DPS ranking

Here we assume we can spam bursts on cooldown. Results are rounded to the nearest decimal place.

  1. For a reference upper bound, Xiao (C6): 2212.1
  2. Alhaitham/Raiden (C0, Raiden 1k em hyperbloom, 2 cores per .9s, needs Alhaitham): 1357.3
  3. Xiao (C0, with midair/collision plunge damage for large enemies): 1041.8
  4. Cyno (hyperbloom, 400 em, needs Nahida+Furina): 966.4
  5. Alhaitham (spread, 400em): 963.7
  6. Cyno (pure aggravate, 400 em): 834.5
  7. Xiao (C0, no collision): 765.1
  8. Arataki Itto (C0, 5k atk): 674.88
  9. Dehya (C0, 4p emblem + Mona): 668
  10. Scaramouche (C0): 666
  11. Nahida (C0, 1k em, 2k atk, on-field spread): 663.7
  12. Ayaka (with Bennett): 663.6
  13. Yoimiya (rust, vape): 663.3
  14. Eula (C0, NA + E + 11 stack burst): 659
  15. Cyno (C0, 7-hit combo): 652
  16. Diluc (C0, vaporize, infusion): 651.6
  17. Kuki (C0, 1k em hyperbloom, 2 cores): 651.5
  18. Alhaitham (C0, spread, 400em, 2k atk, E projection + burst only): 625
  19. Beidou (C6, exactly 2 enemies, 200% ER): 618.8
  20. Yae Miko (C0, 4p Gilded Dreams, aggravate): 617.8
  21. Yoimiya (C0, Yun Jin buff, no reactions): 608.3
  22. Hyperbloom (1 per second, 1k EM): ~600, for example this can be achieved with full EM Raiden E bot (procs once per .9s)
  23. Lyney (C0, 4 stacks): 599.2
  24. Noctis (C0, 3 stacks): 591.5
  25. Nahida (C0, on-field spread): 582.6
  26. Albedo (C0, with Q, Bennett, quickswap): 571.2
  27. Childe (C0, 3 enemies): 568.6
  28. Yoimiya (C0, R5 rust): 568.4
  29. Eula (C0, NA + 11 stacks burst): 560
  30. Cyno (C0, 5-hit combo): 559.0
  31. Hu Tao (C1, vaporize): 544.3
  32. Itto (C0): 539.9
  33. Eula (C0, max stacks, burst only): 538.7 (in practice may only get 14 out of 30 stacks per burst, becomes easier to get full stacks at c6)
  34. Yoimiya (C0, vaporize): 538.6
  35. Eula (C0, only NA + E): 510.9
  36. Childe (C0, 2 enemies): 505.7
  37. Nahida (C0, full em, spread, off-field): 501.4
  38. Raiden Shogun (C0, max stacks, 200% ER): 494.1
  39. Wriothesley (C0): 494.0
  40. Yae Miko (C0, 2TF + 2WT): 488.0
  41. Focalors (C0, with 1.4x buff and Q buff): 475.3
  42. Noctis (C0, 2 stacks): 462.0
  43. Nilou (C0, 2 cores per second): 458
  44. Yelan (C0, 200% ER): 445.4
  45. Childe (C0, 1 enemy): 442.8
  46. Ayaka (C0, freeze): 442.4
  47. Hu Tao (C0, vaporize): 435.4
  48. Venti (C0, 500 EM, swirl): 430
  49. Beidou (C6, exactly 3 enemies, 200% ER): 412.5
  50. Yoimiya (C0, no reactions): 404.0
  51. Eula (C0, NA only): 400.9
  52. Kokomi (C0, no vape, 4p clam): 399.2
  53. Xiangling (C4, vaporize, 300% ER): 395.6
  54. Ganyu (C0, melt): 395.3
  55. Rosaria (C6, 200% ER): 392.8
  56. Navia (C0, 6 stacks): 381.5
  57. Ganyu (C0): 376.5
  58. Ayato: 375
  59. Rosaria (C6, 2 noblesse 2 blizzard): 370.5
  60. Kazuha (C0, 125 EM): 370.1
  61. Bennett (C0, on-field): 356.0
  62. Keqing (C0): 347.2
  63. Ayaka (C0, CA only): 337.2
  64. Ayaka (C0, Q only): 326.432
  65. Focalors (C0, with hp drain, 1.4x buff): 315.5
  66. Xiangling (C4, vaporize, 120% ER): 315.2
  67. Mona (C0, vaporize, burst only, 200% ER): 314.9
  68. Navia (C0, 3 stacks): 310.5
  69. Heizou (C6): 309.8
  70. Fischl (C6): 288.3
  71. Geo Traveler (C6): 281.8
  72. Xiangling (C6, no vaporize, 300% ER): 263.7
  73. Albedo (C0, Geo resonance): 257.8
  74. Beidou (C6, only 1 enemy, 200% ER): 247.5
  75. Nahida (C0, full em, off-field): 243.5
  76. Albedo (C0): 239.8
  77. Moran (C0): 237.2
  78. Nilou (C0, 1 core per second): 229
  79. Focalors (C0, no hp drain): 225.3
  80. Zhongli (C0, burst, 30k hp): 180.2

The numerical effect of Bennett's buff on the DPS will be roughly the same for most characters, so Bennett is not factored into most of these calculations. The exceptions such as Hu Tao or Itto are handled on a case by case basis. In these cases, the DPS/MV is scaled after taking into account the relative effect of Bennett's buff on their ATK.

Note: Beidou gets +3 levels on Q at C5. Xiangling gets +3 levels on Q at C3. For Beidou's case, the DPS per enemy is given. (For most other AoE abilities besides Beidou, the DPS per enemy is equal to the DPS.)

Higher constellations

This is a dps list considering higher constellations above C0.

  1. Xiao (C6): 2212.1
  2. Cyno (C6, aggravate): 1649.3
  3. Scaramouche (C6, pyro+hydro buff): 1500
  4. Itto (C6): 1461.7
  5. Cyno (C6): 1407.1
  6. Dehya (C6): 1388.2
  7. Scaramouche (C6, hydro buff): 1369
  8. Scaramouche (C6): 1200
  9. Cyno (C5): 1197.9
  10. Kuki (C4, hyperbloom, 2 cores): 1058.72
  11. Yae (C6): 874.5
  12. Scaramouche (C2): 842.2
  13. Raiden Shogun (C3, max stacks, 200% ER): 830
  14. Kuki (C2, hyperbloom, 2 cores): 814.4
  15. Yae (C3): 641.0
  16. Beidou (C6, exactly 2 enemies, 200% ER): 618.8
  17. Hu Tao (C1, vaporize): 544.3
  18. Xingqiu (C6, 200% ER): 415.2
  19. Xiangling (C4, vaporize, 300% ER): 395.6

Sub-DPS

This is a subset of the above lists, focusing on characters that give off field damage (sub-DPS), excluding hyperbloom (which would otherwise be king/queen of subdps)

  1. Yae (C6): 874.5
  2. Nahida (C0, 1k em, 2k atk, on-field spread): 663.7
  3. Yae (C3): 641.0
  4. Beidou (C6, exactly 2 enemies, 200% ER): 618.8
  5. Yae (C0): 488.0
  6. Yelan (C0, 200% ER): 445.4
  7. Venti (C0, 500 EM, swirl): 430
  8. Xingqiu (C6, 200% ER): 415.2
  9. Beidou (C6, exactly 3 enemies, 200% ER): 412.5
  10. Xiangling (C4, vaporize, 300% ER): 395.6
  11. Venti (C0): 315.8
  12. Xiangling (C4, vaporize, 120% ER): 315.2
  13. Xiangling (C6, no vaporize, 300% ER): 263.7
  14. Kazuha (C0, 125 EM): 370.1
  15. Albedo (C0, Geo resonance): 257.8
  16. Beidou (C6, only 1 enemy, 200% ER): 247.5
  17. Albedo (C0): 239.8
  18. Xingqiu (C0, 200% ER): 176.3

When they call Beidou the queen of AoE sub-DPS, it is actually well-deserved.

MV to DPS

DPS numbers are expressed as % (so 2000% would be a multiplier of 20, dividing by 100%) and are normalized after considering Bennett's buff (~1.5 multiplier) assuming an ATK of 2000 for most characters. Actual dps would also consider DEF, RES, etc.

The factor to multiply the mv is $$2000*1.5*.5*.9 = 1350$$ and if there is 200% crit damage $$1350*3 = 4050$$ or roughly 4000 conversion ratio between mv and actual dps. Note in practice, some units (notably supports) may have less than 2000 atk and 200% crit damage meaning the actual dps will be less. Moreover things like res shred (VV etc) or even def shred can change the conversion ratio. It ultimately depends on each unit and team composition, but this number is given as a very rough estimate. Do not take this out of context. In practice you can do more or less damage.

Spiral Abyss

What is the minimum dps needed to clear abyss (9 stars)? Suppose floor 12 has a lv100 maguu kenki in one chamber. Floor 12 gets a x2.5 multiplier to hp. The maguu has M = 1838256 hp. Say both sides have one. We need to clear in 3 minutes or 180s. The dps needed is \(2M/180=20425\) damage per second.

Now divide by 4000. The team dps needed is 500% mv. This is very achievable but both sides need to have 500% mv average. Some characters who have >500% can even solo the floor.

In general one can probably get away with less since not every enemy is a maguu kenki. Also aoe situations can reduce the amount of mv needed if you can hit multiple enemies at once.

In practice we also care about efficiency. Can all your attacks hit? If attacks miss like ganyu's charged attack or is blocked by the maguu kenki, you get inefficiency, which lowers actual dps.

Notes

In the beginning there was Xiao, Diluc, and Childe. Sumeru added several top tier dps units, including Nahida, Cyno, Alhaitham, and Scaramouche. It is impressive how good some of the Sumeru characters are. As of 4.4, Fontaine does not yet have a dps that reaches the level of the top Sumeru dps.