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Last updated: 3 July 2026

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Genshin Impact Character Ascension Guide — All 6 Phases, Materials & Boss Drops

Updated July 20269 min readBy the HowToPlayHub team

Character ascension is the core progression gate in Genshin Impact — the six-phase system that lifts level caps from 20 all the way to 90, unlocks passive talents, and steadily raises every stat on the sheet. Knowing exactly which materials each phase demands, which world bosses to run, and how to convert wrong-element drops saves weeks of misdirected farming. This guide covers all six phases with exact material counts, a full elemental gem-to-boss mapping, and the priority order for F2P players.

01What Ascending a Character Does

Characters in Genshin Impact gain XP through Character EXP Books — but they hit an invisible ceiling once they reach their current level cap. Using more EXP books on a capped character does nothing. Ascending removes that ceiling, boosts the character's base stats, and — at Phases 1 and 4 specifically — unlocks a passive talent ability for free.

Each ascension phase gives three concrete upgrades:

Note that ascending does not level up combat talents (Normal Attack, Elemental Skill, Elemental Burst) — talent leveling is a separate system using talent books, weekly boss drops, and Crowns of Insight. Ascension just raises the stat ceiling so those talent levels matter more.

02All 6 Phases at a Glance

A key pattern to spot: the gem tiers run Sliver → Fragment → Chunk → Gemstone, and the demand doubles going from Phase 3 to 4. The boss drop count is the real bottleneck for late phases — at 40 Resin per world boss run, securing 20 drops for Phase 6 costs 800 Resin, about 5 days of natural resin regeneration if you spend nothing else.

03The Four Material Categories

Every character needs four distinct types of ascension material. Understanding each category up front prevents the common mistake of farming the wrong thing for weeks.

1. Elemental Ascension Gems (four tiers)

These are element-specific gems in four increasing rarities: Sliver (2-star), Fragment (3-star), Chunk (4-star), and Gemstone (5-star). Each character only uses the gem matching their own element — Pyro characters use Agnidus Agate, Hydro characters use Varunada Lazurite, and so on. You farm them from world boss (field boss) runs. Lower tiers can be crafted up at any Crafting Bench: 3 Slivers convert into 1 Fragment, 3 Fragments into 1 Chunk, 3 Chunks into 1 Gemstone.

2. World Boss Drops (character-specific)

Each character has a unique boss material — for example, the Anemo Hypostasis drops Hurricane Seeds for Anemo characters like Sucrose and Kazuha, while the Cryo Regisvine drops Hoarfrost Cores for Cryo characters. These are not interchangeable across characters. Phase 1 requires zero boss drops, but every phase from 2 onward demands them in increasing amounts. All world bosses cost 40 Resin per reward claim.

3. Local Specialties

Region-specific plants, minerals, and foods that only grow or appear in one area of Teyvat. Windwheel Asters appear only in Mondstadt, Cor Lapis only in Liyue, and so on. They respawn every 48 real-time hours. Gathering routes for each specialty are well-documented on the Teyvat Interactive Map (search 'Genshin Interactive Map' — the official HoYoverse tool) — always use it instead of wandering the map manually.

4. Common Enemy Drops (three tiers)

These are stackable enemy drops that every player accumulates naturally while exploring: things like Slime Condensate / Slime Secretions / Slime Concentrate (from Slimes), Firm Arrowhead / Sharp Arrowhead / Weathered Arrowhead (from Hilichurl archers), and dozens of other enemy-specific sets. The required tier escalates in later phases — Phases 1 and 2 use tier-1 drops, Phases 3 and 4 use tier-2, and Phases 5 and 6 use tier-3. Because common drops stack up naturally through daily play, you rarely need to hunt them specifically.

04Exact Material Counts: Phase by Phase

The numbers below apply to all characters (4-star and 5-star use the same amounts; only the specific material names differ). These are verified counts for a single character ascending from level 1 to 90 across all six phases.

Phase 1 → Level cap: 40

Phase 2 → Level cap: 50

Phase 3 → Level cap: 60

Phase 4 → Level cap: 70

Phase 5 → Level cap: 80

Phase 6 → Level cap: 90 (max)

Full Lv 1 → 90 totals per character: 1 Sliver + 9 Fragment + 9 Chunk + 6 Gemstone · 168 local specialties · 18 tier-1 + 30 tier-2 + 36 tier-3 common drops · 46 world boss drops · 420,000 Mora. Always verify your character's specific material names in-game: Character → Ascension tab shows exactly which local specialty, common drop set, and boss material they use.

05Elemental Gems: Which Boss to Farm for Each Element

Each of Genshin's seven playable elements has its own gem name and set of world bosses that drop it. Bosses that appear in multiple regions or with elemental infusion variants may drop multiple gem types; the list below covers the primary sources you will farm most often.

The Primo Geovishap is a special case: its elemental infusion (Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, or Electro) is randomly assigned at each encounter and rotates with every server daily reset or boss defeat — it always drops Prithiva Topaz plus the gem of its current infusion element. Players cannot control which element appears through character selection. To farm a specific element, re-fight without claiming rewards until the desired infusion appears. For reliable farming, use a boss whose element is fixed.

From Natlan and newer regions onward, additional bosses have been added with each version. Always check the Adventurer's Handbook (Monster/Boss tab) in-game to see the full current drop list for any boss — it updates automatically with each version patch.

One resin-efficient trick: if a boss drops both the elemental gem and the boss-specific ascension material for your character (for example, the Anemo Hypostasis drops Vayuda Turquoise and Hurricane Seeds for Anemo characters), you are grinding two required drop categories in a single run — always prioritise these when choosing which boss to farm.

06The 420,000 Mora Problem

Fully ascending a single character from Lv 1 to 90 costs exactly 420,000 Mora — across the six phases (20k + 40k + 60k + 80k + 100k + 120k). That sounds manageable in isolation. The problem is that ascending all the characters on a typical active roster, combined with leveling their weapons and talents, can easily demand 3–5 million Mora per patch. Mora is the most chronically scarce resource in Genshin at mid-to-high investment levels.

The best Mora sources, ranked by efficiency:

The practical takeaway: run Mora Ley Lines regularly instead of strictly saving all Resin for artifact domains, especially when you are actively building a new character. Having 500,000+ Mora in reserve before you start ascending prevents the frustrating mid-build Mora wall.

07Wrong Drops: Crafting Tiers and Converting Across Elements

Two crafting systems save you from being stuck with the wrong type of gem material.

Tier conversion (same element, any Crafting Bench): Three gems of one tier convert into one gem of the next tier — 3 Slivers become 1 Fragment, 3 Fragments become 1 Chunk, 3 Chunks become 1 Gemstone. Conversions only go upward (you cannot split a Gemstone back into Chunks). This means excess low-tier drops are never wasted — they just need more runs to matter.

Dust of Azoth (element conversion): This special item, found in the Battle Pass shop, from events, and occasionally in exploration reward chests, lets you convert a gem of any element into the same tier of a different element. One Dust of Azoth converts one gem. It is rare — treat it as an emergency resource to unblock a character build when you have a surplus of one element and zero of another. Do not spend it speculatively.

The crafting math matters for planning: if you have 9 spare Fragments from farming one character and need Chunks for another character of the same element, convert up rather than running the boss again. The calculus shifts if Dust of Azoth is involved — converting across elements is expensive in Dust, while farming the right boss directly is just expensive in Resin.

08Ascension Priority: Who to Invest in First

With 420,000 Mora and 46 boss drops per character, ascending every character in the game simultaneously is not a realistic goal for F2P players. Use this framework to sequence your investments.

Rule 1: Ascend your main DPS to Phase 6 (Lv 90) first. Your highest-damage carry benefits the most from every stat point the ascension phases add. Leveling a support to Lv 80 while your main DPS sits at Lv 70 is backward — the carry's raw stats amplify everything else in the team.

Rule 2: Ascend supports to Phase 5 (Lv 80) — not necessarily Phase 6. The Mora and boss drop cost of Phase 6 is disproportionately high. Most support characters provide their full kit (healing, shields, buffs, Burst damage) at Lv 80, and the stat gains from Lv 80 to 90 are small compared to a DPS character. Reserve Phase 6 for the characters you play in every single Spiral Abyss floor.

Rule 3: Stop at Phase 1 for low-priority characters. Characters you pulled accidentally or plan to park in an expedition slot only need Phase 1 (Lv 40) to provide their passive talent benefit. Going further costs resources that could go to your main team.

Rule 4: Farm materials for upcoming banner characters in advance. Once you decide to pull on a limited banner, start farming that character's local specialty and world boss drops immediately — before the banner arrives. Boss materials and local specialties accumulate with no expiry date. Arriving at a new character with 40+ Hoarfrost Cores already stocked is the difference between using a character on day one and spending another two weeks farming first.

09Quick Reference: Full Lv 1 → 90 Totals

For players who want the numbers at a glance before diving into the full guide:

Always verify material names in-game under Character → Ascension — the game shows precisely which local specialty, common drop family, and boss material applies to each character. Newer characters added in Natlan, Nod-Krai, and future regions use regionally appropriate materials not listed in older community guides, so in-game verification is the only reliable source for recently released units.

FAQ

How do I ascend a character in Genshin Impact?

Open the Character menu, select the character you want to ascend, and tap the Ascension button (it appears next to the character's level when they have reached their current level cap and you have the required materials in inventory). The game will show you exactly which materials you need and whether you have them. If the button is greyed out, either the character is not yet at the level cap or you are missing one or more materials. You do not need to visit an NPC — ascension is done directly from the character screen.

What are all the level caps in Genshin Impact and how do I raise them?

Characters start with a level cap of 20. Each ascension phase raises the cap: Phase 1 → 40, Phase 2 → 50, Phase 3 → 60, Phase 4 → 70, Phase 5 → 80, Phase 6 → 90. You cannot feed a character EXP books beyond their current cap — they simply stop gaining XP. Each ascension also increases base stats, and Phases 1 and 4 unlock passive talent abilities. Ascending requires elemental gems, world boss drops, local specialties, common enemy drops, and Mora.

Where do I get elemental gems for character ascension?

Elemental ascension gems — Vayuda Turquoise (Anemo), Varunada Lazurite (Hydro), Agnidus Agate (Pyro), Shivada Jade (Cryo), Vajrada Amethyst (Electro), Prithiva Topaz (Geo), Nagadus Emerald (Dendro) — drop from world bosses that cost 40 Resin per reward claim. Each element has multiple boss sources; check the Adventurer's Handbook in-game for which bosses drop your character's gem. You can also craft lower tiers into higher tiers at any Crafting Bench (3 lower tier = 1 higher), and convert across elements using Dust of Azoth (a rare item from the Battle Pass shop).

How much mora does it cost to fully ascend a character to level 90?

Exactly 420,000 Mora to ascend one character from level 1 to 90 across all six phases (20,000 + 40,000 + 60,000 + 80,000 + 100,000 + 120,000). This is just the ascension cost — leveling the character from 1 to 90 with EXP books adds more Mora on top, and talent leveling adds further costs. Run Mora Ley Lines (Blossom of Wealth) regularly to keep a healthy Mora buffer, especially when actively building a new character.

Is it worth ascending every character to level 90 in Genshin?

No — Level 90 is only worth the cost for your main DPS carry, where every stat point on the ascension bonus has real impact. Support characters are usually fine at Level 80 (Phase 5); the stat difference between 80 and 90 on a healer or shield character is minimal, and Phase 6 costs 20 world boss drops and 120,000 Mora. Reserve Phase 6 for characters you use in every single Spiral Abyss floor. Characters you play occasionally can stay at Level 60–70, and bench warmers only need Phase 1 for the passive talent.

Next systemTalent Book Farming Guide — domain schedule and weekly boss priority Spend resin wiselyHow to Spend Resin — boss farming priority order Level AR fastAdventure Rank Guide — unlock higher World Levels faster
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