especially when C0 already delivers his full support potential.

Overall, Venti’s C2 offers low cost-efficiency, and pulling specifically for it is not recommended.

Zhongli, the Geo Archon

• C1: Rock, the Backbone of Earth

Increases the maximum number of Stone Steles created by Dominus Lapidis that may exist simultaneously to 2.

• C2: Stone, the Cradle of Jade

Planet Befall grants nearby characters on the field a Jade Shield when it descends.

Zhongli’s C1 mainly benefits overworld exploration and Geo resonance setups, offering niche value outside standard team comps. C2 focuses on shield uptime, but given Zhongli already provides the game’s strongest, most universally applicable shield at C0, its practical impact is limited.

In most situations, enemy damage within a single rotation is nowhere near enough to break his Jade Shield, making C2’s extra sustain redundant. Only in high-pressure content—such as certain Abyss chambers with constant chip damage—does it offer minor convenience.

For the vast majority of players, Zhongli’s utility, survivability, and crowd control are already complete at C0. Considering the steep Primogem cost, C2 is not recommended as a pull target.

Raiden Shogun, the Electro Archon

• C1: Ominous Inscription

Chakra Desiderata will gather Resolve even faster. When Electro characters use their Elemental Bursts, the Resolve gained is increased by 80%. When characters of other Elemental Types use their Elemental Bursts, the Resolve gained is increased by 20%.

• C2: Steelbreaker

While using Musou no Hitotachi and in the Musou Isshin state applied by Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu, the Raiden Shogun's attacks ignore 60% of opponents' DEF.

Raiden Shogun’s C1 is already a strong pickup for players running burst-heavy teams like Raiden–Kujou–Bennett–Kaedehara. The faster Resolve gain translates directly into higher Musou Isshin damage, with roughly 44% more stacks compared to C0 in such comps. This boost also synergizes well with later constellations, making C1 an efficient breakpoint for both DPS and team energy flow.

C2 was once legendary—ignoring 60% of enemy DEF in Musou Isshin allowed her to deliver massive burst damage that, at release, could easily reach 500k–600k in a single slash. In the era when most characters struggled to break 100k per hit, these numbers were jaw-dropping and helped her banner dominate sales worldwide. However, power creep and evolving Abyss design have dulled its impact. Modern bosses have higher HP pools, damage rotations rely more on sustained output, and other characters can match or exceed those numbers with less investment.

While C2 still boosts personal damage, it does little for Raiden’s team support role—her main draw in most comps. Given its high Primogem cost and reduced relevance compared to release, C2 is no longer the must-have it once was. For most players, stopping at C1 or even C0 is the more cost-effective choice.

 

Optional

Nahida, the Dendro Archon

• C1: The Seed of Stored Knowledge

When the Shrine of Maya is unleashed and the Elemental Types of the party members are being tabulated, the count will add 1 to the number of Pyro, Electro, and Hydro characters respectively.

• C2: The Root of All Fullness

Opponents that are marked by Seeds of Skandha applied by Nahida herself will be affected by the following effects:

• Burning, Bloom, Hyperbloom, and Burgeon Reaction DMG they receive can score CRIT Hits. CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG are fixed at 20% and 100% respectively. CRIT Rate from this effect stacks with CRIT Rate from similar effects that allow these Elemental Reactions to CRIT.
• Within 8s of being affected by Quicken, Aggravate, or Spread, DEF is decreased by 30%.
• The CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG of Lunar-Bloom DMG received are increased by 10% and 20% respectively.

Nahida stands out as a highly versatile Dendro support, offering exceptional team flexibility and consistent reaction uptime. Her C1, The Seed of Stored Knowledge, effectively “cheats” the element count check for Shrine of Maya, making it far easier to activate stronger elemental bonuses without forcing rigid team compositions. This alone smooths out party building and ensures her Burst is always at full power.

C2, The Root of All Fullness, takes her utility to the next level. Her C2 brings a significant DPS spike by enabling crits on key Dendro reactions and applying a substantial DEF reduction on enemies, greatly amplifying her damage output and solidifying her role as a core reaction enabler.

Despite the strength of C2, Nahida is already very effective at C0, making her suitable for low-investment or budget teams. Pulling for C2 is recommended if you want to maximize her damage potential and cement her as the centerpiece of a Dendro reaction team, and it’s wiser to prioritize resources for upcoming characters.

Strongly Recommended

Furina, the Hydro Archon

Genshin Impact Furina Build Guide Weapons, Teams & Artifacts

• C1: "Love Is a Rebellious Bird That None Can Tame"

When using Let the People Rejoice, Furina will gain 150 Fanfare.

Additionally, Furina's Fanfare limit is increased by 100.

• C2: "A Woman Adapts Like Duckweed in Water"

While Let the People Rejoice lasts, Furina's Fanfare gain from increases or decreases in nearby characters' HP is increased by 250%. Each point of Fanfare above the limit will increase Furina's Max HP by 0.35%. Her maximum Max HP increase is 140%.

Furina stands as one of the most impactful Hydro supports in the current meta, with her constellations significantly shaping her playstyle and efficiency. C1 is widely praised for instantly boosting her team’s damage potential and shortening ramp-up time. By starting with a substantial portion of her maximum buff right after Burst, she can reach peak effectiveness within seconds instead of the longer buildup seen at C0, greatly improving overall team DPS consistency in both short and long fights.

C2 takes her performance even further, supercharging her Fanfare generation to near-instant levels and converting excess into HP scaling, which bolsters both her personal damage and survivability. For players seeking maximum performance, C2 transforms her from an excellent buffer into a high-impact damage contributor as well.

Considering her current usage rate across top teams and her strong long-term value, pulling to C2 is highly recommended.

Mavuika, the Pyro Archon

Mavuika Builds Guide: Best Weapons, Artifacts, and Teams

• C1: The Night-Lord's Explication

Mavuika's maximum Nightsoul points are increased to 120, and she gains Fighting Spirit 25% more efficiently.

Additionally, she gains 40% ATK for 8s after gaining Fighting Spirit.

• C2: The Ashen Price

When in the Nightsoul's Blessing State, Mavuika's Base ATK is increased by 200, and she obtains the following effects based on All-Fire Armaments' form:

• Ring of Searing Radiance: Nearby opponents' DEF is decreased by 20%.
• Flamestrider: Mavuika's Normal Attacks, Charged Attacks, and her Sunfell Slice from the Elemental Burst Hour of Burning Skies deal 60%, 90%, and 120% of her ATK as increased DMG respectively.

Mavuika stands as one of the only two Archons built for DPS - focused. C1 not only ensures near-seamless off-field Pyro application but also grants a substantial 40% ATK boost, giving her both sustained support value and stronger personal damage output.

C2 pushes her power to a whole new tier—raising her base ATK and granting versatile buffs depending on her stance. Off-field, she can shred enemy DEF for the entire team; on-field, she gains massive multipliers to her Normal Attacks, Charged Attacks, and Burst, enabling explosive plays. With C2 plus her signature weapon, hitting the 1 million damage mark with a single slash is entirely realistic, even with simple, low-execution combos.

Given her ease of use, role flexibility, and the extreme damage ceiling unlocked at C2, pulling to C2 is strongly recommended.

Columbina, idols of the New Moon

Columbina, also known as the Moon Maiden and by her codename "Damselette," is the Third of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers.

Genshin Columbina (The Damselette), The Flagship Character Moon Maiden Arrives!

She makes her first appearance during Teyvat Chapter Interlude Teaser: A Winter Night's Lazzo alongside her fellow Harbingers. She can be heard talking to Dottore at the end, where she tells him he is looking young and asks him about the "segment in the prime of his life."

She is worshipped by the people of the Frostmoon Scions and they have made multiple statues of her all throughout Nod-Krai, called "idols of the New Moon," with Columbina likely being the aforementioned "new moon."Columbina is purported to be in Nod-Krai, with the highest commands of the "Palestar Edict" being sent out in order to locate her regardless of the cost.

Constellation

Though details about her kit and constellations haven't been revealed yet, as the Archon of the Nod-Krai region, her strength is certainly not to be underestimated.

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Which one is worth pulling to C2?

Currently worth pulling for C2 Archons:

• Mavuika(Pyro Archon)
• Furina
• Columbina

Columbina will likely be the next region's focal character. Beyond her, Mavuika and Furina offer comparable value—prioritize based on your account needs:

• Mavuika’s C2 ensures top-tier performance for ≥1 year.
• Furina’s C2 excels in long-term versatility.

Conditional C2 Pulls:

• Nahida (depends on Dendro team demand).

Not Recommended C2s:

• Venti
• Zhongli
• Raiden Shogun

 

Conclusion

The Seven Archons each bring unique strengths to the table—but their C2 upgrades vary greatly in impact. For players managing limited Primogems, focusing on Archons whose C2s provide consistent, long-term value is the smartest way to future-proof your roster.

If you’re aiming to lock in those high-impact constellations before the banners rotate, LDShop offers safe, fast, and reliable Genesis Crystals top-ups—helping you secure your dream C2 without missing the opportunity.