Who is Best with Royal Spear in Genshin Impact? A Comprehensive Guide
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The Royal Spear in Genshin Impact is a weapon shrouded in debate. While it boasts an appealing aesthetic and a seemingly useful passive, its actual effectiveness is heavily character-dependent. Simply put, the Royal Spear doesn’t have a definitive “best” character. It’s more about finding a character who can somewhat utilize its Attack stat and Crit Rate buff without being significantly outperformed by other readily available options. In general, characters who lack good weapon alternatives and can consistently hit enemies benefit the most, but even then, better choices usually exist.
Understanding the Royal Spear
Before diving into specific characters, let’s dissect what the Royal Spear offers. Its primary draw is its Attack substat, providing a straightforward damage boost. Its passive ability grants an 8% Crit Rate increase upon hitting an enemy, stacking up to 5 times for a maximum of 40% Crit Rate at refinement rank 0. While this sounds good on paper, the critical flaw is that the stacks disappear upon landing a critical hit. This significantly diminishes its value, especially for characters aiming for high and consistent Crit Rate.
Why It’s Often Overlooked
The core issue is that most characters have access to far superior Polearm options, whether through gacha pulls, crafting, or event rewards. Weapons with Crit Rate, Crit Damage, Energy Recharge, or Elemental Mastery substats generally provide more consistent and impactful benefits. The Royal Spear’s inconsistent Crit Rate buff forces players to build around its limitations, which is rarely optimal.
Potential Candidates (With Caveats)
Despite its drawbacks, some characters can sort of make use of the Royal Spear, primarily those who:
- Are early-game characters without access to better weapons.
- Have trouble building Crit Rate without significant investment.
- Rely more on consistent damage rather than burst damage.
- Do not have better F2P or easily accessible alternatives.
Here are a few characters who could use it, along with explanations of why it’s usually not their best option:
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Cyno: The original article suggests Cyno might benefit due to his Crit Damage ascension stat. However, Cyno heavily relies on his Elemental Burst and needs consistent Crit Rate to trigger reactions effectively. Weapons with Crit Rate substats or Energy Recharge are generally far better for him.
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Xiangling: While the article mentions it boosting attack after her elemental skill, this is also not ideal. Other alternatives, particularly “The Catch” (a free weapon obtainable through fishing), significantly outperform the Royal Spear due to its Energy Recharge and Elemental Burst damage boost, which are crucial for Xiangling’s role as a Sub-DPS.
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Rosaria: In certain niche situations, Rosaria could use the Royal Spear. Her potential as a Cryo support benefits more from weapons that focus on Energy Recharge to keep her burst active. Moreover, the Royal Spear’s Attack stat only benefits her personal damage, which is not her primary role.
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Other DPS Characters with Limited Options: If you’re extremely early in the game and lack better Polearms, the Royal Spear can serve as a temporary stat stick. However, prioritize obtaining weapons like the Crescent Pike, Prototype Starglitter, or event-exclusive weapons as soon as possible.
Alternatives Always Reign Supreme
For almost every character mentioned above, there are better choices:
- Crit Rate/Crit Damage Weapons: Deathmatch (Battle Pass), Blackcliff Pole (Paimon’s Bargains).
- Energy Recharge Weapons: The Catch (Fishing), Favonius Lance (Gacha).
- Elemental Mastery Weapons: Dragon’s Bane (Gacha).
- Attack-Boosting Weapons: White Tassel (Common Chests – early game only).
These weapons offer more consistent benefits and synergize better with character kits and team compositions.
Conclusion: A Niche Weapon with Limited Use
The Royal Spear is a classic example of a weapon that sounds good but falls short in practice. Its inconsistent Crit Rate buff and lack of a defining niche make it a suboptimal choice for most characters in Genshin Impact. Unless you’re severely limited by weapon options, prioritize obtaining and upgrading better alternatives. Remember, maximizing a character’s potential requires understanding their kit and equipping them with the right tools for the job. Many resources can help you learn more about Genshin Impact mechanics, like the resources at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the Royal Spear good for Hu Tao?
No, the Royal Spear is not good for Hu Tao. Hu Tao benefits significantly from HP, Crit Rate, Crit Damage, and Elemental Mastery. The Royal Spear’s Attack substat and inconsistent Crit Rate buff are far less valuable than alternatives like the Staff of Homa, Deathmatch, or even Dragon’s Bane.
2. Is the Royal Spear good for Xiao?
Absolutely not. The Royal Spear is considered one of the worst Polearm options for Xiao. Xiao relies heavily on consistent Crit Rate and benefits more from weapons that provide consistent bonuses to Attack and damage, such as the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear or even the Blackcliff Pole.
3. Can I make the Royal Spear viable with specific artifacts?
While you can try to compensate for the Royal Spear’s weaknesses with artifact substats, it’s rarely worth the effort. Investing in artifacts to fix a weapon’s shortcomings is generally less efficient than using a better weapon in the first place.
4. Is the Royal Spear better than no weapon at all?
Of course! Any weapon is better than no weapon, especially in the early game. If you find yourself in a situation where the Royal Spear is your only option, equip it. However, actively seek out better weapons as soon as possible.
5. Should I refine the Royal Spear?
Refining the Royal Spear increases the Crit Rate gained per stack (8/10/12/14/16%). While this might seem beneficial, it doesn’t address the core issue of the inconsistent Crit Rate buff. It’s generally not worth spending your Starglitter on refining the Royal Spear.
6. Where do I obtain the Royal Spear?
The Royal weapons, including the Royal Spear, can be purchased from Paimon’s Bargains using Starglitter.
7. What is Starglitter, and how do I get it?
Starglitter is a currency obtained by wishing on banners and receiving duplicate 4-star and 5-star characters and weapons.
8. Is the Royal Spear good for early-game players?
Yes, the Royal Spear can be a decent option for early-game players, especially if they lack better weapons. It provides a simple Attack boost, which can help with clearing early content.
9. Are there any characters who benefit from any of the Royal Series weapons?
The Royal Series weapons are generally considered suboptimal. However, some characters with specific team compositions and roles might find niche uses for them. For example, the Royal Longsword can potentially be used on characters like Bennett to improve his base attack.
10. Is the Royal Spear worth the Starglitter cost?
In most cases, no. Starglitter is a valuable resource that can be used to purchase constellations for 4-star characters or other useful items. Spending it on the Royal Spear is generally not recommended unless you have a surplus of Starglitter and are desperate for a weapon.
11. How does the Royal Spear compare to the Blackcliff Pole?
The Blackcliff Pole is generally a far superior option. It provides a Crit Damage substat, which is highly valuable for most DPS characters. Its passive ability, which increases Attack after defeating an enemy, is also more consistent than the Royal Spear’s Crit Rate buff.
12. What is the best weapon for Cyno?
The best weapons for Cyno are generally those that provide Crit Rate, Crit Damage, or Energy Recharge. Some top options include the Staff of Scarlet Sands, Primordial Jade Winged-Spear, Deathmatch, and Skyward Spine.
13. What are some good team compositions for Cyno?
Good team compositions for Cyno often include characters who can provide off-field damage, elemental application, and survivability. Some popular options include Nahida, Xingqiu, Yelan, Zhongli, and Fischl.
14. How does Crit Rate and Crit Damage work in Genshin Impact?
Crit Rate determines the chance of landing a critical hit, which deals increased damage. Crit Damage determines the amount of increased damage dealt on a critical hit. Aim for a ratio of around 1:2 for Crit Rate:Crit Damage for optimal damage output.
15. Where can I find more information about Genshin Impact weapon builds and character guides?
There are many online resources available, including websites, forums, and YouTube channels dedicated to Genshin Impact. Be sure to consult multiple sources and experiment with different builds to find what works best for your playstyle and team composition.