The best 4 star Dendro character in Genshin Impact is Yaoyao, who is a polearm user with consistent off-field Dendro usage, party-wide healing and the option to equip Deepwood Memories to deal Dendro resistance. Yaoyao is the most useful 4 star Dendro unit, especially for those who can’t pull one with 5 stars. The best free one is Collei, which can be acquired via Spiral Abyss rewards, and it is advised that players start their first Dendro team with Collei. Dendro Traveler is the most accessible Dendro character, is free for all players and provides solid early game team value without cost.
Key Takeaways
- As of 2026, Yaoyao is the best overall 4 star Dendro character in Genshin Impact, providing Dendro application, healing, and Deepwood Memories support in one.
- Collei is the best free 4 star Dendro unit, which is available during the Spiral Abyss event, and is a great starter unit for early Hyperbloom teams.
- Dendro Traveler is the most accessible Dendro character in the game, available to all and is a good utility support for Dendro application and Energy generation, after reaching Sumeru.
- Kirara is a niche 4 star Dendro shielder who has a low team value outside of shielding, and is a C tier investment for most accounts.
- All of the 4 star Dendro characters are weaker than the 5 star Dendro units (Nahida, Alhaitham, Baizhu, Tighnari, Emilie, Kinich), but Yaoyao and Collei are still quite useful in teams.
- As of Version 6.7, the current meta of Genshin Impact is still reaction-based, with Dendro being a core requirement for the team.The current meta of Genshin Impact as of Version 6.7 is still reaction-based, and Dendro is a key skill for the team.
- Off-field Dendro application/support is the best team role for 4 star Dendro characters, not a main DPS.
All 4 Star Dendro Characters in Genshin Impact: Ranked
Currently, the 4 star Dendro line-up in Genshin Impact includes 4 characters (Version 6.7 – July 2026). Not covered here are the 5 star Dendro units (Nahida, Alhaitham, Baizhu, Tighnari, Emilie and Kinich) as the question is about a 4 star pool.
| Character | Rating | Role | Best Reaction Teams |
| Yaoyao | A tier (Best 4 star Dendro) | Healer / Off-field Support | Bloom, Hyperbloom, Burgeon, Nilou Bloom |
| Collei | B tier | Sub-DPS / Off-field Support | Hyperbloom, Quicken, early game Bloom |
| Dendro Traveler | B tier | Utility Support | Quicken, Hyperbloom, F2P teams |
| Kirara | C tier | Shielder | Niche comfort pick |
Yaoyao: Best 4 Star Dendro Character
Yaoyao is a 4 star polearm character from Liyue that uses Dendro with her radish partner in her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst. Her radishes heal the active character and nearby party members at the same time; she is one of the few characters in the game who can be both an application and a healer, at the same time.
genshinimpactcharacters.com reports that Yaoyao is a great character to build for Dendro support. Her radish companions heal and apply Dendro at the same time, and she is recommended to be a Healer using the Favonius Lance and the Deepwood Memories artifact set.
Why Yaoyao is the Best 4 Star Dendro Option
Dendro application quality: For reaction-based teams, the main requirement is that the enemies are chased by radishes, and the radishes apply Dendro consistently, which is made possible by Yaoyao’s Yuegui radishes. If she’s not the on-field character, she can apply enough Dendro to allow for dependable Bloom cores, Hyperbloom triggers and Aggravate or Spread reactions based on Quicken.
Healing utility: Healing to the whole party as opposed to Collei or Dendro Traveler. This can be especially useful in teams with Bloom (for Dendro Cores) as they take self-damage when triggered by the player’s characters instead of an enemy, which is a common survival challenge in Hyperbloom and Burgeon team types.
Deepwood Memories carrier: Deepwood Memories 4-piece set: Grants 30% Dendro resistance reduction when equipped. This is because Yaoyao’s playstyle off the field allows her to equip this set and trigger its effect without having to inflict much damage herself, leaving Nahida and other on-field Dendro units to use offensive artifact sets.
F2P weapon compatibility: The Favonius Lance, which can be acquired with Wishes, is one of the most Energy Recharge friendly weapons for support characters and is recommended for Yaoyao. The Black Tassel, which can be made for free, is a great budget option.
Yaoyao Build Guide
| Component | Recommendation |
| Artifact Set | Deepwood Memories (4-piece) |
| Main Stats | HP% Sands, Dendro DMG% Goblet (or HP%), Healing Bonus% Circlet |
| Substats | HP%, Energy Recharge, then ATK% |
| Weapon (Best) | Favonius Lance |
| Weapon (F2P) | Black Tassel |
| Best Teams | Nilou Bloom, Hyperbloom with Fischl + Xingqiu, Burgeon with Bennett |
Yaoyao’s Weaknesses
During her Burst, Yaoyao’s Dendro will only last and travel a certain distance. If she is in a fast-paced content where she has to keep up with the content while it is moving, she may find herself lagging behind the content than a 5 star Dendro unit such as Nahida. However, she is also relatively energy-intensive and has to be managed with care to ensure that her Energy Recharge investment is cycled reliably, or she will need a Favonius weapon to cycle her Burst reliably.
Collei is the best free 4 Star dendro character
Collei is a 4 star bow character from Sumeru, and was introduced as a free character during the original Sumeru update in Version 3.0. She still appears in several events, banners and is the recommended starting Dendro character for F2P players.
Genshinimpactcharacters.com says Collei is a great starter Dendro character. Available for free at events, her Burst will spread Dendro over a wide area. She is not as consistent as Nahida, but she’s good for early Hyperbloom teams.
TheGamer ranked list of characters shows Collei is a free four-star character that can be found in the Spiral Abyss and she can be used in Dendro reactions to build early game teams. Both her Skill and Burst can apply a good volume of Dendro to enemies.
The role and value of Collei
Collei is an off field Dendro applicator. Her Elemental Skill throws a doll that bounces between enemies applying Dendro, and her Elemental Burst (Florescent Ring) creates an area of Dendro application for its duration. The C4 constellation allows her to extend the Burst’s duration, but is not essential for basic use.
She has one limitation: she is not able to give any buffs to party members. She uses Dendro and that’s about it. TheGamer reports that despite having all her constellations, she does not buff party members, a downside for other support Dendro characters.
Collei is a safe and easy choice for early game players who don’t have Nahida or Yaoyao to build their Dendro team with. She usually doesn’t appear in the rotation of established accounts that have great 5 star Dendro units available.
Collei Build Guide
| Component | Recommendation |
| Artifact Set | Deepwood Memories (4-piece) |
| Main Stats | EM Sands, Dendro DMG% Goblet, EM or Crit Circlet |
| Substats | Elemental Mastery, Energy Recharge |
| Weapon (Best) | The Stringless |
| Weapon (F2P) | Sacrificial Bow, Windblume Ode |
| Best Teams | Hyperbloom (with Fischl + Xingqiu/Kokomi), early Quicken |
Collei is a value in accounts that require a Dendro utility that is accessible, and she is not typically the highest priority in long-term Dendro builds if there are more powerful fits to choose from, according to lucidpuzzle.com’s 4 star tier list. She is best suited for use as a practical bridge or rostered for specific instances where a player has just unlocked the Sumeru story content and requires a Dendro unit right away.
For the most convenient travel experience, it’s best to take Dendro Traveler
Once you complete the Sumeru Archon Quest and speak with the Sumeru Statue of the Seven, the Dendro Traveler will be unlocked. This is actually a free Dendro unit for all players of Genshin Impact, since it comes with the game.
The Genshin Impact Traveler is the one to unlock after Sumeru, and he is endowed with the Dendro element, per genshinimpactcharacters.com. While not the strongest, they provide Dendro application and energy generation for early game teams. Their suggested role is Utility Support.
Dendro Traveler’s Strengths
The main advantage of Dendro Traveler is its Elemental Burst, which can yield various effects depending on what element was applied to them prior to their activation. If they are Hydro affected, the Burst will spawn a Whirlwind that will continuously deal Dendro. Burst is affected by Electro, and the Burst gains lightning discharge effects. The Dendro Traveler is flexible and can adapt in ways that no other Dendro unit can.
They also offer Energy particles with their Skill that can be used by other party members, especially in Quicken-based teams that need a lot from Energy Recharge from Electro.
Dendro Traveler’s Limitations
The Traveler’s Dendro app is less consistent than Yaoyao or Collei during their off-rotation and they don’t give healing or team buffs. They are mostly suggested as a free option for bridging until players gain better Dendro units on event banners.
Kirara: The Niche Shielder
Kirara is a 4-star sword character from Inazuma that gives shields based on her HP and inflicts Dendro with her Skill and Burst. She is most often used as a shield in some comfort-based teams.
Dendro is the only C tier character according to the sportskeeda.com Dendro tier list. Although she is a decent shielder, she does not offer much else.
Kirara is good for some comfort and team value, but not as much as the top tier support options, according to lucidpuzzle.com. Her Dendro app is inconsistent and doesn’t contribute to damage.
When Kirara Is Worth Using
Kirara is a good option to consider if a player requires a Dendro reaction team shielder and has none of the better shield options. Kirara’s shields can help mitigate some of the self-damage caused by Dendro Cores in Bloom or Hyperbloom compositions. In other areas, she is not a recommended investment priority over Yaoyao or Collei.
The character level of 4 Star Dendro is lower than the character level of 5 Star Dendro
In order to have realistic expectations, one should compare the 4 star Dendro pool with the 5 star options that one may eventually pull.
| Character | Rarity | Role | Tier |
| Nahida | 5 star | Off-field Dendro application, EM buffer, reaction enabler | S tier |
| Alhaitham | 5 star | On-field Dendro DPS, Quicken/Hyperbloom | S tier |
| Kinich | 5 star | Dendro DPS, Burning specialist | S tier |
| Baizhu | 5 star | Healer, off-field Dendro, shields | A tier |
| Tighnari | 5 star | Charged attack Dendro DPS, Standard Banner | A tier |
| Emilie | 5 star | Burning support, off-field | A tier |
| Yaoyao | 4 star | Healer, off-field Dendro support | A tier |
| Collei | 4 star | Off-field Dendro sub-DPS | B tier |
| Dendro Traveler | 4 star (free) | Utility Dendro support | B tier |
| Kirara | 4 star | Shielder | C tier |
The only 4 star Dendro character to get A tier in most tier lists is yaoyao, as healing + Dendro application in one slot is actually useful even with the presence of 5 star Dendro units. The other 4 stars are typically replaced as players build out their 5 star roster, but Yaoyao can hold her own in many compositions.
Who should be the first 4 Star Dendro Character?
It depends on your account situation:
Build Yaoyao first if: You pulled her from a banner or event, your teams need a healer and a Dendro applicator, or you are running a Nilou Bloom or Burgeon composition specifically.
If you don’t have Yaoyao and need a Dendro unit now, or you are in the early game and you do not want to use Primogems to get Dendro reactions, build Collei first.
If you don’t have Yaoyao or Collei and you need a working Dendro team now then use Dendro Traveler. The Traveler will be totally free and you can use it with an early-game account to traverse Sumeru content.
Skip Kirara for Dendro: Has a shield that will help, but should not be your main investment in Dendro. Getting her in a Dendro team is okay, but not as important as building Yaoyao or Collei, or farm dendro artifacts.
The 4 Star Dendro Characters Matter – Dendro Reactions
Why Dendro application is important for team building will help you understand which 4 star character is worth it. Dendro is combined with three other elements:
| Reaction | Elements | Effect |
| Bloom | Dendro + Hydro | Creates Dendro Cores that deal AoE damage when triggered |
| Hyperbloom | Bloom Cores + Electro | Cores target enemies and deal high Electro-Dendro damage |
| Burgeon | Bloom Cores + Pyro | Cores explode with AoE Pyro-Dendro damage |
| Quicken | Dendro + Electro | Creates Quicken status, enabling Aggravate (Electro) and Spread (Dendro) |
| Aggravate | Quicken + Electro | Adds flat Electro damage to Electro attacks |
| Spread | Quicken + Dendro | Adds flat Dendro damage to Dendro attacks |
All these reactions depend on the regular application of Dendro. So, one of the most useful support characters in the game is an off-field Dendro character that can continuously use the element without having to be on the field. That is why Nahida is S tier and that is why Yaoyao is A tier, even though she is only 4 star: consistency of her off-field Dendro usage is one of the most important aspects to most of the best team builds in current Genshin Impact.
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Conclusion
In terms of the four 4-star Dendro characters in Genshin Impact, it’s clear that Yaoyao is the superior long-term investment. Her off-field Dendro application and healing, alongside her Deepwood Memories utility, add real team value to accounts that already have Nahida or Baizhu. Collei is the best free Dendro, found in rewards of Spiral Abyss and is useful for early game accounts looking to create their first reaction teams. If a player requires a Dendro unit right away, without having Yaoyao or Collei, then Dendro Traveler is the recommended starting unit. Kirara has a niche shielding role which most accounts will not have to focus on.
The general rule, which holds true for all tiers of Genshin’s tier lists, is to spend on characters that offer reaction enablement and team value flexibility, not characters that need specific constellations or compositions. The character in the 4 star Dendro pool is Yaoyao. She’s a solution provider, can play in several team formats, and remains a valuable player in an ever-changing game.
If you’re looking for more Genshin Impact character, tier lists, and game guides, check out all the content at Shani Levni.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the strongest 4 star Dendro character in Genshin Impact?
Yaoyao is the best 4 star Dendro character in Genshin Impact as of 2026. She can also be used as an off-field Dendro application, party-wide healing, and can set Deepwood Memories for reducing enemy Dendro resistance, making her the most complete and versatile 4 star Dendro in the game.
Who is the best free 4 star Dendro character?
Collei is the best free 4 star Dendro character. She can be found in the Spiral Abyss, and is a great early game choice for early game players who are creating their first Dendro team. The Dendro Traveler is also free and is the most accessible Dendro unit in the entire game.
Which is better, Collei or Yaoyao?
Long-term investment in accounts, it is better to use Yaoyao than Collei. Yaoyao can be used in conjunction with Dendro, saving a team slot from using a separate healer. Collei has no buffs or healing, but applies Dendro. Collei is the easier to build of the two in the early game, while Yaoyao is the better long-term build.
Does Dendro Traveler benefit Dendro teams?
Dendro Traveler is a decent free game that is suitable for beginners and F2P gamers. They are able to offer the team Energy particles and versatile elemental interaction effects with their Burst. They’re not usually employed in teams that are optimized for end-game, where you can find Yaoyao or 5-star Dendro, but they are functional and free of cost.
What is the set of artifacts should I use for Yaoyao?
The Deepwood Memories 4-piece artifact set is required to equip Yaoyao with a 30% reduction to enemies’ Dendro resistance upon activation of her Skill or Burst. Her HP% main is HP%, HP% goblet is HP% or Dendro DMG%, and her Circlet is Healing Bonus%. Make sure she has enough Energy Recharge and HP% as substats to keep her Burst consistent.
Does Kirara deserve to be a Dendro character?
Kirara is a good shield player to build for in Dendro reaction teams, where self-damage due to Bloom Cores is a factor. She isn’t advised to be used as a Dendro application priority since her elemental uptime isn’t consistent like Yaoyao or Collei. She is a sensible niche option if you value shielding comfort, but is not a good first Dendro investment.
Is it possible to beat Spiral Abyss without a 5 star Dendro character?
Yes. With 5-star Electro units such as Yae Miko, Raiden Shogun, or Fischl, teams can clear Spiral Abyss with Yaoyao as the Dendro. Also, Abyss can be cleared in the early floors with Collei paired with strong Hydro and Electro 5 star units. Nahida is however much easier to optimize on Dendro and is the most recommended investment on Dendro when available on a rerun banner.