Ultimate Guide to Mastering Keqing in Genshin Impact: Builds, Talents, and Strategies

Character Guide: Keqing, The Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing in Genshin Impact

PS: In the following text, A = Normal Attack; E = Elemental Skill; Q = Elemental Burst.

Keqing, a 5-star Electro sword-wielder, is a distinguished member of the Liyue Qixing, holding the prestigious title of Yuheng. Specializing in Crit Damage, Keqing can achieve up to 88.4% Crit Damage bonus by level 80, enhancing her role as a formidable main DPS. Players dedicated enough to raise Keqing's friendship to level 10 are rewarded with the exclusive namecard "Keqing: Lightning Stiletto." Additionally, Keqing has a unique culinary talent, occasionally creating the special dish "Survival Grilled Fish" when cooking "Grilled Tiger Fish," a recipe available at Wanmin Restaurant in Liyue Harbor.

• Build Directions: Keqing can be built in two main ways-focusing on Physical Damage (Physical Keqing) or Electro Damage (Electro Keqing). While both builds prioritize talent upgrades for her Normal Attack (A), then her Elemental Skill (E) and Elemental Burst (Q), the late-game gear tends to favor Electro Damage to maximize her DPS potential.
• Combat Talents: Her combat talents allow for a dynamic playstyle, with her Normal Attack dealing Physical DMG and her Elemental Skill and Burst inflicting Electro DMG. This versatility ensures Keqing's place as a top choice for main DPS roles in many teams.
• Getting Keqing: Details on acquiring Keqing, alongside insights into her age, height, and the voice actor's contribution, heighten player interest. Optimizing Keqing's Electro Damage build with suitable artifacts and weapons is key for those aiming to maximize her performance.
• Ascension Materials: Players are encouraged to collect Keqing's ascension materials to enhance her abilities further. Additionally, adding a Keqing figurine to your collection could be a delightful way to honor this electrifying character from Genshin Impact.

Talent Intro: Keqing of Genshin Impact

Normal Attack: Yunlai Swordsmanship

Keqing's basic attack sequence involves 5 stages of attack actions, delivering 6 instances of damage (the 4th stage hits twice). When it comes to the damage multiplier, Keqing's basic attacks rank 7th among all the single-handed sword characters in Genshin Impact. The elegance and non-coquettish beauty of her second attack animation is a major reason her basic attack is nicknamed the "Sideways Sword Technique." The fourth stage delivers double damage and briefly makes her vanish, while the fifth stage involves a short forward dash, which might create distance from the enemy, potentially losing out on some DPS-so it's generally not recommended to go for the fifth hit.

In terms of damage, Keqing's five-strike basic attack sequence primarily deals physical damage, which isn't particularly high. Thus, basic attacks aren't her main source of damage and lack supportive mechanisms.

Charged Attack

Upon executing a charged attack (by holding the attack button), Keqing first performs a basic attack action before launching into the charged attack, which deals damage twice and includes a slight retreat motion. This knockback can be seen as a downside in combat since it increases the distance from the enemy, and as a melee character, Keqing needs to close in again, losing precious DPS time. This effect is negligible against stationary or high-poise enemies like world bosses, shielded foes, and the like, where the knockback hardly matters.

The charged attack deals physical damage too and has the second-highest damage multiplier among single-handed sword characters, right behind Ayaka. It's a key component of Keqing's output, especially when prioritizing charged attacks in combat. Keqing and Ayaka share similar attack motions and strategies, often using a mix of basic attacks and charged attacks for high damage output. Stamina management is crucial for Keqing, especially when using the charged attack combo extensively.

Elemental Skill: Stellar Restoration

This talent serves both support and damage roles. Keqing can cast her Elemental Skill twice: the first cast throws out a Stiletto that deals Electro damage, and the second cast teleports her to its location. This skill has several nuances, such as auto-targeting on tap and manual placement on hold, offering both offensive and strategic mobility. The skill's dual-phase allows for different tactical uses, including setting up Electro-related reactions.

Elemental Burst: Starward Sword

Keqing's Burst showcases her prowess, dealing AoE Electro damage to all enemies within its radius. With a low energy cost and short cooldown, it's frequently usable, providing invincibility frames that can dodge incoming damage. This makes her Burst not only a key part of her damage output but also a strategic tool for avoiding hits.

Innate Talents

Keqing's built-in talents highlight her affinity for Electro damage, enhancing her critical hit rate and energy recharge efficiency. These traits make her particularly effective with an Electro build, although she can also be adapted to physical damage builds depending on player preference.

For those meticulously planning their Genshin Impact adventures, Keqing's talents can be quite beneficial. However, for casual players who log in daily, focusing on completing daily commissions and expeditions might be more practical.

Constellation Breakdown for Keqing of Genshin Impact

C1: Thundering Might
This constellation doesn't really beef up Keqing's stats in a big way-it's more like a "better than nothing" kind of deal. The 50% Electro DMG bonus isn't applied to the final damage output; it still gets reduced by the enemy's defense and resistance. So, the boost from this constellation isn't all that.

C2: Keen Extraction
Keqing's Burst only needs 40 energy to activate, and she doesn't struggle much with energy recharge. So, this constellation is just icing on the cake, not really a game-changer. Again, it's a "nice to have" thing.

C3: Foreseen Reformation
Boosts her Burst talent by 3 levels. Saves resources and speeds up leveling her up.

C4: Attunement
This one's got some value since a 25% ATK boost is nothing to sneeze at and can up Keqing's overall damage. But, it's tied to triggering Electro-related reactions, so you've gotta be strategic with your team comp to make the most of it.

C5: Beckoning Stars
Raises her Skill talent by 3 levels. Another resource saver for leveling up faster.

C6: Tenacious Star
The bonus stacking effect here is kinda like Childe's signature weapon, the Harbinger of Dawn, but for Keqing, it's all about Electro DMG Bonus, stacking up to 24%. The stack method is the same: you need to use normal attacks, charged attacks, Elemental Skill, and Elemental Burst. Each has its own stack and duration, so skip using one, and you're missing out on a layer.

Weapons & Artifact Recommendations

Mistsplitter Reforged: Not sure whose signature weapon this is supposed to be. It might as well be Ayaka's, given it debuted alongside her. But Keqing? She rocks this sword like it was made for her, no complaints. This blade is hands down the best for electro-damage Keqing. No contest.

Primordial Jade Cutter: Known as the "Green Sword." It's super versatile, banking on HP, ATK, and CRIT Rate boosts, making it a fit for pretty much any sword-wielder out there. Plus, it tops the charts for CRIT Rate among swords, which is a huge plus for your stats. Both physical and electro Keqing builds can swing this without breaking a sweat.

Skyward Blade: A solid choice for physical Keqing. Electro Keqing can sort of make it work too, mainly for the high base ATK. Its refinement effect keeps that ATK % boost constant, heals you when you take damage, and dishes out damage to nearby enemies, all while having some sustain. Damage dealt is physical, aligning perfectly with physical Keqing's preference. If you're into physical Keqing, definitely consider grabbing this.

The Black Sword: Great for a transitional weapon. Fits both physical and electro Keqing builds. Its main draws are high adaptability for characters focusing on normal attack talents and the precious CRIT Rate sub-stat, easing the stress on your build. The downside? Its base ATK isn't top-tier, so you'll need to play around with team comps and artifacts to boost that damage output. The Black Sword's refinement ups normal and charged attack damage, which kinda translates to boosts in physical or electro damage, though not limited to these. Basically, it means any damage type from normal/charged attacks gets a boost, falling into either the elemental or physical damage bonus category.

Lion's Roar: This one's pretty sweet for electro Keqing. Among 4-star weapons, it's potentially the best pick for her. The catch? While it offers ATK and damage bonuses, the lack of CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG bonuses makes optimizing your artifact setup a bit of a headache.

• Electro DMG Keqing Artifact Recommendations: "2 Thundering Fury + 2 Gladiator's Finale / Shimenawa's Reminiscence" Both Gladiator's Finale and Shimenawa's Reminiscence sets offer the same 2-piece set bonus, so prioritize based on which set has better stats. This combination is a versatile matchup, with damage output not significantly differing from other sets. The ease of forming a 2+2 set also enhances its general applicability.
• "4-piece Thundersoother's Set" This set is relatively universal, and while the 2-piece bonus of increasing elemental resistance by 40% is not very impactful in practice, the 35% damage bonus provided by the 4-piece set is substantial. For Keqing, who deals exclusively Electro DMG, enemies are almost always afflicted with Electro, allowing the 4-piece effect to be constantly active. However, this set's full potential is not realized against enemies inherently imbued with elements, such as slimes or elemental wisps.
• "4-piece Thundering Fury Set" Ideal for Keqing who frequently triggers Electro-related reactions, fitting well with fast-switch teams. With Keqing's ability to maintain Electro enchantment without downtime using her skill and burst sequence plus heavy attacks, the cooldown reduction for her elemental skill provided by this set is less crucial. This set suits fast-switch teams better, where Keqing primarily focuses on skill and burst for damage, with less frequency of normal and heavy attacks compared to the other sets.
• Physical DMG Keqing Artifact Recommendations: "2 Gladiator's Finale / Shimenawa's Reminiscence + 2 Pale Flame / Bloodstained Chivalry" Similar to Gladiator's and Shimenawa's, the 2-piece set effects of Pale Flame and Bloodstained Chivalry are identical, making either choice viable based on which set has better attributes. This setup is akin to the versatile 2 Thundering Fury + 2 Gladiator's configuration, easy to assemble and widely applicable.
• "4-piece Pale Flame Set" A fitting set for Physical DMG Keqing. The 4-piece Pale Flame boosts physical damage output, a solid choice for physical attackers. Since Physical DMG Keqing does not rely on elemental enchantments, using her elemental skill followed by normal and charged attacks stacks the Pale Flame's effects quickly, maximizing the set's passive bonuses. Compared to a mix of 2 Gladiator's + 2 Pale Flame, it offers an additional 25% physical DMG bonus; and against 2 Pale Flame + 2 Bloodstained, it adds an 18% ATK bonus, making the 4-piece Pale Flame the most beneficial option.
• "4-piece Shimenawa's Reminiscence Set" The damage bonus of this set is comparable to the 4-piece Pale Flame set. Since Physical DMG Keqing does not rely on her burst for damage, and both the Shimenawa and Pale Flame sets do not enhance burst damage, both sets offer an 18% ATK boost and a 50% damage bonus under her elemental skill and normal/charged attack routine. However, the downside of the 4-piece Shimenawa's set is it reduces the frequency of using her burst and requires having over 15 energy to activate the damage bonus effect upon using her elemental skill, which might not always be feasible.

Team Composition Recommendations

Team Comp: Bennett + Fischl + Xiangling + Keqing

Behold the enduring charm of the Keqing double Pyro double Electro lineup. In this setup, Fischl can be swapped out for Kazuha or Beidou. Fischl, teaming up with Keqing, brings that sweet Electro resonance. No worries about energy recharge with Fischl; her own skills ensure Oz is always ready to wreak havoc with Elemental Skill damage, perfectly synergizing with the Archaic Petra set for a constant 20% ATK boost for the team.

Bennett and Xiangling are a match made in Teyvat heaven. Doubt Xiangling's output with an Energy Recharge Sands? With Bennett by her side, there's nothing to worry about. And with the introduction of the Thundersoother set, energy efficiency translates directly to damage, making it a top pick for Xiangling.

As for Bennett, seamless burst activation makes him a godsend in this lineup. Although, full constellation Bennett isn't recommended here. While this team excels at spreading chaos among smaller, scattered foes with Overloaded reactions, Keqing's chase ability does somewhat alleviate the stamina drain from chasing down enemies, but expect some loss in the fluidity of your attacks. This lineup shines against tough, large enemies, boasting impressive damage and control.

Team Comp: Keqing + Kokomi + Zhongli + Albedo

Light 'em up, smooth and easy. Just remember Kokomi's damage boost for Keqing. Kokomi can be swapped for Kazuha or Fischl. Keqing, Zhongli, and Albedo share a neat trait: all their bursts cool down in 12 seconds and need just 40 energy, making for seamless big moves. Excluding the animation time for bursts and skill casting, Keqing won't hog the spotlight for long, limiting her normal and charged attacks. Not ideal for characters like Xingqiu or Beidou, who rely on frequent normal attacks to trigger their bursts.

Thanks to frequent bursts, invincibility frames come by often, easing survival pressures. Zhongli can rock a secondary DPS role, with shields to boot. Plus, Electro and Geo reactions provide handy Crystallize shields against incoming damage.

If Zhongli's energy recharge exceeds 140%, consider the Thundersoother set for equal damage but tailored for varied scenarios. Keeping Zhongli and Albedo's recharge around 140%+ is wise, especially against bosses like the Primo Geovishap, testing team synergy. Keqing, in this team, mainly interacts with Geo for Crystallize reactions, making the Thundering Fury set a solid choice to boost her own damage. The versatile 2-piece Thundering Fury and Gladiator's Finale combo also works well.

Team Comp: Keqing + Xingqiu + Kaeya + Diona

A Physical Keqing with double Cryo plus Xingqiu ensures a smooth-sailing, freeze-centric team. Swap Kaeya for Ganyu for backline burst support. Diona's shield, healing, and particle generation are irreplaceable, offering a comprehensive support package.

Physical Keqing thrives on normal and charged attacks, complemented by Xingqiu's burst, Kaeya's burst, and Diona's burst, keeping enemies perpetually frozen. Even if Keqing's Electro application disrupts the freeze, her immediate follow-up attacks reapply it. This team's comfort hinges on maintaining constant freeze, making Keqing's burst less of a focus. Therefore, carrying the Noblesse Oblige set offers a damage boost akin to the Pale Flame set.

A Quick Rundown on Raising Keqing in Genshin Impact

When it comes to building Keqing from Genshin Impact, there are mainly two schools of thought: focusing on Physical Damage and Electro Damage. What these two approaches have in common is prioritizing talent upgrades around her basic attack (A) and leveraging heavy attacks for the main source of damage. Early on, when you haven't fully decked out your artifacts or weapons, whether you're going for Physical Keqing or Electro Keqing doesn't really make a huge difference. However, later down the line, I'd recommend leaning into the mainstream Electro Damage build for Keqing.

The way you use her Elemental Skill (E) is what sets apart an Electro Keqing build from a Physical one. For Physical Keqing, you'd typically go for an E+A+heavy attack combo to detonate the Electro stiletto without enchanting your normal attacks with Electro. On the flip side, Electro Keqing favors a more elaborate combo of E+Q+E+A+heavy attack, ensuring a seamless infusion of Electro into your attacks.

The best weapon for Electro Keqing is the Mistsplitter Reforged, while the Aquila Favonia is the top pick for Physical Keqing. Both the Summit Shaper and the Black Sword offer great versatility and can be used effectively in either build. Ultimately, whether you go for Physical or Electro Keqing comes down to personal preference and the weapons you have at your disposal. Both strategies simply differ in weapon and artifact choices, allowing you to switch between them easily once you've got a solid collection of gear.

Keqing might not be the most explosive character in Genshin Impact, but she's got a solid DPS game. Think of her as a Shenhe without her Burst-solid, reliable damage over time!