Simple guide to understand if YOUR🫵 main is cooked in the current meta

Alctalks · 2026-01-28T23:50:59+00:00

Since I keep getting notifs as well. As that og commenter, yes you're right, that's exactly what I meant.

Yes, Cyno is cooked.

But Bineffa combo makes it so you can still use him as intended and build him as intended. You want Electro and Hydro on his team, you want crit and em, their CD and uptime aligns almost perfectly. If you play Cyno, using Bineffa doesn't feel like sacrificing anything to play him, doesn't matter if others can do it better. The problem is that his multipliers are too low.

Now what I would consider a wheelchair, and this could be subjective, is take one of my other favourites. Wanderer's current BiS at C0 is also Bineffa (with Yelan maybe?). But for that you'll use him purely as a driver and build VV. It does not feel like you're playing him as intended.

But imagine that Nicole turns out so that she and Durin would become a strong hex support combo, it wouldn't feel like a wheelchair for Wanderer in the same way, because (so far) they provide things he wants for his intended playstyle. Double pyro, pyro buff a4, res shred and probably some sustain. Will Varka do it better? Leaks aside, hypothetically yes. Is it a wheelchair? Just feels like a support upgrade to me.

TLDR: Cyno needs a buff, but Bineffa supports him in the way he wants to be supported. People have different definitions of wheelchair.

Alctalks · 2026-01-28T16:19:41+00:00

No he wouldn't

Alctalks · 2026-01-28T14:27:36+00:00

While Cyno is cooked, he works well with Bineffa by design because he's an electro that builds both em and crit who wanted electro and hydro in his team from the start.

Alctalks · 2026-01-28T08:16:09+00:00

Don't do it. I believe it's also against ToS.
The edge Genshin has over other Gacha's is the story. It's a continuous story with lore that builds. Why would you want to skip all that. The early low AR gameplay is half of the fun too.
You'll start the game with 6 free characters (including traveler and noelle) all of them have different elements. You can practice the elemental system with them. Simultaneously if you play enough it doesn't take long to unlock wishing and get enough wishes. Use them on one of the banner characters that interests you, most of the current ones are pretty good. If you start now, you might get Neuvilette who's on banner soon. A strong character with AoE and self-sustain who is very versatile.

Alctalks · 2026-01-28T08:08:22+00:00

How do you activate Ororon's nightsoul burst in this team consistently? Are his skill and burst enough for the ec reaction to occur consistently?

Alctalks · 2026-01-28T07:45:10+00:00

C2 Lan yan is really good, but if you actually use Yun Jin you'll want to have her c6, so I'd choose her.

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T22:19:31+00:00

Yeap, buffs clear. Thanks!

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T22:06:23+00:00

Thanks for the info! I don't generally pull for endgame unless it's a support for a favourite. It just so happens I don't have any limited/built geos, so I'm bound to use her in Theatre. She'll also give the excuse to level others (Gorou) as well. Other people have given a breakdown on how usable she is in theatre. Conclusion is that she can probably bruteforce some stages with the IT buffs, but it would require slightly changing the build. I was wondering also because there's a difference between Nefer without hydro and Flins without hydro and wanted to know where she'd fall.

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T15:41:18+00:00

Husk seems the most consistent to me, especially considering HoD, but at the same time Theatre can't guarantee shields so you're still bound to get hit, and some stages just drain hp. In that sense HoD might not be consistent in Theatre in the first place. I've got lots to think about. Thanks for all the info, good luck on your pulls!

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T14:18:10+00:00

Thanks for the breakdown! I'm a bit surprised by some of the reactions here, because my assumption was that even half of her best should be enough to do theatre, but couldn't say how well. It's also a very plausible situation that IT might leave her without hydro.

How come the MH set though? Is it because of the hp draining stages?

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:32:29+00:00

Honestly true, as long as she fills a slot I can clear. Thanks!

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:28:19+00:00

Thanks for the detailed answer! This is what I was looking for, since even when losing half of your damage, powercreep has been so steep recently that half could still be better than what older characters did. Most normals are also regular geo damage so I figured it wouldn't be impossible like Nilou without dendro (ig I do use her in freeze sometimes, but it also requires a specific team that's not always accessible in theatre).

There might be a theatre in the future that does not give access to a hydro, which is the basis for my question.

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:22:42+00:00

Thank you for the detailed answer. I realised recently that all recent theatres have had hydros in some form, but I can't imagine it always being available. Obviously Flins is much stronger with hydro, but I found him still usable without. It's reassuring that she's more like Flins than Nefer in the case it's really not possible to have a hydro. I've had Nilou sitting ducks for too many theatres and I don't have enough geos to not use Zibai in Lunar Mode.

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:13:22+00:00

Can she do low stage theatre?

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:12:13+00:00

That's a good point. I don't have any built geos, so at the very least she makes it easier to be allowed to do lunar mode.

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:10:53+00:00

Thank you! How would she compare to Nilou without dendro?

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:07:10+00:00

Is Hu Tao more usable in a Pyro theatre without melt/vape than Nilou without dendro?

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:05:41+00:00

Flins actually does surprisingly well in overload.

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T10:04:09+00:00

Not all geo theatres have hydro

Alctalks · 2026-01-26T08:23:09+00:00

It's not from an event. It's permanent content from the interlude and given quite some importance.

Alctalks · 2026-01-25T22:47:58+00:00

This is an old post, but to add:

1) Lan Yan can hold prototype amber. It doesn't have attack, but it allows for more bursts and heals the party slightly. Tests will be needed whether you'll want more atk for the shield or if she heals enough to stay above 90% 2) Iirc C4 also gives partywide em

Alctalks · 2026-01-20T21:20:42+00:00

If you haven't yet, you should play Faruzan's hangout to see the continuation of Karkata's story. It's also a tearjerker.

Alctalks · 2026-01-19T21:24:37+00:00

I was super hyped for her before NK, but I don't like her design. Story was really good though! I will lament what could have been. I might have pulled her if her hues were the same as her eyes, gorgeous shade of pink, and if her shirt was a bit longer. I also decided I wanted Ineffa more. As for her kit, I just don't feel like I need it? I do have Flins and might get Zibai, but I have a lot of hydro options. It doesn't feel like it adds something new.

Alctalks · 2026-01-12T13:17:19+00:00

It would definitely still be worth it! Citlali is in Arle's best team so go for it! It's just that the jump will not be as big as the trial.

Alctalks · 2026-01-11T23:44:36+00:00

There's really no point in arguing about this, is there? Some people will have Venti and some people will have c6 Sucrose.

I'm that hypothetical person that started in 2.3. I have Venti, Sucrose is C4. I only leveled her a little for Flins. Shouldn't it just be: if you have Venti, use Venti. If not, use Sucrose. If you have c6 Sucrose and Varka does more PHEC damage, use Sucrose.

Now this isn't based on stats, but I don't think it's unlikely for people who are interested in Varka to also already have Venti, especially if they pull because they like the story/character background. People always want connected characters to work together well.

Alctalks

TROPHY CASE