Skirk, a 5-star DPS specializing in Cryo and Freeze damage, and Escoffier, a versatile 5-star Cryo support, are powerful additions to any Genshin Impact roster. While Skirk's complex playstyle can be challenging, she remains a top damage dealer, and Escoffier offers valuable Cryo/Hydro resistance shred and healing, making her compatible with various teams.
Building Skirk
Skirk excels in dealing significant Cryo and Freeze damage. To maximize her potential, careful attention must be paid to her team composition, weapon choice, and Artifacts.
Best Skirk Teams
Skirk's most effective team often includes premium supports like Escoffier, Citlali, and Vodyanitsa. While Escoffier is considered essential for Skirk's optimal performance, characters like Furina, Shenhe, and Yelan can substitute for Citlali and Vodyanitsa, albeit with a slight reduction in overall team damage. It is crucial to include Cryo or Hydro characters in her team to avoid a significant drop in Skirk's damage output.
Teams featuring Escoffier, Citlali, and Vodyanitsa, or Furina, Citlali, and Escoffier, are recommended for a smoother learning curve with Skirk's combos.
Best Skirk Weapons
Skirk benefits greatly from weapons that boost her critical hit rate and damage, along with attack and elemental damage.
- Azurelight: Skirk's signature 5-star sword, offering substantial boosts to Crit Rate, Crit Damage, and attack.
- Primordial Jade Cutter: A 5-star weapon with Crit Rate, HP, and attack scaling off HP. It is less recommended with the Marechaussee Hunter Artifact set.
- Mistsplitter Reforged: A 5-star Crit Damage weapon that also increases Cryo Damage.
- Absolution: An excellent 5-star Crit Damage 'stat stick'.
- Haran Geppaku Futsu: Another 5-star Crit Rate weapon that enhances normal attack damage.
- Finale of the Deep: A craftable 4-star weapon that significantly increases attack when paired with a healer.
- Calamity of Eshu: A strong 4-star option for its attack boosts when Skirk is shielded.
- The Black Sword: A 4-star Battle Pass weapon that improves Crit Rate and normal attack damage.
Any weapon with a Crit Rate or Crit Damage main stat is generally suitable, with a preference for passives that Skirk can effectively utilize.
Best Skirk Artifacts
The 4-piece Finale of the Deep Galleries set is Skirk's best-in-slot Artifact set, enhancing her Cryo Damage and Burst damage. The 4-piece Marechaussee Hunter set is a viable alternative if Furina is present on her team.
- Sands: Attack
- Goblet: Cryo Damage
- Circlet: Crit Rate/Damage
An Attack Goblet can be considered if substats are superior. Prioritize Crit Damage, Crit Rate, and Attack in substats.
How to Play Skirk
Skirk's gameplay involves activating her teammates' buffs before using her Elemental Skill and then performing normal attacks until her Skill stacks deplete, weaving in her Elemental Burst for additional damage. For maximum DPS, mastering advanced combos utilizing 'dash cancelling' and charged attacks is recommended.
A basic combo involves using her Skill, followed by five normal attacks and a dash, repeating this cycle and incorporating her Burst when available. Advanced combos can involve precise sequences of normal attacks, dashes, charged attacks, and Bursts to optimize damage output.
When leveling up talents, prioritize Skirk's Skill, then her Burst. Her Normal Attacks can be largely ignored as the attacks performed during her combo are considered Skill damage.
Building Escoffier
Escoffier functions as a potent Cryo support, providing resistance shred, Cryo application, and healing. While ideal for Skirk, she can enhance various other teams.
Best Escoffier Teams
Escoffier shines in a team with Skirk, Citlali, and Vodyanitsa. However, her versatility allows her to support characters like Sandrone, Wriothesley, Mavuika, Arlecchino, and Ayaka. She can even integrate effectively into Stellar Glimmer teams.
Best Escoffier Weapons
Weapons that boost her healing, attack, and energy recharge are ideal for Escoffier.
- Symphonist of Scents: Her signature 5-star polearm, providing Crit Damage, attack, and additional attack bonuses when off-field. It also boosts the attack of healed allies.
- Skyward Spine: A 5-star Energy Recharge weapon that also increases attack and normal/charged attack damage.
- Fractured Halo: A Crit Damage weapon that boosts attack after using her Burst.
- Favonius Lance: An excellent 4-star option for Energy Recharge, generating Energy particles with critical hits.
- Deathmatch: A solid 4-star alternative that increases Crit Rate and attack.
'Stat stick' weapons focusing on Crit Damage, Crit Rate, or Energy Recharge are also viable, especially if their passives benefit the team.
Best Escoffier Artifacts
When not paired with Skirk, the 4-piece Golden Troupe set is optimal for maximizing Escoffier's personal damage. If she is on a team with Skirk, support-oriented sets are preferred:
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Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City: Best if no one else is using it, boosting team Elemental Damage.
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Tenacity of the Millelith: Provides an attack increase, though often better suited for Vodyanitsa or Furina.
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Noblesse Oblige: Offers an attack buff to the team upon using Escoffier's Burst.
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Sands: Energy Recharge / Attack
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Goblet: Attack / Cryo Damage
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Circlet: Crit Rate / Damage
Aim for approximately 220-240% Energy Recharge in a double Cryo team, which can be reduced with Favonius Lance or another Cryo party member. Substats should prioritize Energy Recharge, Crit Damage, Crit Rate, and Attack.
How to Play Escoffier
Escoffier's playstyle is straightforward. Her Skill deals AoE Cryo damage, and her Burst provides AoE Cryo damage and heals all nearby party members, scaling with her attack. The effectiveness of her resistance shred increases with the number of Cryo and Hydro characters on the team.
Her rotation generally involves using her Skill and Burst as they become available to maintain Cryo application and resistance shred, thereby boosting team-wide DPS. When leveling talents, prioritize her Skill, followed by her Burst to enhance healing capabilities. Her normal attacks are less important.
