More top Genshin Impact builds
Looking for a decent Genshin Impact Childe build before version 2.2? Tartaglia, or Childe as he’s more commonly known, is the eleventh harbinger of the Fatui, and with the exception of the Raiden Shogun, is the only other playable character who we’ve faced off against as an in-game boss.
But even among the new Genshin Impact characters that have joined the game, Childe is unique, with an elemental skill that allows him to swap his bow for some swords made of water, completely changing his moveset in the process. He’s also the only Hydro bow-user in Genshin, and one of the best DPS characters for that element.
Childe’s banner, Farewell to Snezhnaya, is returning in Genshin Impact 2.2, meaning you’ll be able to wish for him for the first time in almost a year. If you do get him, you’re going to need some builds. That’s where this Genshin Impact Childe build guide comes in—we’ve got info on abilities, constellations, Ascension materials, and a couple of weapon and artifact combos to help you make the most of the Fatui harbinger.
Builds
The best Genshin Impact Childe build
Tartaglia works best as a DPS fighter. Being as rare and as powerful as he is, there’s no point in trying to fit him into the team as anything else. As one of the best fighters in the game, you want to build him for the DPS role.
Burst DPS
Weapon: The Stringless
To maximise the damage dealt by Childe’s burst, choose The Stringless. This four-star bow increases elemental skill and burst damage by 24%, as well as boosting elemental mastery, making those reactions just that little bit more potent.
Artifact: 2x Heart of Depth/2x Noblesse Oblige
Two-pieces of Heart of Depth boosts Hydro damage by 15%, which is super useful when you consider Childe infuses his weapons with Hydro in melee stance. Two-pieces of Noblesse Oblige increases burst damage by a further 20%, which combined with the bow, gives you a 35% boost overall.
Hydro DPS
Weapon: Polar Star
The new five-star bow for Genshin Impact 2.2 is actually perfect for Childe, which makes sense when they are bringing his banner back. It provides a crit rate boost, which synergises very well with Childe’s Sword of Torrents’ skill. It also boosts elemental burst and skill damage by 12%, and provides a stackable called Byakuya Kyousei, which increases attack by up to 48% and is gained whenever you attack an enemy.
But as you have to wait until 2.2 for this bow, a decent four-star alternative is the Viridescent Hunt. When this bow lands a normal or charged attack, it has a 50% chance of generating a cyclone that attracts enemies and deals 40% of attack as damage.
Artifact: Heart of Depth
Heart of Depth is a pretty straightforward pick here. Four-pieces increase Hydro damage by 15% and normal and charged attack damage by 30% for 15 seconds after you use an elemental burst or skill. As you might imagine, this fits especially well with Childe using his skill to switch to melee.
How to unlock
How to get Childe in Genshin Impact
Childe was originally part of the Farewell to Snezhnaya banner that launched back in 2020. MiHoYo announced in the Genshin Impact 2.2 stream that Tartaglia’s banner would be returning in the first slot of the new version. This means you’ll be able to wish for Snezhnaya’s eleventh harbinger when version 2.2 launches on October 13. The banner also features three four-stars: Pyro legal ace, Yanfei, Cryo claymore character, Chongyun, and Geo catalyst-user Ninguang.
Abilities
Childe’s abilities
Here are Childe’s abilities, passives, and Constellations:
| Normal | Performs up to six consecutive bow shots. |
| Charged | While aiming, fires an arrow that deals Hydro damage and applies Riptide. Follow-up charged shots cause Riptide Flash, which deals consecutive bouts of AoE Hydro damage to enemies affected with Riptide every 0.7 seconds. When defeated, AoE Hydro damage is dealt to nearby enemies, and Riptide applied to those hit. |
| Plunging | Fires several mid-air arrows then crashes down, dealing AoE damage as he lands. Childe cannot use plunging attacks when in Foul Legacy: Raging Tide stance. |
| Foul Legacy: Raging Tide | Childe makes melee weapons from water, dealing Hydro damage, and infusing his attacks with Hydro. This stance lasts 30 seconds, or until the skill is activated again. The longer he remains in this stance, the longer the cooldown. |
| Normal: | Performs up to six consecutive strikes. |
| Charged: | Performs a cross slash dealing Hydro damage and consuming stamina. |
| Riptide slash: | Striking an opponent with Riptide status causes AoE Hydro damage. This can occur every 1.5 seconds. |
| Flash of Havoc (if in ranged stance) | Fires a magic arrow that deals AoE Hydro damage and applies Riptide status. Refunds a portion of its energy cost after use. |
| Light of Obliteration (if in melee stance) | Performs a slash with a large AoE, dealing Hydro damage to surrounding enemies and activating Riptide Blast, which clears Riptide status and causes enemies hit to explode with AoE Hydro damage. |
| Master of Weaponry | Increases your own party members’ normal attack level by one. |
| Never Ending | Extends Riptide duration by eight seconds. |
| Sword of Torrents | When Childe is in Foul Legacy: Raging Tide’s melee stance, critical hits with normal and charged attacks apply Riptide status. |
| Foul Legacy: Tide Withholder | Decreases Foul Legacy: Raging Tide’s cooldown by 20% |
| Foul Legacy: Understream | When opponents affected by Riptide are defeated, Childe regenerates four energy. |
| Abyssal Mayhem: Vortex Of Turmoil | Increases the level of Foul Legacy: Raging Tide by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15. |
| Abyssal Mayhem: Hydrospout | Abyssal Mayhem: Hydrospout: If Childe is in melee stance, triggers Riptide Slash on enemies affected by Riptide every four seconds, if not, Riptide Flash. Neither of these are subject to cooldown. |
| Havoc: Formless Blade | Increases the level of Havoc: Obliteration by three. Maximum upgrade level is 15. |
| Havoc: Annihilation: Foul Legacy | When Havoc: Obliteration is cast in melee stance, the cooldown of Foul Legacy: Raging Tide is reset. |
Ascension materials
Childe’s Ascension materials
Character
In order to ascend Childe, you’re going to need Varunada Lazurite, which you can get from the Oceanid, and since 2.1, the Hydro Hypostasis. Though it’s better to go for the Oceanid, as you’ll also need the Cleansing Hearts it drops. There are also two world materials to collect:
- Starconch
- Recruit’s Insignia
You can find Starconches on Liyue’s beaches, especially south along the coast from Dragonspine, and in the Guyun Stone Forest. Recruit Insignias and their upgraded versions, come from defeating Fatui soldiers, and sometimes agents and mages.
Talent
Here are Childe’s talent ascension materials:
- Teachings of Freedom
- Recruit’s Insignia
- Shard of a Foul Legacy
- Crown of Insight
You can get Teachings of Freedom from the Forsaken Rift domain on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. As said, Recruit’s Insignias and their upgraded versions come from defeating Fatui of different world levels.
Shard of a Foul Legacy, unsurprisingly, comes from defeating the Childe weekly boss on level 70+, and the Crown of Insight comes from upgrading the Sacred Sakura of Inazuma, the Frostbearing Tree of Dragonspine, or certain seasonal events.