What is the best way to use Elemental Reactions against Rifthounds in Genshin Impact?

Rifthounds in Genshin Impact are unique enemies that require careful handling due to their ability to inflict Corrosion, a status effect that damages your entire team over time. To effectively use Elemental Reactions against Rifthounds, you need to understand their mechanics, plan your team composition, and execute strategies that maximize damage while minimizing the risk of Corrosion.

Rifthounds are divided into two types: Rifthound Whelps and Rifthounds. Both are resistant to physical damage but have specific elemental weaknesses. Rifthound Whelps are weak to Geo and Anemo, while Rifthounds are weak to Geo and Electro. However, their elemental resistance can change depending on their state. When Rifthounds enter their enraged state, their resistance to their weak elements increases, making it crucial to time your attacks and reactions carefully.

To effectively use Elemental Reactions against Rifthounds, you should focus on reactions that deal high damage or provide crowd control. Overloaded, Superconduct, and Electro-Charged are particularly effective. Overloaded, caused by combining Pyro and Electro, deals AoE Pyro damage and can stagger Rifthounds, interrupting their attacks. Superconduct, triggered by combining Cryo and Electro, reduces physical resistance and deals AoE Cryo damage, which is useful if you have a physical damage dealer in your team. Electro-Charged, caused by combining Hydro and Electro, deals continuous Electro damage over time and can chain between multiple enemies, making it effective against groups of Rifthounds.

A good strategy is to start by applying Electro to the Rifthounds, as this element is effective against both types. Characters like Fischl, Raiden Shogun, or Beidou are excellent choices for this role. Once Electro is applied, follow up with Pyro, Cryo, or Hydro to trigger the desired reaction. For example, using Bennett or Xiangling to apply Pyro after Electro will trigger Overloaded, dealing significant AoE damage. Alternatively, using characters like Ganyu or Ayaka to apply Cryo after Electro will trigger Superconduct, reducing the Rifthounds' physical resistance and allowing your physical damage dealers to deal more damage.

It is important to avoid using characters or reactions that rely heavily on physical damage, as Rifthounds are resistant to it. Instead, focus on elemental damage and reactions. Additionally, be mindful of the Corrosion effect. Characters with healing abilities, such as Barbara, Qiqi, or Jean, are essential to counteract the damage over time caused by Corrosion. Having a shield character like Zhongli or Diona can also help mitigate damage and provide additional protection.

Team composition is crucial when fighting Rifthounds. A balanced team with a mix of damage dealers, supports, and healers is ideal. For example, a team consisting of Raiden Shogun (Electro DPS), Xiangling (Pyro support), Ganyu (Cryo DPS), and Barbara (Hydro healer) can effectively trigger multiple Elemental Reactions while providing healing and support. Another effective team could include Fischl (Electro support), Bennett (Pyro healer and buffer), Ayaka (Cryo DPS), and Zhongli (Geo shielder).

Artifact and weapon choices should complement your team's strengths and the reactions you plan to use. For Electro characters, the Thundering Fury artifact set is ideal, as it boosts Electro damage and reduces skill cooldowns. For Pyro characters, the Crimson Witch of Flames set increases Pyro damage and enhances Overloaded reactions. Cryo characters benefit from the Blizzard Strayer set, which increases Cryo damage and critical rate against frozen or Cryo-affected enemies. Weapons should prioritize elemental mastery, energy recharge, and critical rate to maximize reaction damage and ensure consistent ability usage.

In specific scenarios, such as fighting multiple Rifthounds at once, positioning and crowd control become important. Use characters with AoE abilities to deal damage to multiple enemies simultaneously. For example, Sucrose or Venti can group enemies together, making it easier to trigger reactions on all of them at once. Timing your bursts and abilities to coincide with the Rifthounds' enraged state can also maximize damage output.

Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting healing and shielding, as Corrosion can quickly deplete your team's health. Additionally, relying too heavily on physical damage or single-target abilities can make the fight more difficult. Always prioritize elemental damage and reactions, and ensure your team has the necessary support to sustain through the fight.

Advanced techniques include using elemental resonance to boost your team's effectiveness. For example, having two Pyro characters in your team increases attack by 25%, while two Electro characters increase energy recharge, allowing for more frequent ability usage. Additionally, mastering the timing of your reactions and abilities can significantly increase your damage output. For example, using Raiden Shogun's Elemental Burst to apply Electro, followed by Xiangling's Elemental Burst to trigger Overloaded, can deal massive damage in a short amount of time.

In conclusion, effectively using Elemental Reactions against Rifthounds requires a combination of understanding their mechanics, building a balanced team, and executing well-timed strategies. By focusing on elemental damage, utilizing healing and shielding, and avoiding common mistakes, you can overcome the challenges posed by Rifthounds and emerge victorious.