Ayato vs Xingqiu
The prestigious Yashiro head vs. the Guhua prodigy's rain swords
TL;DR — Quick Pick
Pick Ayato if…
- When you need wide-area Hydro application for multiple enemies
- To act as the primary on-field carry in a soup or Hyperbloom team
- If you prefer a character with a fixed, predictable rotation
Pick Xingqiu if…
- In almost any Vaporize team (Hu Tao, Yoimiya, Diluc)
- When you need damage reduction and minor healing to survive
- If you need the most reliable off-field Hydro application in the game
Xingqiu is widely considered the more valuable unit due to his incredible off-field utility and defensive buffs. Ayato is a strong on-field alternative with better AoE, but he rarely replaces the sheer utility Xingqiu provides.
At a Glance
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ayato
- Strong, consistent damage output in both multi-target and single-target scenarios
- Valuable on-field and off-field Hydro application
- Wide variety of team compositions
- 12s Skill cooldown resulting in 24–25s rotations which do not sync well with most other characters’ cooldowns
- Free-to-play weapon selection that performs significantly worse than other options
- Lack of front-loaded damage without Constellations
Xingqiu
- One of the best options for Hydro application.
- Elemental Skill provides damage reduction, interruption resistance, and healing, giving Xingqiu strong supportive utility.
- Requires a lot of Energy for Xingqiu's Elemental Burst.
- Elemental Skill has a long 21-second cooldown, limiting use.
- Can accidentally freeze himself due to the self-Hydro application of his Elemental Skill.
Shared Team Members
With Ayato
Yelan pairs with Ayato to form a strong Double Hydro core, providing Hydro Resonance and off-field damage. Her ramping DMG bonus also boosts Ayato's on-field slashes, while Ayato's Burst helps Yelan by applying Hydro over a large area.
With Xingqiu
The classic Double Hydro pair. Xingqiu and Yelan together provide unparalleled off-field Hydro damage, Hydro RES shred (at C2 Xingqiu), and consistent Hydro application that can enable any Pyro carry or satisfy the needs of Bloom and Taser teams.
Best Builds (Signature)
Weapon
Haran Geppaku Futsu
Artifacts
Echoes of an Offering
Sands
ATK%
Goblet
Hydro DMG%
Circlet
CRIT Rate / DMG
Substats
CRIT Rate ≥ CRIT DMG > ATK% > HP%
Weapon
Primordial Jade Cutter
Artifacts
Emblem of Severed Fate
Sands
Energy Recharge / ATK %
Goblet
Hydro DMG
Circlet
CRIT Rate / DMG
Substats
Energy Recharge (to breakpoint) > CRIT Rate / DMG > ATK %
Who Should You Pull?
- When you need wide-area Hydro application for multiple enemies
- To act as the primary on-field carry in a soup or Hyperbloom team
- If you prefer a character with a fixed, predictable rotation
- In almost any Vaporize team (Hu Tao, Yoimiya, Diluc)
- When you need damage reduction and minor healing to survive
- If you need the most reliable off-field Hydro application in the game