The Skyward Blade is a 5-star sword in Genshin Impact, known for its Energy Recharge substat and passive ability that boosts Energy Recharge, increases Crit Rate, and provides an ATK SPD and ATK buff after using an Elemental Burst. This makes it a versatile weapon suitable for characters who rely on their Elemental Bursts and can benefit from increased attack speed. Let's dive into the best characters who can wield the Skyward Blade effectively and how to build team compositions around them.

Understanding the Skyward Blade

Before we jump into specific characters, let's break down what makes the Skyward Blade a desirable weapon. Its primary appeal lies in its ability to address Energy Recharge needs, allowing characters to use their Elemental Bursts more frequently. The additional Crit Rate and ATK buffs further enhance their damage output, making it a well-rounded choice for both support and DPS roles. The base attack is also quite high, adding to its overall effectiveness. The weapon is particularly useful in team compositions where frequent Elemental Burst usage is key to triggering powerful reactions or maintaining consistent damage output. Understanding these strengths helps in identifying characters who can fully utilize the Skyward Blade's potential and contribute significantly to team synergy. The Skyward Blade's versatility ensures that it remains a relevant weapon in various team archetypes. It is especially beneficial for characters that have high energy costs for their bursts, as it helps them to consistently have their burst available.

Key Features of Skyward Blade

• High Base ATK: Provides a solid foundation for damage scaling.
• Energy Recharge Substat: Ensures more frequent Elemental Burst usage.
• Passive Ability: Increases Crit Rate and provides ATK SPD and ATK buffs after using an Elemental Burst.

Best Characters for Skyward Blade

So, who are the best characters to equip with the Skyward Blade? Here's a breakdown, focusing on characters who greatly benefit from its Energy Recharge and attack buffs:

Bennett: The Support Powerhouse

Bennett is arguably one of the best characters in Genshin Impact, and the Skyward Blade complements his kit perfectly. His Elemental Burst, Fantastic Voyage, provides healing and an ATK buff based on his Base ATK. The Energy Recharge from the Skyward Blade ensures that Bennett can consistently use his Burst, providing continuous healing and damage buffs to the team. The additional Crit Rate and ATK from the weapon's passive further amplify his support capabilities, making him an invaluable asset in almost any team composition. Equipping Bennett with the Skyward Blade allows him to function as a reliable battery for the team, ensuring that other characters can also use their Bursts more frequently. Furthermore, the weapon's high base attack contributes directly to the ATK buff that Bennett provides, making the Skyward Blade an excellent choice for maximizing his support potential. His role as a versatile support character is enhanced by the consistent uptime of his Elemental Burst, which is critical for both healing and damage amplification.

Jean: The Anemo Healer and Sub-DPS

Jean is another excellent candidate for the Skyward Blade. Her Elemental Burst, Dandelion Breeze, provides healing and continuous Anemo damage to enemies within its AoE. The Energy Recharge from the Skyward Blade allows Jean to use her Burst more frequently, ensuring consistent healing and damage output. Additionally, the ATK SPD buff from the weapon's passive can help her deal more damage with her Normal Attacks, especially when utilizing her ability to launch enemies into the air. Jean's versatility as both a healer and a sub-DPS makes her a valuable addition to many teams, and the Skyward Blade enhances her ability to fulfill both roles effectively. Her ability to Swirl elements and provide crowd control further solidifies her position as a strong choice for the weapon. The Skyward Blade helps Jean maintain a high uptime on her Elemental Burst, which is essential for both healing and dealing damage, making her a reliable and consistent team member.

Xingqiu: The Hydro Sub-DPS Enabler

Xingqiu is a top-tier Hydro sub-DPS character, and the Skyward Blade can significantly enhance his performance. His Elemental Burst, Guhua Sword: Raincutter, provides continuous Hydro application, enabling powerful Vaporize and Electro-Charged reactions. The Energy Recharge from the Skyward Blade ensures that Xingqiu can consistently use his Burst, maintaining a high level of Hydro application. The additional Crit Rate and ATK buffs from the weapon's passive further increase his damage output, making him a formidable sub-DPS character. Xingqiu's ability to reduce incoming damage and provide minor healing also adds to his overall utility, making him a valuable asset in various team compositions. Equipping him with the Skyward Blade maximizes his potential as a consistent and reliable source of Hydro application and damage. His synergy with Pyro DPS characters like Hu Tao and Diluc is particularly notable, as he enables them to trigger Vaporize reactions frequently, resulting in massive damage output.

Kazuha: The Anemo Support and Crowd Controller

While Kazuha is often equipped with weapons that focus on Elemental Mastery, the Skyward Blade can be a viable option, particularly in situations where Energy Recharge is a priority. Kazuha's Elemental Burst, Kazuha Slash, provides continuous Anemo damage and can absorb other elements to deal additional damage. The Energy Recharge from the Skyward Blade allows Kazuha to use his Burst more frequently, ensuring consistent crowd control and elemental absorption. Although he typically benefits more from weapons like Freedom-Sworn or Iron Sting, the Skyward Blade can still be a useful alternative, especially in teams where energy generation is a concern. The ATK SPD buff from the weapon's passive can also help Kazuha deal more damage with his Normal Attacks during downtime. His ability to buff the team's elemental damage based on his Elemental Mastery remains his primary strength, but the Skyward Blade can provide a supplementary boost to his overall utility.

Ayaka: The Cryo DPS

Ayaka can also make good use of the Skyward Blade, especially in teams where you need consistent Burst uptime. Her Elemental Burst deals massive Cryo damage, and the Energy Recharge from the Skyward Blade can help her use it more frequently. The ATK SPD buff can also increase her damage output during her Elemental Skill and Normal Attack combos. While other weapons might provide a higher damage ceiling, the Skyward Blade offers reliability in terms of energy generation, making it a solid choice for consistent performance. Ayaka's dependence on her Elemental Burst for sustained damage output makes the Skyward Blade a practical option for ensuring she always has her Burst ready. The weapon helps mitigate energy issues that can arise in certain team compositions, allowing Ayaka to maintain a steady stream of Cryo damage.

Team Compositions with Skyward Blade

Now that we've covered the best individual characters for the Skyward Blade, let's explore some effective team compositions that leverage the weapon's strengths:

Bennett, Xiangling, Xingqiu, and Chongyun

This team composition focuses on Vaporize and Melt reactions. Bennett provides healing and an ATK buff with his Skyward Blade, Xiangling deals Pyro damage with her Elemental Burst, Xingqiu applies Hydro for Vaporize, and Chongyun applies Cryo for Melt. This team is highly effective against single targets and can deal massive damage with well-timed reactions. The consistent energy generation provided by Bennett ensures that Xiangling and Xingqiu can frequently use their Bursts, maximizing the team's damage output.

Jean, Raiden Shogun, Xingqiu, and Fischl

This team composition revolves around Electro-Charged and Superconduct reactions. Jean provides healing and Anemo damage with her Skyward Blade, Raiden Shogun provides energy recharge and Electro damage, Xingqiu applies Hydro for Electro-Charged, and Fischl provides additional Electro damage and energy generation. This team is effective against groups of enemies and can deal consistent damage over time. The Skyward Blade on Jean ensures that she can consistently heal the team and contribute to the overall damage output. Raiden Shogun's presence further amplifies the team's energy generation, ensuring that everyone can use their Bursts frequently.

Ayaka, Venti, Mona, and Diona

This team composition focuses on permafreeze and sustained Cryo damage. Ayaka is the main DPS, dealing massive Cryo damage with her Elemental Burst. Venti provides crowd control and helps to group enemies together. Mona provides a damage buff with her Elemental Burst and applies Hydro for Freeze. Diona provides shielding, healing, and Cryo resonance. The Skyward Blade on Ayaka ensures that she can consistently use her Elemental Burst, maximizing her damage output. Venti's crowd control is essential for keeping enemies within Ayaka's Burst range, while Mona's damage buff further amplifies her damage.

Alternatives to Skyward Blade

While the Skyward Blade is a solid weapon, there are several alternatives that may be better suited for specific characters or situations. Here are a few notable options:

• Favonius Sword: Provides even more Energy Recharge, making it ideal for characters who need to battery the team.
• Sacrificial Sword: Allows characters to use their Elemental Skill twice, which can be beneficial for characters like Xingqiu.
• Aquila Favonia: Offers a high Base ATK and Physical DMG Bonus, making it a good choice for physical DPS characters.
• Freedom-Sworn: Provides Elemental Mastery and buffs to the entire team, making it ideal for support characters like Kazuha.

Final Thoughts

The Skyward Blade is a versatile weapon that can be effectively used by a variety of characters in Genshin Impact. Its Energy Recharge substat and passive ability make it particularly well-suited for characters who rely on their Elemental Bursts and can benefit from increased attack speed. Whether you're using Bennett to buff your team, Jean to provide healing and damage, or Xingqiu to enable powerful reactions, the Skyward Blade can be a valuable asset. By understanding the weapon's strengths and building team compositions that leverage its capabilities, you can maximize its potential and create a formidable team. So, gear up your characters, experiment with different team comps, and unleash the power of the Skyward Blade! Remember to consider your specific team needs and playstyle when choosing a weapon, and don't be afraid to try out different options to find what works best for you.