Genshin Impact Best Archon Quests Ranked

I’m going to open up with something controversial. It’s not hard to create an open-world video game. Now that we have hardware that can render sprawling landscapes and seemingly infinite assets all at once, it seems that overwhelmingly huge video game worlds are a dime a dozen. Heck, Ubisoft phones it in and makes at least three every year.

However, what is hard, is making that world feel alive. To do that, developers need to build a world that is bustling with NPCs, add picturesque scenery, create little critters to roam around the map, intricately weave lore into the fabric of each town or settlement, and create characters that shine brighter than the already interesting setting.

However, above all else, the game needs to have a story that holds the player’s attention and makes existence in this world more than just a series of fetch quests that ask you to travel across a huge, barren wasteland. Thankfully, Genshin ticks every box, from incredible landmarks to colorful characters, and a developing storyline that gets more intriguing with each new update.

There have been quite a few updates since the game’s launch, and as a result, we have been introduced to a series of new regions, and a cast of friends and enemies that have helped expand on the already rich tapestry that Genshin has been weaving since its genesis.

We have battled sea monsters, ancient dragons, and literal gods throughout Genshin’s Archon questlines, and truthfully, it’s been a rollercoaster from the day we set off from that beach below Starsnatch Cliff. All in the hope of finding our sibling, who is about as easy to track down as Mona on rent day.

Well, this poses the question, which of these moments has been the best? Which Archon Quests have been the most memorable, exciting, emotional, and shocking? Well, that is the question that we aim to answer today.

In this article, I aim to look at all the Archon Quests that I have personally powered through, and list which ones stand above the rest as the finest quests that Genshin has to offer. It should go without saying, but just in case, spoilers everyone. Okay, on with the show. Here is Genshin Chronicle’s Genshin Impact Best Archon Quests Ranked list. Enjoy!

Selection Criteria

While I would love to rank every single Archon Quest within the game, I think that would be overkill. After all, this is a list of the best Archon Quests. So we are going with the all-killer, no-filler, approach.

This means we need to refine our selection, and propose criteria that ensure that only the cream rises to the top. So here is how we chose our Best Archon Quests:

• All quests must be Archon Quests. So no World Quests, Hangout Quests, or any other quest for that matter.
• All quests selected must have a marquee moment that justifies their selection.
• We will only be listing full quests, not segments of quests, to avoid double entries.
• Naturally, some choices will be based on my subjective opinion. Feel free to vehemently disagree and curse my name as you do so

Okay, it’s time to reminisce. Let’s look back fondly on the best Archon Quests in Genshin Impact!

Our Top Ten Genshin Archon Quests

#10 – Chapter I: Act I – Of the Land Amidst Monoliths – Rite of Descension

After the incredible events that took place in Mondstadt, and the elation that came with freeing Dvalin from his torment, it would have been very easy for Genshin’s next region to miss the mark and fail to capture the lightning in a bottle that the opening chapter achieved.

Now, I think Liyue did fail across the board to provide an Archon quest that matched Mondstadt note for note, but in terms of opening quests, it was one of the strongest in the game. The concept of this opening is fantastic.

You, The Traveler, take off to a new land in search of the Geo Archon, only to find that you’ve turned up just in time to find his draconic corpse on the ground, and by extension, you are now a murder suspect.

Thus begins a mission that sees you have to escape Yiqing Terrace without being captured by The Millelith. Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that the stealth mechanics employed within this quest are lackluster, and that’s being kind.

However, the jeopardy at play, and the expert narrative setup make this one a joy to play through. It’s just such a shame that, aside from our encounters with Childe, this Archon questline would be largely dominated by lifeless fetch quests.

#9 – Chapter I Act II: Farewell Archaic Lord – Guizhong

Okay, so of all listed here, this is one that perhaps makes it in here based on my subjective viewpoint rather than on merit, but hear me out for a second. There are some characters that make a cameo within Archon Quests, and most of the time, these small windows into their lives fall flat in terms of narrative intrigue and fun. The best example of this is the likes of Yoimya and Ganyu.

Well, the same cannot be said for Qiqi, the little zombie who works in Bubu Pharmacy. In terms of screen time, we only get to interact with Qiqi in this one quest, but it’s such a fun, lively quest, which essentially serves as one elaborate way to tell a really cheesy joke, which I loved.

In this quest, we meet Baizhu for the first time, and get to know Qiqi, who, in a world of fantasy, magic, and surreal powers, feels even more surreal. I mean, how is everyone so chill with his reanimated child wandering around? Is Necromancy commonplace in Teyvat?

Better not to pry, I suppose. Her whole demeanor had me smirking throughout, and the questline itself in search of Coco Goat Milk was pretty good too. Maybe I’m giving this one more credit than it deserves, but I don’t care; Qiqi deserves some love!

#8 – Chapter II Act II – Stillness, The Sublimation of Shadow – In The Name of The Resistance

I have my hangups with the Inazuma Archon Quest as a whole. I feel that the story was pretty high concept, had some complex themes, and had a great premise. However, it felt rushed at times, and a lot of characters aside from Thoma didn’t get the time to pop on screen that they deserved.

One such character that managed to work around that issue and stand out regardless was Gorou. I’m a sucker for an underdog story. A tale that sees the few stand against the thousands and come out the other end victorious. That’s exactly what In The Name of the Resistance is.

This sees Gorou and his men stand against Kojou Sara and the Raiden’s army. The odds seem insurmountable, but with the help of The Traveller and Kokomi’s tactical excellence, the resistance stands their ground and pushes The Raiden’s forces out of Tatarasuna.

The cut scene depicting the battle is super; we learn a lot about Sara, Kokomi, and Gorou in a short period of time. Plus, the player also develops a bond with Teppei, and this is key, as the later events involving the character and the tragedy that will befall them simply don’t have the same emotional gut punch without this groundwork being laid. Overall, a super quest!

#7 -Prologue Act III – Song of the Dragon and Freedom – Ending Note

If there is one criticism I would level at the Mondstadt Archon Quest, it is that it’s a little idealistic, in the sense that it’s a typical ‘good triumphs over evil’ storyline. There aren’t the same complex, ambiguous themes that would come in later Archon Quests.

However, there is one key moment in this questline that sneaks up on the player, and delivers a shocking moment, just when you thought things were wrapping up for a happy ending.

Up until this quest, we don’t really know a lot about The Fatui, nor do we know what kind of power the Harbingers possess. What we do know is that Archon Gods aren’t to be messed with, and even the happy-go-lucky Venti is still a very powerful god.

Knowing that makes it all the more shocking when Signora arrives outside The Cathedral and takes Venti’s Gnosis by force. This brutality and ruthlessness showed in one moment the power and the evil within The Fatui’s ranks, and equally made us fear that we may have lost the Tone Deaf Bard forever.

Thankfully Signora didn’t kill The Traveler or Venti in this encounter, and the next time we would encounter Signora, we would be ready. But more on that later.

#6 – Prologue: Act III – Song of the Dragon and Freedom – A Long Shot

A Long Shot serves as the big finale of the Mondstadt Archon Quest, and while it’s definitely the weakest finale of the four regions so far, it’s still a great way to close off this chapter of Genshin’s long and winding story so far. This quest is essentially a much more fleshed-out version of Storming Terror, a Trounce Domain that many will play through countless times.

It begins the same way that Dragon’s Storm did, having you tail Dvalin and shoot at him as you glide through the air. Then when you ground the majestic beast, the real battle begins. You’ll need to wound him, and then when stunned, climb on his back and take out the poisoned clots which have kept him under the control of The Abyss.

Then comes a heartwarming reunion of Barbatos and Dvalin as he becomes lucid again, rescuing the group from a fatal fall and delivering them safely to Mondstadt.

Venti grants Dvalin freedom to simply be, without the responsibility of being one of the Four Winds, and for a moment, all is right in Teyvat, and the people of Mondstadt are safe once again. As I said, it’s a little bit too Disney for my liking, but at least Signora comes in straight after to spice things up.

#5 – Chapter I Act III: A New Star Approaches – Heart of Glaze

The Liyue Archon quest had a strong opening, some highlights in-between, and then a very strong closing act. However, the parts in between were some of the dullest and most lifeless that Genshin has ever dished up.

However, the saving grace of these sections was usually Childe. A multi-layered and menacing character that could be friend or foe, depending on which way the wind blew.

We all knew that Childe would turn heel at some point; after all, he is a Fatui Harbinger for a reason. However, we couldn’t have imagined just how epic the battle would be. Childe is a worthy adversary in his standard form, but after his Foul Legacy transformation, you see just what he is capable of.

Childe tries his utmost to decimate you. Yet, in the end, when the dust settles, and the battle is won, you just can’t hate the guy. He’s inherently likable, and you can see that deep down, he has goodness within him. He’s not like the other Harbingers; he has a heart.

It just freezes over now and again. Hence why he had a backup plan, and before you can give him the punishment he deserves, Osial rises from the deep. We will reconvene at the Jade Chamber for that one in a few entries.

#4 – Chapter II Act III: Omnipresence Over Mortals – Duel Before the Throne

From one terrifying and imposing Fatui Harbinger to another. We had already seen what Signora was capable of before our run-in with her in Inazuma, but this showdown was something else. Inazuma was a pretty lackluster questline by all accounts, but the finale did a lot to make up for its stuttering form throughout.

In this quest, you head to Tenshukaku to confront Signora before Raiden Shogun, and as usual, she is dismissive, overconfident, and punching down at every opportunity. However, talk is cheap, and when challenged to a duel before the throne, she is forced to fight the Traveler, to the death. The line ’til death do us part’ still lives in my head rent-free.

The battle ends, and the Traveler proves their power is much greater than Signora had anticipated, but you always thought that there was some sort of catch. She would escape, or someone would save her. However, in a shocking turn of events, the Shogun executes her in their signature ruthless style, breaking the hearts of Signora fans hoping for her banner in the future.

While a battle with the Shogun herself is the true finale for Inazuma, this was by far the standout moment, and as an FTP player, I still have nightmares about that Signora fight. The amount of food I used to heal is laughable. However, it showed us that, while incredibly strong, the Fatui are not invincible.

#3 – Chapter I: Act III – A New Star Approaches – Turning Point

So there you are at the Jade Chamber. Childe has been defeated and fled, and before you is the gargantuan behemoth that is, Osial. In most finale fights, it’s usually the player facing a titan head-on, with maybe some assistance here and there. However, this event really felt like a team effort.

With the assistance of The Millelith, Ningguang, and The Adepti, the player is able to take down this sea beast, albeit with great difficulty and the sacrifice of the Jade Chamber.

The battle itself is a series of mob fights that make it feel like a truly epic battle sequence, but it’s the plot points woven within this battle that really make the event all the more poignant and memorable.

Ningguang’s sacrifice of her beloved Jade Chamber, the reluctant Adepti coming together for the good of Liyue. It all comes together to offer a cinematic battle of epic proportions. Plus, the power-up gimmicks bestowed upon the player by Madame Ping, Ganyu, and Xiao make the player feel much more powerful than they ought to be.

This entire sequence made me revere Ningguang as a strong leader, which made me all the more shocked when I got access to her and found out she was a mid-tier character. She was done dirty. It’s not the best finale in Genshin, but it’s pretty damn close.

#2 – Chapter I Act IV: Farewell, Archaic Lord – We Will Be Reunited

Okay, I’m going to get heat for this, as for many, this is a non-negotiable number one. However, I don’t see it that way for a number of reasons. However, it’s more down to the quality of the number one I have chosen rather than anything that this quest is lacking.

We Genshin players have been left in the dark for quite some time regarding the core plot, and have had to feed on scraps in the form of small peeks behind the curtain in world quests and archon quests.

However, one quest finally focused on the one thing we have been wondering since we set off on our journey. Where the hell is our sibling? In this quest, we learn about Dainsleif, Khaenri’ah, and the events that took place over 500 years ago. However, the most shocking revelation is that our sibling appears before us for the first time.

He confirms that he is indeed the leader of The Abyss Order and refuses to travel with The Traveler, insisting that they must see The Abyss Order’s ultimate goal to fruition, and also suggests that the real enemy is none other than Dainsleif.

Then before we can squeeze any more info out of them, they disappear through a portal. The revelation posed a lot of questions, such as, are the Abyss Order really the bad guys?

What secrets does Teyvat hold that we must discover for ourselves, and who can we truly trust in Teyvat? It is, simply put, Genshin storytelling at its finest, and it finally gave us a sliver of understanding of the events before our arrival in Teyvat. I guess we will need to clear another three nations before we are blessed with another crumb of info.

#1 – Chapter III Act V: Akasha Pulses, The Kalpa Flame Rises – Where The Boat to Consciousness Lies

Of all the Archon Quests, as a whole, you have to say that Sumeru provided one of the most engaging and consistently brilliant quests the game has had to offer. This was due to a much slower pace so that characters were given time to make a connection with the player, ideas and concepts within the narrative were explained with much more clarity, and given the time they needed to hit home.

Plus, the core concepts, themes, and ideas present were just leaps and bounds ahead of what had come before. From Nahida’s story arc, to the infiltration of The Akademiya, everything felt meticulously crafted and engaging. Dialogue heavy, I will grant you, but equally, in a game of this nature, the main questline should be packed with interesting dialogue.

This interesting dialogue would all serve as a fitting build-up to the finale, where the gloves came off, and the player would have to take down a literal god in the form of Scaramouche. I personally thought that the battle itself was a little bit lacking when compared to other encounters, but in terms of narrative, this closing act kept delivering.

From Nahida and the Traveller taking down Scaramouche and allowing him to begin life anew as The Wanderer. To Nahida’s heart-to-heart with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

It honestly could not have been carried out any better, and you have to give props to Hoyoverse for wrapping up this chapter in style. If Sumeru is anything to go by, then Fontaine is going to be another huge step up. I, for one, can’t wait!

The Worst of the Bunch

Ah, wasn’t that a blast remembering all those good times? Well, now I’m going to take that feeling and smush it up into a tiny little ball and throw it in the trash, because now we are going to remember those Archon Quests that didn’t hit the mark.

You know, the ones that dragged on forever, had you die over and over again, or had plot points that just lacked that certain something.

That’s right, think back to the quests you had to suffer through. Doesn’t that get your blood boiling? Good, harness that fire. Here are the five worst Archon Quests that flopped hard:

#5 – Venti’s New Plan – Prologue: Act II – For a Tomorrow without Tears

Okay, so remember when I said that adding stealth sections within Genshin is a pretty terrible idea? Well, that comes across more than ever in the quest Venti’s New Plan. In this quest, you must break into the undercroft of the Mondstadt Cathedral and steal the Holy Lyre.

However, to do that, you will need to stay out of sight and get to the Lyre during the night when the guards are off duty. The whole quest is over in a flash, but it still manages to leave a sour taste. The stealth mechanics are so poorly implemented that it pulls the player out of the experience, and overall, the quest just feels silly and unnecessary. A swing and a miss. 

#4 – Chapter III Act III: The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings

While I have a lot of time for the Sumeru chapter, the section in Sumeru City was by far the weakest of the lot, and the whole act The Morn a Thousand Rose Brings was surreal, hard to follow, and derivative of a few other forms of media I had seen. I remember going through this loop and thinking; this is KH2’s Twilight Town tutorial meets Groundhog day, but not in a good way.

This was an example of when heavy dialogue with no action can be tiresome. If you are going to make the story do the heavy lifting, you better make sure fit for purpose. Sadly, this section just felt a little undercooked. 

#3 – Chapter II Prologue: Autumn Winds, Scarlet Leaves – The Crux Clash

Okay, so I understand that there needed to be a way that the narrative allowed The Traveller to gain access to Inazuma and cross the vast body of water between Liyue and Inazuma, but why did it have to be this long, and so uninteresting? The highlight of this questline is that the player gets to know Beidou, who, to her credit, is a pretty cool character.

However, the quest line just feels unnecessary. I mean, a combat tournament to decide who earns a rite of passage to Liyue. Really? The Traveler eases through a series of petty battles, and then has to chase down a cheater who makes off with the vision on offer.

It’s a really heavy-handed way of introducing the vision hunt decree, you don’t connect with Kuzaha at all throughout, and it just feels really slapstick at times. 

#2 – Chapter I Act II: Farewell Archaic Lord – Three Poignant Perfumes

I assume, upon the mere mention of this questline, you all let out a collective groan. I don’t blame you. The vast majority of the time we spent with Zhongli was a drag, and aside from a few somewhat comical frugality jokes, it just consisted of boring fetch quests. I could have picked any of them, really, but I think this one is the most offensive of the bunch.

This sees the player go off to collect materials to create a perfume that will be used in the Rite of Parting ceremony. Right off the back of another fetch quest to get Noctilucous Jade might I add. I think it was the back-to-back errands that really infuriated me, and as a result, I hope there is a special place in hell for the creative genius that concocted this quest. 

#1 – Chapter II Act I: The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia – Confessions of an Outlander/Ritou Escape Plan

Dont. Pen. Me. In. Genshin is an open-world game, where exploration is paramount to enjoying the game. So why would you make it the case that when I arrive in Inazuma, that I have to convince a bunch of people to let me leave the little patch of the region of Eternity called Ritou?

This quest gave me the worst possible first impression of Inazuma, and its people, and practically forced me to engage with the, quite frankly, dull core content until the game deemed me worthy of exploring the new region.

Is it a petty reason to hate this quest? You bet it is, but taking control from the player is a surefire way to strip quests of their fun factor, and that’s what’s happened here. 

FAQ Section

Tales Fit for a Bard’s Song

Genshin Impact isn’t even close to wrapping up its long and winding story. Not by a long shot. However, when we finally do call it a day and finally get some answers on what Celestia is, who the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles are, and what our sibling has been up to since he became head honcho over at the Abyss Order.

We will be able to look back and see a cavalcade of adventures, endeavors, and battles that will have Venti breaking out his Lyre and singing our praises. That is, if he’s not had too much Dandelion Wine. We hope that you enjoyed this fun list deciding which Archon Quests are the best within Genshin Impact so far, and as always, thank you for reading Genshin Chronicle.

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Callum Marshall

Cal is Genshin Chronicle's Managing Editor, and while he is relatively new to Teyvat, he's been a big player in the gaming industry for the best part of a decade.

He's gradually working his way through the mountain of content Genshin Impact has to offer, and even though he's hundreds of hours deep, he's still captivated with the Gacha giant!

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