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The Ultimate Beidou Claymore Guide: Unleashing the Kraken

The question isn’t so much what claymore is “best” for Beidou, but rather, what claymore is best for your specific Beidou build and team composition. There’s no single “BiS” (Best in Slot). However, Serpent Spine, Luxurious Sea-Lord (the “Tuna”), and Akuoumaru are consistently top-tier choices, especially when considering the accessibility and versatility they offer. Serpent Spine reigns supreme for its consistent damage boost, Luxurious Sea-Lord provides excellent supplemental AoE, and Akuoumaru capitalizes on team energy costs to buff Beidou’s devastating Elemental Burst. Other viable options include the Katsuragikiri Nagamasa, Favonius Greatsword, and even Sacrificial Greatsword, each catering to different playstyles and resource management needs. This guide explores these, and many more, to help you find the perfect Claymore for your Beidou.

Deciphering Beidou’s Playstyle

Before diving into specific claymores, it’s crucial to understand Beidou’s role in your team. Is she your main DPS, consistently on-field dealing damage? A sub-DPS, swapping in to unleash her Elemental Burst? Or primarily a shielder/counter-attacker? Your claymore choice should reflect her primary function. As Games Learning Society studies have shown, understanding the mechanics of a character is key to optimizing gameplay.

Damage Dealer Beidou

If Beidou is your primary damage source, maximizing her damage output is the priority. This involves focusing on Crit Rate, Crit Damage, and ATK.

Sub-DPS Beidou

As a sub-DPS, Beidou relies heavily on her Elemental Burst. Energy Recharge becomes crucial, allowing her to consistently apply Electro and deal significant damage off-field.

Support/Shielder Beidou

While less common, a shielder Beidou build focuses on maximizing HP to strengthen her Tidecaller shield.

Top Claymore Contenders and Detailed Analysis

Here’s a detailed breakdown of some of the best claymores for Beidou, categorized by their strengths:

The Crit-Focused Powerhouses

Serpent Spine (Battle Pass): Serpent Spine is a stellar option for damage-focused Beidou builds. Its increasing damage buff with each character on-field makes it potent, but it requires careful management to avoid taking excessive damage and losing those stacks. This claymore’s Crit Rate substat is also incredibly valuable, reducing the need to focus heavily on Crit Rate artifacts.
Wolf’s Gravestone (Gacha): A classic, and rare, choice. Wolf’s Gravestone boasts the highest base ATK among claymores and a passive that buffs both ATK and team ATK upon defeating enemies. While the passive’s uptime can be inconsistent, the sheer ATK boost makes it a powerful option for any damage-dealing Claymore user.

The Burst-Centric Amplifiers

Akuoumaru (Gacha): Akuoumaru’s passive scales with the combined Energy cost of your team’s Bursts. In a high-Energy team, this claymore can provide a massive damage boost to Beidou’s Elemental Burst. It’s an excellent choice if you can build your team around maximizing Energy costs.
Luxurious Sea-Lord (“Tuna”) (Event Exclusive): This event weapon is surprisingly strong on Beidou. Its passive summons a giant tuna that deals AoE damage based on Beidou’s ATK every 15 seconds. The extra AoE damage is incredibly valuable for clearing groups of enemies, making it a fantastic choice, especially for players who obtained it during its event.
Katsuragikiri Nagamasa (Craftable): A craftable claymore that addresses Beidou’s Energy needs while also buffing her Elemental Skill damage. It provides Energy Recharge as a substat and a passive that increases Elemental Skill damage and restores Energy. A solid all-around choice for players struggling with Energy management. The GamesLearningSociety.org highlights the importance of F2P options like these.

The Energy Recharge Options

Favonius Greatsword (Gacha): Favonius Greatsword prioritizes Energy Recharge above all else. Its passive generates Energy particles for the entire team upon landing critical hits. It’s a great choice if you’re struggling to consistently Burst with Beidou and need to support your team’s Energy needs.
Sacrificial Greatsword (Gacha): Sacrificial Greatsword offers Energy Recharge and a chance to reset Beidou’s Elemental Skill cooldown. This allows for more frequent counters and Electro application, though its effectiveness is reliant on RNG and can be less consistent than other options.

The F2P Contenders

Prototype Archaic (Craftable): A solid early-game option, Prototype Archaic provides an ATK% substat and a passive that deals AoE damage every 15 seconds. While not as specialized as other options, its accessibility and decent damage output make it a viable choice for players without access to Gacha weapons.
Debate Club (Chest/Gacha): While a 3-star weapon, the Debate Club can be surprisingly effective in the early game. Its passive provides an ATK boost after using an Elemental Skill, making it a decent option for a counter-focused playstyle.

Choosing the Right Claymore: Key Considerations

Ultimately, the “best” claymore for Beidou depends on these factors:

Your team composition: Are you running a high-Energy team to maximize Akuoumaru’s potential? Do you need Energy Recharge to support your team’s Bursts?
Your artifact stats: Do you have sufficient Crit Rate and Crit Damage? If not, a claymore with a Crit Rate substat, like Serpent Spine, might be preferable.
Your playstyle: Do you prefer consistent damage or bursty damage? A claymore like Serpent Spine caters to consistent damage, while Akuoumaru is ideal for burst damage.
Weapon availability: Some of the best claymores are only obtainable through Gacha, while others are craftable or event-exclusive. Choose a weapon that you have access to and can reasonably refine.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding the best claymore options for Beidou:

Is Serpent Spine really that good on Beidou? Yes, Serpent Spine is exceptionally strong on Beidou, especially at higher refinements. The consistent damage boost and Crit Rate substat make it a top-tier choice, but requires a shielding unit or careful gameplay to maintain stacks.
I missed the Luxurious Sea-Lord event. Is it worth regretting? While it’s a fantastic weapon, don’t feel too bad. There are other excellent options available. The Sea-Lord’s strength lies in its AoE, which can be replicated with good team comps and other claymore choices.
Is The Bell claymore ever good on Beidou? Generally, no. The Bell’s focus on HP and shield strength is not ideal for maximizing Beidou’s damage output. It might have niche uses in specific shielder builds, but other options are typically better.
Should I prioritize Energy Recharge or damage stats on Beidou? This depends on her role. For sub-DPS, Energy Recharge is crucial to ensure consistent Burst uptime. For main DPS, balancing Energy Recharge with Crit Rate, Crit Damage, and ATK is key.
Is Favonius Greatsword a waste on Beidou? Not at all! It can be a great option if you’re struggling with Energy Recharge on your team. The Energy particles it generates can significantly improve your team’s Burst uptime.
How much Energy Recharge does Beidou need? This varies depending on your team and artifact substats, but a good starting point is around 140-160%. Adjust as needed based on your personal experience.
Is Akuoumaru better than Serpent Spine? It depends on your team. If you have a high-Energy team, Akuoumaru can provide a higher damage boost to Beidou’s Burst. However, Serpent Spine offers more consistent damage and a valuable Crit Rate substat.
What are the best artifacts for Beidou? The most common sets are Emblem of Severed Fate (for Energy Recharge) and Thundering Fury (for Electro-focused builds). 2-piece Thundering Fury + 2-piece Gladiator’s Finale/Shimenawa’s Reminiscence is also a viable option.
Is Beidou good without constellations? Yes, Beidou is still a strong character without constellations, but her Constellations significantly improve her performance. C2 in particular is highly valuable.
What is the best team composition for Beidou? Popular team comps include National Team variations (with Xingqiu, Xiangling, and Bennett), Electro-Charged teams (with Xingqiu/Yelan, Fischl, and Sucrose/Kazuha), and teams focused on her counter (with characters like Bennett for ATK buff and healing).
Is Rainslasher any good on Beidou? Rainslasher can be used on Beidou in Electro-Charged teams with high Elemental Mastery to maximize reaction damage. But typically, damage stats are more desired than elemental mastery.
What stats should I prioritize on Beidou artifacts? Crit Rate/Crit Damage, ATK%, Energy Recharge (depending on her role), and Electro Damage Bonus.
Is Prototype Archaic worth using on Beidou in the late game? It can be a decent placeholder until you obtain a better claymore, but it’s generally outclassed by other options.
Does Beidou need a battery? Beidou greatly benefits from having a battery, such as Fischl, to help with her high Energy requirements.
What is the best way to build Beidou as a sub-DPS? Focus on Energy Recharge, Crit Rate/Crit Damage, and ATK. Use the Emblem of Severed Fate artifact set and a claymore that provides Energy Recharge or damage based on team Energy cost.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right claymore for Beidou is a matter of understanding her role in your team, your artifact stats, and your overall playstyle. Experiment with different options and see what works best for you. With the right weapon and build, Beidou can be a formidable force on the battlefield, unleashing the full power of her counter and devastating Elemental Burst. Visit the GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about game mechanics and character builds!

What Claymore is best on Beidou?