Qiqi, a five-star Cryo support character in Genshin Impact, has seen a resurgence in meta relevance after nearly six years of being considered suboptimal. This transformation is largely attributed to the introduction of new Stellar Glimmer reactions and significant buffs that enhance Qiqi's synergy with them. This guide details the best build for Qiqi, covering optimal teams, weapons, and Artifacts to help players maximize her potential.

Qiqi's Role in Stellar Glimmer Teams

While Qiqi can function as a dedicated healer, her inherent energy and cooldown limitations make her less efficient in this role compared to other healers. However, her Witch's Revelation buffs have elevated her to a top-tier, free-to-play support option, particularly within Stellar Conduct and Stellar Swirl team compositions centered around Stellar Glimmer reactions. Even without her C6 Constellation, Qiqi offers substantial utility.

Stellar Conduct Teams

Qiqi integrates seamlessly into most Stellar Conduct teams, performing exceptionally well. The most powerful and free-to-play friendly team compositions include Qiqi alongside characters like Sandrone, Odette, and Yae Miko or Alyosha. Variations such as Qiqi, Sandrone, Cryo Traveler, and Yae Miko/Alyosha, or Qiqi, Sandrone, Yae Miko/Alyosha, and Nicole/Escoffer also prove effective. Teams featuring Qiqi, Cryo Traveler, Odette, and Yae Miko/Alyosha, or Qiqi, Cryo Traveler, Yae Miko/Alyosha, and Sucrose are also strong contenders. For players looking for alternative options, a Qiqi, Wriothesley, Odette, and Beidou/Kuki Shinobu/Alyosha setup, or a Qiqi, Cyno, Odette, and Yae Miko/Alyosha team, and Qiqi, Cryo Traveler, Beidou/Fischl, and Sucrose are viable choices.

Stellar Swirl Teams

Although Qiqi performs better in Stellar Conduct teams, she can still be effective in Stellar Swirl compositions. The primary challenge in these teams is filling the final slot optimally; characters like Odette, Cryo Traveler, or an Anemo unit often contribute more to overall team damage. However, if these requirements are met, Qiqi can be a valuable addition. Recommended Stellar Swirl teams include Qiqi, Mizuki, Odette/Cryo Traveler, and Sucrose, or Qiqi, Mizuki, Odette/Cryo Traveler, and Faruzan.

Best Qiqi Weapons

Several weapons can enhance Qiqi's performance. The Favonius Sword is a highly recommended four-star option, providing much-needed Energy Recharge. Its passive ability allows Qiqi's critical hits to generate Elemental Particles, aiding the entire team's energy regeneration, provided a sufficient Critical Rate is built.

The Freedom-Sworn sword offers Elemental Mastery and teamwide buffs to attack, normal, charged, and plunging attacks, but only when Qiqi triggers an Elemental Reaction. To maximize this weapon's benefit, Qiqi should trigger two reactions.

The Key of Khaj-Nisut increases Qiqi's HP and Elemental Mastery, and grants her teammates EM after reaching three special stacks through skill usage. This is a suitable choice for teams that benefit from increased EM.

Finale of the Deep, a four-star craftable weapon from Snezhnaya, is an excellent alternative if team particle generation is not a priority. It boosts Qiqi's attack, with an additional increase when her Skill is used.

It is generally advised to equip Qiqi with the Favonius Sword for team energy needs. If extra particles are not required, other weapons can be considered. Five-star 'stat stick' weapons are most beneficial when Qiqi is at C6, as her attack stat then converts into boosted Stellar Glimmer damage.

Best Qiqi Artifacts

The 4-piece Tenacity of the Millelith set is generally the best choice for Qiqi, providing teamwide attack buffs when her Skill is active. If Qiqi is at C6 and another teammate is already using Tenacity of the Millelith, the 4-piece Noblesse Oblige set can be equipped to increase Qiqi's and her team's attack upon using her Burst.

The primary stats to aim for on Qiqi's Artifacts are:

  • Sands: Attack
  • Goblet: Attack
  • Circlet: Crit Rate or Attack

A Crit Rate circlet is recommended to facilitate Energy Particle generation with the Favonius Sword. However, at C6, Attack is preferred over Crit Rate, unless the player struggles to land critical hits.

Substats to prioritize include:

  • Attack
  • Energy Recharge
  • Crit Rate (important only when using Favonius Sword)
  • Crit DMG

Crit Rate remains a crucial substat when using the Favonius Sword. At C6, Qiqi's Stellar Glimmer buffs scale with her Attack, making Attack-focused artifacts and substats paramount.

Playing Qiqi Effectively

Utilizing Qiqi in Stellar Glimmer teams is straightforward. The core gameplay loop involves using Qiqi's Skill to apply Cryo, boost Stellar Glimmer damage, and generate particles for the team. Thanks to her Witch's Revelation buffs, Qiqi's Skill consistently applies Cryo off-field when other characters perform attacks. Furthermore, her Skill increases the entire team's Stellar Conduct damage by 50% while active, significantly contributing to her current meta relevance. As a welcome bonus, her Skill now generates Cryo Particles.

Qiqi's Burst also deals additional damage within a Polestar Field, specifically in Stellar Conduct teams. However, using her Burst every rotation is generally recommended only at C6, as it further enhances Qiqi's damage output.

When prioritizing Qiqi's Talents, focus on her Skill for increased healing or her Burst for enhanced damage. Normal attacks can be disregarded entirely. Even her Skill and Burst can be neglected without consequence if resource conservation is a goal, as Qiqi remains functional at lower levels.