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Does Kokomi Need Elemental Mastery? A Deep Dive into Kokomi’s Builds

The short answer is: it depends on how you’re using her. For Nilou Bloom teams, the answer is a resounding yes. Building Elemental Mastery (EM) on Kokomi, especially in the context of triggering Bloom reactions generated by Nilou’s Bountiful Cores, is highly effective. However, for other team compositions where Kokomi primarily functions as a healer or a Hydro applicator, focusing on HP%, Energy Recharge (ER), and Healing Bonus (HB) is generally more beneficial. Her flexibility allows her to shine in multiple roles, each with its own stat priorities. Now, let’s delve deeper into why and how EM factors into Kokomi’s builds.

Understanding Kokomi’s Kit and Elemental Reactions

Kokomi’s unique passive, “Flawless Strategy,” prevents her from landing critical hits, which traditionally limits her DPS potential. However, this design encourages players to explore alternative stat priorities, opening up exciting build possibilities. Her Elemental Skill, “Kurage’s Oath,” summons a Bake-Kurage that deals AoE Hydro DMG and heals active characters. Her Elemental Burst, “Nereid’s Ascension,” significantly boosts her Normal and Charged Attack damage based on her Max HP, enhances her healing, and makes her more resistant to interruption.

The key to understanding whether Kokomi needs EM lies in understanding Elemental Reactions. EM increases the damage of transformative reactions (such as Bloom, Electro-Charged, Swirl, etc.) and boosts the effectiveness of amplifying reactions (Vaporize and Melt). Since Kokomi’s kit leans heavily into Hydro application, she can frequently trigger reactions.

The Bloom Revolution: Why EM Matters for Nilou Teams

Nilou’s Bloom teams have revolutionized Kokomi’s viability, thrusting her into a central role as a Bloom trigger. Nilou’s passive modifies the Bloom reaction, transforming Dendro Cores into Bountiful Cores, which deal significantly more damage and have a larger AoE. However, Bountiful Cores also inflict damage to the active character, making a strong healer like Kokomi indispensable.

In this context, Kokomi becomes the primary driver of Bloom damage. Building EM maximizes the damage output of these Bountiful Cores. A full EM build on Kokomi (EM Sands, EM Goblet, EM Circlet) can lead to substantial damage increases, turning her into a potent damage dealer within the team. Keep in mind that the character triggering the Bloom (in this case Kokomi), is the one whose EM is used for the damage calculation.

Beyond Bloom: HP, ER, and Healing Focus

Outside of Nilou Bloom teams, Kokomi’s role typically shifts towards healing and Hydro application. In these scenarios, prioritizing HP%, ER, and Healing Bonus becomes more important. HP% directly increases her healing output and the damage boost provided by her Burst. ER ensures she can consistently use her Burst, providing consistent damage and enhanced healing. Healing Bonus further amplifies her healing capabilities.

While EM still provides a slight benefit to reactions like Electro-Charged or Vaporize (depending on the team), the impact is less significant than the benefits gained from maximizing her HP and healing potential.

Artifact and Weapon Choices

For Bloom Builds: Focus on Artifacts with EM main stats (Sands, Goblet, Circlet). Substats should prioritize ER to ensure consistent Burst uptime. The Flower of Paradise Lost artifact set is optimal, greatly enhancing Bloom damage. Weapons like Sacrificial Fragments (for ER and EM) are excellent choices.
For Healing/Hydro Application Builds: Focus on HP% Sands, Hydro DMG Bonus or HP% Goblet, and Healing Bonus Circlet. Substats should prioritize HP%, ER, and potentially some EM. Artifact sets like Tenacity of the Millelith (for team buffs) or Ocean-Hued Clam (for additional damage) are highly effective. Weapons like Everlasting Moonglow (her signature weapon, ideal for HP and healing), Prototype Amber (craftable and provides ER and healing), or Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (for buffing the team’s DPS) are great options.

Balancing EM with Survivability

A critical consideration is balancing EM with survivability. While maximizing EM is ideal for Bloom damage, neglecting HP and ER can leave Kokomi vulnerable and unable to sustain the team. In some cases, especially in challenging content, a hybrid build with some HP% or ER may be necessary to ensure she can consistently heal and survive. In very difficult content, consider inviting a second survivability unit (another healer/shielder) to compensate.

Team Compositions Matter

The decision to build EM on Kokomi is heavily influenced by her team composition. If she is the primary Bloom trigger in a Nilou team, EM is paramount. If she is primarily a healer and Hydro applicator in a different team, HP%, ER, and Healing Bonus take precedence. Understanding the team’s needs and Kokomi’s role within that team is crucial for making informed build decisions. Learning what types of games these are and the skills associated with this decision-making is an important element of the Games Learning Society research. Read more about this at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify Kokomi’s Elemental Mastery needs:

Is EM completely useless on Kokomi outside of Bloom teams? No, EM still provides a small damage boost to other Elemental Reactions (Vaporize, Electro-Charged, etc.) but it is significantly less impactful than HP%, ER, or Healing Bonus in those contexts.
How much EM should Kokomi have for a Nilou Bloom team? Aim for at least 600-800 EM. More is generally better, but prioritize ER to ensure consistent Burst uptime.
What is the best artifact set for a Bloom Kokomi? The Flower of Paradise Lost artifact set is the best option to maximize the bloom reaction damage dealt by Kokomi.
Can I use an EM weapon on Kokomi for a Bloom team? Yes, weapons like Sacrificial Fragments or even Magic Guide (if you really need EM and are low on resources) can be effective for boosting EM.
Should I use a Hydro DMG Bonus Goblet on Kokomi for a Bloom team? No, EM Goblet is almost always better for maximizing Bloom damage in a Nilou Bloom team.
Does Kokomi’s Healing Bonus affect Bloom damage? No, Healing Bonus does not directly affect Bloom damage. Bloom damage is solely affected by the EM of the character triggering the reaction, the character’s level, and enemy resistance.
Is Energy Recharge important on a Bloom Kokomi? Yes, Energy Recharge is still crucial, even with a full EM build. You need her Burst for sustained Hydro application and healing.
Can I use Kokomi as a DPS outside of Bloom teams? Yes, but she will need to be built as an on-field DPS with HP%/Hydro DMG/Healing Bonus, and her damage output will still be limited compared to dedicated DPS characters.
What are some good team compositions for Kokomi besides Nilou Bloom? Kokomi works well in Taser teams (with characters like Fischl, Beidou, and Sucrose), Freeze teams (with characters like Ayaka or Ganyu), and Vaporize teams (with characters like Xiangling).
Does Kokomi’s HP scaling affect her Bloom damage? No, Kokomi’s HP scaling only affects her healing and the damage bonus provided by her Burst.
Is it better to build Kokomi with HP or DEF? HP is far more valuable than DEF on Kokomi, as it directly increases her healing and damage output from her Burst.
What are the best substats for Kokomi besides ER and EM? In HP/Healing builds, HP% is the most important substat. In EM builds, prioritize ER followed by any additional EM.
Does Kokomi apply enough Hydro for Vaporize reactions? Kokomi can consistently apply Hydro, making her a viable enabler for Vaporize teams, especially with characters like Xiangling.
How does Kokomi compare to other Hydro healers like Barbara? Kokomi offers a combination of healing, Hydro application, and decent damage output, while Barbara is primarily a healer with less offensive capabilities.
If I’m struggling to survive in a Bloom team, should I sacrifice some EM for more HP on Kokomi? Yes, if survivability is a concern, consider using an HP% Sands instead of an EM Sands, or focus on artifacts with HP% substats to increase her healing and survivability. Finding the right balance is key.

In conclusion, whether Kokomi needs Elemental Mastery is largely determined by her role in your team. Embrace the Bloom with EM, or enhance her healing and utility with HP%, ER, and Healing Bonus. Experiment and adapt to find the build that best suits your playstyle and team composition. Her versatility is one of her greatest strengths.

Does Kokomi need elemental mastery?