The Short Version: When the anniversary event drops on September 10th, Tighnari is your safest bet for most accounts. Jean takes the crown if you've got Furina sitting in your roster. But here's the thing—your choice depends heavily on where you are in the game.
How This Whole Free 5★ Thing Actually Works
The Mechanics (Pretty Straightforward)
Once you've cleared Prologue Act 1, head to Event Screen → Anniversary Event → Invite Character starting September 10th. You're picking from the usual suspects: Diluc, Jean, Keqing, Mona, Qiqi, Tighnari, Dehya, and Yumemizuki Mizuki.
Simple enough. The tricky part? Making the right choice for your account.
Breaking Down Every Standard 5★ (The Real Talk)
Tighnari: The Dendro Powerhouse Everyone Underestimated
Here's what caught me off guard when I first tested him—this guy hits hard. We're talking about the strongest DPS in the standard pool, with respectable single-target damage and surprisingly low field time requirements.
His 40 energy burst cost means he's not energy-hungry, and that 28.8% Dendro DMG ascension bonus? Chef's kiss. The kicker is he works beautifully with a 3-star Slingshot. Yeah, you read that right.
Constellation highlights: C1 bumps his Charged Attack CRIT Rate by 15% (solid quality-of-life), while C6 is where things get spicy—0.9s faster charge time plus a Clusterbloom Arrow dealing 150% ATK damage.
Jean: The Swiss Army Knife of Supports
I've been saying this for months—Jean is criminally underrated. Instant team healing, elemental cleansing, VV shredding, crowd control. She does it all. That 22% Healing Bonus ascension stat and 14,695 HP at level 90 means she's keeping your team alive while debuffing enemies.
But here's where it gets interesting: her Furina synergy is chef's kiss. Maximum Fanfare stacks, every time.
The constellation that changes everything: C4's 40% Anemo RES shred. If you're running Xiao or Wanderer as your main DPS, this constellation is basically mandatory.
Mona: The Damage Amplification Queen (With Caveats)
Mona's Omen debuff still provides some of the most ridiculous damage amplification in the game during burst windows. Problem is, Furina kinda stole her thunder with better Hydro application and team utility.
Fair warning: C1 is reportedly bugged (avoid if you're going for constellations), but C4's reliable 15% CRIT Rate buff is solid.
Keqing: The Comeback Kid
Aggravate reactions basically saved Keqing from irrelevance. That 40 energy burst and 38.4% CRIT DMG ascension make her surprisingly viable now. Plus, her mobility is unmatched for exploration.
The reality check? Newer Electro and Dendro DPS units still outperform her in most scenarios.
Dehya and Qiqi: The Proceed With Caution Tier
Dehya suffers from what I call constellation dependency syndrome—her kit needs investment to function properly. C1 provides crucial HP scaling, C2 extends skill duration. She's not bad, just... expensive to make good.
Qiqi heals like nobody's business but generates zero energy with an 80 energy burst cost. No team buffs either. She'll keep you alive, but that's about it.
My Tier Rankings (Based on Actual Testing)
S-Tier: Tighnari, Jean A-Tier: Keqing (with Dendro supports), Mona (specific comps) B-Tier: Diluc (beginner-friendly but outclassed) C-Tier: Dehya, Qiqi
By role breakdown:
Pure DPS: Tighnari > Keqing (Aggravate) > Diluc
Support utility: Jean > Mona > Qiqi
Current meta relevance: Jean (Furina teams) > Tighnari > Mona
F2P friendliness: Tighnari > Jean > Keqing
Your Selection Strategy (By Account Stage)
New Players (AR 1-45): Go for Immediate Impact
My recommendation: Tighnari, hands down. Excellent damage with F2P weapons, strong Dendro reactions, minimal investment needed to see results.
Backup options: Keqing if you prefer faster gameplay, Diluc for straightforward Pyro DPS. Hard pass: Qiqi and Dehya won't help your account progression. Mona needs specific team setups you probably don't have yet.
Mid-Game Players (AR 45-55): Think Strategically
The smart play: Jean if you've got Furina, otherwise stick with Tighnari. Look at your elemental coverage gaps and team composition needs first.
Endgame Players (AR 55+): Meta Optimization Mode
Focus here: Jean for that Furina synergy, or consider constellation upgrades toward C6 for the Masterless Stella Fortuna system (you'll need 3 total Fortunas: 1 for Level 95, 2 for Level 100).
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Team Building and Investment Priorities
Where These Characters Shine
Tighnari teams: Quicken/Spread compositions with Fischl and Yae Miko work beautifully. Talent priority is Normal Attack > Skill > Burst. Wanderer's Troupe or Gilded Dreams sets with EM focus.
Jean setups: VV support in literally any team needing resistance shred. Furina teams for that healing synergy. Standard Viridescent Venerer set with ATK/Anemo DMG/CRIT stats.
Resource Efficiency (The F2P Reality)
Weapon accessibility: Tighnari works with 3-star Slingshot, Jean loves Amenoma Kageuchi. Material requirements: Standard characters use established artifact sets with predictable stat priorities—no surprises here.
Constellation Value Analysis (The Long Game)
The Breakpoints That Matter
Tighnari: C1 for CRIT Rate consistency, C6 for that transformative damage increase. Jean: C2 gives team ATK and movement speed buffs, C4 is that game-changing 40% Anemo RES shred. Mona: C4's 15% team CRIT Rate is solid—just avoid C1 due to those bug reports.
New Character vs. Constellation Strategy
Go new when: You're missing elemental coverage, need a main DPS, or want team variety. Go constellation when: Your owned character has valuable upgrades or you're working toward C6 for Masterless Stella Fortuna access.
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My Final Recommendations
The Bottom Line by Player Type
New players: Tighnari (best DPS, F2P friendly) Mid-game: Jean (if you own Furina) or Tighnari (for DPS needs) Endgame: Jean (meta optimization) or focus on valuable constellations
Alternative Approaches
Constellation focus: Seriously evaluate Jean C4 or Tighnari C6 value if you already own them. Future planning: The anniversary pool will expand over time, but current options maintain long-term relevance.
Quick FAQ (The Questions I Keep Getting)
Which character gives the best F2P value? Tighnari, no contest. That 3-star Slingshot compatibility and minimal constellation dependency make him incredibly accessible.
New character or constellation? New character unless you own Jean (eyeing C4) or Tighnari (going for C6) with high-value constellation potential.
Is Jean worth it without Furina? Absolutely—VV support and healing utility alone justify the pick. Priority just drops compared to Tighnari without that Furina synergy.
How do Masterless Stella Fortuna mechanics factor in? Veteran players should consider focusing one character toward C6 for future Fortuna access to that Level 100 cap.
Best long-term meta relevance? Jean (Anemo healer/VV support) and Tighnari (premier standard Dendro DPS) offer the strongest long-term value proposition.
Are any completely unusable in endgame? None are unusable, but Qiqi and Dehya require significantly more investment for minimal returns compared to alternatives.
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