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Introduction to Genshin Impact Slingshot
While often overlooked in favor of their shinier 4-star or 5-star counterparts, 3-star weapons in Genshin Impact can be remarkably valuable investments, especially for beginners and even for seasoned players. Many of these weapons offer unique effects and secondary stats that can make them genuinely top-tier, providing utility that can last throughout your entire Genshin Impact journey. It’s easy to make the mistake of using all 3-star weapons as “fodder” for enhancement early on, but understanding their potential can significantly impact your character builds and overall damage output.
Three-star weapons are considerably easier to acquire and refine to their maximum level (R5) compared to higher rarity weapons, as you obtain many through wishes and by opening chests. They also require fewer resources, such as XP and Mora, to level up. While they might have lower base stats than 4-star weapons, a max-refined 3-star weapon can often outperform a 0-refinement 4-star weapon due to the strength of its passive effect. This guide aims to shed light on which 3-star weapons are worth your precious resources and why.
Best Characters for this weapon
| Character | Role | Why Slingshot Works Well |
|---|---|---|
 Yelan | Sub-DPS / Off-field DPS | Crit Rate substat helps with build consistency; passive procs easily due to close range. |
 Fischl | Main DPS / On-field | Benefits from fast Normal Attacks and high uptime on passive; Crit Rate boosts overall DPS. |
 Tighnari | Quick-swap / Charged DPS | Charged attacks are fast and close-range; passive bonus applies consistently. |
 Amber | Burst Support / DPS | Especially strong at C1 for spammable shots; Slingshot makes her viable early game. |
 Sethos | On-field DPS (Electro) | Focuses on Normal/Charged Attacks; passive and Crit Rate stat are perfect for his playstyle. |
 Venti | Burst DPS / Support | Less ideal than 4-star options but usable early with Crit Rate help and basic attacks. |
General Advice for 3-Star Weapon Investment
For new players, it’s a common inclination to discard 3-star weapons, believing them to be inherently weak. However, investing in them can be a smart early-game strategy. You might consider leveling a 3-star weapon to around level 40 before potentially switching to a craftable 4-star alternative if resources are tight. While 3-star weapons do have a lower maximum level than 4-star weapons, the damage difference might not be as huge as one might expect, especially considering their strong passive effects.
If you do decide to eventually switch to a higher-rarity weapon, the resources invested in a 3-star weapon aren’t entirely lost; you’ll only lose about 15% of the experience points when using it to enhance another weapon. The key is to recognize that an “awesome effect that triggers constantly” from a max-refined 3-star can be better than a “pretty good effect that triggers never” from a 0-refinement 4-star.
Top Tier 3-Star Weapons: The “Viable Four”
These weapons stand out for their exceptional utility and ability to compete with, or even surpass, certain 4-star and 5-star options.
| Weapon | Type | Secondary Stat | Effect & Best Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers | Catalyst | HP% | Grants 48% ATK buff to next swapped-in character; amazing for Barbara, Sucrose, Lisa |
| Black Tassel | Polearm | HP% | Huge 47% HP bonus; excellent for Zhongli, Hu Tao, Yaoyao, Baizhu, Thoma |
| Harbinger of Dawn | Sword | Crit DMG | +28% Crit Rate if above 90% HP; great for Qiqi, Albedo, Kaeya, Bennett DPS |
| Skyrider Sword | Sword | Energy Recharge | 51% ER and self ATK buff on Burst; solid for support sword users like Dendro Traveler, Sayu, Jean |
Other Highly Recommended 3-Star Weapons
Beyond the top four, several other 3-star weapons offer strong benefits, often outperforming many 4-star options, especially when fully refined.
| Weapon | Type | Secondary Stat | Effect & Best Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slingshot | Bow | Crit Rate | Boosts Normal/Aimed Shot DMG if timed; great for Yelan, Fischl, Tighnari |
| Magic Guide | Catalyst | Elemental Mastery | Increases DMG vs Hydro/Electro; ideal for Mona, Lisa, Sucrose |
| Fillet Blade | Sword | ATK | 50% chance for huge ATK burst; good for Keqing, Jean, Qiqi (swap-in style) |
| Skyrider Greatsword | Claymore | Physical DMG Bonus | On-hit boosts ATK/DEF; strong for Razor, Eula, Xinyan |
| Sharpshooter’s Oath | Bow | Crit DMG | Increases weak point DMG, no cooldown; great for Ganyu, Tighnari, Fischl |
| Emerald Orb | Catalyst | Elemental Mastery | ATK buff on Hydro-related reactions; works with Lisa, Barbara, Mona |
| Black Iron Sword | Sword | Elemental Mastery | DMG boost after Electro reactions; rare, only R2 available |
| Raven Bow | Bow | Elemental Mastery | DMG vs Hydro/Pyro-affected foes; synergizes with Fischl, Venti comps |
| Bloodtainted Greatsword | Claymore | Elemental Mastery | DMG boost vs Pyro/Electro; decent for Razor, Diluc |
| Debate Club | Claymore | ATK | AoE DMG on hit every 3s; solid early-game weapon |
| Cool Steel | Sword | ATK | Bonus DMG vs Hydro/Cryo foes; decent for Qiqi, early sword users |
| Recurve Bow | Bow | HP% | Heals on kill; HP% good for Diona, Yelan (sustain builds) |
| White Tassel | Polearm | Crit Rate | Boosts Normal ATK DMG; great for Hu Tao, Cyno, early Xiangling |
| Halberd | Polearm | ATK | Bonus Normal ATK DMG; situational for quick-swap polearm users like Xiangling |
Less Recommended 3-Star Weapons
These weapons typically offer very niche benefits or are generally outclassed by other 3-star or higher-rarity options, making them less worthwhile for significant investment.
| Weapon | Type | Secondary Stat | Effect & Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traveler’s Handy Sword | Sword | DEF | Regenerates HP on particle pickup/kill; DEF stat is niche, generally considered weak |
| Messenger | Bow | Crit DMG | 200% Crit DMG on weak point hit; 10s cooldown makes it inferior to Sharpshooter’s Oath |
| Twin Nephrite | Catalyst | Crit Rate | Buffs ATK/MOV SPD on kill; not effective in boss fights; Crit Rate substat is low |
| Ferrous Shadow | Claymore | HP | Boosts Charged ATK at low HP; poor synergy due to HP stat and survival risk |
| White Iron Greatsword | Claymore | DEF | Restores HP on kill; niche pick mainly for Noelle, lacks general use |
| Otherworldly Story | Catalyst | Energy Recharge | Restores HP on energy particle; effect is underwhelming, ER better used on 4-star weapons |
Conclusion: Empowering Your Gameplay with 3-Star Weapons
In summary, while 3-star weapons might initially appear as mere filler, many possess unique and potent effects that make them incredibly valuable, especially for free-to-play players or those seeking “off-meta” builds. Their ease of acquisition and full refinement, coupled with lower leveling costs, make them accessible power spikes for any account. Weapons like the Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers and Black Tassel can even be considered “genuinely one of the most useful weapons in the whole game” due to their extraordinary utility.
