The best builds for Keqing in Genshin Impact

genshin impact keqing standing in front of a river
(Image credit: miHoYo)

Want to find the best Genshin Impact Keqing build? As Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, Keqing is basically a civil servant in charge of maintaining the illustrious port-city—the key difference being that civil servants in our world won't bash you with a lightning sword if you fill out the wrong form. 

As one of the game's original five-stars, Keqing is admired for her fast and agile moveset as well as her never-explained cat-girl hair. Her Stellar Restoration skill is also unique, letting her jump around the battlefield, naturally evading attacks while also infusing her sword with Electro damage.

If the leaks about Genshin Impact 2.1 are to be believed, we'll soon have an extremely powerful Electro character in Baal, but until then, Keqing is still one of the best Genshin Impact characters, and certainly one of the most stylish in terms of playstyle. 

Here's the best Genshin Impact Keqing build, along with info about her Ascension materials, and how to nab her for yourself.

Builds

The best Genshin Impact Keqing build

The best Keqing builds are based around her crit rate and ability to consistently deal Electro damage with her elemental skill and weapon infusion.

Electro DPS

Weapon: Primordial Jade Cutter

The best weapon for Keqing is the Primordial Jade Cutter. This five-star sword increases HP by 20% but also grants an attack bonus based on 1.2% of the wielder's max health. It also offers a 9.6% increase in crit rate that adds to the 15% bonus Keqing already gets from her passive, Aristocratic Dignity. 

That said, the Primordial Jade Cutter is a five-star that you can only get from wishing. Another less-rare alternative is the four-star Black Sword, which increases normal and charged damage by 20%, offers healing based off 60% of the wielder's attack when you land a crit, and like the Jade Cutter, it still offers a valuable crit rate boost of 6%.

Explore Teyvat with these Genshin Impact guides

(Image credit: MiHoYo)

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Artifact: Thundering Fury/Gladiator's Finale

As an Electro damage-dealer, Thundering Fury is a no-brainer, as it boosts Electro damage by 15% with a two-piece set. Gladiator's Finale also provides an attack bonus of 18% for two-pieces. Together, they give Keqing a healthy boost to both her elemental abilities and her regular attacks.

Reaction DPS

Weapon: Lion's Roar

Keqing is the only character in Genshin Impact who can infuse her weapon with Electro. The elemental skill that allows her to do this, Stellar Restoration, also has a short cooldown, meaning that with the right support—such as Xingqui—she can be used to cause consistent elemental reactions.

If this is a playstyle you enjoy and want to build towards, Lion's Roar is a great four-star sword that offers 20% increased damage against enemies affected by Pyro or Electro. This allows you to make the most of Keqing's ability to re-apply Electro with her fast infused attacks.

Artifact: Thundering Fury

Just pure Thundering Fury this time. A four-piece set grants 15% increased Electro damage, but also boosts damage caused by reactions like Overloaded, Electro-Charged and Superconduct by 40%. Triggering these effects also reduces elemental skill cooldown by one second, meaning you can cast Stellar Restoration and re-infuse her blade even more.

If you don't have a full set of Thundering Fury, then you could pad it out with a two-piece set of Wanderer's Troupe or Instructor, which increase elemental mastery by 80, giving Keqing's elemental reactions a little more kick.

How to unlock

(Image credit: miHoYo)

How to get Keqing in Genshin Impact

Keqing is one of the featured five-star characters with boosted rates on the Wanderlust Invocation standard wish banner, alongside Mona, and Qiqi. However, there are a large number of characters and weapons under this banner, significantly reducing your chances of pulling her. 

As she is a five-star character, it's unlikely she'll be featured in her own individual banner for quite some time. Your best bet is to save up ten Acquaint Fates when you can, wish on the Wanderlust Invocation banner, and keep those fingers crossed.

Abilities

Keqing's abilities

Here are Keqing's abilities, passives, and Constellations:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Normal attack: Yunlai Swordsmanship
NormalPerform up to five fast strikes.
ChargedConsumes stamina to perform two rapid sword strikes.
PlungingPlunges to strike the ground dealing AoE damage and striking enemies along the way.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elemental Skill
Stellar RestorationHurls a lightning stiletto that deals Electro damage and places a Stiletto Mark. When pressed again, Keqing jumps to the mark, unleashing a slash that deals AoE Electro damage. If held instead, the lightning stiletto can be aimed. Using a charged attack will clear the Stiletto Mark, causing AoE Electro damage around it.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elemental Burst
Starward SwordKeqing unleashes a series of fast strikes in a star shape around her, dealing Electro damage in an AoE. The final strike then deals AoE Electro damage.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Passives
Land's OverseerIf Keqing is dispatched on an expedition in Liyue, it takes 25% less time.
Thundering PenanceJumping to a Stiletto Mark with Stellar Restoration infuses Keqing's sword with Electro for five seconds.
Aristocratic DignityWhen casting Starward Sword, Keqing's crit rate and energy recharge are increased by 15% for eight seconds.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Constellations
Thundering MightJumping to a Stiletto Mark with Stellar Restoration deals 50% of Keqing's attack as AoE Electro damage at the start and end of her jump.
Keen ExtractionWhen hitting an enemy affected by Electro with a normal or charged attack, there is a 50% chance of generating an elemental particle. This effect can occur every five seconds.
Foreseen ReformationIncreases the level of Starward Sword by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
AttunementWhen Keqing triggers an Electro-related elemental reaction, her attack is increased by 25% for ten seconds.
Beckoning StarsIncreases the level of Stellar Restoration by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
Tenacious StarWhen initiating a normal attack, charged attack, elemental skill, or elemental burst, Keqing gains a 6% Electro damage bonus for eight seconds.

Ascension materials

(Image credit: miHoYo)

Keqing Ascension materials

Character

Just like other Electro characters, Keqing's character Ascension materials include Vajrada Amethyst and Lightning Prisms, which are earned from fighting the Electro Hypostasis. There are also two world materials you'll need:

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  • Whopperflower Nectar
  • Cor Lapis

Whopperflowers are found all over Teyvat, but the best way to locate one is to go into the 'Enemies' section of your Adventure Handbook and select 'Navigate'. Cor Lapis is a mineral found throughout the mountainous parts of Liyue, but the best locations to get it are the homes of the Adepti: Mount Hulao, Mount Aocang, and Qingyun Peak. 

Talent

Here's what you're going to need to ascend Keqing's talents:

  • Teachings of Prosperity
  • Whopperflower Nectar
  • Ring of Boreas
  • Crown of Insight

Teachings of Prosperity-series items are earned at the Taishin Mansion domain on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Whopperflower Nectar and its upgraded versions are dropped by Whopperflowers of different world levels. 

The Ring of Boreas is slightly harder to get—you'll have to complete the Wolf of the North challenge in Wolvendom on level 70 or above. Finally, Crowns of Insight comes from seasonal events, or upgrading the Frostbearing Tree in Dragonspine, and the Sacred Sakura in Inazuma.

Sean Martin
Guides Writer

Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.