[[Protagonis|Karakter protagonis]] ''Genshin Impact'' adalah Pengembara dan Paimon, pemandu sekaligus rekannya. Pengembara dan [[Kembar#Kembar dizigotik atau fraternal (DZ)|kembarannya]] menjelajahi di sekitar dunia di alam semesta sebelum dipisahkan di Teyvat, yang kemudian memaksakan Pengembara untuk berpetualangan mencari kembarannya.<ref>{{cite video game|title=原神|trans-title=Genshin Impact|developer=[[miHoYo]]|date=2020-09-28|version=1.0|scene=Traveler's Story, 1|level=|quote=}}</ref> Pemain dapat memilih Aether (saudara laki-laki) atau Lumine (saudara perempuan). Selain itu, Pengembara dapat diberi nama oleh pemain.
[[Antagonis|Karakter antagonis]] utama di permainan ini adalah Abyss Order, suatu legiun monster yang diciptakan oleh bangsa Khaenri'ah yang jahat, yang bertekad untuk menggulingkan penguasa Archons.<ref>{{cite video game|title=原神|trans-title=Genshin Impact|developer=[[miHoYo]]|date=2020-09-28|version=1.0|scene=A Very Volatile Treasure|level=True Treasure|quote='''Paimon''': 'Hey, come on now... Paimon already told you that the Abyss Mages are the bad guys... And actually, they're the worst kind of bad guys you can imagine. They don't just hate the good guys, they hate all people... Their enemy is... humanity itself.'}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=原神|trans-title=Genshin Impact|developer=[[miHoYo]]|date=2020-09-28|version=1.0|scene=Ending Note|level=Song of the Dragon and Freedom|quote='''Venti''': '...I see. So, the Abyss Order has a Prince/Princess who orchestrated the plan to corrupt Dvalin?'}}</ref> Karakter antagonis yang lain adalah Fatui, suatu organisasi militer dan perwakilan diplomat yang berasal dari negara Snezhnaya yang mengikuti [[Intervensi (hukum internasional)|kebijakan luar negeri yang agresif]].<ref>{{cite video game|title=原神|trans-title=Genshin Impact|developer=[[miHoYo]]|date=2020-09-28|version=1.0|scene=Shadow over Mondstadt|level=For a Tomorrow Without Tears|quote='''Jean''': 'Those people in strange uniforms... are Fatui. They're here as delegates from Snezhnaya.'}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=原神|trans-title=Genshin Impact|developer=[[miHoYo]]|date=2020-09-28|version=1.0|scene=Ending Note|level=Song of the Dragon and Freedom|quote='''Venti''': 'Venti: She and the rest of the harbingers have been given god-like executive authority by the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, and with it, strength surpassing that of other mortals.'}}</ref> Hilangnya kembaran karakter utama dihormati sebagai pemimpin Abyss Order,<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO__VQZirJ4|title=Genshin Impact Story Teaser: We Will Be Reunited|date=21 August 2020|access-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/SO__VQZirJ4|archive-date=2021-10-30|via=YouTube|work=Genshin Impact}}{{cbignore}}</ref> sedangkan Fatui dipimpin oleh Eleven Harbingers, letnan Tsaritsa terkuat yang dikaruniai kewenangan [[Eksekutif (pemerintahan)|eksekutif]] khusus.<ref>{{cite video game|title=原神|trans-title=Genshin Impact|developer=[[miHoYo]]|date=2020-09-28|version=1.0|scene=Ending Note|level=Song of the Dragon and Freedom|quote='''Venti''': 'She and the rest of the harbingers have been given god-like executive authority by the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, and with it, strength surpassing that of other mortals.'}}</ref> The Harbingers didasarkan pada karakter dari ''[[commedia dell'arte]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Newell|first=Suki|date=July 12, 2022|title=Genshin Impact Reveals All Eleven Fatui Harbingers|url=https://screenrant.com/genshin-impact-fatui-harbingers-appearance-video/|website=[[Screen Rant]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713094915/https://screenrant.com/genshin-impact-fatui-harbingers-appearance-video/|archive-date=July 13, 2022|access-date=May 1, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
