How do I counter the Rifthound Calves in Genshin Impact?

Rifthound Calves are a type of enemy in Genshin Impact that can be quite challenging due to their mobility and the Corrosion effect they inflict. To effectively counter them, you need to understand their mechanics, use the right team compositions, and employ specific strategies. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to deal with Rifthound Calves.

Rifthound Calves are smaller versions of the Rifthounds and share similar mechanics. They are highly mobile, often teleporting or dashing around the battlefield, making them difficult to hit. When they attack, they inflict Corrosion, a status effect that causes your entire team to lose HP over time, regardless of whether the active character is shielded. This makes healing an essential part of your strategy.

To counter Rifthound Calves, start by focusing on their elemental weaknesses. They are weak to Geo and Anemo elements, so characters like Zhongli, Albedo, or Jean can be particularly effective. Geo constructs can block their movements, while Anemo characters can group them together using crowd control abilities like JeanÔÇÖs Elemental Skill or VentiÔÇÖs Elemental Burst. This makes it easier to deal damage to multiple Rifthound Calves at once.

When engaging Rifthound Calves, prioritize dodging their attacks to avoid Corrosion. Their attacks are telegraphed, so watch for their movements and dodge accordingly. If you do get hit, make sure you have a healer in your team. Characters like Bennett, Barbara, or Qiqi can provide consistent healing to counteract the Corrosion effect. Bennett is especially useful because his Elemental Burst not only heals but also provides an attack boost, increasing your overall damage output.

Team composition is crucial when fighting Rifthound Calves. A balanced team with a mix of DPS, support, and healing is ideal. For example, you could use a team like Zhongli (shield and Geo damage), Bennett (healing and attack boost), Xiangling (Pyro DPS), and Venti (crowd control). This setup allows you to deal consistent damage while maintaining survivability. ZhongliÔÇÖs shield will protect you from most attacks, Bennett will keep your team healthy, Xiangling will deal high Pyro damage, and Venti will group the enemies together for easier targeting.

Artifact and weapon choices also play a significant role in optimizing your team for this fight. For DPS characters like Xiangling, focus on artifacts that increase attack and elemental mastery, such as the Crimson Witch of Flames set. For healers like Bennett, the Noblesse Oblige set is ideal as it boosts his Elemental Burst damage and provides a team-wide attack buff. Weapons like the Favonius Sword for Bennett can help with energy regeneration, ensuring his Elemental Burst is available more frequently.

One common mistake to avoid is neglecting healing. Since Corrosion affects the entire team, relying solely on shields or dodging is not enough. Always have a healer ready to restore HP. Another mistake is not using crowd control effectively. Rifthound Calves are fast and can be hard to hit, so using characters with crowd control abilities can make the fight much easier.

Advanced techniques include timing your Elemental Bursts to maximize damage and using elemental reactions to your advantage. For example, combining Pyro and Electro can trigger Overload, dealing AoE damage that can hit multiple Rifthound Calves at once. Similarly, using Freeze reactions with Hydro and Cryo can immobilize them, giving you more time to attack.

In specific scenarios, such as fighting multiple Rifthound Calves in the Spiral Abyss, positioning is key. Try to lure them into a corner or use terrain to limit their movement. This makes it easier to group them together and deal damage efficiently. Additionally, using food buffs and potions can give you an edge in tougher fights.

In summary, countering Rifthound Calves requires a combination of understanding their mechanics, using the right team composition, and employing effective strategies. Focus on healing, crowd control, and elemental reactions to maximize your damage and survivability. With the right approach, you can overcome these challenging enemies and progress through the game.