Ultimate Aino Genshin Impact Guide: Best Build, Weapons, Teams & Materials
Wiki Article
Aino is one of the newest additions to the world of Teyvat, introduced in the Nod-Krai region. As a free four-star Hydro claymore user, Aino fills the niche of an off-field Hydro support and sub-DPS who excels at reaction-based damage rather than direct raw output. This guide will walk you through her abilities, best builds, recommended weapons, team compositions, and the essential materials required to level her up.
Understanding Aino’s Role
Aino is not designed to be a front-line damage dealer. Her power lies in her Elemental Burst, which summons the “Cool Your Jets Ducky,” a Hydro zone that applies consistent Hydro damage. This application enables elemental reactions such as Bloom, Electro-Charged, Vaporize, and the new Lunar mechanics tied to Nod-Krai.
Her personal damage numbers are modest, but her capacity to amplify reaction damage makes her an important support unit in teams that rely on elemental synergy. When paired with another Nod-Krai character, her Burst gains additional range and attack frequency through the Moonsign: Ascendant Gleam effect, which significantly boosts her utility.
Best Talents to Prioritize
Elemental Burst: Precision Hydronic Cooler
This is Aino’s primary talent and should be your first priority. It provides off-field Hydro damage and reaction setup.
Elemental Skill: Musecatcher
Useful for generating energy particles and dealing Hydro damage in a controlled direction. While not her strongest ability, leveling this helps with energy uptime.
Normal Attacks
These are the least important, as Aino spends little time on the field performing basic combos.
A practical priority order would be Burst > Skill > Normal Attack.
Best Weapons for Aino
Since Aino benefits from Elemental Mastery and Energy Recharge, her best weapons focus on these stats rather than ATK.
Favonius Greatsword: Excellent for free-to-play players, it provides Energy Recharge and generates particles for the entire team.
Flame-Forged Insight: A strong event weapon that boosts Elemental Mastery, perfect for maximizing reaction damage.
Master Key: A craftable alternative with balanced stats for players lacking gacha or event options.
If you are unsure, Favonius Greatsword is the safest option since it solves most energy needs.
Best Artifact Sets and Stats
The ideal set for Aino is Silken Moon’s Serenade (4-piece). This set synergizes with Nod-Krai mechanics by granting Energy Recharge and increasing Elemental Mastery under Moonsign states.
Alternative sets include Noblesse Oblige (4-piece), which provides a team-wide ATK buff after using her Burst, and Instructor (4-piece) for early-game accessibility.
Main Stat Priorities:
Sands: Elemental Mastery or Energy Recharge
Goblet: Elemental Mastery or Hydro DMG Bonus
Circlet: Elemental Mastery or Crit Rate/Crit DMG depending on weapon choice
Substat Focus: Elemental Mastery > Energy Recharge > Crit Rate > Crit DMG
Recommended Team Compositions
Aino shines in reaction-based teams, particularly when paired with another Nod-Krai unit. Some effective team examples include:
Aino + Flins + Dendro + Support: Leverages Moonsign buffs while triggering Bloom or Lunar reactions.
Aino + Lauma + Nilou + Support: Creates a strong Bloom team with heavy AoE reaction damage.
Aino + Electro Characters (Fischl, Raiden Shogun, Beidou): Builds around Electro-Charged synergy.
Always ensure that another Nod-Krai character is present to maximize her Burst effectiveness.
Ascension and Talent Materials
To fully ascend Aino, players will need the following materials:
Varunada Lazurite (Sliver, Fragment, Chunk, Gemstone)
Portable Bearings (Nod-Krai local specialty)
Drive Shaft drops from regional enemies
Precision Kuuvahki Stamping Die (D-uck-ie) from the Knuckle Duckle boss
For talent upgrades, you will require:
Teachings, Guides, and Philosophies of Elysium from the Nod-Krai talent domain
Silken Feather from The Knave weekly boss
Crowns of Insight for final level unlocks
Farming routes for Portable Bearings and scheduled talent domain days should be planned ahead to avoid resin waste.
Gameplay Strategy
Aino’s playstyle is straightforward. Start by casting her Burst to deploy the Hydro zone, then switch to your main damage dealer to trigger reactions. Use her Skill to generate particles and maintain energy flow. Keep her Burst uptime as close to 100% as possible, since it is Aino build guide genshin impact the centerpiece of her kit.
Final Thoughts
Aino is a specialized character who thrives in reaction-focused compositions. While she may not replace premium Hydro supports like Xingqiu or Yelan in raw numbers, her ability to boost reaction damage and her synergy with Nod-Krai mechanics make her a valuable addition to many team setups. She is also free, which makes her a worthwhile investment for players building balanced elemental teams.
By focusing on Elemental Mastery, ensuring consistent Burst uptime, and pairing her with strong reaction partners, Aino can elevate your team’s damage output significantly. With the right build and preparation, she transforms from a simple Hydro claymore user into a powerful enabler for your strongest elemental reactions.