Theorylytics
Mualani

hydro · Catalyst

Mualani

Main DPS

VS
Neuvillette

hydro · Catalyst

Neuvillette

Main DPS

Mualani vs Neuvillette

Natlan's fun-first shark surfer vs. the most self-sufficient carry in the game.

TL;DR — Quick Pick

Pick Mualani if…

  • You enjoy Natlan's Nightsoul mechanics and want a Hydro DPS that fits the Natlan roster.
  • You prefer a fast, movement-based playstyle over holding a Charged Attack.
  • You have Xilonen, Citlali, or Ororon and want a Hydro DPS to slot into Natlan comps.

Pick Neuvillette if…

  • You want an S-tier carry with minimal team prerequisites.
  • You need a character who heals himself — no dedicated healer slot required.
  • You prefer the simplest possible execution: hold CA, release, repeat.
Verdict

Neuvillette is the stronger meta pick — he is self-sustaining, team-agnostic, and S-tier in Spiral Abyss. Mualani is a fun Natlan-synergy Hydro DPS with a more exciting playstyle, but she asks more of your roster and sits slightly below Neuvillette's ceiling in endgame content. If you have the Natlan roster and love her surfing gameplay, Mualani is a great pick; if you want the safer investment, pull Neuvillette.

At a Glance

Mualani
Stat
Neuvillette
Sword
Weapon
Catalyst
5★
Rarity
5★
Hydro
Element
Hydro
Nightsoul surf + bite
Playstyle
Charged Attack hold
Low
Self-sustain
High (self-heal on CA)Winner
Natlan teams preferred
Team flexibility
Works in any teamWinner
A
Spiral Abyss
SWinner
Very high (surfing)Winner
Fun factor
Relaxing hold pattern
ExcellentWinner
Natlan synergy
Moderate
Moderate
F2P viability
GoodWinner

Strengths & Weaknesses

Mualani

Strengths
  • Strong Hydro damage
  • Versatile team options
Weaknesses
  • Requires investment
  • Best teams use limited 5-stars

Neuvillette

Strengths
  • Strong Hydro damage
  • Versatile team options
Weaknesses
  • Requires investment
  • Best teams use limited 5-stars

Shared Team Members

FurinaFurina

With Mualani

Strong pairing. Furina's HP fluctuation synergy works with Mualani's Nightsoul HP movements, providing stacking DMG Bonus. Furina also supplies additional Hydro application off-field.

With Neuvillette

Essentially mandatory. Furina + Neuvillette is one of the strongest pairings in the game — Furina's HP drain triggers Neuvillette's passive healing, and her stacking DMG Bonus reaches near-permanent max stacks.

KazuhaKazuha

With Mualani

Useful in Mualani's non-Natlan teams. VV Hydro shred and DMG Bonus amplify her bite attacks. Replaced by Natlan units in her optimal composition.

With Neuvillette

Core support. VV Hydro shred from Kazuha amplifies every Charged Attack and his EM-scaling DMG Bonus is one of Neuvillette's most consistent multipliers.

Best Builds (Signature)

Mualani

Weapon

Surf's Up

Artifacts

Obsidian Codex

Sands

ATK%

Goblet

DMG%

Circlet

CRIT Rate

Substats

CRIT Rate/DMG > ATK% > ER%

Neuvillette

Weapon

Tome of the Eternal Flow

Artifacts

Marechaussee Hunter

Sands

HP %

Goblet

Hydro DMG

Circlet

CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG

Substats

HP % > CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > Energy Recharge

Who Should You Pull?

Mualani
Pull Mualani if…
  • You enjoy Natlan's Nightsoul mechanics and want a Hydro DPS that fits the Natlan roster.
  • You prefer a fast, movement-based playstyle over holding a Charged Attack.
  • You have Xilonen, Citlali, or Ororon and want a Hydro DPS to slot into Natlan comps.
  • You want a character that doubles as an excellent Overworld explorer via Nightsoul surfing.
Mualani Full Guide
Neuvillette
Pull Neuvillette if…
  • You want an S-tier carry with minimal team prerequisites.
  • You need a character who heals himself — no dedicated healer slot required.
  • You prefer the simplest possible execution: hold CA, release, repeat.
  • You want strong performance in both Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater without roster constraints.
Neuvillette Full Guide