The best builds for Beidou in Genshin Impact

genshin impact beidou on a boat
(Image credit: miHoYo)

Looking for the best Genshin Impact Beidou build? Though this pirate captain isn't usually considered the best DPS character for her element, she can still dish out big Electro numbers, and because of her defensive elemental skill, is useful as a sub-DPS with a dash of support thrown in.

That's what makes Beidou and her playstyle so fun—you sit back as enemies gather round and start whaling on you before decimating them with a powerful Electro slash. The more they hit you, the harder you hit back. Either that, or you perfectly parry them to deal massive damage.

Beidou isn't generally recognised as one of the best Genshin Impact characters, but she is truly an underdog. This Genshin Impact Beidou build guide has everything you need to know to make the most out of the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean.

Builds

The best Genshin Impact Beidou build

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The best Beidou builds focus around two main things: her burst and amazing parry ability. By focusing on them you can really bring out her damage potential.

Electro DPS

Weapon: Rainslasher

This four-star greatsword is a pretty straightforward pick for Beidou, since it increases damage taken by enemies affected with Pyro or Electro by 20%, and offers an elemental mastery boost of 36 for those slightly more potent elemental reactions.

Beidou's burst grants the Thunderbeast's Targe which creates a lightning discharge between opponents every time a character hits them with a normal or charged attack. Add this to the relatively short cooldown for her elemental skill and you have a character great at inflicting Electro.

Artifact: Thundering Fury

If you want to get the most from Beidou's Electro damage, Thundering Fury is the perfect set. With two pieces it increases Electro damage by 15%, while four pieces increases damage from Overload, Superconduct, and Electro-Charged by 40%. When you trigger these it also decreases elemental skill cooldown by one second.

Considering Beidou's burst deals Electro damage every time an opponent is hit, you can create some really powerful elemental reaction combos with the right character.

Parry DPS

Weapon: Sacrificial Greatsword

After unlocking her passive skill, Retribution, Beidou's Tidecaller ability can be used to parry enemies if timed correctly, granting the ability a massive damage bonus. The four-star Sacrificial Greatsword is a decent option if you want to parry frequently, as every time you use an elemental skill, there is a 40% chance it has no cooldown.

This effect can only occur once every 30 seconds, but it does still allow Beidou to increase the amount she can use her parry.

Artifact: Gladiator's Finale/Thundering Fury

These artifact sets are pretty straightforward: Gladiator's Finale offers an 18% attack bonus for two pieces, and Thundering Fury grants 15% Electro bonus damage for two pieces. Together, they increase Beidou's overall damage significantly, making her parry all the more powerful.

How to unlock

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How to get Beidou in Genshin Impact

Before August 9 you could grab Beidou as part of the Thunder Sojourn event. If you miss the event you can wish for her using the standard Wanderlust Invocation wish, but your chances of rolling her are far slimmer.

Abilities

Beidou's abilities

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

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Normal attack: Oceanborn
NormalPerform up to five consecutive strikes.
ChargedConsumes stamina to perform continuous slashes, ending in a powerful slash.
PlungingPlunges to strike the ground dealing AoE damage and striking enemies along the way.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elemental skill
TidecallerPress to unleash a slash dealing Electro damage. Hold to create a shield that absorbs damage based upon Beidou's max HP, before unleashing a slash that deals Electro damage. This damage is increased if Beidou is hit up to two times. The shield has 250% Electro damage absorption efficiency.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elemental burst
StormbreakerBeidou forms a Thunderbeast's Targe around herself which creates a lightning discharge between enemies when they are hit with normal or charged attacks. These discharges deal Electro damage and can be triggered once per second. The Targe also provides resistance to interruption and reduces damage taken.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Passives
Conqueror of TidesDecreases swimming stamina consumption in your party by 20%. This skill does not stack.
RetributionCounterattacking with Tidecaller at the precise moment Beidou is hit grants the maximum damage bonus.
Lightning StormAfter unleashing a max damage Tidecaller, normal and charged attack damage and speed are increased by 15%, and charged attacks take less time to perform.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Constellations
Sea Beast's ScourgeStormbreaker now also creates a shield that absorbs up to 15% of Beidou's max HP for 15 seconds, and absorbs 250% Electro damage more effectively.
Upon the Turbulent Sea, the Thunder ArisesStormbreaker's lightning discharge can now jump to two additional targets.
Summoner of StormIncreases the level of Tidecaller by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
Stunning RevengeWhen she is attacked, Beidou's normal attacks gain an additional instance of 20% Electro damage for 10 seconds.
Crimson TidewalkerIncreases the level of Stormbreaker by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
Bane of EvilDuring the use of Stormbreaker, the Electro resistance of surrounding enemies is lowered by 15%.

Ascension materials

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Beidou Ascension materials

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Character

As an Electro character, Beidou uses the typical Vajrada Amethyst and Lightning Prisms that you get from the Electro Hypostasis. There are two world items you'll also need to ascend her:

  • Treasure Hoarder Insignias
  • Noctilucous Jade

The Treasure Hoarder Insignias are found by defeating treasure hoarders of varying world levels, and Noctilucous Jade can be mined all over Liyue, but Mingyun Village and its surroundings are the best place to start for that. 

Talent

To level Beidou's talents, you need four different Ascension materials:

  • Treasure Hoarder Insignias
  • Teachings of Gold
  • Dvalin's Sigh
  • Crown of Insight

You can get the Treasure Hoarder Insignias from treasure hoarders, who I usually farm in the maze to the east of Mt. Aocang. Teachings of Gold-series materials are rewards from the Taishin Mansion domain on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Dvalin's Sigh is gained by defeating level 70+ Dvalin in the trounce domain, or by crafting it with one Dvalin's Plume or Dvalin's Claw and a Dream Solvent. Finally, the Crown of Insight is, as ever, available through seasonal events, or by upgrading the Frostbearing Tree in Dragonspine, and the Sacred Sakura in Inazuma.

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Sean Martin
Senior 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.