Since Genshin Impact is an anime-styled video game, the usual anime tropes come as part of the package. The most obvious ones are the "main character hairstyles" but recently, the game has been wedging in more anime tropes in the form of outrageous fantasy weapons. The game will keep adding more weapons with each update and that's not about to change as update 2.8 approaches (at the time of writing).
Consequently, some rather questionable weapons are now present in Genshin Impact's roster. It's either their appearance or their stats that make them laughing stocks among blacksmiths (whether in-game or in real-life). As always, it's a fantasy anime RPG, so a lot of things are excused through suspension of disbelief. However, these weapons are just too ridiculous or impractical to be excused.
6 The Unforged
- Weapon type: Claymore
- Max main stat (ATK): 608
- Max secondary stat: ATK - 49.6%
Stat-wise, The Unforged is actually superb. It can even match well with Wolf's Gravestone which is the best universal 5-star Claymore in the game. But this thing looks way too unintimidating and lacking as a weapon. There seems to be no pointy end— in fact, the whole sword is curved toward the other end just as how child-friendly scissors are made.
From a practical perspective, it's a failure of weapon design as one can't use it for stabbing. Similar Claymores do exist such as the Rainslasher but at least that one has sharp corners which can function like war-picks. The Unforged— true enough to its name, looks incomplete. The funny thing is, that using this weapon without a character that can provide a shield makes it suboptimal, which is frankly thematic.
5 Luxurious Sea-Lord
- Weapon type: Claymore
- Max main stat (ATK): 454
- Max secondary stat: ATK - 55.1%
Was there ever really any debate needed as to why this "Claymore" isn't a weapon? The designers looked like they took the "swordfish" word a little too literal here. The Luxurious Sea-Lord is an event weapon obtainable from the Moonlight Merriment. The stats are good for a 4-star weapon and the weapon's ability buffs up the Elemental Burst and adds area damage.
It's just that it's hard to get over the fact that it's half-a-joke of a weapon. Who goes around swinging fishes at their enemies? And as for the design, the weapon doesn't even look like it has any bladed edge or pointy end. At best, it's more like a giant club than an actual claymore. Not to mention the lack of crossguards on the weapon— any smart enemy will easily disarm this weapon's wielder.
4 Debate Club
- Weapon type: Claymore
- Max main stat (ATK): 401
- Max secondary stat: ATK - 35.2%
Speaking of giant swords, how did this even make the cut? (No pun intended). The Debate Club is literally just a giant bludgeoning weapon and not a "claymore." Along with the Luxurious Sea-Lord, it's one of the few "Claymores" in the game with no visible sharp edge or means to slice or cut the opponents. It's its own weapon class in that regard— or at least it should have been.
Barring the mismatched weapon category, even a weapon designed like the Debate Club is just a way to get killed and be laughed at on the battlefield. Such a weapon would be too imbalanced in weight and come with a poor center of gravity. A warhammer would have worked better than a two-handed giant club. Even cavemen wouldn't want to wave these cumbersome corndogs around.
3 Dodoco Tales
- Weapon type: Catalyst
- Max main stat (ATK): 454
- Max secondary stat: ATK - 55.1%
Dodoco Tales was introduced as Klee's signature 4-star weapon back in the Midsummer Island Adventure event. It's a Catalyst— pretty unconventional as far as weapons go. Apparently, Catalysts also function like spellbooks where their wielders can replicate Elemental moves contained within these "weapons".
The problem with Dodoco Tales? It's just Klee's storybook. Dodoco are imaginary creatures and this book is just a hilarious made-up tale about said creatures. If any other Catalyst user were to utilize it as a weapon, they'd probably be stumped because it's just a humorous children's storybook. They have no business being able to use Dodoco Tales as a "weapon" lore-wise. That also means Klee probably doesn't need it.
2 Skyward Harp
- Weapon type: Bow
- Max main stat (ATK): 674
- Max secondary stat: CRIT Rate - 22.1%
Skyward Harp is the bow version of the Skyward weapon line in Genshin Impact. As a weapon, it's not bad. The CRIT Rate secondary stat makes it somewhat desirable and universal. Even the weapon ability increases CRIT DMG dealt. Looking at the strings though, the bow falls apart when it comes to weapon design. Things got a little too complicated with this one.
It has four strings but in no way does it shoot four arrows all at the same time. So there's no advantage gained by having four strings (such is also the case for real-life two-limbed bows). But perhaps the bowman would want to play music while they shoot? Such a weapon design philosophy was probably brought to Teyvat by a certain drunken bow-user bard.
1 Aquila Favonia
- Weapon type: Sword
- Max main stat (ATK): 674
- Max secondary stat: Physical DMG Bonus - 41.3%
The Aquila Favonia doesn't exactly fail most weapon engineering standards. It looks like a functional saber with a deadly edge and a beautiful handguard. It's also among the weapons in the game with the highest ATK stat. Too bad it's ruined completely by its secondary stat. Aquila Favonia is so niche, that only one or two DPS character builds can use it viably; even then, there are better 4-star sword pairings for them.
To add insult to injury, the Aquila Favonia's weapon ability focuses on healing and a measly burst of area damage. It's an overall poor weapon for any role be it DPS, sub-DPS, or support. So as it is, the Aquila Favonia stands as among the words 5-star weapons in Genshin Impact. Still, that might change in the near future if a Sword user with an affinity for physical damage gets introduced. One can hope.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.