Genshin Impact Beginner's Guide: Elemental Reactions, Resin and the Wish System
A Genshin Impact starter guide: PC controls, what to do in your first hours, elemental reactions, not wasting Original Resin, understanding Wishes, and common beginner mistakes.
Genshin Impact is HoYoverse's free-to-play open-world action RPG set on the continent of Teyvat. You play a Traveler searching for a lost twin and fight by switching instantly between the members of a four-character party. The first hours flow easily, but the game soon becomes a web of menus, currencies and limited resources.
This guide is for new players wondering what to spend, when to spend it and what to focus on. Controls follow PC defaults; on mobile and console the same functions are mapped to touch buttons and controller inputs.
Mechanics were checked against the current pages of the Genshin Impact Wiki. The game gets a new version roughly every six weeks, so events, characters and some numbers change over time; this guide focuses on lasting fundamentals rather than seasonal detail.
Goal of the game
The main story unfolds through Archon Quests, in which the Traveler is drawn into events surrounding each region's god, its Archon. Unlocking them requires raising your Adventure Rank (AR), which grows with experience from quests, chests, exploration and spending Resin. At certain thresholds your World Level rises: enemies get tougher, but rewards improve too.
The core loop is simple: explore and complete quests, gather materials to upgrade your characters and weapons, and claim Domain and boss rewards with Original Resin. Combat revolves around elemental reactions: applying two different elements to the same enemy triggers bonus damage or crowd control. Most characters come from Wishes, a gacha system paid for with the in-game currency Primogems.
Controls
| Key | Action |
|---|
| W A S D | Move |
| Left click | Normal Attack (hold for a Charged Attack on most characters) |
| E | Elemental Skill; some characters behave differently when held |
| Q | Elemental Burst, once energy is full |
| Left Shift / Right click | Sprint and dodge; uses Stamina |
| Space | Jump; press again in mid-air to glide |
| X | Let go while climbing |
| F | Pick up, talk, interact |
| 1 2 3 4 | Switch to a party member |
| R | Aiming mode (bow users) |
| Z | Quick-use Gadget |
| V | Quest navigation |
| Middle click (hold) | Elemental Sight: highlights tracks and hidden clues |
| M / B / C / J | Map / Inventory / Characters / Quests |
| Esc / F1 / F3 | Paimon Menu / Adventurer Handbook / Wish screen |
First steps
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Finish the opening quests
The first quests teach movement, combat and gliding and add your first characters. Don't rush them; once you reach Mondstadt the game's real systems start to open up.
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Activate Statues of The Seven
Touching a Statue of The Seven reveals that area's map and its Teleport Waypoints. Statues also heal your party and revive fallen characters.
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Unlock Teleport Waypoints
Activate the blue Teleport Waypoints as you pass them. You can travel to them instantly from the map, which cuts down long walks and trips back after a defeat.
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Follow the Adventurer Handbook
The chapter tasks in the Handbook (F1) teach the game's systems step by step and reward Primogems and experience. Check it whenever you don't know what to do next.
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Prioritise Archon Quests
The main story unlocks new regions, features and rewards. If a quest is locked behind Adventure Rank, raise it with side quests, chests and Daily Commissions.
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Use the Beginners' Wish
The Beginners' Wish is limited to 20 pulls, and a 10-pull costs 8 Acquaint Fate instead of 10. Noelle is guaranteed in your first 10-pull, so it makes sense to spend Acquaint Fate here first.
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Build a balanced party
Mix elements in your four-person party: a main damage dealer, a support to trigger reactions, and a healer or shielder. A single-element party can't trigger reactions and struggles against tough enemies.
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Upgrade characters and weapons
Open the character screen with C. Use experience books for levels, Mora and materials for Ascension, and talent books to strengthen E and Q. Focus on the four characters you actually use rather than everyone.
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Keep up with Daily Commissions
Daily Commissions give Primogems and Adventure EXP every day. After finishing all four, visit Katheryne at the Adventurers' Guild for the bonus reward.
Tips and tactics
- Learn the elemental reactionsHydro and Pyro cause Vaporize, Cryo and Pyro cause Melt, Hydro and Cryo cause Freeze, Pyro and Electro cause Overloaded. Anemo spreads other elements around (Swirl), while Geo leaves shield crystals (Crystallize).
- Don't let Resin sit fullOriginal Resin regenerates 1 unit every 8 minutes and stops at 200. Capped Resin is wasted Resin; spend it regularly on Domains and bosses for materials and Adventure EXP.
- Stamina is sharedSprinting, climbing, swimming and gliding drain the yellow Stamina bar, and it's shared across your whole party. Switching characters doesn't refill it, so make sure it's full before long swims or tall climbs.
- Bring Oculi to statuesCollect the glowing Oculi scattered across the map and offer them to a Statue of The Seven. Raising statue levels increases your maximum Stamina, one of the most helpful permanent upgrades for exploration.
- Know how Wish guarantees workOn character event wishes a 5-star is guaranteed within a set number of pulls, and the counter carries over between banners of the same type. Saving Primogems for a character you really want is more efficient than spreading them across every banner.
- Cook and carry foodHealing and revive dishes save tough fights. Learn recipes and gather ingredients as you travel; cooking a dish enough times unlocks auto-cook.
- Use Elemental SightHolding middle click highlights tracks, hidden mechanisms and quest clues. Try it first whenever a puzzle stumps you.
- Don't rush ArtifactsArtifact sets shape a character's power, but chasing random substats early wastes resources. Use pieces with the right main stat until your Adventure Rank opens better Domains.
- Save party presetsYou can save different party setups: one with fast characters for exploring, another for combat. Switching with one click before puzzles and bosses saves time.
- Check events regularlyVersion events are time-limited and often give Primogems, upgrade materials or a free 4-star character. Open the Events menu with F5 now and then.
Common mistakes
- Splitting Primogems between character, weapon and standard wishes: each wish type has its own pity counter, so your savings run out before any of them reaches a guarantee.
- Leaving Original Resin capped at 200 for days: full Resin stops regenerating and those rewards are lost.
- Trying to level eight or ten characters at once: Mora and materials run out and no party gets strong enough.
- Playing with a single-element party: without reactions damage stays low and shielded enemies become a slog.
- Putting off Archon Quests: many regions, features and conveniences only unlock as the main story advances.
Frequently asked questions
Is Genshin Impact available in Turkish?
Yes. Turkish text support was added in Version 3.3 in December 2022. Voice-over is not in Turkish; voice language is chosen separately in settings.
Is the game really free?
Downloading the game and playing the story is free. Revenue comes from the currency used for character and weapon wishes and from the battle pass. The story can be completed without paying.
Can I play with friends?
Yes. Co-Op Mode unlocks at Adventure Rank 16 and lets up to four players explore and run Domains in the same world. Players on PC, mobile and consoles can play together as long as they're on the same server region.
What is Original Resin?
The energy resource spent to claim rewards from Domains, bosses and Ley Lines. It regenerates 1 unit every 8 minutes and caps at 200. Spending it also grants Adventure EXP.
Which platforms is it on?
It's playable on Windows, Android, iOS and PlayStation, and our game page also lists Xbox. You can continue your progress on different devices with the same account (PlayStation account linking has its own rules).
When do Wishes unlock?
The Wish system unlocks during the opening quest chain, at around Adventure Rank 5.
This guide was written for version: This guide reflects the live version as of September 2026. Event and banner details change every version; PC controls can be rebound in settings.
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