Unsheathing the Truth: Is the Sacrificial Sword Your Next Best Friend in Teyvat?
Ah, the Sacrificial Sword. The name brings images of knights making sacrifices. In Genshin Impact, it’s about mitigating skill issues. This 4-Star sword, from the Sacrificial Series, is not the prettiest. Its utility? That is where things get interesting. Think Swiss Army Knife of swords; not flashy but very useful.
Sacrificial Sword: The Nitty-Gritty Details
The Sacrificial Sword is a 4-Star weapon. You get it through the world of Wishes. It’s not what you farm for but a nice surprise while hunting that elusive 5-Star character or weapon. It connects with other weapons like the Sacrificial Greatsword. They all focus on Elemental Skill cooldowns.
Stat-wise, the Sacrificial Sword starts with a Base Attack from 41 to 454 as it ascends. That’s not going to launch your damage into the stratosphere. The important stat here is Energy Recharge. It offers a boost of 13.3% to 61.3% at max level. For characters dependent on their Elemental Bursts, this is valuable.
Refinement: Double the Trouble, Double the Fun?
Weapon Refinement in Genshin levels up special abilities. The Sacrificial Sword’s ability focuses on resetting Elemental Skill cooldowns. The base effect states: “After dealing damage with an Elemental Skill, there’s a 40% chance to end its own CD. Can only happen every 30s.” At Refinement Rank 5, this chance rises to 80%. Imagine using your Elemental Skill again almost immediately. It’s like getting a “do-over” button for your skills.
Who Wields the Sacrificial Sword Like a Pro? The Character Lineup
Now, let’s explore characters who can wield this cooldown-resetting wonder:
- Xingqiu: The Rain Sword Rockstar: Xingqiu tops many lists for a good reason. His Elemental Skill, Guhua Sword: Fatal Rainscreen, is vital for damage and Hydro application. The Sacrificial Sword lets him potentially cast it twice fast, generating energy particles and applying Hydro like crazy.
- Chongyun: Cryo Field Commander: Chongyun’s Elemental Skill, Chonghua’s Layered Frost, creates a Cryo field. Casting it twice boosts that field’s uptime. This leads to consistent Cryo application and more chances for Shatter and Freeze reactions.
- Diona: The Bartender with a Bang: Diona’s Elemental Skill, Icy Paws, offers shields and Cryo application. The Sacrificial Sword lets her generate more shields and energy. She’s even more reliable as support. Double the paws, double the protection!
- Sucrose: Anemo Alchemist Extraordinaire: Sucrose’s Elemental Skill, Astable Anemohypostasis Creation – 6308, excels in grouping enemies. With the Sacrificial Sword, she can swirl twice, generating more energy and crowd control. More swirls bring more chaos.
- Kazuha: Anemo Samurai Supreme: Kazuha’s Elemental Skill, Chihayaburu, is great for crowd control. The Sacrificial Sword allows him to possibly use it twice, leading to more crowd control and energy generation.
- Electro Traveler: Shockingly Good Support: The Electro Traveler’s Elemental Skill, Palm Vortex, helps with energy and Electro application. The Sacrificial Sword can generate more energy and apply Electro more often, supporting Electro-based teams.
- Venti: The Anemo Archon of Energy: Venti generates plenty of energy already. The Sacrificial Sword pushes him further. More Elemental Skill uses lead to even faster Burst uptime and crowd control.
- Bennett: The Unlucky Pyro Paladin: Bennett is an interesting case. While not typical, the Sacrificial Sword works on him. His Elemental Skill, Passion Overload, has a short cooldown. This weapon can help him use it twice in a row.
- Kaeya: The Cavalry Captain with Cold Steel: Kaeya feels the Energy Recharge substat’s benefits from the Sacrificial Sword. His Frostgnaw Elemental Skill has a short cooldown. More Energy Recharge helps keep his Glacial Waltz Burst up frequently.
- Traveler (All Elements): Your Adaptable Adventurer: No matter their current element, the Sacrificial Sword’s Energy Recharge is helpful. Their Elemental Skills vary but more energy benefits all Bursts.
- Nilou: The Lotus of the Dancing Sands: Is the Sacrificial Sword good for Nilou? No, not really. Her Bloom-focused playstyle doesn’t mesh with its strengths. She prefers weapons that boost her HP or Elemental Mastery.
Sacrificial Sword vs. Iron Sting: A Sharp Comparison
Let’s compare the Sacrificial Sword with Iron Sting. Both are 4-Star swords but serve different needs. Iron Sting can be crafted at the blacksmith. It focuses on Elemental Mastery and has a passive that boosts damage after dealing Elemental damage.
The real question isn’t “which is better?” but “which is better for the situation?” If your character lacks energy and needs help using their Burst consistently, the Sacrificial Sword may be best. Its Energy Recharge substat and potential skill casts help energy generation. If your character already has enough Energy Recharge, Iron Sting might be superior for damage output.
The Verdict: Is the Sacrificial Sword Worth It?
The Sacrificial Sword won’t top damage charts, but its utility as an Energy Recharge and cooldown tool is clear. For many support characters and some sub-DPS units, it’s fantastic. It may lack flashiness but is a dependable workhorse that boosts your team’s energy economy and skill uptime. So, if you see that golden glow during a Wish and a Sacrificial Sword appears, don’t sigh in disappointment. Think about which character could use extra energy and skill action. You may be surprised by how much this unassuming sword offers.
