Ayaka

Ayaka

5★CryoSwordMain Damage

TL;DR

Ayaka's Burst is a snowstorm that grinds across the arena hitting everything twenty times, and that's most of her damage. Everything else you do is setup for it: freeze the enemies so they stand still and take all of it. Her dash is worth learning, because it turns her sword Cryo and hands her a damage bonus for ten seconds.

Rotation

  1. Hydro teammate applies Hydro so the enemies freeze.
  2. Swap to Ayaka and tap the dash next to them, so her sword goes Cryo.
  3. Skill (E).
  4. Normal attack for a few seconds, then Skill (E) again when it's back.
  5. Burst (Q) into the frozen pile, then swap out and start again.

Abilities

Normal attacks A fast five-hit string. Physical unless her dash has infused them, which is the whole reason you dash.
Her dash She has a special sprint instead of a normal dash. Tap it and let go, and for the next 5 seconds her attacks are Cryo, plus she gets a Cryo damage bonus for 10 seconds.
Skill (E) A quick burst of ice that launches small enemies and makes a healthy pile of energy particles. 10 second cooldown, so you get two per rotation.
Burst (Q) The snowstorm. It rolls forward hitting repeatedly, then blows up at the end. 80 Energy, 20 second cooldown, and the bulk of her damage.

The one mechanic to understand

The dash is a button, not a movement key.

Tapping her dash and releasing it puts Cryo on her sword for 5 seconds and, separately, gives her an 18% Cryo damage bonus for 10 seconds. Both of those want to be active when the snowstorm goes off. So the dash isn't a way of getting somewhere, it's a short cast you do before the damage. One tap right next to the enemies is all it needs.

What actually matters

The two or three real decisions. Everything else is noise.

  • Something has to hold the enemies still. The snowstorm hits twenty times over several seconds. Against a frozen enemy that's twenty hits, against something running away it might be six. A Hydro teammate is not optional decoration, it's what makes the number big.
  • Two skill casts per rotation. Her Burst costs 80 Energy and her skill is the only thing feeding it. Fit both casts in and she needs surprisingly little Energy Recharge, around 130% to 140%.
  • She wants a Cryo teammate too. Two Cryo characters gives the team the Cryo resonance crit bonus against frozen enemies, and the second Cryo character usually helps her energy as well.
  • Aim the snowstorm. It travels in the direction she's facing. Point it through the enemies, not past them.

Gear

A build that works. KeqingMains lists every other option.

Weapon Crit, then Energy Recharge for the 80-cost Burst. Amenoma Kageuchi is craftable and hands Energy back every skill cast, which covers her one real cost.
Artifacts 4-piece Blizzard Strayer. Against a frozen enemy it's a huge slab of free crit, and her team's job is keeping things frozen anyway.
Main stats Attack sands, Cryo damage goblet, Crit Rate circlet. Blizzard Strayer gives so much crit rate that a Crit DMG circlet is often better, so check your sheet before committing.

Works well with

HydroCryoAnemo

One Hydro to freeze, one Cryo for resonance, one Anemo to group things up and shred resistance. That's her team and it hasn't changed in years.

Don't bother

  • Using the dash to travel. It drains stamina fast and you only ever needed the tap.
  • Charged attacks. Below C6 they aren't worth the stamina.
  • Bringing Pyro. Melt looks clever and it thaws the enemies you needed frozen.

Want the full theorycrafting version? Read Ayaka on KeqingMains.