Mastering Qiqi in Genshin Impact: An In-Depth Guide

Qiqi, a five-star Cryo character in Genshin Impact, offers exceptional healing capabilities.

While she's often underrated, her recent synergy with characters like Furina has brought her back into the spotlight.

This guide will dive into her talents, gameplay variations, and the challenges she faces, offering solutions and tips for optimizing her use in your team.

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An In-Depth Guide to Mastering Qiqi: Best Builds and Team Compositions

Qiqi's Talents and Gameplay

Normal and Charged Attacks: Ancient Sword Art

Qiqi performs up to five rapid strikes in her normal attack combo.

Her charged attack consumes stamina to unleash two rapid sword strikes.

These attacks are essential for activating her healing effects.

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Elemental Skill: Adeptus Art Herald of Frost

Upon activation, deals Cryo damage and summons the Herald of Frost.

The Herald heals the active character at regular intervals and with each hit from Qiqi's sword attacks.

This skill also continuously applies Cryo to nearby enemies.

The healing scales with Qiqi's ATK stat.

One major downside is the lack of Cryo energy particle generation, affecting team energy dynamics.

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Elemental Burst: Adeptus Art Preserver of Fortune

Releases AoE Cryo damage and marks enemies with the Fortune-Preserving Talisman.

When characters attack these marked enemies, they are healed—a process that scales off Qiqi's ATK.

The marked enemies can be used to heal different characters, but only the one actively hitting the marked enemy receives healing.

The burst has a high energy cost (80), which, combined with no innate energy generation, can make it challenging to use frequently.

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Passive Talents

Life-Prolonging Methods (A1): Increases incoming healing when a character affected by the Herald of Frost triggers an elemental reaction.

A Glimpse into Arcanum (A4): Qiqi's Normal and Charged Attacks have a 50% chance to apply a Fortune-Preserving Talisman for a brief period. This talent is on a cooldown, and the effectiveness is limited due to its duration and cooldown timing.

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Talent Priority

Elemental Skill

This is Qiqi's primary source of healing.

The skill heals both periodically and when Qiqi lands hits with her normal and charged attacks.

Since it scales with Qiqi's ATK, enhancing this talent increases the healing output, which is crucial for her role as a healer.

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Elemental Burst

This burst heals when characters attack marked enemies, and it provides an AoE Cryo effect.

Although powerful, its high energy cost means it may not be available as frequently as her skill.

If you struggle with energy recharge, this might not be as reliable as the Elemental Skill.

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Normal Attack

This includes her normal, charged, and plunging attacks.

While these attacks are important for triggering the healing from her Elemental Skill, they don't directly contribute as much to her primary role.

Thus, they should be leveled up last.

If you're building Qiqi as a DPS (which is less common), you would prioritize this higher.

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Optimal Artifact Builds

Ocean-Hued Clam (4-piece)

‍This set is ideal for Qiqi.

It converts her excessive healing into damage, making her more than just a healer.

It's especially effective in situations where her healing is more than enough for the team.

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Maiden Beloved (4-piece)

‍A more traditional healer set, it increases healing effectiveness.

Choose this if your primary focus is maximizing Qiqi's healing output.

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Tenacity of the Millelith (4-piece)

A universal support set that buffs all party member's damage by 20% and shield strength by 30% after using an Elemental Skill.

Great choice for most team compositions.

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Noblesse Oblige (4-piece)

‍An alternative if you want to boost the team's ATK with her burst.

This set is less about Qiqi's healing and more about team utility.

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Mix Sets

‍For more flexibility, you can mix 2-piece sets like 2-piece Ocean-Hued Clam with 2-piece Maiden Beloved or 2-piece Noblesse Oblige.

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Main Stats Priority

‍Sands: ATK% or Energy Recharge (ER). Choose ATK% to boost her healing as it scales with ATK. Pick ER if you struggle to keep her burst ready due to its high energy cost.‍

Goblet: ATK%. Since Qiqi's healing scales with her ATK, this increases her healing output.‍

Circlet: Healing Bonus or ATK%. Healing Bonus is typically the go-to choice for maximizing healing, but ATK% can be an alternative if you're leaning towards a DPS role for Qiqi or lack a good Healing Bonus circlet.

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Substats Priority

• ‍Focus on ATK%, Crit Rate, Crit Damage, and Energy Recharge.
• ATK% enhances her healing; Crit Rate and Crit Damage are useful if you're using her in a hybrid DPS role.‍
• Energy Recharge helps with her burst uptime.

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Best Weapon Choices

Sacrificial Sword

Resets skill cooldown, enhancing Qiqi's ability to heal and apply Cryo.

Consistent skill usage, which is crucial for maintaining healing and Cryo application.

Ideal for teams needing frequent Cryo application or where Qiqi is a primary healer.

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Favonius Sword

Generates energy particles on CRIT hits, aiding burst recharge.

Ensuring Qiqi's burst is available more frequently, especially in teams lacking energy generation.

Optimal when Qiqi's burst healing is crucial, or in teams with high energy demands.

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Skyward Blade

Boosts CRIT Rate and energy recharge, improving overall performance.

A balance of healing and energy management. Enhances Qiqi's DPS potential slightly.

Suited for a hybrid healing/DPS role or when additional CRIT Rate is beneficial.

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Aquila Favonia

High base ATK boosts healing; passive provides physical damage burst.

Maximizing healing output due to high base ATK.

Effective when Qiqi is leaned towards a physical DPS role, alongside her healing.

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Prototype Rancour

Easily accessible, boosts physical damage.

A budget-friendly option for a DPS-leaning Qiqi.

Suitable for teams where Qiqi is used for both healing and physical damage output.

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The Flute

Harmonic passive can add decent additional damage.

A balance between healing and damage output.

Good for situations where Qiqi is part of the regular attack rotation.

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Iron Sting

Elemental Mastery bonus, boosting reaction damage.

Enhancing Cryo-based reactions like Melt and Superconduct.

Optimal in teams focusing on elemental reactions involving Qiqi.

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Cool Steel

Boosts damage against enemies affected by Hydro or Cryo.

Increasing damage in freeze or hydro-related team compositions.

Effective in freeze comps or alongside Hydro characters for increased DPS.

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Team Compositions

Freeze Composition

Team Setup: Qiqi, Hydro DPS (like Tartaglia or Mona), Anemo support (Venti, Sucrose), and a Flex slot.

Use Qiqi's Cryo application to freeze enemies with Hydro DPS, controlling the battlefield effectively.

Ideal for crowd control and continuous damage; great in Spiral Abyss and challenging content.

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Superconduct Team

Team Setup: Qiqi, Electro DPS (Fischl, Beidou), Physical DPS (Razor, Eula), and Flex (Anemo support or additional DPS).

Use Qiqi's Cryo with Electro for Superconduct, reducing physical resistance for physical DPS characters.

Ideal for maximizing physical damage output; effective against enemies with high physical resistance.

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Melt/Vaporize Team

Team Setup: Qiqi, Pyro DPS (Diluc, Klee), Hydro Enabler (Xingqiu, Childe), Anemo Support.

Pair Qiqi with Pyro for Melt reactions or Hydro for occasional Vaporize, enhancing burst damage potential.

Ideal for Burst damage scenarios, exploiting high-damage elemental reactions.

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Sustained Healing Support

Team Setup: Qiqi, Main DPS (any element), Sub DPS/Support, Flex (Utility character or additional support).

Focus on Qiqi's healing to sustain the team, especially in prolonged battles or challenging domains.

Ideal for ensuring team survivability, particularly in high-damage environments like Spiral Abyss.

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Cryo Resonance Team

Team Setup: Qiqi, another Cryo character (Ganyu, Chongyun), Main DPS, Flex slot.

Use Cryo Resonance for increased CRIT Rate, boosting overall team damage.

Ideal for enhancing DPS characters' potential, especially those reliant on CRITs.

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Elemental Mastery/Reaction Focus

Team Setup: Qiqi, Electro and Hydro characters (Beidou, Xingqiu), Flex (Elemental Mastery buffer like Sucrose).

Focus on triggering frequent elemental reactions like Electro-Charged, with Qiqi providing additional Cryo application.

Ideal for teams focused on continuous elemental reactions, suitable for crowd control and sustained damage.

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Constellations Overview

C1: Ascetics of Frost

When Qiqi hits enemies affected by Cryo, she regenerates energy.

This constellation helps in reducing her energy regeneration issues, allowing more frequent use of her Elemental Burst.

It's a significant boost for her utility, especially in Cryo-heavy teams.

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C2: Frozen to the Bone

Qiqi's Normal and Charged Attacks against enemies affected by Cryo increase her Attack by 15%.

Enhances her damage slightly, but generally, Qiqi isn't used for her damage output.

The boost is acceptable and more beneficial if you're building her with a focus on DPS.

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C4: Divine Suppression

Enemies marked by the Fortune-Preserving Talisman have their ATK decreased by 20%.

Adds a defensive utility to her kit.

It's particularly useful in difficult content where reducing enemy attack can significantly improve team survivability.

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C6: Rite of Resurrection

The Fortune-Preserving Talisman revives fallen characters and regenerates their HP.

This effect can occur once every 15 minutes. Offers a safety net by providing a revive mechanic.

While situational, it can be a game-changer in high-stakes battles like the Spiral Abyss.

However, if players are avoiding character KOs through effective play, this constellation's utility might not be fully used.

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Advanced Tips

Optimizing Skill and Burst Usage

Qiqi's skill, Adeptus Art: Herald of Frost, provides healing over time and on-hit.

It's crucial to time her skill effectively to maximize healing, especially during intense combat phases.

Her Elemental Burst, "Preserver of Fortune," marks enemies and heals the active character upon hitting these marked foes.

Use this strategically for burst healing, particularly when multiple team members are at low health.

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Energy Recharge Management

Qiqi's high energy cost for her burst requires a focus on Energy Recharge (ER).

Equip her with an ER weapon or artifacts to ensure her burst is available when needed.

Pair Qiqi with characters who generate enough energy particles to help balance her lack of particle generation.

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Cryo Application

Use Qiqi’s constant Cryo application for elemental reactions like Freeze or Superconduct.

She can be a essential part of perma-freeze teams, particularly with Hydro characters like Mona or Ganyu for consistent crowd control.

In Superconduct teams (Cryo + Electro), Qiqi’s Cryo application reduces the physical resistance of enemies, boosting the damage of physical DPS characters.

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Physical DPS Build (Optional)

While not her primary role, Qiqi can be built as a physical DPS, especially with her C2 constellation.

Equip her with a physical damage bonus goblet and a suitable sword like the Aquila Favonia for this build.

Remember that this build is more of a niche playstyle and might not be as effective as her role as a healer.

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Positioning and Field Time

When Qiqi is on the field, focus on landing her normal and charged attacks to maximize healing through her skill.

Be mindful of her positioning to ensure her Herald of Frost hits enemies and allies effectively.

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Final Thoughts on Qiqi

Even though she's been considered the worst non-limited 5-star unit, Qiqi's healing power makes her a valuable healer in Genshin Impact, especially in teams requiring consistent healing or Cryo applications.

Understanding her kit's intricacies and optimizing her build can turn her into a formidable healer, ensuring your team's survival in the toughest battles.