Comprehensive Ayato Guide: Mastering the Hydro Samurai

Welcome to the updated Ayato guide for Genshin Impact.

Kamisato Ayato, a 5-star Hydro damage dealer, has gained even more versatility with the coming of Dendro and related reactions.

This guide dives into his best builds, weapons, team compositions, and playstyles.

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Comprehensive Ayato Guide: Mastering the Hydro Samurai in Genshin Impact

Ayato’s Talents and Abilities

Elemental Skill: "Kamisato Art: Kyouka"

When activated, Ayato's Elemental Skill transforms his normal attacks into swift Hydro strikes for 6 seconds, dealing AoE Hydro damage.

This skill also places a "Water Illusion" that explodes after a short duration or when enemies are nearby, applying additional Hydro.

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Key Features

• Infuses normal attacks with Hydro.
• Provides resistance to interruption.
• Scales with Ayato's max HP, although ATK% still provides better damage efficiency.
• Short cooldown of 12 seconds allows frequent use.

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Elemental Burst: "Kamisato Art: Suiyuu"

Ayato's Burst creates a rain field lasting for 18 seconds, continuously dealing Hydro damage to enemies within it.

It also increases the Normal Attack damage of characters within the field.

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Key Features

• Long duration (18 seconds) with a cooldown of 20 seconds, ensuring almost constant up-time.
• High energy cost of 80, needing good energy recharge.
• Synergizes with his Elemental Skill for sustained Hydro application and damage.

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Talent Priority for Ayato

‍Elemental Skill‍

Since Ayato's primary role is an on-field DPS, and this skill is his main damage source, it should be prioritized for leveling up.

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Elemental Burst‍

Also important for damage and utility, especially if using Ayato in an off-field capacity or for the bonus it provides to normal attacks.

Level this second.

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Normal Attack

Less priority given that his normal attacks are only used when his Elemental Skill is active.

If playing a physical build, which is less common, then this may be more relevant.

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Passive Talents

Kamisato Art: Mine Wo Matoishi Kiyotaki‍

Generates energy when Ayato has less than 40 energy, enhancing his energy sustainability.

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Kamisato Art: Daily Cooking

‍A utility passive that allows Ayato to have a chance to double the product when cooking.

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Building Ayato - Artifacts

Echoes of an Offering (4-piece)

Increases Normal Attack damage by up to 70% based on a probability triggered by normal attacks.

Higher efficiency on lower ping.

Enhancing Ayato's primary damage output from his Elemental Skill-infused normal attacks.

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Heart of Depth (4-piece)

Boosts Hydro damage by 15% and increases Normal and Charged Attack damage by 30% for 15s after using an Elemental Skill.‍

A consistent boost to Ayato's Hydro-infused normal attacks post Elemental Skill usage.

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Gladiator's Finale (4-piece)

Increases Attack by 18% and boosts Normal Attack damage by 35% for sword, claymore, or polearm users.

General attack enhancement, especially if lacking specific Hydro-related sets.

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Alternative Sets

Shimenawa's Reminiscence (4-piece): Suitable if managing energy isn't an issue.

Thundering Fury (4-piece): For Electro-Charge compositions.

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Mix and Match (2-piece combinations)

Heart of Depth + Gladiator's Finale/Noblesse Oblige: For a balance between Hydro damage and overall attack or burst enhancement.

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Main Stats Priority

• ‍Sands: ATK%‍
• Goblet: Hydro Damage Bonus‍
• Circlet: Crit Rate or Crit Damage, depending on ratio needs.

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Sub-Stats Priority

• Crit Rate and Crit Damage: Aim for a ratio of 1:2, with ideally around 50-60% Crit Rate and 100-120% Crit Damage.
• Energy Recharge: Essential to maintain burst uptime. The required amount varies based on team composition and playstyle.
• ATK% and Flat Attack: Supplemental stats for increasing damage.
• HP%: Beneficial due to Ayato’s Elemental Skill scaling off HP, but not a primary focus.

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Weapon Recommendations

5-Star Weapons

Haran Geppaku Futsu (Signature Weapon)

Boosts crit rate, increases Elemental Damage, and enhances normal attack damage.

Optimizing Ayato's overall damage output, particularly with his Elemental Skill.

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Primordial Jade Cutter

High crit rate, boosts HP, and increases ATK based on max HP.

Balancing crit rate and providing an HP bonus that synergizes with Ayato's skill scaling.

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Mistsplitter Reforged

Provides crit damage, elemental damage bonus, and increases damage based on elemental affinity.

Enhancing Ayato's Hydro damage and overall DPS, especially in elemental reaction-focused teams.

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Other 5-Star Weapons

Summit Shaper: Great for attack boosting, especially if Ayato is shielded.

Skyward Blade: Offers energy recharge and crit rate, useful for burst-focused builds.

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4-Star Weapons

The Black Sword (Battle Pass)

Increases crit rate and heals on crit hits, also boosts normal and charged attack damage.

A well-rounded option that enhances Ayato's normal attacks and sustains his HP.

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Amenoma Kageuchi

Provides ATK% and generates energy to use Elemental Burst more frequently.

Players who need to compensate for lower energy recharge from artifacts.

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Lion's Roar

Boosts ATK% and deals increased damage to enemies affected by Pyro or Electro.

Electro-Charged or Vaporize teams where Ayato interacts with these elements.

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Sacrificial Sword

Offers energy recharge and can reset the cooldown of Ayato's Elemental Skill.

Ensuring more frequent use of the Elemental Skill in prolonged battles.

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Other Notable 4-Star Weapons

Favonius Sword: Good for energy generation.

Prototype Rancour: Physical damage bonus, suitable for a physical build (less common for Ayato).

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Free-to-Play Options

Iron Sting

Elemental Mastery boost, increases damage after triggering an elemental reaction.

Reaction-focused playstyles, particularly in teams with frequent elemental interactions.

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Harbinger of Dawn (3-Star)

High crit damage, significantly increases crit rate when HP is above 90%.

Budget builds, especially effective in teams with reliable healing.

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Ayato's Constellations

C1: Kyouka Fuushi

When Kamisato Art: Kyouka hits opponents, Ayato gains 4% Normal Attack Speed for 8s.

This effect can have a maximum of 3 stacks.

Improves Ayato's normal attack speed, allowing for faster Hydro application and increased DPS during his Elemental Skill.

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C2: World Source

When the water illusion created by Kamisato Art: Kyouka explodes, it will grant Ayato 4 Elemental Energy.

Increases energy regeneration, helping maintain a more frequent use of his Elemental Burst, crucial for sustained DPS.

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C4: Endless Flow

Using Kamisato Art: Suiyuu will reset the CD of Kamisato Art: Kyouka.

Allows for immediate reuse of his Elemental Skill after using the Burst, providing a significant boost in combat efficiency.

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C6: Boundless Origin

Every 10 Normal Attacks, Ayato will decrease Kamisato Art: Kyouka’s CD by 0.5 seconds.

Further reduces the cooldown of his Elemental Skill, allowing for even more frequent use and sustained Hydro application.

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Best Team Compositions

Hydro-Application Team (Electro-Charged or Bloom)

Composition: Ayato, Electro character (Fischl, Beidou), Dendro character, Anemo character (Sucrose, Kazuha).

Ayato acts as a primary damage dealer and Hydro applier.

This team focuses on triggering continuous Electro-Charged or Bloom reactions.

The Dendro character enhances reactions, while the Anemo character provides crowd control and boosts Elemental Mastery for stronger reactions.

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Vaporize Team

Composition: Ayato, Pyro character (Xiangling, Hu Tao), Anemo support (Venti, Kazuha), and a flex slot (Healer or another support).

Ayato serves as the main Hydro applicator for Vaporize reactions.

Pairing with a Pyro character, this team capitalizes on the high damage multiplier of Vaporize.

The Anemo character boosts reaction damage and controls enemies, while the fourth slot can be filled based on the team's needs (healing, shielding, or additional damage).

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Freeze Team

Composition: Ayato, Cryo character (Ganyu, Diona), Anemo support, and a flex slot.

Ayato applies Hydro to set up Freeze reactions.

The Cryo character consistently freezes enemies, allowing for crowd control and uninterrupted damage from Ayato.

The Anemo character can provide swirl reactions and debuffs.

The flex slot can be a healer or another support depending on the team's requirements.

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Hybrid Elemental Team

Composition: Ayato, Electro character, Pyro character, Anemo support.

Ayato is the primary Hydro enabler, supporting various elemental reactions.

This team is designed to trigger multiple reactions like Electro-Charged, Vaporize, and Overload, offering flexibility and adaptability to different combat scenarios.

The Anemo character enhances reaction damage and provides utility.

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Off-Field Support Ayato

Composition: Ayato, Main DPS of choice (Pyro, Electro, or Cryo), Dendro support, and a Healer or another support.

Ayato provides off-field Hydro application and support.

Ayato's Elemental Burst creates a field for continuous Hydro application, supporting the main DPS and enabling reactions.

The Dendro character amplifies reactions, while the healer ensures team sustainability.

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Playstyles and Strategies

On-Field DPS Playstyle

Ayato's Elemental Skill, "Kamisato Art: Kyouka," is central to this playstyle.

It enhances his normal attacks, converting them into Hydro attacks and providing resistance to interruption.

Activate the skill to enter the stance, then perform a series of normal attacks to deal sustained Hydro damage.

Use the skill again before the stance ends to maximize its damage output.

Start with Ayato's skill, execute a full chain of normal attacks, and then use his Elemental Burst for additional damage and Hydro application.

Swap to support characters for their abilities, then return to Ayato.

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Burst-Support Playstyle

In this role, Ayato's Elemental Burst, "Kamisato Art: Suiyuu," takes priority, creating a rain field that deals Hydro damage and buffs the on-field character's normal attacks.

Deploy Ayato's burst and then switch to your main DPS.

This approach is beneficial in teams where Ayato isn't the primary damage dealer but contributes to reactions and provides Hydro application.

Use supports first for their abilities, deploy Ayato's burst, and switch to the main DPS.

Ayato acts as a trigger for reactions or an enabler for the main DPS's abilities.

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Reaction-Focused Playstyle

Ideal for Teams like Electro-Charged, Bloom, or Vaporize teams.

Utilize Ayato's fast Hydro application to consistently trigger elemental reactions with team members.

Keep Ayato on the field to apply Hydro, then switch to reaction partners for high-damage abilities.

Prioritize Ayato's skill for Hydro application, followed by the reaction partner's skill or burst.

Use the Anemo character last for swirls and debuffs.

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Hybrid Playstyle

Mix elements of on-field DPS and burst support.

Use Ayato's skill for on-field damage, followed by his burst for off-field Hydro application.

This hybrid approach maximizes his damage while supporting teammates.

Begin with Ayato's skill and normal attacks, followed by his burst.

Switch to other DPS or supports, then rotate back to Ayato as needed.

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Conclusion

‍In action, Ayato demonstrates his potential in a Hyperbloom team, showcasing both his and the team's damage potential.

His adaptability and effectiveness across various team setups underline his strength as a decent Hydro DPS in the current meta.