Genshin Impact‘s Ayato has captured the eyes and hearts of many fans of Hoyoverse’s hit RPG since he was first revealed. With his playful yet dutiful personality, impeccable sense of style, and unique, fast-paced style of DPS gameplay, the current head of the Kamisato Clan in Inazuma and the Yashiro commissioner is truly a unique and valuable asset to many teams.
With our Genshin Ayato build guide, we take a look at his current banner, as well as diving into the best Ayato Kamisato builds for both DPS and sub-DPS or burst support roles. We aim to help you work out whether he’s a worthwhile addition to your roster, how to make best use of his unique skillset, and which teams this handsome boba boy synergises well with.
If you’re new to Genshin Impact, you might want to check out our Genshin Impact tier list to see which characters are worth your time – or, if you’re a longtime player, you can see where your favourites rank. Alternatively, if you like the look of a specific character, we offer Genshin Impact Sara, Genshin Impact Raiden Shogun, Genshin Impact Thoma, and Genshin Impact Itto guides too. We also have a Genshin Impact codes guide because we can’t say no to free primogems.
Genshin Ayato
When is Genshin Ayato’s banner?
The first Genshin Ayato banner, Azure Excursion, ran in version 2.6. It featured Ayato himself, alongside Genshin Impact’s Sucrose, Genshin Impact’s Xiangling, Genshin Impact’s Yun Jin. It also ran concurrently with Genshin Impact Venti’s banner.
We’re not sure when the next Ayato banner will be, but we’ll be sure to update this guide as soon as we find out.
What is Ayato Genshin Impact’s best role?
Ayato is a sword-wielding hydro user with some interesting utility. His kit offers great off-field hydro application, along with some high-impact bursts of on-field damage that can be devastating to both single targets and groups. His kit is very unique, and allows him to excel in both burst sub-DPS and main DPS roles, as well as seeing him slot into both standard and quick-swap rotations. Read on to found out more about both DPS and sub-DPS Ayato builds.
What’s the best Genshin Ayato build for DPS?
Ayato has the potential to deal a lot of damage if you capitalise on his elemental skill, Kamisato Art: Kyouka. This skill leaves behind a watery illusion, which explodes and deals AoE hydro damage. It also increases the speed of his normal attacks, and converts them into AoE hydro damage. Additionally, every time his Shunsuiken deals damage to an enemy, he gains a stack of Namisen, which increases his damage based on his max HP.
In short, in order to make the most of Ayato as a main DPS, you’ll want to ensure you have his elemental skill active as often as possible. We also recomend you build him with as much normal attack damage as possible, and make sure his health is at a decent level to help him live up to his high DPS potential.
The best Genshin Ayato artifacts for DPS
Keeping the above in mind, you’ve got two main choices for artifact sets. If you want to use him as a hydro-focused DPS (for example, in an electro-charged, permafreeze, or vaporize team comp) it’s best to go with Heart of Depth. This set is considered the most consistent choice for him, as it provides a boost to Ayato’s hydro damage, and increases his normal and charged attack damage after using an elemental skill, which compliments his skill and attack rotation.
The second option is the new set, Echoes of an Offering. This one has a very unique skill that we’ve not been able to fully test out yet. However, despite it seemingly being designed to compliment Ayato’s kit due to it suiting characters who capitalise on normal attacks, we’ve found it isn’t as big a game changer as we’d hoped, offering less stable DPS than Heart of Depth with only occasional substantial procs.
Echoes of an Offering is still a good choice, but we recommend only farming it if you have Genshin Impact’s Xiao and are hoping to get the new Vermillion Hereafter set for him. Then, if you happen to pull a set of Echoes of an Offering with better sub-stats than your Heart of Depth pieces, you should use that on Ayato.
Alternatively, you can go for Gladiator’s Finale, which is a pretty easy set to obtain, and focuses solely on increased Ayato’s damage. Nothing wrong with a bit of extra bang for your buck.
| Artifact set | Effect | How to get |
| Heart of Depth | Two equipped: hydro damage +15% Four equipped: increases normal and charged attack damage after using an elemental skill by 30% for 15 seconds |
Obtained from the Peak of Vindagnyr domain on Dragonspine, in Mondstadt |
| Echoes of an Offering | Two equipped: attack +18% Four equipped: when your normal attacks hit opponents, there’s a 36% chance that it triggers Valley Rite, which increases normal attack damage by 70% of attack. This effect is dispelled 0.05 seconds after a normal attack deals damage. If a normal attack fails to trigger Valley Rite, the odds of it triggering the next time are increased by 20%. This trigger can occur once every 0.2 seconds |
Obtained from the Lost Valley domain in the Chasm |
| Gladiator’s Finale | Two equipped: attack +18% Four equipped: increases normal attack damage of the wielder by 35% if they use a sword, claymore, or polearm |
Obtained from world and weekly bosses, Gladiator’s Finale artifact strongboxes, and Adventure rank up and journal rewards |
Artifact stat and sub-stat priorities
When building DPS Ayato, you should aim to use artifacts with the following stats and sub-stats if possible.
Main stats:
- Sands of Eon: attack%
- Goblet of Eonothem: hydro damage bonus
- Circlet of logos: crit rate or crit damage
Sub-stats:
- Energy recharge
- Crit rate
- Crit damage
- Attack %
- HP%
- Elemental Mastery
Genshin Ayato best weapon for DPS
Naturally, the best weapon for DPS Ayato at the moment is Haran Geppaku Futsu, a new sword that was tailor-made for him. It’s available on the weapon event banner that is currently running alongside him.
Alternatively, Mistsplitter Reforged, Summit Shaper, and Primordial Jade Cutter are great choices. But if you’re looking for the best four-star weapon for Ayatao, Black Sword from the battle pass is a brilliant option. And, if you have none of the above, you can also use the three-star Harbinger of Dawn as a place holder until you’ve got something better.
Lion’s Roar is also an interesting choice for Ayato, however, due to its skill only triggering when used on enemies affected by pyro or hydro, you should only give him this weapon if you’re using him in an electro-charged comp to get the most out of it.
| Weapon | Rarity | Effect and skill | How to obtain |
| Geppaku Futsu | Five-star | Bonus effect: crit rate +7.2% Skill: obtain 12% bonus to all elemental damage. When other nearby party members use elemental skills, the character equipping this weapon will gain one wavespike stack, for a maximum of two stacks |
Gacha |
| Primordial Jade Cutter | Five-star | Bonus effect: crit rate +9.6% Skill: increases HP by 20%, and provides an attack bonus based on Ayato’s max HP |
Gacha |
| Mistsplitter Reforged | Five-star | Bonus effect: crit damage +9.6% Skill: gain a 12% elemental damage bonus for the wielder’s elemental type. At stack one/two/three, elemental damage is further increased by 8/16/28%. Stacks gotten through normal attacks with elemental damage have a five second duration, through elemental burst have a ten second duration, and through having less than 100% energy last until your energy is fully recharged |
Gacha |
| Summit Shaper | Five-star | Bonus effect: attack +10.8% Skill: shield strength is increased by 20%. When you score hits on opponents, your attack is increased by 4% for eight seconds, for a maximum of five stacks. This can only occur once every 0.3 seconds. While protected by a shield, the attack buff is increased by 100% |
Gacha |
| The Black Sword | Four-star | Bonus effect: crit rate +6% Skill: damage dealt by normal and charged attacks is increased by 20%, and you regenerate 60% of attack as HP when your normal and charged attacks score a crit hit. This effect can occur once every five seconds |
Battle Pass reward |
| Lion’s Roar | Four-star | Bonus effect: attack +9% Skill: increases damage against enemies affected by pyro or electro by 20% |
Gacha |
| Harbinger of Dawn | Three-star | Bonus effect: crit damage +10.2% Skill: when Ayato’s HP is above 90%, his crit rate is increased by 14% |
Gacha |
What’s the best Genshin Ayato build for sub-DPS?
If you want to use Ayato as a sub-DPS or burst support, you need to maximise the use of his burst. This build has great potential for supporting your team with constant hydro application and attack speed buffs.
Of course, as with the DPS build, we’re still getting used to this handsome chap, so these recommendations may change as we learn more about his utility and skillset and how he works in the field.
The best Genshin Ayato artifacts for sub-dps
For sub-DPS or burst support Ayato, you’ve got a few artifact options. First, you can go with a full set of Emblem of Severed Fate to increase his energy recharge, allowing him to use his burst more frequently.
You can also choose to give him a full set of Noblesse Oblige if you don’t have someone on your team already using that set, as its four-piece, team-wide buff doesn’t stack. Alternatively, you can go with two pieces of Heart of Depth and two pieces of Noblesse Oblige to boost both his hydro and burst damage, in turn helping his buff and allowing him to make a big impact whenever he’s in the field.
| Artifact set | Effect | How to get |
| Emblem of Severed Fate | Two equipped: energy recharge +20% Four equipped: increases elemental burst damage by 25% of energy recharge. You can obtain a maximum of 75% bonus damage in this way |
Obtained from Momiji-Dyed Court domain on Yashiori Island in Inazuma |
| Noblesse Oblige | Two equipped: elemental burst damage +20% Four equipped: increases all party members’ attack by 20% for 12 seconds after using an elemental burst. This effect cannot stack |
Obtained from the Clear Pool and Mountain Cavern domain in Minlin, Mt. Aozang, or from the Noblesse Oblige Artifact Strongbox |
|
Two Noblesse Oblige: elemental burst damage +20% Two Heart of Depth: hydro damage +15% |
You can get Noblesse Oblige from the Clear Pool and Mountain Cavern domain in Minlin, Mt. Aozang, or from the Noblesse Oblige Artifact Strongbox, and Heart of Depth from the Peak of Vindagnyr domain on Dragonspine, in Mondstadt |
Artifact stat and sub-stat priorities
When building Ayato for a sub-DPS or burst support role, these are the artifact stats and sub-stats you should aim for.
Main stats:
- Sands of Eon: attack% or energy regeneration%
- Goblet of Eonothem: hydro damage bonus
- Circlet of logos: crit rate or crit damage
Sub-stats:
- Energy recharge
- Crit rate
- Crit damage
- Attack%
- HP%
- Elemental Mastery
Ayato Genshin best weapon for sub-dps
Luckily, you’ve got quite a few options when it comes to the best weapon for a sub-dps or burst support Ayato, and which one you should pick depends on how you want to use him.
As with DPS Ayato, Mistsplitter Reforged is a good choice for its energy recharge and boost to his burst damage. Similarly, Skyward Blade, Freedom-Sworn, and Primordial Jade Cutter are great for their buffs. The Freedom-Sworn’s buff even applies to the whole team, making him an even more useful support.
However, all of the above are five-star weapons, so may be tricky to get. But you still have some great options if you’re looking for the best four-star weapon for Ayato in a sub-DPS role. Amenoma Kageuchi, Festering Desire, and Iron Sting are all strong options, two of which you can forge via the Blacksmith, so you’re not without options if you’re F2P!
| Weapon | Rarity | Effect and skill | How to obtain |
| Mistsplitter Reforged | Five-star | Bonus effect: crit damage +9.6% Skill: gain a 12% elemental damage bonus for the wielder’s elemental type. At stack one/two/three, elemental damage is further increased by 8/16/28%. Stacks gotten through normal attacks with elemental damage have a five second duration, through elemental burst have a ten second duration, and through having less than 100% energy last until your energy is fully recharged |
Gacha |
| Skyward Blade | Five-star | Bonus effect: energy recharge +12% Skill: increases crit rate by 4%. After you use an elemental burst, you gain Skypiercing Might, which increases movement speed by 10%, attack speed by 10%, and normal and charged attack damage by 20% for 12 seconds |
Gacha |
| Freedom-Sworn | Five-star | Bonus effect: elemental mastery +43 Skill: increases damage by 10%. When Ayato triggers an elemental reaction, he gains a Sigil of Rebellion (maximum once every 0.5 seconds). This effect triggers even if he’s not on the field. When he reaches two sigils, they’re consumed, granting nearby party members +20% attack and +16% normal, charged, and plunging attack damage for 12 seconds. Once triggered, you can’t gain any more Sigils for 20 seconds. Buffs of the same type won’t stack |
Gacha |
| Primordial Jade Cutter | Five-star | Bonus effect: crit rate +9.6% Skill: increases HP by 20%, and provides an attack bonus based on Ayato’s max HP |
Gacha |
| Amenoma Kageuchi | Four-star | Bonus effect: attack +12% Skill: after casting an elemental skill, you gain one Succession Seed. After using an elemental burst, all Succession Seeds are consumed and, after two seconds, Ayato regenerates six energy for each seed consumed. This effect can be triggered once every five seconds, each seed lasts for 30 seconds, and a maximum of three seeds may exist simultaneously |
Get the blueprint by completing the Farmer’s Treasure quest, then forge via blacksmith |
| Festering Desire | Four-star | Bonus effect: energy recharge +10 Skill: increases elemental skill damage by 16% and elemental skill crit rate by 6% |
The Chalk Prince and the Dragon event reward |
| Iron Sting | Four-star | Bonus effect: elemental mastery +36 Skill: when Ayato deals elemental damage, all his damage is increased by 6% for six seconds. Maximum two stacks, can occur once every one second |
Forge via blacksmith |
What are Genshin Ayato’s abiltities?
Here are Ayato Genshin Impact’s abilities (or talents) and what they do. To level them up, you need handguards from Nobushi in Inazuma, and teachings of elegance, guide to elegance, and philosophies of elegance from the Violet Court domain on Narakumi Island, Inazuma. You also need Mudra of the Malefic General to upgrade his abilities to the highest level, which are drops from the Genshin Impact Raiden weekly boss under the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Regardless of what build you go with, we recommend you prioritise leveling Kamisato Art: Kyouka Art first.
Active skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Kamisato Art: Marobashi | Perform up to five strikes |
| Kamisato Art: Marobashi (charged) | Consume a certain amount of stamina to perform a more powerful attack |
| Kamisato Art: Marobashi (plunging) | Plunge from mid-air to strike the ground, dealing AoE damage on impact |
| Kamisato Art: Kyouka | Ayato shifts positions and enters the Takimeguri Kanka state, while also leaving a watery illusion behind him. The illusion explodes to deal AoE hydro damage. Takimeguri Kanka: While in this state, Ayato uses his Shunsuiken to engage in blindingly fast attacks, and his normal attacks are converted to deal AoE hydro damage (this can’t be overridden). Sfter a Shunsuiken hits an enemy, it grants Namisen, which increases damage based on Ayato’s max HP. The initial maximum number of Namisen stacks is four, and you can goin one stack via Shunsuiken every 0.1 seconds. Ayato’s resistance to interruption is increased, but he’s unable to use charged or plunging attacks. |
| Kamisato Art: Suiyuu | Create a wide AoE where Bloomwater Blades constantly rain down, striking opponents and dealing hydro damage. Additionally, any allies with in the AoE gain a boost to their normal attack damage |
Passive skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Kamisato Art: Mine Wo Matoishi Kiyotaki | Ayato’s elemental skill has the following properties:
|
| Kamisato Art: Michiyuku Hagetsu | If Ayato isn’t on the field and his energy is low, he regenerates a set amount of energy at regular intervals |
| Kamisato Art: Daily Cooking | You have the chance to receive a suspicious dish of the same type when cooking |
What are Genshin Ayato constellations?
Here are all of Ayato’s constellations. Of course, in order to gain a constellation, you’ll have to be lucky enough to pull this handsome chap multiple times. Luckily, he’s pretty powerful at C0, but snagging any of these is always a bonus.
| Constellation | Effect |
| Kyouka Fuushi | Shunsuiken damage is increased by 40% against opponents with 50% HP or less |
| World Source | Namisen’s maximum stack count is increased by five. When Ayato has at least three Namisen stacks, his max HP is increased by 50% |
| To Admire the Flowers | Increases the level of Kamisato Art: Kyouka by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15 |
| Endless Flow | After using Kamisato Art: Auiyuu, all nearby party members gain 15% increased normal attack speed for 15 seconds |
| Bansui Ichiro | Increases the level of Kamisato Art: Suiyuu by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15 |
| Boundless Origin | After using Kamisato Art: Kyouka, Ayato’s next Shunsuiken attack creates two extra Shunsuiken strikes upon hitting opponents, with each one dealing 450% of Ayato’s attack as damage. Both of these Shunsuiken attacks are not affected by Namisen |
What does it cost to ascend Genshin Ayato?
These are all the materials you need to ascend Ayato. You can gather sakura blooms by using electro on sakura clouds around Inazuma, and handguards drop from Nobushi enemies.
| Required level | Mora | Materials |
| 20 | 20,000 | Three sakura bloom, one varunada lazurite sliver, and three old handguards |
| 40 | 40,000 | Two dew of repudiation, ten sakura bloom, three varunada lazurite fragments, and 15 old handguards |
| 50 | 60,000 | Four dew of repudiation, 20 sakura bloom, six varunada lazurite fragments, and 12 kageuchi handguards |
| 60 | 80,000 | Eight dew of repudiation, 30 sakura bloom, three varunada lazurite chunks, and 18 kageuchi handguards |
| 70 | 100,000 | 12 dew of repudiation, 45 sakura bloom, six varunada lazurite chunks, and 12 famed handguards |
| 80 | 120,000 | 20 dew of repudiation, 60 sakura bloom, six varunada lazurite gemstones, and 24 famed handguards |
What are the best Genshin Ayato team comps?
Ayato is a flexible unit who can slot into pretty much any team that needs reliable hydro application. Therefore, he can be a strong member of many vape, taser, and permafreeze teams.
Here are some examples of team comps for Ayato.
Ayato Taser team example (Electro-charged)
This team offers strong electro-charged reactions, with Ayato acting as the trigger. Throw down Fischl’s Oz as a turret to deal consistent electro damage and generate energy, use Beidou’s shield, then switch to Ayato to unleash multiple hydro-infused attacks with his skill and burst. Bennett is a great support for Ayato due to both his healing and attack buff. Additionally, the wide range of Ayato’s normal attacks after using his elemental skill allows him to stand inside Bennett’s burst field and still hit enemies outside of the area.
Ayato Vape team example (vaporize)
Yoimiya and Bennett not only trigger pyro resonance, but, when combined with Ayato, they have the potential to dish out plenty of vaporize reactions. Additionally, Yoimiya can act as the main damage dealer during Ayato’s downtime, as he’s recharging his burst and waiting for his skill to come off cooldown. Bennett and Yun Jin both offer some useful buffs, allowing you to maximise Ayato’s damage output. Bennett can also heal your team with his elemental burst.
Ayato Freeze team example
In this comp, you can use Venti to round up the enemies, then combine Ganyu and Ayato’s bursts to apply persistent cryo and hydro damage, freezing them in place. Diona offers a shield and heals, and also triggers cryo resonance with Ganyu, allowing you to deal more damage to frozen enemies, which works wonders when unleashing Ayato’s elemental skill.
And that’s everything we have on Genshin Impact’s Ayato. Make sure you check out our picks for the best mobile RPGs if you’re after other games like Genshin Impact.
