Should you pull for Venti or Ayato in Genshin Impact?

Genshin Impact version 2.6 is here, and with it comes a new pair of limited characters to pull for. On one side we have Kamisato Ayato, the head of the Kamisato Clan hailing from Inazuma. On the other is Venti, the Windborne Bard and Archon of Monstadt. Many players only have enough Primogems saved up to pull for one of the two. If this is the case for you, should you pull for Venti or Ayato?

The answer to this question is complicated and subjective. Its not as simple as telling you which character is "better" as they both fill different niches and can be more or less useful based on your other units. To start off, lets go over what each character does.

Character Comparison

Venti is an Anemo Archer who excels in grouping smaller enemies together. Very few characters in Genshin Impact are as good at mobbing content as Venti. His gameplay pattern revolves around swapping him in, using his Elemental Skill and Burst, then swapping to your DPS units. Venti's ability to use the Viridescent Venerer artifact set allows him to provide resistance shred support. Having at least one strong VV unit is essential to building multiple Genshin Impact teams, and Venti fits the bill.

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Ayato is a Hydro Swordsman that takes the role of an on-field DPS. His Elemental Skill and Burst both apply a ton of Hydro, making Ayato usable in Electrocharge, Freeze, and even some Vaporize teams. Ayato's gameplay is focused on outputting as much damage during his Skill window as possible, switching off to refresh buffs or reaction enablers, then doing it again. While he may not be the best Hydro unit overall, his versatility can be a godsend if you are lacking in the Hydro department.

So, who should I pull for?

Even with this information, you may still be wondering which character you are better off pulling for. Both Venti and Ayato are great characters with their strengths and weaknesses. On top of that, Anemo and Hydro are two of the most valuable Elements in the game due to their versatility and reactions.

If you are a new player with not many units to build upon, Ayato will allow you to form more teams and take the lead as a main DPS. Venti works incredibly well as a support unit. However, it's hard to form a team with him as the centerpiece.

If you aren't a new player and you're looking to fill holes in your roster, it's important to look at what you already have. Lacking Kazuha, Jean, and/or Constellations for Sucrose and Sayu makes Venti very valuable for your account. If you do have the other Anemo 5-Star characters, Venti's value drops quite a bit.

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Similarly, Ayato can be outperformed in many teams that require a Hydro unit to function. Despite being usable in almost all Hydro unit spots, he doesn't perfectly fit the bill for many of them. Having Childe, Kokomi, Mona, and/or a high Constellation Xingqiu makes Ayato's value fall on your account.

Our advice for you is to pull for whichever unit you feel your account needs more. Venti and Ayato are both great characters that can make your account much more complete. While they are both good pulls, neither is a required meta unit.

Make sure that before you pull for either, you take both characters for a Test Run from the Events menu. This feature allows you to try out both characters with full builds. Take some time and see if you like the feel of one more than the other.

For more Genshin Impact version 2.6 content, check out Where to get the Echoes of an Offering Artifact Set in Genshin Impact here on Pro Game Guides.