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Unlocking Kaeya’s Potential: A Deep Dive into the Best Weapons for the Cavalry Captain

The best weapon for Kaeya depends entirely on how you intend to use him. For a main DPS focused on maximizing his personal damage, Mistsplitter Reforged stands as the pinnacle, provided you can consistently manage its stack mechanic. However, for a more accessible and versatile option, particularly for support or sub-DPS roles, the Kagotsurube Isshin or the Favonius Sword offer exceptional utility. Ultimately, the “best” weapon is the one that best complements your team composition and Kaeya’s specific role within it.

Understanding Kaeya’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Before diving into specific weapon recommendations, it’s crucial to understand what makes Kaeya tick. He’s a versatile Cryo character capable of filling various roles, from main DPS to off-field support.

Main DPS: Kaeya’s normal attack string boasts surprisingly high multipliers compared to other sword users, making him viable as a physical or Cryo DPS. His Elemental Burst, Glacial Waltz, is an excellent source of consistent Cryo application.
Sub-DPS/Support: His Elemental Skill, Frostgnaw, has a short cooldown and generates a good amount of energy, while his Burst provides consistent Cryo application even when he’s off-field. This makes him a great enabler for Melt or Freeze teams.

His weaknesses primarily revolve around his energy needs (especially at lower constellations) and the consistency of his Cryo application without significant investment in energy recharge. The weapon you choose should address these concerns or amplify his existing strengths.

Top Weapon Choices for Kaeya

Here’s a breakdown of some of the best weapons for Kaeya, categorized by role and availability:

Best-in-Slot (BiS) Options (for Main DPS):

Mistsplitter Reforged: This is the absolute best weapon for a main DPS Kaeya. Its high Crit DMG substat and powerful passive that grants Elemental DMG Bonus stacks (easily achievable in a Cryo team) significantly boost his overall damage output. However, its high rarity and the need for specific team compositions make it less accessible.
Haran Geppaku Futsu: This weapon is another excellent option for main DPS Kaeya. It also has a Crit Rate substat, making it easier to build a balanced Crit ratio. Its passive increases Normal Attack DMG, which synergizes well with Kaeya’s strong normal attack multipliers.

Excellent Premium Options:

Primordial Jade Cutter: With its Crit Rate substat and HP-scaling attack bonus, this weapon provides a stable and consistent damage increase. While the HP bonus isn’t Kaeya’s primary scaling stat, the high ATK and Crit Rate make it a strong choice, especially if you need help with Crit consistency.
Aquila Favonia: While primarily a Physical DMG weapon, Aquila Favonia’s high base attack benefits all of Kaeya’s damage sources. Its passive provides additional ATK and healing, which can increase survivability, though it’s less impactful than other options for dedicated DPS builds.

Top Free-to-Play (F2P) & Accessible Options:

Kagotsurube Isshin: This craftable weapon provides a solid ATK stat, making it good for DPS builds, plus an attack bonus after using an elemental skill. Great for a freeze team!
Amenoma Kageuchi: Another excellent craftable option, especially for a support or sub-DPS Kaeya. Its passive allows him to regenerate energy, alleviating his energy needs and allowing for more consistent Burst uptime.
Favonius Sword: A fantastic support weapon, the Favonius Sword focuses on energy generation for the entire team. Its passive has a chance to generate Elemental Particles on CRIT hits, which helps keep everyone’s Bursts charged and ready to go. This is particularly valuable if you are struggling to maintain Kaeya’s Burst consistently.

Good Budget Options:

The Flute: A decent option early on, providing a good base ATK. However, its passive is less reliable than other choices.
Prototype Rancour: A solid choice for a Physical DPS Kaeya build. Its passive increases ATK and DEF upon using normal or charged attacks, stacking up to four times.

Team Compositions and Weapon Synergies

The ideal weapon for Kaeya is also heavily influenced by his team composition.

Freeze Teams (Kaeya, Xingqiu, Anemo, Flex): In Freeze teams, weapons like the Favonius Sword or Amenoma Kageuchi can ensure consistent Burst uptime, maximizing freeze duration and overall damage output.
Melt Teams (Kaeya, Xiangling, Bennett, Anemo/Flex): In Melt teams, where Kaeya triggers Melt reactions, maximizing Elemental Mastery can be beneficial. While no swords directly provide Elemental Mastery, weapons with high ATK or Crit stats remain valuable.
Physical DPS Teams (Kaeya, Superconduct Enabler, Support, Healer): The Prototype Rancour or Aquila Favonia are decent options, focusing on increasing his Physical DMG output.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What’s the best artifact set for Kaeya? The best artifact set depends on his role. For main DPS, Blizzard Strayer (Cryo DMG Bonus and Crit Rate against frozen enemies) is excellent in Freeze teams. Gladiator’s Finale or Shimenawa’s Reminiscence can work for physical builds. For support, Noblesse Oblige (ATK Bonus for the team after using Elemental Burst) is a solid choice.
How important is Energy Recharge for Kaeya? Energy Recharge is crucial, especially at lower constellations. Aim for at least 140-160% ER to consistently have his Burst available.
Is Blackcliff Longsword a good option for Kaeya? The Blackcliff Longsword, with its Crit DMG substat, can be decent, but its passive relies on defeating enemies, making it less reliable in boss fights.
Is the Summit Shaper a viable choice? The Summit Shaper can work, but its ATK bonus is only fully realized with a shield, limiting team composition flexibility.
How does constellation affect Kaeya’s weapon choices? Constellations that enhance his Burst duration or reduce its cooldown (like C2 and C6) make ER less critical, allowing you to focus on damage-oriented stats.
Can Kaeya be a good Physical DPS? Yes, Kaeya can be a surprisingly effective Physical DPS due to his high normal attack multipliers. However, he requires a dedicated team with Superconduct application (e.g., Fischl or Beidou).
What stats should I prioritize on artifacts for a DPS Kaeya? Prioritize Crit Rate/Crit DMG, ATK%, and Cryo DMG Bonus (for Cryo DPS) or Physical DMG Bonus (for Physical DPS).
What is the best team comp for Kaeya? This depends on how you want to play him, a standard team comp would consist of Kaeya, Xingqiu, a Anemo support character, and flex character.
Is Kaeya good for the Spiral Abyss? Yes, Kaeya is a viable choice for the Spiral Abyss, especially in teams that can take advantage of Cryo reactions like Freeze or Melt.
What talents should I prioritize leveling for Kaeya? For DPS builds, prioritize his Normal Attack and Elemental Burst. For support builds, prioritize his Elemental Burst and Skill.
How good is Kaeya compared to other Cryo characters? Kaeya is a solid character, but he is outclassed by other Cryo characters, like Ayaka or Ganyu.
Is the Alley Flash good for Kaeya? The Alley Flash, with its Elemental Mastery substat and passive that increases DMG, is a good choice if you plan on maximizing melt reactions.
Is it worth building Kaeya? That depends on your playstyle, team compositions and enjoyment of the character.
Should I use the Skyward Blade? The Skyward Blade provides a decent amount of stats that can increase crit.
How can I improve my understanding of game mechanics and character builds in Genshin Impact? Resources like character guides, community forums, and academic research into game design and player engagement can provide valuable insights. Consider exploring the work of the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org to understand how games can be used for learning and skill development.

Choosing the right weapon for Kaeya is a matter of understanding his strengths, weaknesses, team composition, and your own playstyle. Experiment, adapt, and most importantly, have fun!

What is the best weapon for Kaeya?