The Royal Greatsword in Genshin Impact: A Royal Pain or a Hidden Gem?
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The Royal Greatsword in Genshin Impact is a 4-star weapon with an ATK% substat and a passive ability that increases CRIT Rate upon dealing damage, stacking up to five times. In theory, this sounds like a solid choice, especially for characters needing help with their Crit Rate. However, in practice, the Royal Greatsword suffers from inconsistency and opportunity cost, making it a generally suboptimal choice compared to other available options. Its usefulness is limited to the early game or for players who are extremely Crit Rate deficient and lack access to better alternatives. The passive’s unreliability and the relative ease of obtaining more consistent Crit Rate sources render it less valuable than other 4-star claymores.
Diving Deep: Unpacking the Royal Greatsword
The Royal Greatsword boasts an attractive ATK% substat, providing a direct damage increase, and its passive seems promising. With each hit, the Crit Rate increases, potentially leading to powerful, critical hits as you continue to attack. However, the issue lies in the stacking mechanic and the reset on critical hits. If you land a critical hit, the stacks reset, negating the built-up Crit Rate bonus. This creates an unreliable loop where you are constantly building and losing Crit Rate, rather than consistently landing critical hits.
Furthermore, the Royal Greatsword’s base attack isn’t particularly high compared to other 4-star options. This means that even with a fully stacked passive, its overall damage output may still fall short of other weapons that offer more consistent damage increases, such as the Serpent Spine (Battle Pass weapon) or even some craftable options like the Prototype Archaic.
Why is it Considered Suboptimal?
Several factors contribute to the Royal Greatsword’s less-than-stellar reputation:
- Inconsistent Crit Rate: The stacking and resetting mechanic make it unreliable for consistently landing critical hits.
- Opportunity Cost: Starglitter, the currency needed to purchase the Royal Greatsword, is better spent on Acquaint Fates or Intertwined Fates for character and weapon wishes.
- Superior Alternatives: Many readily available 4-star claymores offer more consistent damage increases or utility.
- Crit Rate Sources: The game offers numerous ways to increase Crit Rate through artifacts, character ascension bonuses, and other weapon passives, making the Royal Greatsword’s passive less valuable.
Is the Royal Greatsword Ever Good?
Despite its drawbacks, there are limited situations where the Royal Greatsword can be considered “good”:
- Early Game: For new players with limited weapon options, the Royal Greatsword can provide a temporary boost to damage.
- Extreme Crit Rate Deficiency: If a character has exceptionally low Crit Rate and the player lacks access to better Crit Rate boosting alternatives, the Royal Greatsword can provide some, albeit inconsistent, improvement.
- Niche Builds: There might be extremely niche builds focused on maximizing single, powerful hits where the inconsistent Crit Rate isn’t as detrimental.
However, even in these scenarios, it’s generally advisable to seek out more reliable and efficient weapon options as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Royal Greatsword
1. Is the Royal Greatsword good for Eula?
No. While Eula benefits from high ATK, the inconsistent Crit Rate from the Royal Greatsword is not ideal. Weapons like Snowtombed Starsilver (especially if you can proc the passive consistently) or Prototype Archaic provide more consistent damage output. Her signature weapon, Song of Broken Pines, is of course the ideal choice, but other readily available options are superior to the Royal Greatsword.
2. Is the Royal Greatsword good for Diluc?
No. While the ATK% substat benefits Diluc, the Crit Rate mechanic of the Royal series isn’t the best. Better options would be Serpent Spine if you are a welkin/bp player, or even Prototype Archaic if you are F2P.
3. How does the Royal Greatsword’s passive work?
The passive increases Crit Rate by a certain percentage each time the character deals damage to an opponent. The Crit Rate stacks up to five times, but the stacks reset if the character lands a critical hit.
4. Where can I get the Royal Greatsword?
The Royal Greatsword is purchased using Starglitter from the Paimon’s Bargains shop.
5. Is it worth spending Starglitter on the Royal Greatsword?
Generally, no. Starglitter is better spent on Acquaint Fates or Intertwined Fates for wishing on character and weapon banners.
6. What are some better alternatives to the Royal Greatsword?
Better alternatives include: Serpent Spine, Blackcliff Slasher, Prototype Archaic, Snowtombed Starsilver, and various 5-star claymores.
7. Does the Royal Greatsword’s passive work off-field?
No, the Royal Greatsword’s passive only activates when the character wielding it is on the field and dealing damage.
8. Is the Royal Greatsword good for support characters?
No. Support characters typically prioritize weapons that provide energy recharge, elemental mastery, or other supportive buffs. The Royal Greatsword’s passive is focused on increasing damage output for the wielder, making it unsuitable for support roles.
9. How does the Royal Greatsword compare to other Royal weapons?
The other Royal weapons share the same Crit Rate stacking mechanic, making them similarly unreliable. They suffer from the same issues of inconsistency and opportunity cost.
10. What is the best way to build Crit Rate on my characters?
The best ways to build Crit Rate include using artifacts with Crit Rate as the main stat or substat, equipping weapons with Crit Rate as the substat, and utilizing character ascension bonuses that increase Crit Rate.
11. Does the refinement level of the Royal Greatsword affect its usefulness?
Refining the Royal Greatsword increases the amount of Crit Rate gained per stack, but it doesn’t address the fundamental issue of the unreliable stacking mechanic. The refinement levels improve the weapon, but still do not make it a top-tier choice.
12. Is the Royal Greatsword good for Spiral Abyss?
Due to its inconsistent Crit Rate, the Royal Greatsword is generally not recommended for the Spiral Abyss, where consistent damage output and reliable critical hits are crucial for clearing challenges.
13. Can the Royal Greatsword be used effectively in a specific team composition?
There might be extremely niche team compositions where the Royal Greatsword’s inconsistent Crit Rate is less detrimental, such as teams focused on maximizing single, powerful hits. However, even in these scenarios, there are usually better weapon options available.
14. Does the Royal Greatsword’s passive stack with other Crit Rate buffs?
Yes, the Royal Greatsword’s passive stacks additively with other Crit Rate buffs from artifacts, character passives, and other sources.
15. What is the most powerful greatsword in Genshin Impact?
Generally, the Redhorn Stonethresher is considered one of the most powerful greatswords in Genshin Impact due to its high Crit DMG substat and passive that increases both DEF and ATK. Other powerful options include the Wolf’s Gravestone, Skyward Pride, and character-specific weapons like the Verdict (Dehya’s signature weapon).
Conclusion: A Royal Disappointment
The Royal Greatsword in Genshin Impact is a weapon that looks good on paper but falls short in practice. Its inconsistent Crit Rate stacking mechanic and the availability of superior alternatives make it a suboptimal choice for most players. While it can serve as a temporary solution in the early game or for characters with extremely low Crit Rate, it’s generally best to save your Starglitter and seek out more reliable and efficient weapon options.
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