Hu Tao is a five-star Pyro polearm user known for her explosive single-target damage and high-risk, high-reward playstyle. Her Elemental Skill, Guide to Afterlife, consumes part of her HP to enter the Paramita Papilio state, converting normal, charged, and plunging attacks into Pyro damage. Charged attacks in this state apply the Blood Blossom effect, inflicting continuous Pyro damage.
Her Elemental Burst, Spirit Soother, restores HP while dealing powerful AoE Pyro damage, with stronger healing and damage when Hu Tao’s HP is below 50%. After casting, teammates gain a critical rate bonus, enhancing team synergy. Additionally, Hu Tao’s passive boosts Pyro damage by 33% under half health, making her most effective when maintained in a low-HP condition.
Read More: Aglaea Kit, Light Cone & Eidolon Leaks Revealed! | Honkai: Star Rail
Talent Priority
Hu Tao’s damage output relies heavily on her Normal Attacks while under the effect of her Elemental Skill, making this talent the highest priority to upgrade. Next, focus on her Elemental Skill (Guide to Afterlife), as it converts her attacks into Pyro damage and scales with Max HP, significantly boosting her overall performance. Finally, upgrade her Elemental Burst (Spirit Soother), which serves as both a strong finishing move and a source of healing, but does not need to be maxed as early as the others.
Recommended Talent Order: Normal Attack > Elemental Skill > Elemental Burst
Optimal Levels: 10-10-8 for late game, or 8-8-6 during progression.
Best Weapons
As a primary DPS, Hu Tao benefits most from weapons that enhance Crit stats, HP scaling, and Elemental Mastery to amplify her Vaporize reactions. Among available options, the following stand out as her top choices:
Best Choice – Staff of Homa
Hu Tao’s signature weapon and her undisputed best-in-slot. It boosts HP and converts a portion into ATK, perfectly complementing her kit. Additionally, when Hu Tao’s HP falls below 50%, Staff of Homa grants a powerful ATK bonus, maximizing her low-HP playstyle.
Strong Alternatives – Staff of the Scarlet Sands & Ballad of the Fjords
- Staff of the Scarlet Sands: Though tailored for Cyno, its Crit Rate and Elemental Mastery scaling make it a solid option, boosting both raw damage and reaction potential.
- Ballad of the Fjords (Battle Pass): Among 4-star choices, this is the strongest at high refinement. When three or more elements are present in the team, it grants up to 240 Elemental Mastery, greatly enhancing Vaporize damage.
Other Viable Options – Deathmatch, Dragon’s Bane, Lithic Spear, and Blackcliff Pole
- Deathmatch (Battle Pass): Provides Crit Rate and consistent ATK buffs, though less effective due to Hu Tao’s low base ATK.
- Dragon’s Bane: Boosts Elemental Mastery and increases damage against enemies affected by Hydro, making it excellent in Vaporize-focused teams.
- Lithic Spear: Strong when paired with multiple Liyue characters, offering ATK and Crit bonuses.
- Blackcliff Pole: Grants Crit DMG and stacking ATK bonuses after defeating enemies, best suited for multi-wave combat.
Budget Option – White Tassel
A surprisingly effective 3-star polearm, White Tassel provides Crit Rate and enhances Normal Attack damage by 24%, fitting well with Hu Tao’s playstyle.
Best Relics and Attributes ★
★ Artifact Sets
Option 1: Crimson Witch of Flames (Best-in-Slot)
- 2-Piece Bonus: +15% Pyro DMG Bonus
- 4-Piece Bonus: +40% Overloaded, Burning, and Burgeon DMG; +15% Vaporize and Melt DMG. Using an Elemental Skill increases the 2-piece bonus by 50% for 10s (up to 3 stacks).
Crimson Witch is Hu Tao’s strongest artifact set, amplifying her Pyro damage and maximizing Vaporize reactions, making it her most recommended build.
Option 2: Shimenawa’s Reminiscence
- 2-Piece Bonus: +18% ATK
- 4-Piece Bonus: If the character has 15+ Energy when casting an Elemental Skill, they lose 15 Energy but gain +50% Normal/Charged/Plunging Attack DMG for 10s.
Since Hu Tao relies heavily on charged attacks, this set greatly boosts her DPS. Best suited for players focusing on charged attack playstyles, though it sacrifices Burst uptime.
Option 3: Marechaussee Hunter (With Furina Synergy)
- 2-Piece Bonus: +15% Normal and Charged Attack DMG
- 4-Piece Bonus: When HP increases or decreases, Crit Rate is boosted by 12% for 5s, stacking up to 3 times.
This set excels when Hu Tao is paired with Furina, as her constant HP fluctuations fully activate the Crit Rate bonus. Without Furina, however, Hu Tao cannot consistently trigger its full potential.
Option 4: Beginner’s Mix – 2pc Crimson Witch + 2pc Wanderer’s Troupe
Combining +15% Pyro DMG (Crimson) with +80 Elemental Mastery (Wanderer’s Troupe) provides a solid early-game setup. This hybrid set boosts both raw Pyro damage and reaction damage, making it a flexible choice until better 4-piece sets are available.
Attributes ★
Main Stats
- Sands (Hourglass): HP% or Elemental Mastery (choose Elemental Mastery if it is below 100)
- Goblet (Chalice): Pyro DMG Bonus
- Circlet (Crown): Crit Rate or Crit DMG (whichever balances your ratio best)
Substats Priority
Crit Rate ≈ Crit DMG > HP% ≈ Elemental Mastery > ATK%
Hu Tao’s kit scales primarily with Max HP and reaction damage. Prioritize Crit stats to maximize consistency and damage, then stack HP% for scaling, while ensuring at least 100–150 Elemental Mastery to boost Vaporize reactions. ATK% provides less value compared to her other stats and should be a lower priority.
Best Teams
Charged Attack–Focused Teams
Double Hydro Team (Best-in-Slot)
Core: Hu Tao + Xingqiu + Yelan + Zhongli
This is Hu Tao’s most powerful and consistent lineup. Xingqiu and Yelan provide continuous Hydro application for Vaporize reactions, while also benefiting from Hydro Resonance, which boosts HP for the whole team. Both Hydro supports reduce each other’s Energy demands, making rotations smoother. Zhongli ensures survivability with a strong shield and resistance shred, letting Hu Tao safely stay at low HP for maximum damage.
- Replacements:
- Zhongli → Layla / Thoma (weaker shields but still viable)
- Yelan → Mona (burst-oriented Hydro support)
Double Geo Team
Core: Hu Tao + Albedo + Zhongli + Xingqiu/Yelan
This composition activates Geo Resonance, increasing team durability and boosting Hu Tao’s damage. Albedo provides consistent off-field Geo damage and Elemental Mastery via his Burst, further enhancing Hu Tao’s reaction output. Zhongli remains essential for shielding and debuffing enemies, while Xingqiu or Yelan supply Hydro for Vaporize.
- Replacements:
- Albedo → Chiori / Navia (other strong Geo sub-DPS units)
Falling Attack–Focused Team
A team composed of Hu Tao, Yelan, Furina, and Xiangling (with Hu Tao using the Shadow Hunter set) is specifically designed to maximize her plunging attack damage. Yelan and Furina provide consistent Hydro application, triggering Evaporation reactions to amplify Hu Tao’s Fire damage while activating Hydro Resonance for additional off-field damage.
Xiangling functions as a dedicated support for plunging attacks, further enhancing Hu Tao’s falling attack output. When equipped with the Verdant Shadow 4-piece set, Xiangling also boosts Yelan and Furina’s damage, increasing overall team DPS.
In short, Hu Tao excels as a high-burst Pyro DPS, especially when paired with the right supports. She scales with low HP, leverages Evaporation reactions, and thrives in well-synergized teams.
Why Top Up Genshin Impact on LootBar
LootBar.gg is a trusted global gaming platform offering secure and convenient services, including game top-ups, account trading, and in-game item exchanges. The platform supports popular titles such as Genshin Impact, PUBG, Free Fire, and Mobile Legends, providing 24/7 customer support and multiple payment options for a smooth experience.
LootBar.gg also offers competitive pricing, with occasional promotions and discounts of up to 20% on select items, helping players get more value for their purchases. Following the 4.1 update, MiHoYo reset the double top-up bonus promotion. When topping up Genesis Crystals on LootBar.gg for the first time at a specific level, players can receive double rewards. Previous top-ups through MiHoYo at that level, however, do not qualify for the bonus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hu Tao’s main role in a team?
Hu Tao is a primary DPS focused on high single-target and Vaporize damage. She scales with Max HP and performs best at low health for maximum damage output.
What weapons are best for Hu Tao?
The Staff of Homa is her best-in-slot weapon, followed by 4★ options like Ballad of the Fjords or Dragon’s Bane. Prioritize weapons that increase Crit stats, HP, or Elemental Mastery.
Which artifact sets work best for Hu Tao?
The 4-piece Crimson Witch of Flames is ideal for maximizing Pyro and reaction damage. Alternatives include Shimenawa’s Reminiscence for charged-attack builds or a hybrid 2+2 setup for beginners.
What team compositions synergize well with Hu Tao?
Best teams include Double Hydro teams (Hu Tao + Xingqiu + Yelan + Zhongli) for Vaporize reactions, or Plunging Attack-focused setups using supports like Furina and Xiangling.
How can I maximize Hu Tao’s damage safely?
Maintain her HP just below 50% to trigger her bonus Pyro DMG and healing effects. Combine this with Hydro supports for Vaporize and strong shielding from characters like Zhongli to reduce risk.
Are there budget options for Hu Tao builds?
Yes. 3★ weapons like White Tassel and a hybrid artifact setup (2-piece Crimson Witch + 2-piece Wanderer’s Troupe) can still provide solid DPS early on.
Conclusion
Hu Tao stands out as one of Genshin Impact’s most powerful Pyro DPS characters, excelling in high-risk, high-reward playstyles. Her damage scales with Max HP and low health, making proper management of her abilities and team composition essential. By equipping the right weapons, artifacts, and supports, players can fully unlock her potential, delivering devastating Vaporize reactions and high single-target burst damage.
