What is the best way to deal with the Rifthound Nail Widths in Genshin Impact?

Dealing with Rifthound Nails in Genshin Impact requires a good understanding of their mechanics and the right strategies to counter them effectively. Rifthounds are unique enemies that inflict the Corrosion status, which damages your entire team over time, regardless of shields. This makes them particularly challenging, especially in domains or the Spiral Abyss where survival is crucial. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to handle Rifthound Nails.

First, letÔÇÖs break down the mechanics of Rifthounds. Rifthounds are wolf-like creatures that come in two variants: Rifthound Whelps and Rifthounds. Both types have a unique ability to inflict Corrosion, which drains the health of all party members over time, even if they are shielded. The Corrosion effect can stack, making it more dangerous the longer the fight drags on. Additionally, Rifthounds have a teleportation ability, making them hard to pin down. When their health drops below a certain threshold, they enter a berserk state, increasing their aggression and attack speed.

To effectively deal with Rifthounds, you need to focus on two main strategies: mitigating Corrosion and maximizing damage output. For Corrosion mitigation, having a reliable healer in your team is essential. Characters like Bennett, Jean, Kokomi, or Barbara can provide consistent healing to counteract the health drain. Shields, while not preventing Corrosion, can still help reduce incoming damage from their physical attacks.

For damage output, you should prioritize characters with strong single-target or AoE damage, as Rifthounds often appear in groups. Characters like Hu Tao, Ganyu, Ayaka, or Raiden Shogun are excellent choices due to their high burst damage. Additionally, using characters with crowd control abilities, such as Venti or Kazuha, can help group the Rifthounds together, making it easier to deal damage to multiple enemies at once.

When engaging Rifthounds, itÔÇÖs important to manage your stamina and positioning. Rifthounds are fast and can teleport, so you need to be ready to dodge their attacks. Avoid staying in one spot for too long, as they can quickly close the distance and overwhelm you. Use your characterÔÇÖs elemental skills and bursts strategically to maximize damage while keeping an eye on your health.

One common mistake players make is neglecting their healerÔÇÖs energy needs. Since Corrosion affects the entire team, your healer will need to use their burst frequently. Make sure to equip your healer with energy recharge artifacts or weapons to ensure they can heal consistently. Another mistake is focusing too much on shields. While shields can help reduce damage, they wonÔÇÖt protect against Corrosion, so donÔÇÖt rely solely on them.

Advanced techniques include using elemental reactions to your advantage. For example, pairing a Hydro character like Xingqiu with a Pyro character like Hu Tao can trigger Vaporize, dealing massive damage. Similarly, using Electro characters like Fischl or Beidou with a Hydro character can trigger Electro-Charged, which deals continuous damage over time. These reactions can help you take down Rifthounds more efficiently.

For team composition, a balanced team with a healer, a main DPS, a sub-DPS, and a support character is ideal. For example, a team of Hu Tao (main DPS), Xingqiu (sub-DPS), Bennett (healer), and Zhongli (support) can work well. Hu Tao and Xingqiu can trigger Vaporize, Bennett provides healing and attack buffs, and Zhongli offers shields and crowd control.

Artifact and weapon recommendations depend on your characters. For DPS characters, focus on artifacts that increase their damage output, such as Crimson Witch of Flames for Pyro characters or Blizzard Strayer for Cryo characters. For healers, prioritize artifacts that boost healing effectiveness and energy recharge, such as Maiden Beloved or Noblesse Oblige. Weapons should complement your characterÔÇÖs role, with DPS characters using high attack weapons like Staff of Homa or Mistsplitter Reforged, and healers using energy recharge weapons like Favonius Sword or Prototype Amber.

In specific scenarios, such as the Spiral Abyss, you may need to adapt your strategy based on the floorÔÇÖs layout and enemy composition. For example, if youÔÇÖre facing multiple Rifthounds, using a character with strong AoE damage like Ganyu or Ayaka can help clear them quickly. If Corrosion is a major issue, consider bringing a second healer or using food buffs to boost your teamÔÇÖs survivability.

In conclusion, dealing with Rifthound Nails in Genshin Impact requires a combination of effective healing, strategic positioning, and maximizing damage output. By understanding their mechanics, using the right team composition, and optimizing your artifacts and weapons, you can overcome these challenging enemies and succeed in your battles.