We've all been there—you're strolling along, farming items and completing your Daily Commissions, when suddenly the music changes. The melodic sounds of the overworld become a high-tempo battle theme ringing with intensity, and before you know it, you're face to face with a boss.
Genshin Impact's magical world of Teyvat is populated with all kinds of intrepid allies, curious characters, and fearsome foes, but the most notable enemies you'll regularly face are the World Bosses. Also referred to as Normal Bosses, these notable opponents are your go-to source for many essential materials. Even though it's you who will be fighting them the most, let's take a look at how their fights stack up against each other.
16/16 Rhodeia Of Loch
More commonly known as the "Oceanid," Rhodeia of Loch's real title should probably be "the most annoying boss in Genshin Impact." This cowardly creature doesn't even fight you head-on, instead conjuring countless Hydro creatures to do her dirty work. The worst of these is undoubtedly the birds, which are terribly difficult to hit if you're using a melee character.
On top of that, sections of Rhodeia's platform sink periodically, preventing you from placing Geo structures and also getting your socks wet. If all these travesties weren't enough, Rhodeia interrupts your battle every five seconds to tell you, once again, that the "power of water is its ability to take any shape." Perhaps the real power of water is its ability to devise the least enjoyable boss encounter in the game.
15/16 Cryo Hypostasis
The first of the cubes on this list, the Cryo Hypostasis embodies everything that makes the Hypostases rather tiresome bosses. The Sheer Cold that perpetuates the arena keeps you tethered to the nearby torches, the boss' Cryo attacks slow down your own offenses, and its icy nature makes Pyro damage almost mandatory.
Launching the Frostfruits back towards the Cryo Hypostasis can also be quite finnicky, and messing up this process will cause the fight to drag on significantly longer. Couple all these facts together with the boss' limited move-pool, and you have yourself a fight that just isn't very fun.
14/16 Geo Hypostasis
The Geo Hypostasis suffers from many of the same issues as its cuboid friends, but its encounter is slightly more approachable. Geo damage and Claymore hits are both effective for taking down its Geo Constructs, lending you a little freedom in your team composition.
One thing this boss particularly suffers from is the lack of clarity on its attacks. Some of the Geo Hypostasis' abilities consist of earthquakes or shock waves that are quite difficult to see and evade, yet they deal deadly amounts of damage. These instances can quickly turn this fight frustrating.
13/16 Anemo Hypostasis
The fight against the Anemo Hypostasis would fare significantly better on this list without its gliding portion. In order to finish off the Anemo Hypostasis, you have to glide through the air and collect several Anemo tokens in a short time limit. This sounds simple enough, but sometimes the tokens are really scattered or the camera angle makes it hard to determine what height the tokens are at.
Other than that mild grievance, the Anemo Hypostasis really isn't that bad. None of its mechanics are particularly interesting, but it inherently Swirls any Element it comes in contact with, letting you defeat it quickly and with virtually any team composition.
12/16 Electro Hypostasis
The Electro Hypostasis is more of what you'd expect, but with fewer annoyances than its counterparts above. Electro reacts strongly with Pyro and Cryo, which enables you to easily defeat this boss with many characters.
In terms of its attacks, the Electro Hypostasis has a fairly unremarkable line-up. Its "Electro cage" attack is actually pretty unique, but this only triggers if you're taking a really long time. Other than that, the "rock paper scissors" attack is also worth a laugh.
11/16 Cryo Regisvine
The Cryo Regisvine (and its Pyro counterpart) feel like hallmarks for newer Genshin Impact players. Considering they're just big plants, they're actually pretty imposing, and they have well-themed arenas to set the stage for their encounters.
The Cryo Regisvine definitely seems formidable when you first fight it, but players will quickly realize how much of a pushover this boss becomes later on. Once your Adventure Rank gets high enough, this boss can be defeated within seconds, making a once-climactic encounter seem like a mere speed bump on your travels.
10/16 Pyro Regisvine
Almost everything about the Cryo Regisvine applies to the Pyro Regisvine as well, since they are largely identical encounters. Their attacks and mechanics are essentially the same, except this one is spicy and the other is not.
The Pyro Regisvine receives more points than the Cryo version because being afflicted with Pyro is less cumbersome than being afflicted with Cryo. Also, the Pyro Regisvice has a really cool cave entrance to its lair.
9/16 Golden Wolflord
One of Genshin Impact's newer and more mechanically-intensive World Bosses, the Golden Wolflord nonetheless has some issues. For starters, despite being quite massive, the Golden Wolflord rarely touches the ground, imploring you to use ranged characters. This is not inherently bad, but it's a pain when characters like Yoimiya still suffer so much from questionable auto-targeting.
Even when the Golden Wolflord descends to the ground, the encounter is plagued with several other issues. An extremely inconsistent hitbox, attacks that are only counteracted with Geo, and a painful Corruption mechanic all severely undermine the enjoyment of this boss. At least the Golden Wolflord's entrance is awesome.
8/16 Pyro Hypostasis
The Pyro Hypostasis, along with the Hydro Hypostasis, was added to the game later than the earlier versions of the cube bosses, and the difference shows. The Pyro Hypostasis has a much wider range of attacks that help this fight feel much more engaging and threatening than its forebears.
You still need to bring at least one Hydro character to defeat the Pyro Hypostasis in any reasonable manner, which continues to feel restrictive. That being said, the enhanced difficulty and variety of this fight go a long way towards making it more enjoyable.
7/16 Hydro Hypostasis
The Hydro Hypostasis also benefits from an enhanced arsenal of attacks and mechanics that make its fight feel fresh and exciting. As an added bonus, Hydro reacts strongly with almost every other Element, allowing you to tackle this boss with numerous characters.
The Hydro Hypostasis' healing blobs are also a fun introduction, punishing you fairly for not respecting the boss, but also rewarding you with a health boost if you interrupt them.
6/16 Thunder Manifestation
The Thunder Manifestation is sometimes called the "Electro Oceanid," but this is an insulting comparison that should be tolerated no longer. The Thunder Manifestation is much, much cooler than its aquatic cousin, and is probably invited to way more parties.
In all seriousness, though, the fight against the Thunder Manifestation is a fun experience. The stormy setting above Seirai Island is spectacular, and the boss is dynamic, aggressive, and fast-paced. The only gripe to be had with this fight is how much it caters to ranged characters, who suffer from occasional targeting issues.
5/16 Primo Geovishap
Dragon-like enemies will always be cool in games, and the Primo Geovishap is no exception. The boss' design is extremely intimidating, while its ability to infuse itself with different Elements means that the encounter will be slightly different every time you fight it.
The Primo Geovishap's attacks are powerful and weighty, providing ample time to dodge them but striking you hard if you don't. This boss' only gimmick is how it demands a shield in order to counter its Primordial Shower attack, which can be a bit restrictive. Thankfully, you can pick up Crystallize Shards to somewhat fulfill this requirement.
4/16 Perpetual Mechanical Array
Perhaps because it lives in a ruinous, undersea chamber, or perhaps because it is a lifeless automaton, the Perpetual Mechanical Array is a boss that players often forget about. This is a shame, because it's actually a very well-designed enemy.
Its attacks feature amusing and innovative transformations as it configures itself into a sword, a rocket ship, and more. It has a varied selection of attacks, each with predictable timings and readable hitboxes. Its two phases also cater to both single-target characters and multi-target specialists, letting your entire team shine against it.
3/16 Coral Defenders
These enhanced Bathysmal Vishaps dwell beneath Enkanomiya, forming a powerful duo with a unique and interesting encounter. Taking down one of these creatures isn't enough to emerge victorious; both Coral Defenders must be defeated, but this makes for a level of strategizing that most boss fights in Genshin Impact don't have.
Should you prioritize the Electro Vishap, who will drain your characters' Energy? Or should you focus on the Cryo Vishap, whose frosty blasts will slow you down? This decision-making process is a nice feature that should be incorporated into more of the game's battles.
2/16 Ruin Serpent
The newest boss to infiltrate the world of Genshin Impact, the Ruin Serpent exists as an impressive culmination for the events of The Chasm. It represents an unexpected evolution of the "Ruin-type" enemies and poses a decent challenge even for stronger teams.
The Ruin Serpent encounter also makes use of The Chasm's signature Gadget, the Lumenstone Adjuvant, and its mechanics. This truly connects the fight to its environment while also introducing a new way of subduing a boss. Implementing more Gadgets into boss fights could be an exciting development as Genshin Impact continues to evolve.
1/16 Maguu Kenki
Many players might be traumatized by Maguu Kenki after fighting several versions at once in the Spiral Abyss, but the default Maguu Kenki residing in Inazuma hosts an excellently constructed encounter.
Maguu Kenki will block attacks from too far away, instead demanding that you combat him up-close. This makes the fight feel like a true samurai duel, testing your reactions as you weave your own strikes between his. Your dodges feel rewarding, and your damage feels deserved, and Maguu Kenki's varied combos keep you on your toes until he finally kneels in defeat. This is a boss that definitely earned his status.
