Your Starting Point
The game opens at Starfell Lake on the outskirts of Mondstadt. After meeting Paimon, you head to the city of Mondstadt, a medieval wind-themed nation ruled in spirit by the Knights of Favonius and the Church of Favonius. This is your home base for the entire Prologue and much of the early game.
- Statue of The Seven (Anemo) in Windrise, claim your first Oculi rewards and unlock the map
- Adventurers' Guild, talk to Katheryne for daily commissions once AR 12+
- Good Hunter & general shops, buy food ingredients and basic supplies
- Knights of Favonius HQ, main story quests begin here with Jean and Amber
First Steps: Adventure Rank 1–16
Your first priority is pushing Adventure Rank (AR) through Archon Quests, story commissions, and exploration. Don't grind domains yet, focus on unlocking the map and party members.
- Follow the Archon Quest (Prologue), it unlocks co-op, domains, and most core systems
- Activate every Statue of The Seven you find for map reveal, stamina cap increases, and healing
- Collect Anemoculi and offer them to the Anemo Statue for stamina and rewards
- Open chests and complete world quests, they give significant AR EXP early on
- Level your main DPS to your current AR cap; don't spread resources across all four starters
Regions of Teyvat
Teyvat has seven nations, each tied to an element and Archon. You unlock them in order through the main story. Explore each region fully before rushing ahead, Oculi, chests, and world quests are easier to clear while you're there.
Mondstadt
From the start
The nation of Anemo and freedom. Rolling green hills, vineyards, and the towering city of Mondstadt. Home to the Prologue Archon Quest and your first Statue of The Seven.
Liyue
Archon Quest Chapter I
The nation of Geo and contracts. Towering karst mountains, bustling Liyue Harbor, and the Wangshu Inn. Unlock after completing Mondstadt's Archon Quest, collect Geoculi for the Geo Statue.
Inazuma
Archon Quest Chapter II (AR 30+)
The nation of Electro and eternity. A sakura-dotted archipelago under the Raiden Shogun's vision hunt decree. Requires completing the Liyue storyline and passing the Inazuma entry questline.
Sumeru
Archon Quest Chapter III
The nation of Dendro and wisdom. Lush rainforests, desert ruins, and the Akademiya in Sumeru City. Introduces Dendro reactions (Bloom, Hyperbloom, Burgeon, Quicken) that reshape combat.
Fontaine
Archon Quest Chapter IV
The nation of Hydro and justice. An art-deco underwater civilization with unique diving mechanics and the Court of Fontaine. Home to the Oratrice and the prophecy of rising waters.
Natlan
Archon Quest Chapter V
The nation of Pyro and war. Volcanic badlands where tribes compete in the Pilgrimage of the Sacred Flame. Features Saurian companions and open-world traversal abilities.
Nod-Krai
Archon Quest Chapter VI
The nation of Cryo on the edge of Teyvat. A snowbound frontier tied to lunar mysteries and Fatui intrigue. Explore before heading into Snezhnaya proper.
Snezhnaya
Archon Quest Chapter VII (Version 7.0)
The nation of Cryo and the Tsaritsa. A vast frozen empire of trains, ports, and Fatui strongholds — the final nation on the Teyvat map. Launches August 12, 2026.
Exploration Essentials
Each region hides Oculi (Anemoculus, Geoculus, Electroculus, etc.), treasure chests, puzzles, and hidden world quests. Use the official interactive map or in-game pins to track collectibles. Teleport waypoints are your best friend, unlock every one you pass.
- Oculi statues reward stamina, Primogems, and other materials, prioritize these
- One-time domains (domains with a single clear reward) give free Primogems
- Elemental Sight (hold middle mouse / eye icon) reveals interactable objects and puzzle clues
- Cooking at campfires restores HP without using food items in your inventory
Understanding Resin
Original Resin caps at 160 and regenerates 1 point every 8 minutes. Use it on domains, ley line outcrops, and bosses for character ascension materials, artifacts, and Mora. Condensed Resin (crafted at crafting tables) doubles domain rewards. Never let resin sit capped for long, you're wasting passive regeneration.
Wish Pity System
Character Event Wish guarantees a 5★ at 90 pulls (hard pity), with a 50/50 chance it is the featured character. Losing the 50/50 guarantees the featured character on the next 5★. Pity carries over between banners of the same type. Weapon Banner has separate pity (80 hard pity) with Fate Points for the featured weapon.
Artifacts 101
Artifacts come in sets of 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses. Farm domains at Adventure Rank 45+ for guaranteed 5★ drops, farming earlier wastes resin on low drop rates. Prioritize main stats (CRIT Rate/DMG, ATK%, HP%, Elemental DMG%) over set bonuses early on. Check substats at +4 before leveling past +16. Use Condensed Resin to double domain rewards and the Artifact Strongbox to target specific sets. See the Farming Guide for full drop rate tables and efficiency tips.
World Level & Adventure Rank
Adventure Rank (AR) gates content and raises World Level, which increases enemy difficulty and reward quality. You can lower World Level by 1 if content feels too hard. Rush AR by completing Archon Quests, opening chests, and spending resin, but don't neglect character leveling or you'll struggle.
Daily Commissions
Complete 4 daily commissions for 60 Primogems plus Adventure EXP. Finish all 4 before claiming Katheryne's reward at the Adventurers' Guild in Mondstadt (or any Statue-adjacent commission board in later regions). Use the in-game expedition system to passively gather materials overnight.
Spiral Abyss Basics
Spiral Abyss unlocks at AR 20 and resets rewards twice per month. You need two teams of 4 for floors 9–12. Focus on building one strong DPS first, then supports who enable reactions. Floor 12 requires understanding enemy shields and elemental counters. Don't stress Abyss early, AR 45+ with decent artifacts is a better starting point.
Building Your First Team
A solid team has: 1 Main DPS, 1 Sub-DPS or reaction enabler, 1 support buffer/healer, and 1 flex slot. Free units like Xiangling, Bennett, and Fischl form the famous 'National Team' with any Hydro DPS. Focus resources on 1–2 DPS characters rather than spreading thin.
- Main DPS: the character you control most — Hu Tao, Ayaka, Raiden, or any character you enjoy
- Sub-DPS: off-field damage and element application — Xiangling, Xingqiu, Fischl, Nahida
- Support: buffs and healing — Bennett (ATK buff + heal), Zhongli (shield), Kazuha (RES shred)
- Flex: fourth slot for a second element, a shielder, or a second DPS depending on content
- See our Team Comps page for ready-made templates like National, Hyperbloom, and Freeze
Intermediate: Adventure Rank 17–30
Once Mondstadt's Archon Quest wraps up, your focus shifts to Liyue exploration, co-op domains, and building your first real team. This is where many players stall — under-leveled teams at World Level 3 (AR 30) struggle against tougher enemies.
- Complete Liyue Archon Quest for Primogems, story rewards, and Geo Statue access
- Unlock co-op at AR 16 and join others in artifact/talent domains if your team is weak solo
- Raise your main DPS to the current level cap at every AR milestone — never leave them under-leveled
- Start leveling Bennett and Xiangling if you have them — they carry teams from AR 20 through endgame
- At AR 25–30, pause and level weapons and talents before ascending World Level if you're struggling
- See the Leveling Guide for a full AR milestone breakdown and investment priorities
Combat Basics
Every fight comes down to applying the right elements and swapping characters at the right time. You don't need perfect mechanics early on, but understanding reactions will make everything easier from AR 25 onward.
- Tap E for quick skill, hold E for charged skill (where applicable) — charged versions often generate more energy
- Dash and sprint grant brief invincibility frames (i-frames) — use them to dodge big telegraphed attacks
- Elemental shields on enemies require the counter element to break — Pyro beats Cryo, Hydro beats Pyro, etc.
- Vaporize (Pyro + Hydro) and Melt (Pyro + Cryo) multiply damage — the strongest reaction types for DPS
- Swap to your main DPS after supports apply their buffs and elements — don't stay on healers/shields
- See the Combat Tactics guide for full reaction breakdowns, energy management, and rotation tips
Understanding Character Roles
Every character fills a role in a team. Knowing roles helps you decide who to level and how to slot them together without wasting resources.
- Main DPS: highest on-field damage — build with CRIT Rate/DMG, ATK% or Elemental DMG%, and their best artifact set
- Sub-DPS: burst/skill damage while off-field — Xiangling's Pyronado, Xingqiu's rain swords, Fischl's Oz
- Support: team-wide buffs — Bennett's ATK circle, Kazuha's RES shred, Noblesse Oblige 4pc ATK buff
- Healer: keeps the team alive — Barbara, Kokomi, Jean, Kuki Shinobu, or Bennett at high talent levels
- Shielder: prevents damage entirely — Zhongli, Diona, Layla; shields absorb damage before HP
- Browse character build pages for role-specific artifact and weapon recommendations
Wish Strategy for New Players
Primogems are limited, especially as F2P. A few rules of thumb prevent the most common wishing mistakes.
- Never pull on the Weapon Banner as a beginner — character banners are almost always better value
- Save for characters that complete a team you already have pieces for (e.g., pull Nahida if you have Xingqiu + Kuki)
- The Standard Banner (Acquaint Fate) is fine for using free fates — don't spend Primogems on it
- 4★ characters on rate-up can be more valuable than a new 5★ — Bennett, Xingqiu, and Fischl are examples
- Pity carries over between banners of the same type — your pulls on one character banner count toward the next
- If you lose the 50/50, the next 5★ on that banner type is guaranteed featured