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Genshin Impact Kaeya Guide - best build, strengths and weaknesses

All you need to know about Kaeya - updated to Genshin Impact 2.0

Genshin Impact Kaeya Guide - best build, strengths and weaknesses
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| Genshin Impact

Welcome to Pocket Gamer's detailed Genshin Impact Kaeya guide! Kaeya is the Calgary Captain of the Knights of Favonius. As an aide to Grand Master Jean, he is expected to be trustworthy and confident, but he tends to get overly dramatic at times and certainly has a mischievous side.

Willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, he basks in the thrill of a challenge but also takes pleasure in seeing others hesitate in stressful scenarios, just as much as he enjoys seeing fear in his enemies’ eyes.

In the Kaeya guide below you will find the following features.

Character Appearance

Kaeya Appearance

Genshi Impact Kaeya Element / Tier / Rarity / Weapon

Cryo / A Tier / 4* Rarity / Sword

In Genshin Impact, Kaeya is a Cryo-bearing sword user who likes to keep his friends close and his enemies frozen. Kaeya’s Burst attack allows him to summon icicles that revolve around him that persist on the field, even when you switch characters.

How to get Kaeya?

By completing the Prologue, Act I during the quest Crash Course. You can obtain Kaeya in the permanent banner, Wanderlust Invocation.

Genshin Impact Kaeya Combat Info (Strengths and Weaknesses)

Genshin Impact Kaeya Strengths

Strengths

  • Kaeya’s Burst stays on the field after changing teammates
  • His Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst have quick cooldowns

Weaknesses

  • Kaeya’s Elemental Skill has a small AoE
  • He doesn’t fit well in many teams due to his Passive Skills

Best Build for Kaeya in Genshin Impact

Kaeya works best as a sub-DPS with the Skyward Blade weapon to increase his CRIT, his movement speed, and his DMG output. Pair this with the Blizzard Strayer artifact set to increase his Cryo DMG and do even more CRIT when enemies are frozen or already damaged by Cryo.

Kaeya guide - Best Artifacts and Weapons

Blizzard Strayer

ATK% / ATK% / CRIT DMG Set Bonuses:
  • (2) Cryo DMG Bonus +15%
  • (4) When a character attacks an enemy affected by Cryo, their CRIT Rate is increased by 20%. If the enemy is Frozen, the CRIT Rate is increased by an additional 20%.
How to Obtain:  Peak of Vindagnyr Domain reward

Skyward Sword

  • Base Attack: 46
  • Rating: 5*
  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 12%
Skill: Sky-piercing Fang CRIT Rate increased by 4%. Gains Skypiercing Might upon using an Elemental Burst: Increases Movement SPD by 10%, increases ATK SPD by 10%, and increases the DMG of Normal and Charged Attack hits by 20% for 12s. How to Obtain: Gacha

Best Party Members to match Kaeya with in Genshin Impact

Premium (Gacha) Team

In Genshin Impact, Kaeya should be used mostly for reactions, as he can apply Cryo to enemies and his Burst and Skill are almost always ready. Venti can be great to control mobs and can make it easier for other characters to create reactions from. Diluc will work best as a DPS, especially when causing Melt after first using Cryo. Bennett will round out the team with healing and boost Melt reactions.

F2P Team

Kaeya will be the main DPS here but will require some other elements to really do maximum damage with combos. Xiangling can help with the Melt reaction and do additional damage. Pick the Anemo version of the Traveler for Swirl and to spread reactions around. Barbara will serve as the healer and can help activate Frozen reactions, thanks to Kaeya.

Talents / Skills / Passive

talents

Ceremonial Bladework - Normal Attack

Normal Attack: Perform up to 5 rapid strikes.

Charged Attack: Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to unleash 2 rapid sword strikes. Plunging Attack: Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging opponents along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact. Skill Attributes:
  • 1-Hit DMG 53.8%
  • 2-Hit DMG 51.7%
  • 3-Hit DMG 65.3%
  • 4-Hit DMG 70.9%
  • 5-Hit DMG 88.2%
  • Charged Attack DMG - 55% + 73.1
  • Charged Attack Stamina Cost - 20
  • Plunge DMG - 63.9%
  • Low/High Plunge DMG - 128%/160%

Frostgnaw - Elemental Skill

Unleashes a frigid blast, dealing Cryo DMG to enemies in front of Kaeya.

  • Skill DMG - 191%
  • CD 6s

Glacial Waltz - Elemental Burst

Coalescing the frost in the air, Kaeya summons 3 icicles that revolve around him. These icicles will follow the character around and deal Cryo DMG to enemies in their path for so long as they persist.

Skill Attributes
  • Skill DMG - 77.6%
  • CD - 20s
  • Duration - 8s
  • Energy Cost - 60

Cold-Blooded Strike - 1st Ascension Passive

Every hit with Frostgnaw regenerates HP for Kaeya equal to 15% of his ATK.

Heart of the Abyss - 4th Ascension Passive

Enemies Frozen by Frostgnaw will drop additional Elemental Particles. Frostgnaw may only produce a maximum of 2 additional Elemental Particles per use.

Hidden Strength - Unlocked Automatically

Decreases all-party members' sprinting Stamina consumption by 20%

Talent Leveling Materials

Gained from Enemy Drops (Treasure Hunters):

  • Treasure Hoarder Insignia
  • Silver Raven Insignia
  • Golden Raven Insignia

Acquired from Domains (Wednesday/Friday/Sunday):

  • Teachings of Ballad
  • Guide to Ballad
  • Philosophies of Ballad

Obtained after defeating Bosses (Lupus Boreas Challenge):

Spirit Locket of Boreas

Constellations

Genshin Impact Kaeya guide Constellation

Excellent Blood

The CRIT Rate of Kaeya's Normal and Charge Attacks against enemies affected by Cryo is increased by 15%.

Never-Ending Perfomance

Every time Glacial Waltz defeats an enemy during its duration, its duration is increased by 2.5s, up to a maximum of 15s.

Dance of Frost

  • Increases the Level of Frostgnaw by 3.
  • Maximum upgrade level is 15.

Frozen Kiss

  • Triggers automatically when Kaeya's HP falls below 20%:
  • Creates a shield that absorbs damage equal to 30% of Kaeya's Max HP. Lasts for 20s.
  • This shield absorbs Cryo DMG with 250% efficiency.
  • Can only occur once every 60s.

Frostbiting Embrace

  • Increases the Level of Glacial Waltz by 3.
  • Maximum upgrade level is 15.

Glacial Whirlwind

Glacial Waltz will generate 1 additional icicle and will regenerate 15 Energy when cast.

Genshin Impact Kaeya Ascensions costs

Phase 1
  • Lv.20→Lv.40
  • Mora Cost: 20,000
  • Calla Lily ×3
  • Shivada Jade Sliver ×1
  • Treasure Hoarder Insignia ×3
Phase 2
  • Lv.40→Lv.50
  • Calla Lily ×10
  • Shivada Jade Fragment ×3
  • Treasure Hoarder Insignia ×15
  • Hoarfrost Core ×2
Phase 3
  • Lv.50→Lv.60
  • Mora Cost: 60,000
  • Calla Lily ×20
  • Shivada Jade Fragment ×6
  • Silver Raven Insignia ×12
  • Hoarfrost Core ×4
Phase 4
  • Lv.60→Lv.70
  • Mora Cost: 80,000
  • Calla Lily ×20
  • Shivada Jade Chunk ×3
  • Silver Raven Insignia ×18
  • Hoarfrost Core ×8
Phase 5
  • Lv.70→Lv.80
  • Mora Cost: 100,000
  • Calla Lily ×45
  • Shivada Jade Chunk ×6
  • Golden Raven Insignia ×12
  • Hoarfrost Core ×12
Phase 6 (MAX)
  • Lv.80→Lv.90
  • Mora Cost: 120,000
  • Calla Lily ×60
  • Shivada Jade Gemstone ×6
  • Golden Raven Insignia ×24
  • Hoarfrost Core ×20

Base Stats

At Level 1, Kaeya starts with 976 HP, 19 ATK, and 66 DEF.

Wishes / Availability

In Genshin Impact Kaeya can be received at the regular rate in the Wanderlust Invocation Standard Wish, which is always available.

You know, we also have a Genshin Impact tier list if you want to check how well Kaeya performs in comparison to other characters! Also, stay aware, soon enough we plan to make a Genshin Impact characters hub with all of the available characters and their detailed guides!

Bryan Taylor
Bryan Taylor
Bryan has a passion for writing and has been gaming since the 80s. His favourite games include Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, and Rez, and he joins us bringing his vast knowledge of games to the team.