With a wide variety of playable characters, Genshin Impact offers all kinds of units with unique kits that can be utilized in many different ways. Though players are free to build their characters any way they wish, all units usually have an intended purpose or role they are meant to play on your teams that is reflected in their kit. Not every character is meant to do high damage, and units that are made for damage dealing have higher scaling and/or higher base stats—along with having abilities that center around dealing damage to opponents, of course.

If it’s big numbers you’re after, then you’re in luck, as this article will cover the top 10 best DPS characters (as of patch 4.4) along with a breakdown of their abilities and the pros and cons of their kits.

10. Tartaglia (Strong)

Snezhnaya’s greatest toy maker becomes… Snezhnaya’s greatest chef? In Teucer’s eyes, at least.

Our old friend, Tartaglia, here to start us off. He, in particular, has a unique kit, as he not only has an Elemental Skill that allows him to switch between a physical ranged stance to a Hydro melee stance, but he also has a separate Elemental Burst animation for each one.

Despite being released all the way back in Version 1.1 of the game, Tartaglia has managed to maintain his position among the strongest DPS characters in the game, a feat that cannot be said for some of the other DPS characters who were once considered the strongest of the strong.

With his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst, Tartaglia dominates the field when it comes to close-ranged combat—especially his melee Elemental Burst, which is what he’s most known for when it comes to dealing massive damage. His ranged Elemental Burst and charged attacks—in both stances—can be quite useful as well, as they apply Riptide to opponents hit by them which will deal damage when Tartaglia attacks in certain ways.

However, there are a few complaints about his kit that put him behind other DPS characters. For one, the CD of his elemental skill varies depending on how long he remains in his melee stance, so the longer it’s activated, the longer the cooldown. Because of this, his CD can get lengthy—up to a shocking 45s, to be exact, earning him the title of the longest CD out of every playable character.

The other, more unserious, complaint that has been a turnaway for some is his CRIT consistency. It seems to be a common experience for people to stack up Tartaglia’s CRIT Rate, only for him to CRIT once every blue moon. Of course, according to the numbers, he should be getting CRIT hits consistently (assuming you have 70%+ CRIT Rate), but players’ perception says otherwise.

Ultimately, Tartaglia is still a powerful unit that has more good points than bad—and even then, his downsides are minor, so if you’re looking for a unique DPS, he’s a great pick.

DPS Abilities

• Foul Legacy: Raging Tide (Elemental Skill) – Unleashes a set of weaponry made of pure water, dealing Hydro DMG to surrounding opponents and entering Melee Stance.
  In this Stance, Tartaglia's Normal and Charged Attacks are converted to Hydro DMG that cannot be overridden by any other elemental infusion and change as follows:
  Normal Attack
  Performs up to 6 consecutive Hydro strikes.
  Charged Attack
  Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to unleash a cross slash, dealing Hydro DMG.
  Riptide Slash
  Hitting an opponent affected by Riptide with a melee attack unleashes a Riptide Slash that deals AoE Hydro DMG. DMG dealt in this way is considered Elemental Skill DMG, and can only occur once every 1.5s.
  After 30s, or when the ability is unleashed again, this skill will end. Tartaglia will return to his Ranged Stance and this ability will enter CD.
  The longer Tartaglia stays in his Melee Stance, the longer the CD.
  If the return to a ranged stance occurs automatically after 30s, the CD is even longer.
• Havoc: Obliteration (Elemental Burst) – Performs different attacks based on what stance Tartaglia is in when casting.
  Ranged Stance: Flash of Havoc
  Swiftly fires a Hydro-imbued magic arrow, dealing AoE Hydro DMG and applying the Riptide status.
  Returns a portion of its Energy Cost after use.
  Melee Stance: Light of Obliteration
  Performs a slash with a large AoE, dealing massive Hydro DMG to all surrounding opponents, which triggers Riptide Blast.
  Riptide Blast
  When the obliterating waters hit an opponent affected by Riptide, it clears their Riptide status and triggers a Hydro Explosion that deals AoE Hydro DMG.
  DMG dealt in this way is considered Elemental Burst DMG.
• Abyssal Mayhem: Hydrospout (Constellation 4) – If Tartaglia is in Foul Legacy: Raging Tide's Melee Stance, triggers Riptide Slash against opponents on the field affected by Riptide every 4s, otherwise, triggers Riptide Flash.
• Riptide Slashes and Riptide Flashes triggered by this Constellation effect are not subject to the time intervals that would typically apply to these two Riptide effects, nor do they have any effect on those time intervals.

9. Raiden Shogun (Strong)

Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, God of Thunder accompanied by her kitsune familiar.

Contrary to the other Archons, the Raiden Shogun is a unit built to dish out massive damage via her Elemental Burst. And boy, can the numbers be devastating.

Though meant to do damage, Raiden Shogun is not your normal DPS unit, but rather meant to be used as a Battery/Burst DPS, which makes her overall damage capabilities less than some of the other characters on this list.

However, Raiden is still a valuable unit, and quite easy to build for maximum damage too. With the highest Elemental Burst energy cost, Energy Recharge is your biggest priority, and the Emblem of Severed Fate artifact set is perfectly suited for that—the set was basically made for her, after all, what with boosting the equipping character’s Elemental Burst DMG based on their Energy Recharge.

Because you’ll be stacking Raiden up on ER, she’ll generate plenty of energy for your other party members to act as a highly effective battery unit.

Even better, with her C2, Raiden Shogun’s Elemental Burst ignores a whopping 60% of enemies’ DEF; if she wasn’t already cracked enough, her Elemental Burst DMG is even more busted with said Constellation.

DPS Abilities:

• Transcendence: Baleful Omen (Elemental Skill) – The Raiden Shogun unveils a shard of her Euthymia, dealing Electro DMG to nearby opponents, and granting nearby party members the Eye of Stormy Judgment.
  ​Eye of Stormy Judgment
  • When characters with this buff attack and deal DMG to opponents, the Eye will unleash a coordinated attack, dealing AoE Electro DMG at the opponent’s position.
  • Characters who gain the Eye of Stormy Judgment will have their Elemental Burst DMG increased based on the Energy Cost of the Elemental Burst during the Eye’s duration.
    The Eye can initiate one coordinated attack every 0.9s per party.
    Coordinated attacks generated by characters not controlled by you deal 20% of the normal DMG.
• Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu (Elemental Burst) – Gathering truths unnumbered and wishes uncounted, the Raiden Shogun unleashes the Musou no Hitotachi and deals AoE Electro DMG, using Musou Isshin in combat for a certain duration afterward. The DMG dealt by Musou no Hitotachi and Musou Isshin's attacks will be increased based on the number of Chakra Desiderata's Resolve stacks consumed when this skill is used.
  Musou Isshin
  While in this state, the Raiden Shogun will wield her tachi in battle, while her Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks will be infused with Electro DMG, which cannot be overridden. When such attacks hit opponents, she will regenerate Energy for all nearby party members. Energy can be restored this way once every 1s, and this effect can be triggered 5 times throughout this skill's duration.
  While in this state, the Raiden Shogun's resistance to interruption is increased, and she is immune to Electro-Charged reaction DMG.
  While Musou Isshin is active, the Raiden Shogun's Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack DMG will be considered Elemental Burst DMG.
  The effects of Musou Isshin will be cleared when the Raiden Shogun leaves the field.
  Chakra Desiderata
  When nearby party members (excluding the Raiden Shogun herself) use their Elemental Bursts, the Raiden Shogun will build up Resolve stacks based on the Energy Cost of these Elemental Bursts.
  The maximum number of Resolve stacks is 60.
  The Resolve gained by Chakra Desiderata will be cleared 300s after the Raiden Shogun leaves the field.
• Enlightened One (4th Ascension Passive) – Each 1% above 100% Energy Recharge that the Raiden Shogun possesses grants her:
  • 0.6% greater Energy restoration from Musou Isshin
  • 0.5% Electro DMG Bonus.
• Steelbreaker (Constellation 2) – While using Musou no Hitotachi and in the Musou Isshin state applied by Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu, the Raiden Shogun's attacks ignore 60% of opponents' DEF.

8. Alhaitham (Strong)

The Sumeru Crewmeru getting ready to play TCG and stop Cyno from cracking any and all jokes.

Up at No. 8 is the Feeble Scholar himself, Alhaitham. As a Dendro character who scales on Elemental Mastery, the acting Grand Sage is easily one of the strongest characters in the game.

Most of Alhaitham’s damage revolves around his Dendro infused Normal/Charged Attacks—perfect for synergizing with characters like Raiden Shogun, Yelan, and Xingqiu (for F2P), all of who can also facilitate Dendro related reactions.

On his own, his DMG is relatively decent, but the Dendro element itself revolves around Elemental Reactions, so it’s not ideal to use Dendro units without reactions. Still, these characters are pretty versatile, and can work on a variety of teams. Alhaitham, in specific, should be put in a team with other off-field DPS and support units, such as Nahida, Nilou (for Bloom), Yae Miko, and Furina, among many other characters.

With so many possibilities, Alhaitham’s DMG potential is insane, and with his massive Elemental Mastery scaling, so long as you stack him up with sufficient EM, hitting those big numbers is easy.

DPS Abilities

• Universality: An Elaboration on Form (Elemental Skill) – Rushes forward, dealing Dendro DMG to nearby opponents when the rush ends, causing a Chisel-Light Mirror to form.
  Holding this skill will cause it to behave differently.
  Hold
  Enters Aiming Mode to adjust the direction of Alhaitham's rush attack.
  Chisel-Light Mirror
  ​When this skill is unleashed, Alhaitham will generate 1 Chisel-Light Mirror. If there are no Mirrors at this time, he will generate 1 additional Mirror. Chisel-Light Mirrors will have the following properties:
  • When he possesses Chisel-Light Mirrors, Alhaitham’s Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks will be converted to Dendro DMG. This cannot be overridden.
  • When attacks of the aforementioned kinds hit opponents, the Chisel-Light Mirrors will unleash a Projection Attack that deals AoE Dendro DMG based on the number of Mirrors on the field.
  • A total of 3 Chisel-Light Mirrors can exist at once.
  • The Chisel-Light Mirrors will disappear one after the other over time, and will all disappear when Alhaitham leaves the field.
• Particular Field: Fetters of Phenomena (Elemental Burst) – Creates a Particular Binding Field and deals multiple instances of AoE Dendro DMG.
  If Chisel-Light Mirrors exist when this ability is unleashed, all such Mirrors will be consumed and increase the number of DMG instances dealt.
  2s after this ability is unleashed, if 0/1/2/3 Mirrors were consumed, Alhaitham will generate 3/2/1/0 new Mirrors in turn.
• Mysteries Laid Bare (4th Ascension Passive) – Each point of Alhaitham's Elemental Mastery will increase the DMG dealt by Projection Attacks and Particular Field: Fetters of Phenomena by 0.1%.
• The maximum DMG increase this way for both these abilities is 100%.

7. Wanderer (Strong)

From big bad Fatui Harbinger to Akademiya scholar.

One of the most anticipated characters released during the Sumeru update, the Wanderer has, for the most part, lived up to expectations. The Anemo 5 star is an on-field DPS character who is fit for both DMG and exploration.

His kit, in particular, is very unique, as his Elemental Skill essentially gives him the ability to fly; it allows you to float up and down while moving mid-air, and even includes dashing. In terms of damage, Wanderer’s Elemental Skill increases his Normal/Charged Attack DMG for a limited duration according to the number of Kuugoryoku Points—basically stamina—he has.

Since he’s an Anemo unit, he can proc the Swirl reaction, and when triggered upon use of his Elemental Skill, Wanderer can gain different buffs depending on the element that’s been Swirled, up to a max of 2 buffs at the same time unless his C4 is active, in which case he can have a max of 3 buffs.

Ideally, Wanderer teams should be built around supporting his Normal/Charged Attack and Anemo DMG, which can be easily done with the 4 star units Yunjin and Faruzan respectively. Other off-field DPS and/or support characters also work with him.

DPS Abilities

• Hanega: Song of the Wind (Elemental Skill) – Concentrates the power of the winds to break free from the shackles of the earth, dealing AoE Anemo DMG before leaping into the air and entering the Windfavored state.
  Windfavored
  The Wanderer cannot perform Plunging Attacks in this state. When he uses Normal and Charged Attacks, they will be converted into Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai respectively; the DMG they deal and their AoE will be increased, and their DMG will be considered Normal and Charged Attack DMG respectively. Kuugo: Toufukai will not consume Stamina.
  The Wanderer will hover persistently during this time. While this state is active, the Wanderer's movements gain the following properties:
  • Persistently consumes Kuugoryoku Points to maintain this hovering state.
  • When sprinting, additional Kuugoryoku Points will be consumed for the Wanderer to accelerate mid-air. Holding sprint will cause persistent Kuugoryoku Point consumption to maintain speed. This effect will replace his default sprint.
  • Jumping expends extra Kuugoryoku Points to increase hovering height. Holding jump will cause persistent Kuugoryoku Points consumption to keep increasing hovering height.
    Running out of Kuugoryoku Points will end the Windfavored state.
    A second cast during the duration of Windfavored will also end it.
• Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays (Elemental Burst) – Compresses the atmosphere into a singular vacuum that grinds all troubles away, dealing multiple instances of AoE Anemo DMG. If the character is in the Windfavored state due to the skill "Hanega: Song of the Wind," Windfavored state will end after casting.
• Gales of Reverie (4th Ascension Passive) – When the Wanderer hits opponents with Kuugo: Fushoudan or Kuugo: Toufukai in his Windfavored state, he has a 16% chance to obtain the Descent effect: The next time the Wanderer accelerates in mid-air while in this instance of the Windfavored state, this effect will be removed, this acceleration instance will not consume any Kuugoryoku Points, and he will fire off 4 wind arrows that deal 35% of his ATK as Anemo DMG each.
  For each Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai that does not produce this effect, the next attack of those types will have a 12% increased chance of producing it. The calculation of the effect production is done once every 0.1s.
• Shoban: Ostentatious Plumage (Constellation 1) – When in the Windfavored state, the Attack SPD of the Wanderer's Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai is increased by 10%.
  Additionally, the wind arrows fired by the Passive Talent "Gales of Reverie" will deal an additional 25% of his ATK as DMG. You must unlock the Passive Talent "Gales of Reverie" first.
• Niban: Isle Amidst White Waves (Constellation 2) – When in the Windfavored state, Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays will see its DMG increased by 4% per point of difference between the max amount of Kuugoryoku Points contrasted with Kuugoryoku's present capacity when using this skill.
  Through this method, you can increase Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays's DMG by a maximum of 200%.
• Shugen: The Curtains’ Melancholic Sway (Constellation 6) – When the Wanderer actively hits an opponent with Kuugo: Fushoudan while in the Windfavored state, the following effects will occur:
  • Deals an additional instance of Kuugo: Fushoudan at the position hit, dealing 40% of the attack’s original DMG. This DMG will be considered Normal Attack DMG.
  • When the Wanderer falls below 40 Kuugoryoku Points, restores 4 Points to him. Kuugoryoku Points can be restored in this manner once every 0.2s. This restoration can occur up to 5 times within one Windfavored duration.

6. Wriothesley (Strong)

Law breaker or law enforcer?

The first, but certainly not last, Fontaine character featured on this list. Wriothesley is the very first of 2 Cryo catalyst characters, an accomplishment that has now been achieved after over 3 years. Of course, as the first, he set a few precedents for following Cryo catalysts.

Similar to most other Fontaine units, Wriothesley’s kit involves the sacrificing of his own HP. In his case, he sacrifices a set amount of his HP when dealing an enhanced attack at above 50% HP within the duration of his Elemental Skill. Additionally, both of his Ascension Passives increase his Elemental Skill DMG and/or restore his HP.

Since he’s a catalyst, even more so an on-field DPS, Wriothesley is perfect for Cryo application, and if you have an off-field Hydro applicator such as Sangonomiya Kokomi, Yelan, or Xingqiu (among others), you can craft a perfect Perma-Frost team. Along with that, units such as Shenhe and Kazuha make excellent additions to support Wriothesley’s damage.

DPS Abilities

• Icefang Rush (Elemental Skill) – Adjusting his breathing, rhythm, and pace, Wriothesley sprints forward a short distance, entering the Chilling Penalty state and unleashing more powerful attacks than before.
  ​Chilling Penalty
  • Increases Wriothesley’s interruption resistance
  • When his HP is above 50%, it will enhance the Repelling Fists of Normal Attack: Forceful Fists of Frost and increase its DMG. When such an attack hits, it will consume a fixed amount of Wriothesley’s HP. HP can be lost this way once every 0.1s.
    This effect will be canceled should Wriothesley leave the field.
• Darkgold Wolfbite (Elemental Burst) – Activating his boxing gloves, Wriothesley strikes out with an icy straight, then uses Icicle Impact to cause multiple instances of AoE Cryo DMG in a frontal area.
  Arkhe: Ousia
  After Icicle Impact ends, a Surging Blade will descend upon the opponent's position, dealing Ousia-aligned Cryo DMG.
• There Shall Be a Plea for Justice (1st Ascension Passive) – When Wriothesley's HP is less than 60%, he will obtain a Gracious Rebuke. The next Charged Attack of his Normal Attack: Forceful Fists of Frost will be enhanced to become Rebuke: Vaulting Fist. It will not consume Stamina, will deal 50% increased DMG, and after hitting will restore HP for Wriothesley equal to 30% of his Max HP.
  You can gain a Gracious Rebuke this way once every 5s.
• There Shall Be a Reckoning for Sin (4th Ascension Passive) – When Wriothesley's current HP increases or decreases, if he is in the Chilling Penalty state conferred by Icefang Rush, Chilling Penalty will gain one stack of Prosecution Edict. Max 5 stacks. Each stack will increase Wriothesley's ATK by 6%.
• Esteem for the Innocent (Constellation 6) – The CRIT Rate of Rebuke: Vaulting Fist will be increased by 10%, and its CRIT DMG by 80%. When unleashed, it will also create an additional icicle that deals 100% of Rebuke: Vaulting Fist's Base DMG as Cryo DMG. DMG dealt this way is regarded as Charged Attack DMG.
  You must first unlock the Passive Talent "There Shall Be a Plea for Justice."

5. Xiao (Powerful)

Lament.

Over the years (especially after the release of 2.0), Xiao is a character that has gone in and out of the meta, never failing to make his way back up to the top one way or another. Now, especially, the Guardian Yaksha is stronger than ever. He put himself back on the ranking when Faruzan was released, but has since then secured an even higher spot now that Furina and Xianyun are here.

Originally released in Version 1.3, Xiao is an Anemo 5 star whose damage revolves around his Plunge Attacks with his Elemental Burst. He’s a versatile unit when it comes to both damage and exploration, as his Elemental Skill can be used while gliding and he takes no damage from Plunging.

During his Elemental Burst, Xiao’s HP will continuously drain, so it’s ideal to use a healer alongside him. Depending on your team comp, you can play around with various builds, for example, running him on the 4 piece Marechaussee Hunter set if you plan to use Xiao with Furina. A 2 piece 2 piece VV and Gladiator’s Finale are a general alternative, otherwise his best in-slot set is the 4 piece Vermillion Hereafter set.

DPS Abilities

• Lemniscatic Wind Cycling (Elemental Skill) – Xiao lunges forward, dealing Anemo DMG to opponents in his path.
  Can be used in mid-air.
  Starts with 2 charges.
• Bane of All Evil (Elemental Burst) – Xiao dons the Yaksha Mask that set gods and demons trembling millennia ago.
  Yaksha's Mask
  • Greatly increases Xiao’s jumping ability.
  • Increases his attack AoE and attack DMG.
  • Converts attack DMG into Anemo DMG, which cannot be overridden by any other elemental infusion.
    In this state, Xiao will continuously lose HP.
    The effects of this skill end when Xiao leaves the field.
• Conqueror of Evil: Tamer of Demons (1st Ascension Passive) – While under the effects of Bane of All Evil, all DMG dealt by Xiao increases by 5%. DMG increases by a further 5% for every 3s the ability persists. The maximum DMG Bonus is 25%.
• Dissolution Eon: Heaven Fall (4th Ascension Passive) – Using Lemniscatic Wind Cycling increases the DMG of subsequent uses of Lemniscatic Wind Cycling by 15%. This effect lasts for 7s, and has a maximum of 3 stacks. Gaining a new stack refreshes the effect's duration.

4. Hu Tao (Powerful)

Master of verses, card games, and business management.

Like Xiao, Hu Tao was released in the earlier era of the game, but unlike the Adeptus, she has managed to maintain her spot among the strongest characters in the game to date. With her Pyro infused Charged Attacks from her skill and her AoE Elemental Burst damage, Hu Tao is a pro at dealing massive damage and is a favorite of damage showcases—and for good reason, at that.

As an HP scaling character, Hu Tao is relatively easy to build, and the more HP she has, the more ATK she gives herself with her Elemental Skill, which makes up for her generally lower ATK. 

Though each use of her Elemental Skill drains 30% of her current HP, it’s ideal to keep her at under 50% HP, as she provides herself with a 33% Pyro DMG Bonus, so healers should be a last resort. Additionally, Hu Tao’s Elemental Burst will heal a certain amount of her HP with each enemy it hits, so if you’re in a bind, using her Elemental Burst can help get you out.

Unfortunately, for those with C0, Hu Tao creates a bit of a stamina issue, eating it up with every Charged Attack. Luckily, jump canceling is a viable option to save stamina, but it requires perfect timing if you want to successfully use her Charged Attack without using stamina. If you have C1, you can sprint cancel if you want to fit more Charged Attacks within the duration of Hu Tao’s Elemental Skill.

DPS Abilities

• Guide to Afterlife (Elemental Skill) – Only an unwavering flame can cleanse the impurities of this world.
  Hu Tao consumes a set portion of her HP to knock the surrounding enemies back and enter the Paramita Papilio state.
  ​Paramita Papilio
  • Increases Hu Tao’s ATK based on her Max HP at the time of entering this state. ATK Bonus gained this way cannot exceed 400% of Hu Tao’s Base ATK.
  • Converts attack DMG to Pyro DMG, which cannot be overridden by any other elemental infusion.
  • Charged Attacks apply the Blood Blossom effect to the enemies hit.
  • Increases Hu Tao’s resistance to interruption.
    ​Blood Blossom
    Enemies affected by Blood Blossom will take Pyro DMG every 4s. This DMG is considered Elemental Skill DMG.
    Each enemy can be affected by only one Blood Blossom effect at a time, and its duration may only be refreshed by Hu Tao herself.
    Paramita Papilio ends when its duration is over, or Hu Tao has left the battlefield or fallen.
• Spirit Soother (Elemental Burst) – Commands a blazing spirit to attack, dealing Pyro DMG in a large AoE.
  Upon striking the enemy, regenerates a percentage of Hu Tao's Max HP. This effect can be triggered up to 5 times, based on the number of enemies hit.
  If Hu Tao's HP is below or equal to 50% when the enemy is hit, both the DMG and HP Regeneration are increased.
• Sanguine Rouge (4th Ascension Passive) – When Hu Tao's HP is equal to or less than 50%, her Pyro DMG Bonus is increased by 33%.
• Ominous Rainfall (Constellation 2) – Increases the Blood Blossom DMG by an amount equal to 10% of Hu Tao's Max HP at the time the effect is applied.
  Additionally, Spirit Soother will also apply the Blood Blossom effect.
• Butterfly’s Embrace (Constellation 6) – Triggers when Hu Tao's HP drops below 25%, or when she suffers a lethal strike:
  Hu Tao will not fall as a result of the DMG sustained. Additionally, for the next 10s, all of her Elemental and Physical RES is increased by 200%, her CRIT Rate is increased by 100%, and her resistance to interruption is greatly increased.
  This effect triggers automatically when Hu Tao has 1 HP left.
  Can only occur once every 60s.

3. Kamisato Ayaka (Powerful)

At least her socks aren’t wet.

As miHoYo’s favorite child, it’s only natural that Kamisato Ayaka be among the top strongest characters in the game. With her powerful Elemental Skill and Burst, along with her Cryo infused Charged Attack and unique sprint helpful for exploration, Ayaka is an absolute unit.

Since she is a Cryo DPS, the 4 piece Blizzard Strayer set is a perfect fit and allows you to focus more on CRIT DMG rather than CRIT Rate due to the set bonus. Plus, her ascension stat is CRIT DMG, making it easier to stack her up on loads of it for more damage.

Additionally, units such as Kazuha and Shenhe are busted supports for your Ayaka if you want to do insane amounts of damage. On top of her Elemental Skill, Kamisato Ayaka’s Elemental Burst is one of her key selling points, being able to deal damage repeatedly to every opponent it hits; paired with her excellent application from her infused Normal/Charged Attacks, she is very popular in Perma-Freeze teams.

DPS Abilities

• Kamisato Art: Hyouka (Elemental Skill) – Summons blooming ice to launch nearby opponents, dealing AoE Cryo DMG.
• Kamisato Art: Soumetsu (Elemental Burst) – Summons forth a snowstorm with flawless poise, unleashing a Frostflake Seki no To that moves forward continuously.
  ​Frostflake Seki no To
  • A storm of whirling icy winds that slashes repeatedly at every enemy it touches, dealing Cryo DMG.
  • The snowstorm explodes after its duration ends, dealing AoE Cryo DMG.
• Amatsumi Kunitsumi Sanctification (1st Ascension Passive) – After using Kamisato Art: Hyouka, Kamisato Ayaka's Normal and Charged attacks deal 30% increased DMG for 6s.
• Kanten Senmyou Blessing (4th Ascension Passive) – When the Cryo application at the end of Kamisato Art: Senho hits an opponent, Kamisato Ayaka gains the following effects:
  • Restores 10 Stamina
  • Gains 18% Cryo DMG Bonus for 10s.
• Blizzard Blade Seki no To (Constellation 2) – When casting Kamisato Art: Soumetsu, unleashes 2 smaller additional Frostflake Seki no To, each dealing 20% of the original storm's DMG.
• Dance of Suigetsu (Constellation 6) – Kamisato Ayaka gains Usurahi Butou every 10s, increasing her Charged Attack DMG by 298%. This buff will be cleared 0.5s after Ayaka's Charged ATK hits an opponent, after which the timer for this ability will restart.

2. Lyney (Very Powerful)

Remember the days when we all thought Lyney and Lynette would be one unit?

With the release of Fontaine came lots of broken characters, the first of which being the charming magician Lyney. The nation introduced us to Arkhe alignments, Pneuma and Ousia, which every character hailing from Fontaine has. Along with that, it was shown that a majority of Fontainian characters’ kits revolved around them sacrificing their own HP with their skills.

The Pneuma aligned bow user has a unique kit (and cool animations) that makes him capable of dealing devastating damage. Lyney’s main source of damage comes from his charged attacks and his skill. When firing a level 2 Charged Attack, his HP decreases to gain a stack of Prop Surplus so long as his HP is above 60%; with Lyney’s Elemental Skill, the Prop Surplus stacks are cleared, and the more stacks you have, the more damage he does.

When it comes to teams, Lyney’s 4th Ascension Passive makes him best suited for mono-Pyro teams. Ideally, he’s played with a healer like Bennett so that Lyney is able to gather the maximum 5 stacks of Prop Surplus in order to maximize his Elemental Skill damage.

DPS Abilities

• Card Force Translocation (Normal Attack) – Normal Attack
  Performs up to 4 consecutive shots with a bow.
  Plunging Attack
  Fires off a shower of arrows in mid-air before falling and striking the ground, dealing AoE DMG upon impact.
  Charged Attack
  Performs a more precise Aimed Shot with increased DMG.
  While aiming, flames will run across the arrowhead before being fired. Different effects will occur based on the time spent charging.
  • Charge Level 1: Fires off a Pyro-infused arrow, dealing Pyro DMG.
  • Charge Level 2: Fires off a Prop Arrow that deals Pyro DMG, and upon hit, it will summon a Grin-Malkin Hat.
    When firing the Prop Arrow, and when Lyney has more than 60% HP, he will consume a portion of his HP to obtain 1 Prop Surplus stack. Max 5 stacks. The effect will be removed after the character spends 30s out of combat.
    The lowest Lyney can drop to through this method is 60% of his Max HP.
    Grin-Malkin Hat
  • Can taunt nearby opponents and attract their attacks. Each opponent can only be taunted by the Hat once every 5s.
  • The Hat will inherit a percentage of Lyney’s Max HP.
  • If destroyed, or if its duration expires, it will fire off a Pyrotechnic Strike at 1 nearby opponent, dealing Pyro DMG.
  • Only 1 Hat can exist at any given time.
    Arkhe: Pneuma
    At certain intervals, the Prop Arrow will cause a Spiritbreath Thorn to descend
    upon its hit location, dealing Pneuma-aligned Pyro DMG.
• Bewildering Lights (Elemental Skill) – Lyney does a flourish with his hat, unleashing a firework surprise!
  When used, he will clear all current Prop Surplus stacks and deal AoE Pyro DMG to opponents in front of him. DMG will be increased according to the stacks cleared, and this will also regenerate Lyney's HP based on his Max HP.
  When a Grin-Malkin Hat created by Lyney is on the field, the fireworks will cause it to explode, dealing AoE Pyro DMG equal to that of a Pyrotechnic Strike.
  The DMG dealt through the Grin-Malkin Hat in this way is considered Charged Attack DMG.
• Wondrous Trick: Miracle Parade (Elemental Burst) – Unleashing his magic, Lyney turns himself into a Grin-Malkin Cat that can move around quickly. (Not to be mistaken for the Grin-Malkin Hat. They're two different props!)
  When the Grin-Malkin Cat gets close to opponents, it will send flames falling down on them, dealing at most 1 instance of Pyro DMG to each opponent. When the duration ends, he will dismiss the Grin-Malkin Cat and ignite fireworks that deal AoE Pyro DMG, summon 1 Grin-Malkin Hat, and grant himself 1 Prop Surplus stack.
  Grin-Malkin Cat can be actively canceled.
• Perilous Performance (1st Ascension Passive) – If Lyney consumes HP when firing off a Prop Arrow, the Grin-Malkin hat summoned by the arrow will, upon hitting an opponent, restore 3 Energy to Lyney and increase DMG dealt by 80% of his ATK.
• Conclusive Ovation (4th Ascension Passive) – The DMG Lyney deals to opponents affected by Pyro will receive the following buffs:
  • Increases the DMG dealt by 60%.
  • Each Pyro party member other than Lyney will cause the DMG dealt to increase by an additional 20%.
    Lyney can deal up to 100% increased DMG to opponents affected by Pyro in this way.
• Guarded Smile (Constellation 6) – When Lyney fires a Prop Arrow, he will fire a Pyrotechnic Strike: Reprised that will deal 80% of a Pyrotechnic Strike's DMG. This DMG is considered Charged Attack DMG.

1. Neuvillette (Very Powerful)

We all need a chibi Neuvillette in our lives.

Finally, at the very top of the list is the Hydro Dragon himself, Monsieur Neuvillette. Considering his identity, his placement makes sense; despite being thousands of years old, he’s still alive and kicking—hard. Seriously, he’s insane.

Neuvillette is yet another extremely unique character, which seems to be a trend among Fontainian characters. With his Elemental Skill and Burst, alongside dealing damage, will create Hydro Droplets after hitting enemies, which he can then collect to quickly fire off his special Charged Attack without having to wait and manually charge it. Depending on how many Droplets he picks up, Neuvillette will restore his own HP, but while using his Charged Attack, his HP will continuously decrease. 

Though pretty easy to build and capable of doing massive damage relatively easily, Neuvillette is not exactly invincible. Unless you have his C1, he is left vulnerable when releasing his Charged Attack and can be easily knocked down and have his attacks canceled, so it’s wise to use him with a shielder.

DPS Abilities:

• As Water Seeks Equilibrium (Normal Attack) – Normal Attack
  With light flourishes, Neuvillette commands the tides to unleash a maximum of 3 attacks, dealing Hydro DMG.
  Charged Attack Empowerment: Legal Evaluation
  While charging up, Neuvillette will gather the power of water, forming it into a Seal of Arbitration. In this state, Neuvillette can move and change facing, and also absorb any Sourcewater Droplets in a certain AoE.
  Every Droplet he absorbs will increase the formation speed of the Seal, and will heal Neuvillette.
  When the charging is stopped, if the Symbol has yet to be formed, then a Charged Attack will be unleashed. If it has been formed, then a Charged Attack: Equitable Judgment will be unleashed.
  Charged Attack
  Consumes a fixed amount of Stamina to attack opponents with a rupturing blast of water, dealing AoE Hydro DMG.
  Charged Attack: Equitable Judgment
  Unleashes surging torrents, dealing continuous AoE Hydro DMG to all opponents in a straight-line area in front of him.
  Equitable Judgment will not consume any Stamina and lasts 3s.
  If Neuvillette's HP is above 50%, he will continuously lose HP while using this attack.
  Plunging Attack
  Gathering the might of Hydro, Neuvillette plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in his path. Deals AoE Hydro DMG upon impact with the ground.
• O Tears, I Shall Repay (Elemental Skill) – Summons a Raging Waterfall that will deal AoE Hydro DMG to opponents in front of Neuvillette based on his Max HP. After hitting an opponent, this skill will generate 3 Sourcewater Droplets near that opponent.
  Arkhe: Pneuma
  At certain intervals, when the Raging Waterfall descends, a Spiritbreath Thorn will descend that will pierce opponents, dealing Pneuma-aligned Hydro DMG.
• O Tides, I Have Returned (Elemental Burst) – Unleashes waves that will deal AoE Hydro DMG based on Neuvillette's Max HP. After a short interval, 2 waterfalls will descend and deal Hydro DMG in a somewhat smaller AoE, and will generate 6 Sourcewater Droplets within an area in front.
• Heir to the Ancient Sea’s Authority (1st Ascension Passive) – When a party member triggers a Vaporize, Frozen, Electro-Charged, Bloom, Hydro Swirl, or a Hydro Crystallize reaction on opponents, 1 stack of Past Draconic Glories will be granted to Neuvillette for 30s. Max 3 stacks. Past Draconic Glories causes Charged Attack: Equitable Judgment to deal 110%/125%/160% of its original DMG.
  The stacks of Past Draconic Glories created by each kind of Elemental Reaction exist independently.
• Discipline of the Supreme Arbitration (4th Ascension Passive) – For each 1% of Neuvillette's current HP greater than 30% of Max HP, he will gain 0.6% Hydro DMG Bonus. A maximum bonus of 30% can be obtained this way.
• Juridical Exhortation (Constellation 2) – The Passive Talent "Heir to the Ancient Sea's Authority" will be enhanced: Each stack of Past Draconic Glories will increase the CRIT DMG of Charged Attack: Equitable Judgment by 14%. The maximum increase that can be achieved this way is 42%.
  You must first unlock the Passive Talent "Heir to the Ancient Sea's Authority."
• Wrathful Recompense (Constellation 6) – When using Charged Attack: Equitable Judgment, Neuvillette can absorb nearby Sourcewater Droplets in an AoE. Each absorbed Droplet will increase the duration of Charged Attack: Equitable Judgment by 1s.
• Additionally, when Equitable Judgment hits opponents, it will fire off 2 additional currents every 2s, each of which will deal 10% of Neuvillette's Max HP as Hydro DMG. DMG dealt this way will count as DMG dealt by Equitable Judgment.

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