Which 4-Star Weapon Should I Craft in Genshin Impact?
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Choosing the right 4-star weapon to craft in Genshin Impact can significantly enhance your characters’ performance. The absolute “best” weapon depends heavily on your team composition, your characters’ roles, and your overall playstyle. However, for a generally useful and widely applicable choice, the Amenoma Kageuchi (sword) stands out. Its ability to restore energy is invaluable on many sword users, alleviating energy recharge issues and allowing for more frequent Elemental Burst usage. Alternatively, if you need raw damage, the Prototype Archaic (claymore) offers a solid ATK boost and area-of-effect damage, making it a good generalist option for your main DPS claymore characters. Ultimately, it’s best to consider which weapon passive and stats synergize best with your characters and available team compositions.
Understanding Craftable Weapons
Craftable weapons in Genshin Impact are a godsend, especially for F2P players or those with limited gacha luck. They provide accessible and powerful alternatives to gacha-exclusive weapons. The process involves gathering weapon billets (obtainable through weekly bosses and limited events) and combining them with crystal chunks and white iron chunks at a blacksmith. Each region (Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru and Fontaine) offers a unique set of forgeable weapons, tailored to characters and playstyles prevalent in their respective regions. These weapons are also refineable, further boosting their passives and sub-stats.
Top Craftable Weapons: A Detailed Look
Let’s dive deeper into some of the most worthwhile craftable 4-star weapons:
Amenoma Kageuchi (Sword)
The Amenoma Kageuchi is a fantastic choice for energy-hungry sword users. Its passive, Iwakura Succession, allows the wielder to gain stacks upon using an Elemental Skill. These stacks convert into energy regeneration after using an Elemental Burst, effectively reducing energy recharge requirements and enabling more consistent Burst uptime. It is especially useful for characters like Ayaka, Jean, and even support Bennett builds. The sword’s base ATK is decent and it increases ATK% which is beneficial for many characters.
Prototype Archaic (Claymore)
The Prototype Archaic, also known as the “Poor Man’s Wolf’s Gravestone”, is a strong contender for claymore users. Its passive, Crush, has a chance to deal significant additional AoE damage upon hitting an enemy. While this is not the most consistent damage source, the weapon provides a substantial boost to the wielder’s ATK%, making it a solid generalist option for DPS claymores like Diluc, Razor, or even Beidou.
Prototype Amber (Catalyst)
The Prototype Amber can be useful for hybrid healers and sub-DPS catalyst users such as Mona and Kokomi. This weapon heals all party members upon burst activation. The wearer also regenerates energy. If you have difficulty keeping your party alive, this weapon is a good choice.
Mappa Mare (Catalyst)
The Mappa Mare is a viable option for characters that rely heavily on Elemental Reactions. The weapon’s passive Elemental Reaction Bonus grants an Elemental DMG Bonus after triggering an elemental reaction. This bonus can stack twice. It also has Elemental Mastery as a sub-stat. As mentioned in the article, Sucrose enjoys using this weapon.
Hamayumi (Bow)
The Hamayumi is a strong craftable bow that can enhance a character’s ATK. The passive, Full Draw increases Normal Attack DMG and Charged Attack DMG. When the wielder’s energy reaches 100%, the effect is increased by 100%. Characters like Yoimiya can make great use of this weapon.
Kitain Cross Spear (Polearm)
The Kitain Cross Spear focuses on enhancing Elemental Skill DMG. Its sub-stat is Elemental Mastery which makes it useful for support characters that focus on causing Elemental Reactions. The weapon’s passive, Samurai Conduct increases Elemental Skill DMG. After an Elemental Skill hits an opponent, the character loses Energy but regenerates Energy over the next 6 seconds.
Hakushin Ring (Catalyst)
The Hakushin Ring provides an Elemental DMG Bonus upon triggering an Elemental Reaction. This makes the weapon situationally good for specific team compositions. The passive of the weapon increases Electro DMG and whichever element caused the elemental reaction.
Prototype Starglitter (Polearm)
The Prototype Starglitter is one of the earlier craftable weapons that is acquired during the Mondstat archon questline. While not the best polearm, the Prototype Starglitter grants energy recharge and helps characters gain energy particles.
Factors to Consider Before Crafting
- Your Team Composition: Does your team rely heavily on Elemental Reactions? Do you need more energy generation? Understanding your team’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial.
- Character Role: Is the character a main DPS, sub-DPS, or support? Different roles require different weapon stats and passives.
- Weapon Availability: Consider the billet types you have on hand. Don’t craft a Liyue weapon if you only have Inazuma billets.
- Existing Weapons: Do you already have a similar gacha weapon that performs better? Don’t waste resources crafting a weapon that will sit unused.
Refining Craftable Weapons
Craftable weapons can be refined up to Rank 5. Each refinement increases the effectiveness of the weapon’s passive. Acquiring more billets of the same type allows you to refine the weapon. Consider whether you want to craft a brand new weapon or refine an existing weapon.
Alternatives to Craftable Weapons
While craftable weapons offer accessible power, remember that many gacha weapons outperform them. Battle Pass weapons, such as the Serpent Spine (claymore) or Deathmatch (polearm), can also be excellent alternatives. Check your inventory and carefully compare stats and passives before investing resources into crafting.
FAQs: Your Crafting Questions Answered
1. How do I obtain Weapon Billets?
Weapon Billets are primarily obtained from weekly boss drops. The higher the World Level, the greater the chance of receiving a billet. They can also be acquired through limited-time events and sometimes through the Sacred Sakura’s Favor in Inazuma and other region-specific trees.
2. Which billet type is the hardest to obtain?
There is no definitively “hardest” billet type to obtain, as the drops are generally random. However, many players find Claymore Billets to be elusive. The most difficult billet type to obtain generally depends on the individual account.
3. Is the Blackcliff series better than craftable weapons?
The Blackcliff weapons, obtainable through the Starglitter Exchange, offer a Crit DMG sub-stat, making them appealing for DPS characters. However, their passive, which grants ATK after defeating enemies, is less effective against single, powerful bosses. Craftable weapons with consistent passives often provide more reliable overall performance.
4. Should I prioritize refining or crafting new weapons?
This depends on your needs. Refining a weapon significantly boosts its passive, but crafting a new weapon offers more versatility and team-building options. Generally, focus on refining weapons you use frequently and then craft new ones as needed.
5. Is the Prototype Crescent good for Ganyu?
The article mentions that the Prototype Crescent is very good for Ganyu if you can hit weak points. If you are unable to hit weak points consistently, you might consider other options.
6. Are 3-star weapons ever worth using?
Yes, some 3-star weapons can be surprisingly effective, especially in the early game. The Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (catalyst) is a popular choice for support characters due to its ATK buff. The Harbinger of Dawn (sword) is a great weapon for sub-DPS characters due to its high Crit Rate.
7. What is the best weapon for Noelle?
As the original article mentions, the Whiteblind might be the best weapon in the game for C6 Noelle. Her DEF stat is converted into ATK, meaning that the Whiteblind is perfect for her build.
8. Can I convert weapon billets between regions?
No, you cannot directly convert weapon billets between regions. Each region has its own specific billet type.
9. How do I find Crystal Chunks and White Iron Chunks?
Crystal Chunks and White Iron Chunks are found throughout Teyvat. They respawn every 72 hours. They can be easily farmed using the Genshin Impact Interactive Map. Some blacksmiths will also mark the location of the nodes for you.
10. Does World Level affect weapon crafting?
No, World Level does not directly affect weapon crafting. It only increases the chance of obtaining weapon billets from weekly bosses.
11. Which craftable weapon is best for Bennett?
While Amenoma Kageuchi is a viable option for energy, Festering Desire, a limited-time event weapon, is generally considered Bennett’s best 4-star sword. If you don’t have Festering Desire, prioritize a weapon with high base ATK.
12. Are there any craftable weapons that are useless?
While all craftable weapons have some niche uses, some are less universally applicable than others. The Snow-Tombed Starsilver (claymore) is often considered less desirable due to its Physical DMG bonus, which is only useful on specific characters.
13. What’s the fastest way to farm crafting materials?
The fastest way to farm crafting materials is to use the Genshin Impact Interactive Map, focus on nodes near teleport waypoints, and utilize a team with characters that reduce stamina consumption while sprinting (like Razor) or offer exploration passives. Expeditions are another way to passively collect ores.
14. Which characters benefit the most from energy recharge weapons?
Characters with high energy costs for their Elemental Bursts, such as Raiden Shogun, Xingqiu, and Jean, benefit the most from energy recharge weapons.
15. Where can I learn more about Genshin Impact strategy and character builds?
You can find valuable information and resources on the official Genshin Impact website, community forums, and various online guides. Consider exploring resources such as the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org for insights into the educational and game-based learning aspects of Genshin Impact.
Choosing the right craftable weapon requires careful consideration of your team, character roles, and available resources. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon and following these guidelines, you can make informed decisions that will significantly enhance your Genshin Impact experience.