Aquila Favonia: Is This Sword Really an Eagle or More Like a Pigeon in Genshin Impact?
You found Aquila Favonia in Genshin Impact? Great! It might have dropped from a wish. Or you may simply be curious about this five-star sword. In Teyvat, some swords excel while others fall short. Let’s dissect Aquila Favonia. Is it an eagle or a pigeon? Is it worth your time? We will explore if it strengthens your characters, or if it is just nice to look at.
Aquila Favonia: The Bird’s Eye View
Aquila Favonia looks like a top-tier sword at first sight. It’s a five-star weapon, after all! But in Genshin, stars don’t always matter. Often, four-star or well-built three-star weapons can excel in specific situations. So, how useful is Aquila Favonia? Its usefulness is… complicated.
It’s not terrible but won’t win awards for most characters. Think of Aquila Favonia as a fancy Swiss Army knife. It has many tools, but none are the best for any job. It has a high base attack, which is universally good. It has a passive that boosts attack and provides some healing. Sounds okay? It’s fine, but there’s a catch.
The secondary stat is Physical DMG Bonus. In a game focused on elemental reactions, this bonus on a five-star sword feels unnecessary—like ketchup on gourmet steak. Now, who can use Aquila Favonia? The list of *potential* candidates is longer than the list of characters who truly *want* it. You can equip it on Jean, Qiqi, Bennett, Keqing, or Kuki Shinobu. However, these characters have better weapon choices.
Aquila Favonia is mainly a stat stick. What’s a stat stick? It’s a weapon focused on raw stats rather than its passive ability. For Aquila Favonia, the high base attack is its main attraction. For characters that scale on base attack, like Bennett, this high base attack can be valuable, despite the weapon’s weaknesses. In essence, it becomes a glorified stat booster for Bennett or a niche physical damage build. But physical builds are not usually meta in Genshin Impact.
Aquila Favonia: Character by Character Breakdown
Now, let’s see how Aquila Favonia performs on specific characters. We will answer some common questions about one character at a time.
Bennett: The Fiery Question Mark
Ah, Bennett. The unluckiest adventurer in Mondstadt, but among the luckiest pulls for Genshin players. He’s an excellent support character, buffing attack and healing with his burst. Why consider Aquila Favonia for Bennett? It’s all about that high base attack.
Bennett’s attack buff from his burst scales off his base attack. The higher the base attack, the bigger the buff he gives to your team. Aquila Favonia has one of the highest base attacks among swords, tied with Mistsplitter Reforged. This makes it attractive for maximizing Bennett’s potential.
Now, is Aquila Favonia actually *good* for Bennett? More importantly, is it better than Mistsplitter Reforged? Let’s tackle that second question first. Both share the same high base attack. However, Mistsplitter Reforged is designed for elemental damage dealers and focuses on Cryo damage specifically. Its passive and secondary stat (Crit DMG) are wasted on Bennett.
Aquila Favonia’s Physical DMG Bonus and its passive also do not mesh well with Bennett’s strengths. Therefore, neither weapon’s passive benefit Bennett’s support role. Passive effects are fairly useless here! So why think about Aquila Favonia? Again, that base attack is key.
Is Aquila Favonia the *best* option for Bennett? No way. Is it even the *preferred* option? Not really. It’s more of a fancy “if you have it” choice—a gold-plated wrench for fixing a leaky faucet. It works but a regular wrench does the job just as well.
Let’s list the *best* weapon options for Bennett: Skyward Blade stands out as a five-star choice. Although not perfectly suited for Bennett, the Energy Recharge sub-stat is crucial for using his burst consistently.
Among four-star weapons, Amenoma Kageuchi is a solid option. Its passive helps with energy regeneration—key for Bennett. The Favonius Sword also shines as another great four-star choice. Its passive generates energy particles for the team and boosts burst uptime.
These four-star swords often outperform Aquila Favonia because they directly address Bennett’s energy needs—more important than slightly increasing base attack beyond a certain point.
What about F2P (free-to-play) weapons for Bennett? Getting Aquila Favonia is not F2P-friendly. Prototype Rancour is craftable and has decent base attack. The Physical DMG Bonus sub-stat is wasted on Bennett but the base attack is there.
Some think of Iron Sting, but its Elemental Mastery sub-stat does not help Bennett’s support abilities. The Skyrider Sword, a three-star weapon, is surprisingly decent due to its Energy Recharge sub-stat. Again, ER remains crucial for Bennett.
So back to Aquila Favonia as a stat stick. Yes, it provides high base attack to boost Bennett’s buff. But is it *optimal*? No way! Many four-star and even three-star weapons are more practical and resource-efficient for Bennett.”,”
Aquila Favonia on Bennett is like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut—not efficient!
Let’s compare Aquila Favonia to other high base attack swords for Bennett, like Alley Flash and Skyward Blade. Alley Flash has the highest base attack among four-stars and seems perfect on paper.
However, it has Elemental Mastery as a sub-stat—not useful for support Bennett. Its high base attack attracts attention, but it lacks Energy Recharge, which Bennett desperately needs for consistent bursts off cooldown. Using Alley Flash will mean compensating with high ER substats on artifacts—a tough challenge.
Skyward Blade offers slightly lower base attack than the others but provides Energy Recharge as a sub-stat. This is critical!
Building Bennett with enough ER is much easier now. The passive isn’t a game-changer for support Bennett, but that ER sub-stat is vital.
Weapons for Bennett? If you want the highest base attack buff and have top-tier Energy Recharge substats on your artifacts, Alley Flash *could* give a higher buff than Skyward Blade. However, ER consistency with Alley Flash is hard to achieve. Skyward Blade offers a balanced approach, good base attack, and, importantly, Energy Recharge. Aquila Favonia is peculiar – high base attack but useless sub-stat and passive for support Bennett. It’s harder to obtain than Skyward Blade. If you get Aquila Favonia randomly, it’s usable on Bennett early on. Actively striving for it? Not recommended. Spend primogems on characters who benefit from their signature weapons instead or improve your artifact quality for Bennett. Most players find Skyward Blade the best generalist five-star option for Bennett. It blends base attack with essential Energy Recharge. Four-star options like Favonius Sword and Amenoma Kageuchi are more practical and resource-friendly.
Ayaka: Cryo Queen or Cryo… Confused?
Kamisato Ayaka is the Cryo princess of Inazuma. She is a top-tier DPS character who delivers massive Cryo damage. Players often wonder if Aquila Favonia suits her needs. The short answer? No. Is Aquila Favonia *good* for Ayaka? Again, no. Why? First, that annoying Physical DMG Bonus sub-stat is wasted on her. Ayaka is a Cryo damage dealer; physical damage doesn’t matter. Second, Aquila Favonia’s passive provides an attack boost that conflicts with Ayaka’s playstyle.
Ayaka excels with Crit DMG and Cryo DMG Bonus. Her best weapon, Mistsplitter Reforged, provides both along with high base attack. Other options like Primordial Jade Cutter (Crit Rate sub-stat) and Blackcliff Longsword (Crit DMG, obtainable from Starglitter Exchange) are better than Aquila Favonia. F2P choices like Amenoma Kageuchi are preferred due to energy regeneration abilities, allowing Ayaka’s burst to occur frequently. Using Aquila Favonia on Ayaka resembles placing winter tires on a sports car in summer – functional but misguided and ineffective.
Ayato: Hydro Househusband with a Sword?
Kamisato Ayato is Ayaka’s brother and a Hydro DPS character known for rapid Hydro application and steady damage. Is Aquila Favonia suitable for Ayato? Similar to Ayaka, no, but there’s a slight difference. Aquila Favonia isn’t optimal for Ayato, as the Physical DMG Bonus is again useless. Ayato delivers Hydro damage, not physical damage. Yet, Aquila Favonia can perform *okay* for him due to high base attack. As a stat stick, it provides a decent boost, but in Genshin Impact, “okay” still lags behind “good” four-star options.
Ayato prefers weapons boosting his Crit Rate, Crit DMG, or Hydro DMG Bonus. His signature weapon, Haran Geppaku Futsu, is perfect for him. Weapons like Primordial Jade Cutter and Mistsplitter Reforged (stat stick for Crit DMG) can top Aquila Favonia as choices. F2P choices like Amenoma Kageuchi or even The Flute (adds extra damage) are also better options than Aquila Favonia. Using Aquila Favonia on Ayato is akin to wearing dress shoes to a marathon – possible, but far from optimal.
Kazuha: Anemo Acrobat or Anemo… Average?
Kaedehara Kazuha is a wandering samurai and versatile Anemo support/sub-DPS character. Is Aquila Favonia good for him? Surprisingly, in a DPS build, Aquila Favonia ranks as one of the best weapon choices. Why? For DPS Kazuha, attack is desirable. Kazuha’s support abilities scale with Elemental Mastery, whereas a DPS build emphasizes Anemo damage and swirl reactions. In this specific build, Aquila Favonia’s high base attack and passive attack boost gain importance. However, it’s not necessarily the *best* choice even in that context.
Kazuha’s signature weapon, Freedom-Sworn, focuses on his support role by boosting Elemental Mastery and team damage. For DPS Kazuha, weapons like Mistsplitter Reforged (stat stick for Crit DMG and base attack), Primordial Jade Cutter (Crit Rate and base attack), and four-star Black Sword (Crit Rate and Normal/Charged Attack DMG boost) can be superior options. Aquila Favonia for DPS Kazuha serves as a “decent if you have it” choice rather than a prime recommendation. It’s like using a multi-tool for carpentry tasks – it works but specialized tools perform better.
Jean: Dandelion Knight… with a Questionable Sword?
Jean Gunnhildr is the Dandelion Knight and Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. Many consider Aquila Favonia her “signature weapon.” This irony reveals the confusion surrounding this weapon’s effectiveness. Jean’s Aquila Favonia? It’s her signature sword but… not ideal for her. Why is it seen as Jean’s signature weapon? Likely due to lore association with Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius. Jean is their Acting Grand Master. Aesthetically, it somewhat matches her colors. Yet, gameplay-wise, it falls short.
Jean is versatile; she can heal, deal damage, and control crowds. However, her damage scaling relies more on Anemo and healing than physical damage. Aquila Favonia’s Physical DMG Bonus sub-stat is wasted on Jean in most scenarios. Her healing depends on attack, making base attack somewhat useful. Still, the passive and sub-stat are unimpressive. Jean’s best weapon choices vary based on her build. For damage-focused builds, Primordial Jade Cutter or Summit Shaper (with a reliable shielder) may be better. For support roles, weapons with Energy Recharge like Favonius Sword or Skyward Blade secure consistent burst uptime for healing and Anemo application. Aquila Favonia on Jean exemplifies the disconnect between “signature weapon” and “best weapon.” It’s like giving a chef a fancy but dull knife – it looks good but doesn’t enhance their cooking.
Aquila Favonia: Weapon Deconstructed
Let’s explore the weapon itself for deeper insights. What *is* Aquila Favonia? What kind of sword is it beyond being a digital representation in a game? In Genshin lore, Aquila Favonia is depicted as a sword blessed by the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. It embodies freedom’s spirit and the west wind. Thus, it carries the name “Aquila Favonia,” rooted in Latin origins. It’s visually striking in design with an eagle motif that aligns with its storied background.
How do its stats compare to other swords? Aquila Favonia boasts the highest base attack among swords in Genshin Impact alongside Mistsplitter Reforged. Both have a base attack of 48 at level 1. This high base attack remains an attractive feature despite its questionable overall effectiveness. In comparison with other five-star swords, Aquila Favonia’s base attack stands out as top-tier. However, base attack comprises only one segment of the overall picture.
Next, let’s assess Aquila Favonia’s passive ability known as “Falcon’s Defiance.” This ability not only inflicts substantial damage but also provides a 20% attack boost to the wielder *constantly* at refinement rank 1. That’s an appealing boost that remains active consistently. Additionally, upon taking damage, the Falcon of the West awakens, regenerating HP equal to 100% of ATK while inflicting 160% ATK damage to nearby foes. This effect triggers once every 15 seconds. While the always-on 20% attack boost offers value, the damage and healing received upon taking hits seem less impactful overall. The passive exists but lacks significant influence on gameplay.
game-breaking, and it doesn’t compensate for wasted Physical DMG Bonus sub-stat in most scenarios.
Bennett: Building the Unluckiest (and Luckiest) Support
Aquila Favonia’s primary use is as a stat stick for Bennett. What does Bennett scale off of? In Genshin Impact, Bennett scales off his *base attack* and *max HP*. His talents and abilities rely on these stats. His attack buff from Fantastic Voyage is directly based on his base attack. The higher Bennett’s base attack, the larger the attack buff he gives to characters within his burst field. This is why weapons with high base attack, like Aquila Favonia, are considered, even if not optimal. His healing scales off his max HP. More HP means more healing for your team. Both base attack and max HP matter for different aspects of Bennett’s support role.
What about artifact sets for Bennett? The best artifact set for support Bennett is the 4-piece Noblesse Oblige. This set gives a significant team-wide attack buff (20%) when the wearer uses their burst. This fits perfectly with Bennett’s role as an attack buffer. The 2-piece Noblesse Oblige bonus (Burst DMG +20%) is less relevant for support Bennett. However, the 4-piece bonus maximizes team damage. There are very few situations when you would use anything other than the 4-piece Noblesse Oblige set on support Bennett. It is practically his best-in-slot artifact set.
Energy Recharge (ER) is essential for Bennett. How much ER does he need? For optimal performance, Bennett generally needs around 200-240% Energy Recharge. This ensures he can use his burst off cooldown consistently, providing continuous buffs and healing. The exact ER requirement can vary based on your team composition and playstyle. If you’re using another Pyro character to generate Pyro energy particles (like Xiangling or Dehya), or if you have Raiden Shogun, Bennett’s ER needs might lower slightly. However, aiming for that 200-240% range is a safe bet for burst uptime.
Does Bennett need Crit Rate or Crit DMG? For *support* Bennett, no. Crit stats do not matter. His buffing and healing are unaffected by Crit Rate or Crit DMG. If you build Bennett as a *sub-DPS*, then yes, Crit Rate and Crit DMG do matter. In a sub-DPS build, balance Energy Recharge with offensive stats. A good target is at least 200% ER and a Crit ratio of around 50% Crit Rate : 100% Crit DMG. This allows him to add some damage while maintaining consistent burst uptime for support.
Is it worth leveling Bennett to level 90? This is a common question. Leveling characters to 90 in Genshin Impact takes resources. Is it worth it for Bennett? The consensus is: no, it’s usually not worth leveling Bennett to 90 *solely* for his support. The increase in base attack from level 80/80 to 90 is small, and the increase in healing from HP scaling is not game-changing. Resources spent leveling Bennett to 90 could be better used on a main DPS character or improving artifacts. However, if you *really* love Bennett and want to max out his potential, or if you aim for a min-maxed build, then leveling him to 90 is an option. For most players, stopping at level 80/80 or 80/90 is sufficient for Bennett’s support role.
Can you build Bennett as a healer? Yes, absolutely. Bennett *is* a healer. His burst provides healing in an AoE. While he’s not a dedicated healer like Kokomi or Baizhu, his healing is substantial and often enough to keep your team alive in most content. He’s a fantastic all-rounder: buffer, healer, and Pyro applicator. One of the best four-star characters in the game, arguably one of the best healers among four-stars. However, there’s a limitation: Bennett’s burst healing only heals characters *up to* 70% HP. No matter how much HP you build on Bennett, he cannot heal a character above 70% HP within his burst field. This cap prevents him from being an overly strong full-HP healer and encourages proactive play.
Is C6 Bennett bad? Bennett’s Constellation 6 (C6) infuses his burst field with Pyro, changing physical damage to Pyro damage for characters in the field and granting a 15% Pyro DMG Bonus. Is this constellation bad? It’s… situational and controversial. For certain team compositions, C6 Bennett can be detrimental. If you use physical DPS characters like Eula or Razor, C6 Bennett will override their physical damage with Pyro damage, reducing their damage significantly. For Pyro-centric teams or teams that benefit from Pyro infusion, C6 Bennett can be beneficial. It can enable Pyro reactions and boost Pyro damage. Deciding to activate C6 Bennett depends on your team composition. If you’re unsure or if you use physical DPS characters often, it’s better to *not* activate C6. It’s one of the few constellations that can be considered a potential *downgrade* in certain cases.
Does ATK% matter on Bennett? Yes and no. ATK% on artifacts *does not* directly increase Bennett’s attack buff. His attack buff scales only off his *base attack*. Base attack is determined by Bennett’s level and his weapon’s base attack. ATK% from artifacts and weapons (like Aquila Favonia’s passive) does increase Bennett’s *own* attack stat, but does *not* directly give a larger buff for your team. It only affects his personal damage (if building sub-DPS) and his healing (which scales off total attack, but the base attack aspect is more important). While ATK% isn’t completely useless on Bennett, it’s less important than Energy Recharge and, to a lesser extent, HP (for healing). Focusing on ER and HP substats on artifacts is generally better for support Bennett than stacking ATK%.
Signature Weapons: A Character’s Best Friend (Usually)
We’ve discussed signature weapons for Ayaka and Kazuha. Now, let’s touch on signature weapons for other characters mentioned in the content brief for further context and comparison. Signature weapons are typically designed specifically for a character, thematically and mechanically. They usually synergize well with the character’s kit and playstyle.
For Ayaka, her signature weapon is Mistsplitter Reforged. As stated earlier, it’s a five-star sword providing Crit DMG, Cryo DMG Bonus, and a passive that boosts elemental damage further. It’s tailor-made for Ayaka’s Cryo DPS role. For Ganyu, her signature weapon is Amos’ Bow. Its passive boosts Normal and Charged Attack DMG, perfectly fitting Ganyu’s Charged Attack-focused playstyle. Other five-star bows can offer higher damage in specific scenarios, but Amos’ Bow remains a strong choice for Ganyu. Kazuha’s signature weapon is Freedom-Sworn. It’s a five-star sword that boosts Elemental Mastery, team damage, and gives extra buffs after triggering elemental reactions. It enhances Kazuha’s support capabilities.
Diluc’s signature weapon is Wolf’s Gravestone. A powerful five-star claymore that grants a big attack boost and increases attack when hitting enemies with low HP. It suits Diluc’s role as a Pyro DPS character. Xiao’s signature weapon is Primordial Jade Winged-Spear. A five-star polearm with high base attack and a passive that enhances attack and damage after hitting enemies. It suits Xiao’s plunge-attack DPS style well. Yae Miko’s signature weapon is Kagura’s Verity. A five-star catalyst that boosts Elemental Skill DMG and Elemental DMG when casting the skill, aligning with Yae Miko’s turret-style Elemental Skill-based gameplay. For Tighnari, his signature weapon is Hunter’s Path. A five-star bow designed for his Charged Attack-focused Dendro DPS gameplay. For Nahida, her signature weapon is A Thousand Floating Dreams. A five-star catalyst with massive Elemental Mastery and a passive that boosts EM and party buffs based on elemental types. It’s perfect for Nahida’s Dendro application and reaction-focused support/sub-DPS role. Yoimiya’s signature weapon is Thundering Pulse.
Eula’s signature weapon is Song of Broken Pines. It is a five-star claymore. It has a high base attack and a Physical DMG Bonus. This makes it ideal for Eula’s role as a Physical DPS. Klee’s main weapon is Dodoco Tales. It is a four-star catalyst from a past event. It fits Klee thematically and boosts Charged Attack DMG. Beidou uses Serpent Spine as her signature weapon. It is a four-star claymore from the battle pass. It provides Crit Rate and has a passive. This passive increases damage dealt and damage taken over time. It complements Beidou’s tanky playstyle. Tartaglia’s signature weapon is Polar Star. This five-star bow supports his Hydro DPS playstyle. Layla has varied best weapon options. The Key of Khaj-Nisut scales with HP. Primordial Jade Cutter boosts Crit Rate and HP. Favonius Sword aids Energy Recharge. Layla’s choices depend on her role and team.
Ayaka: Beyond the Battlefield
Let’s return to Ayaka and discuss non-combat aspects. Who does Ayaka love? The game implies she has feelings for the Traveler. This applies to both male and female characters. Her feelings show through her dialogue and quests. Officially, it is ambiguous and open for interpretation. In the fan community, it is a popular belief. Many accept the idea of her love for the Traveler. Outside the game, canonical information is lacking. Fan-made stories explore different scenarios. An example is “Hiroko! Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!” but these are not official lore. The game strongly hints towards the Traveler.
Who heals Ayaka best? For Cryo teams with Ayaka, Diona is often deemed the best healer. Diona offers Cryo resonance that boosts Crit Rate against Cryo targets. She provides healing and shields. Additionally, she can battery Cryo characters with her Favonius Warbow. Other healers like Kokomi, Jean, and Bennett can fit in Ayaka teams too. Diona’s synergy and utility make her a preferred option.
What ATK should Ayaka aim for? There isn’t a fixed answer for Ayaka’s ATK. It depends on her weapon, artifacts, and team setup. Aiming for at least 1,800 ATK serves as a good guideline.
