Why We Even Need Build Templates in Genshin
MiHoYo never added a native build-sharing feature to Genshin Impact. You can take a screenshot of your character screen, sure, but that tells you nothing about substats, artifact set percentages, or whether someone rotated their artifacts to chase a 14% CR rate. So the community built its own system. This is basically a Genshin Impact Build Template — a structured way to copy someone else's entire setup without spending twenty minutes asking them questions in Discord. A template is just a pre-formatted document or spreadsheet with every relevant field filled in. The typical structure includes the character name, level, weapon with refinement rank and signature status, artifact set combination with the piece each item sits on, main stats on every slot, and then the substat breakdown with the actual percentages rather than rounded approximations. The goal is that someone else can look at it and recreate your build without guessing what your five-star artifact actually rolled into. I've been filling these out for other people since version 2.0. The ones that actually save time are the ones that include the substat roll order — which substat was primary versus which ones sneaked in during later enhancement levels. That distinction matters more than most beginners realize. An artifact that rolled flat rate once at +9 and then bursted into crit rate and crit damage at +14 looks completely different from one that hit crit rate four times early and stayed boring after. Same final numbers. Very different build quality.
The Standard Fields You Need to Include
Here is what every template should have. Anything missing and someone is going to come back to you asking for clarification, which defeats the entire point. Character details: Name, level, constellations if they matter, and which build path you're running. Arlecchino with 5 constellations plays differently than one with zero. Keep that in. Weapon: Name, refinement rank, whether it's a signature weapon, and if you're using an alternative, note why. Sometimes a 3-star Weapon Blazing Legacy outperforms a 5-star staff on certain characters because the substat profile fits better. That's worth documenting.
Artifacts: Set names, which character part each piece occupies, main stats on all five slots, and then substats listed with the actual number. Write 27.3%, not "around 27." Write 18.7% CR, not "nice crit rate." Precision matters here. Stat totals: Flat ATK or HP, bonus percentage, CR rate, CR damage, Elemental Mastery, Energy Recharge, Defense, healing bonus, physical bonus — whatever applies. Put the final number. People need to know whether your Xiangling is running 110 ER or 130 ER before they can decide if the template works for them. Spiritual crown target: If you're using one, say what the crown stat is. It sounds obvious until you realize half the templates floating around omit it entirely.
Get the Full Details

Skill and burst levels: These affect damage calculations and sometimes influence build choices. A player keeping their burst at level 8 to save mora for something else is a legitimate build decision, and the template should reflect that.
Where to Find and Download Build Templates
The main repository people actually use is the Simulanka website. It has a built-in export function that generates a shareable text string you can paste anywhere. Primogenym does something similar with a more visual interface. For spreadsheet users, there are Google Sheets templates shared on Reddit and various Genshin Discord servers — the ones from r/gi_builds are usually reliable because multiple people vet them. If you want a downloadable Genshin Impact Build Template, the most straightforward option is a Google Sheet link shared by active community contributors. Search "genshin artifact template google sheets" on Reddit and the top pinned post from the wiki community has a copyable version. It includes columns for every substat slot and automatic sorting that flags when a piece has four good substats versus three. Took me about ten minutes to figure out how to duplicate it properly for my own use instead of editing someone else's live sheet.
A Problem I Ran Into With Templates
Early on I was building a template for an Alhaitham spread and noticed someone had copied my artifact numbers perfectly but got a dramatically worse DPS number in their test run. We spent forty minutes comparing every detail before realizing the issue: they were using a different artifact set combination for their main stat rolls. They had the right percentages but applied them to a different configuration — a four-piece Viridescent Venerer setup instead of a four-piece Golden Troupe. My template listed the set but they skimmed past it and only copied the numbers. Since then I make sure the artifact set and the main stats are on the same line, visually grouped together so there's no way to separate them by accident. The biggest mistake is listing only the highest substats and ignoring the garbage ones. An artifact with 46% CR, 22% CR DMG, and 15% flat ATK looks amazing on paper. But if the other four slots each have only two decent substats mixed with HP% and DEF%, the total team stats tank. Templates should show every substat line, even the ones that look worthless. It takes more space but it's honest about build quality. Another common error is rounding energy recharge. Saying "120 ER" when the actual value is 118 versus 124 can be the difference between a character who bursts every rotation and one who misses a burst every third fight. Always write the real number. The game displays it to one decimal place. Use that decimal.

There is also the assumption that a template from a player with 150 million primogems directly translates for a F2P player. It does not. A character built with guaranteed five-star weapons and full constellation investment will crush a replica run on a budget. The template still works as a reference, but you need to adjust weapon choice, potentially swap artifact sets, and accept that your final numbers will be lower. Nothing wrong with that. It's just reality.
When a Build Template Is Not Helpful
These templates break down in two main scenarios. First, when the build is highly investment-dependent and the player has resources most people do not. A fully C6 Nahida running a specific EM spread with perfectly rolled artifacts is impressive but not a realistic target for anyone who does not dedicate years to the game. Listing that build as a template without a clear label creates false expectations. Second, templates become less useful in situations where your team composition changes the optimal build entirely. A Yoimiya running 4-piece Golden House with 100% EM bonus works in a National Team variant. Move her to a pure Pyro reaction team and the math shifts. The template is still valid for the team it was built for. It is not a universal prescription. You need to understand the underlying mechanics — how reaction damage scales, how constellations modify skill behavior, how weapon passives interact with specific team setups — before blindly copying a template works.
How to Use Someone Else's Template
Take the numbers. Recreate the build on your character with the closest artifacts you can find. Run it in actual combat for at least a few days before deciding if it works. One or two test runs will not tell you anything. Artifacts are RNG-heavy. What looks bad in a five-minute DPS check might perform differently over a full exploration day or a multi-wave domain run. Track your own numbers. Use the in-game combat log or a third-party tracker to see whether your damage output matches expectations. If it does not, check your ER first, then your CR/CD ratio, then your elemental mastery or ATK% depending on the character. Most of the time the problem is energy recharge being too low, not some hidden substat the template omitted. Adjust based on what you have available. If your best available plumage piece only has 38% CR instead of 46%, do not stop. Play with it. See how your rotation holds up. You will get close enough. The template is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Genshin Impact Build Template
If you need a quick reference sheet to start making your own, the basic layout is simple enough to replicate in any spreadsheet program. Create columns for character, level, constellation count, weapon name, weapon refinement, set name, piece type for each of the five slots, main stat per slot, and then individual columns for each possible substat category across all five pieces. Add a final section for total stats. That is it. Everything else is just filling in the data. The reason this system persists is because the game itself refuses to help you organize your runs. There is no export button, no comparison tool, no way to save multiple builds per character. The community did the work for us. Using a Genshin Impact Build Template is just how we make sure that effort does not get wasted when someone else wants to try the same setup.