Genshin Impact ascension guide: Materials, quests, levels, and requirements

Genshin Impact quickly became an incredibly popular game after its release and that's in no small part to how the game allows you to become powerful. All you have to do is ascend to a higher state.

To do that, you'll need to level up your Genshin Impact characters and weapons as much as possible, reach the correct Adventure Ranks, and have the right items on hand. Each character and weapon you'll want to upgrade requires specific items to do so, which you must either purchase, find on the map, or win in battles. Here's everything you need to know about ascension and its requirements.

Genshin Impact ascension: What is it?

After you've been playing with a character in Genshin Impact for a certain amount of time, you'll hit a wall where the character and its weapons cannot increase in level or stats. Ascension allows you to continue a character or weapon's progress by unlocking one of their talents or passive skills. Do that, and you'll continue making more progress in one of the best Android games available.

Characters and weapons can only ascend if the right materials and requirements are met. You can't make it into the high-level dungeons unless you take the time to ascend your characters and weapons.

Genshin Impact: How to ascend characters

In order to ascend Genshin Impact characters, you will need to cap out your character's current max level, reach specific Adventure Ranks, and have the necessary materials to actually ascend.

Continue to work on your Adventure Rank by talking to the Receptionists at any Adventurer's Guild counter. You must manually redeem your rewards to move up Adventure Rank levels.

Step-by-step ascension instructions

1. Go to the Character Menu for the character you want to ascend.

2. Select Attributes.

3. Look to the bottom right corner where the Level Up button usually appears. If your character cannot level up any further and you have the materials necessary, this button will read Ascend instead. Tap this button.

4. This will take you to a screen that shows you what materials you need to complete this action. You can click on the items to learn where to get them. If you have them all, select Ascend again.

5. The stats from the Ascension will appear. Select Confirm to continue.

Now continue the process for any other characters that have reached their current level cap and that you have the required materials for.

Genshin Impact: Character ascension materials chart

The more times a character ascends, the more complex the materials needed to ascend become. Here are the base descriptions for the materials that each character needs.

As a rule of thumb, characters of the same element will use the same type of gems. The rest of the materials are usually found throughout specific locations or dropped by bosses. 

Genshin Impact: How to ascend weapons

You will need to have reached a specific Adventure Rank, capped at your current rank's max level, and have the required materials in order to ascend weapons. Ascension levels are as follows:

Continue to level up your weapons until they reach a level cap. Once that happens, if you have the proper materials on hand and have reached the next required Adventure Rank, you'll be able to ascend your weapon and continue leveling it up.

Genshin Impact: How to get ascension materials

There are five different ways to acquire Ascension Materials and you'll need to participate in all five methods to ascend your characters and weapons.

1. Souvenir Shops: Go to a shop with a Diamond symbol and exchange Ascension Materials for Sigils. These sigils are commonly found in treasure chests.
2. Boss Fights: Some of the items you need can only be acquired after beating bosses. You can always go into your menu and check the Adventurer Handbook to see what items a boss drops upon defeat.
3. Mining and Collecting: Run around the map collecting items and mining everything you see. It's easiest to mine from stones using explosives or a claymore.
4. Alchemy and Crafting: Interact with the Crafting Bench or an Alchemy table to obtain rare items.
5. Traveling Merchants and Botanists: You'll likely come across traveling NPCs on your journey. You'll often find these mobile marketers selling Ascension Materials.

On another level

Once you've ascended, you'll be able to continue leveling up your character so they become stronger. Ascension is a necessary part of getting further into the Genshin Impact world, so make sure you take the time to acquire the proper materials and ascend when you can.