The five-star Dendro Sword character Alhaitham and the five-star Anemo Sword character Kazuha. Alhaitham is standing and thinking while Kazuha is leaning back and has a cat by him.
Images via miHoYo | Remix by Kacee Fay

Should you pull for Alhaitham or Kazuha in Genshin Impact?

This might be the toughest banner rerun matchup yet.

Genshin Impact’s Version 3.7 update is a bit different from most other updates since it doesn’t have a new five-star recruit for players to pull for. Instead, this Version has two sets of banner rerun matchups with the second one being Alhaitham and Kazuha, which means players will likely be struggling to choose which of the two they want to pull for.

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Making the decision between two powerful five-stars is sometimes a more manageable task when one of the two is a new recruit or both characters are super similar so it’s easy to tell which of the two possesses stronger abilities. But with Alhaitham and Kazuha, the choice is immensely tough since they are extremely different.

The event wish preview for the second half of Genshin's Version 3.7 update which features Kazuha and Alhaitham.
The phase two banners for the Version 3.7 update. Image via miHoYo

Choosing between two powerful five-stars is almost never an easy task unless players know exactly what kind of character they are seeking. If you like both Alhaitham and Kazuha but don’t know whether they’re worth pulling for or which one of the two you should pick, there are many factors you can consider to make your choice easier.

Is Alhaitham worth pulling for in Genshin Impact?

The five-star Dendro Sword character made his way to Teyvat and the region of Sumeru on Jan. 18, 2023, with the debut run of his “Caution in Confidence” banner. This makes his Version 3.7 banner run his second one, which means many players likely haven’t obtained him just yet.

Characters who wield the Dendro element have been a bit all over the place in terms of how their skills rank in comparison to others with some, like the five-star Dendro Catalyst character Nahida, being among the top-tier characters in all of Teyvat and others, like the five-star Dendro Catalyst character Baizhu, possessing rather controversial abilities.

The five-star Dendro Sword character Alhaitham casting his Dendro powers and smiling.
The Dendro character is a powerful damage dealer. Image via miHoYo

Related:30 prettiest locations in Genshin Impact to take in the scenery

Luckily for Alhaitham wanters, he is one of the most powerful Dendro forces in all of Genshin and one of Teyvat’s strongest recruits overall. The sword character packs an immensely powerful DPS skillset and is capable of dealing mighty damage against all who are unlucky enough to cross paths with him.

What’s especially powerful about Alhaitham in comparison to many other DPS units is that he’s capable of dishing immense damage against just one enemy and many at once. He is an incredibly well-rounded damage dealer who excels at applying Dendro, activating Dendro-related elemental reactions, and striking foes down so quickly that many battles will be over before the enemies even know they began.

Alhaitham standing among mirror fragments reflecting him.
Alhaitham is extremely rational, intelligent, and dedicated. Image via miHoYo

The one major drawback Alhaitham possesses is that he’s not at all versatile outside of his DPS role. Attempting to use him in any role other than the primary damage dealer will grant lackluster results and overly complicate your team lineup. But the Dendro recruit is immensely impressive at what he does, so if you need a primary damage dealer, Alhaitham is absolutely worth pulling for.

Is Kazuha worth pulling for in Genshin Impact?

The five-star Anemo Sword character Kaedehara Kazuha made his way to Teyvat’s Electro region of Inazuma on June 29, 2021, with his first featured “Leaves in the Wind” banner. Even though he was released nearly two years ago, Kazuha has only ever had two featured banner runs until now.

Kazuha packs a powerful Anemo skillset that can be used in either a support or secondary damage-dealing capacity. He functions flawlessly as any team’s secondary damage dealer and shines equally as bright when he’s a full-on support character. This makes him a super versatile option for players to use since he is top-tier at two drastically different roles.

The five-star Anemo Sword character Kazuha gliding through the air with his Anemo powers swirling around him.
The Anemo character is a versatile and powerful support unit. Image via miHoYo

Another aspect Kazuha excels at is crowd control, which means he is capable of grouping up many foes at once. Players can use this ability to either allow Kazuha to then exact damage against them or to have his allies attack them, so it’s incredibly useful and versatile in battle. His Anemo powers result in powerful Swirl elemental reactions that activate with many different elements and can be triggered alongside his crowd-controlling abilities.

Kazuha is also one of the best characters players can have on their team when exploring the vast world of Teyvat. The Anemo character possesses a powerful double jump ability that makes traversing through Teyvat much easier since he can gain the high ground with ease and reach otherwise touch spots to climb to.

Kazuha unsheathing his sword and preparing for battle in a forest full of red trees.
The wandering samurai currently calls The Crux home. Image via miHoYo

If you’re seeking a top-tier character who is versatile enough to function well within any team lineup, then you should pull for Kazuha. His incredible versatility is equally matched with immense power, so Travelers will never regret adding him to their roster.

Should you wish for Alhaitham or Kazuha in Genshin Impact?

If you have the Primogems to wish at all, then you should absolutely pull for one of the two featured recruits. This banner matchup is a rare instance where two of Genshin’s best characters are running head to head, which means players can’t go wrong with pulling for either character.

While wishing for either recruit is a good choice, players may also want both of them and be struggling to choose between the two. If you’re in this position, you might be wondering which one is better.

Alhaitham and Kazuha can’t be compared in any way that really makes sense because they are exactly opposite character types. But if you do want to decide between them based on who is technically better overall, then I’d recommend pulling for Kazuha since he has the slightest edge over Alhaitham thanks to his immense versatility.

Alhaitham holding his sword and preparing to strike.
Alhaitham means business when he enters a battle and quickly vanquishes all foes that get in his way. Image via miHoYo

Players can truly slot Kazuha in any team lineup and still find immense success, while Alhaitham will require a more precise team build to shine. Versatility is a powerful asset for Genshin characters to have since it allows players to freely change their team composition as desired, and regardless of what kind of team players are hoping to construct, Kazuha is almost always a recommended unit since his skills play well with everyone.

Another way Travelers can compare and choose between the two recruits is through their respective roles. If you’re lacking a powerful DPS unit and are willing to build a team around one, then pull for the Dendro character and get to work building the best team possible for Alhaitham. You’ll need lots of support, so players should only pull for Alhaitham over Kazuha if they already have support to pair with him or are planning to work toward obtaining support for him.

If you’ve already got a powerful DPS, then you’ll want to pull for Kazuha. He can run as the secondary damage dealer with nearly any character and can also be a support unit in just about any team. His versatility is truly unmatched except for a few other characters like Raiden Shogun and Nahida, so adding Kazuha to your roster is sure to benefit you long-term as he will always be incredibly useful in any team you create.

Kazuha kneeling on a rock with his eyes closed as he mediates.
Kazuha is extremely in tune with nature and can sense danger from afar because of this. Image via miHoYo

Another factor to consider when making this tough choice is that based on miHoYo’s usual patterns, Alhaitham will likely receive another rerun sooner than Kazuha will. This isn’t guaranteed, but the newer Teyvat recruits do tend to receive reruns more frequently after their initial debut run, which means Kazuha may be harder to recruit in the future than Alhaitham.

I’ve played a lot with both recruits and find that Kazuha is more fun to play and slots well into most team lineups, but Alhaitham is also a great recruit and an immensely capable damage dealer who will ensure players make quick work of all enemies they come across. You really can’t go wrong with pulling for either, so if you do have the Primogems to wish, then it is absolutely worth pulling for either Kazuha or Alhaitham.

Both banners will be available for players to wish on for the second half of the Version 3.7 update from June 13 to July 4, when they will then be replaced by the leaked Version 3.8 rerun banners.


We gathered this information by playing Genshin Impact Version 3.7 “Duel! The Summoners’ Summit!” on PC.


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Author
Kacee Fay
Staff Writer at Dot Esports covering new releases and a wide array of topics including Minecraft, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Phasmophobia, general gaming, streaming, and more. She has been avidly writing and gaming her whole life and now spends her time combining the two. Kacee graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Certificate in Creative Editing and Publishing. She then joined Dot Esports as a Freelance Writer in 2022 before transitioning to a Staff Writer in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys buying more books than she can read, gaming alone or with friends, drinking too much tea, attending concerts, fangirling over movies and television, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets, who are the most important parts of her world.