Meet Hu Tao: The Walnut of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor – Your Guide to Genshin Impact’s Pyro DPS Dynamo
Hello travelers! Let’s discuss a character who is strong and quirky. This is Hu Tao, the 77th Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue. Don’t let her title mislead you; she is a 5-star Pyro Polearm user specializing in high damage and fun.
Hu Tao: DPS Extraordinaire and Director of… Funerals?
Yes, Hu Tao is not an ordinary damage dealer. She balances her role as a top on-field DPS with managing funerals in Liyue. It’s an odd mix, but her eccentric personality and poetry make her unique in Genshin Impact. She plans funerals during the week, then causes mischief on weekends.
Unpacking Hu Tao’s Gameplay: HP is Your Friend (and Weapon!)
Now, let’s explore Hu Tao’s combat mechanics. Her gameplay utilizes HP scaling. Unlike others who rely on Attack, her damage depends on her maximum HP. This is key.
Her Elemental Skill, “Guide to Afterlife,” unlocks her power. By losing HP, Hu Tao enters the Paramita Papilio state. This action knocks back enemies and boosts her ATK based on Max HP. Building HP is crucial for her.
Hu Tao’s key damage source is her Charged Attacks. These attacks gain strength in Paramita Papilio state, turning her into a Pyro whirlwind. Mastering Vaporize reactions with charged attacks unleashes her full potential. Learning animation cancels brings a DPS boost. Players honing her skill find her very effective. Check out Gamerant’s guide for helpful tips.
Here’s the risky part: Hu Tao excels at low HP. Her passive gives her a 33% Pyro DMG Bonus when her HP falls below 50%. Playing with low HP is optimal! This “glass cannon” approach requires careful healing. Her Elemental Burst, “Spirit Soother,” heals but often isn’t enough. Balancing low HP and survival is tricky.
You may wonder about ATK vs. HP. A bit of ATK helps, especially for Burst damage. Yet, HP should take priority to maximize her field presence and damage. So focus on HP.
Building the Perfect Walnut: Stats, Artifacts, and Weapons
Ready to enhance Hu Tao? Let’s discuss gear.
Stat Priorities: Focus on the trinity of DPS stats: Crit Rate, Crit Damage, and HP%. Elemental Mastery (EM) is necessary for those prime Vaporize reactions. Aim for about 60-70% Crit Rate and stack Crit Damage.
Artifacts: The 4-piece Crimson Witch of Flames set is ideal for Hu Tao. The 2-piece bonus gives a 15% Pyro DMG Bonus, while the 4-piece bonus boosts Vaporize damage. For an HP% or EM Sands choice, it depends on your current stats. Short on EM? Choose EM. HP lacking? Equip HP% Sands. Aiming for at least 100 EM is wise, based on your team.
Weapons: The best choice is the Staff of Homa. This weapon is made for Hu Tao’s HP-scaling. Don’t worry, budget players! Hu Tao is free-to-play friendly. Alternatives exist, so top-tier gear isn’t mandatory.
Now, about leveling. Is leveling Hu Tao to 90 worth it? Yes, it’s a significant investment, but level 90 gives a noticeable damage increase. No content requires level 90, but serious players find it a worthy investment.
Constellation Considerations: C1 and Beyond
Let’s discuss constellations briefly. Is C1 Hu Tao necessary? Not really. She performs well at C0. However, C1 offers quality-of-life and DPS boosts. It prevents stamina cost for Charged Attacks during Paramita Papilio, enhancing her damage output. Dash canceling becomes easy and smoother.
C2, “Ominous Rainfall,” improves her Blood Blossom effect by applying Pyro even off-field. For more on Hu Tao’s capabilities and constellations, check out KeqingMains’ guide.
Team Synergy: Who Plays Well with Walnut?
Team composition matters for all Genshin characters, including Hu Tao. Her best partner is Xingqiu. They have an amazing synergy, especially for Vaporize.
Yelan is another excellent Hydro partner, often paired with Xingqiu or used solo for Hydro application. Yelan fits Hu Tao teams perfectly, especially against agile enemies.
For Anemo support, Sucrose reduces enemy Pyro resistance, but Kazuha is usually the preferred choice. Kazuha offers crowd control, damage buffs, and resistance shredding, making him an excellent option for Hu Tao’s team.
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Lore Tidbits
Let’s summarize Hu Tao’s strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths:
- Tremendous single-target damage: She shines against bosses and tough foes.
- Easy to build: She’s viable with moderate investment.
- Free-to-play friendly: Hu Tao doesn’t need constellations or a signature weapon.
Weaknesses:
- Requires tight gameplay: Optimizing damage demands practice.
- Needs low HP: This approach can be risky in tough content.
- Limited AoE: While charged attacks hit multiple enemies, she mainly focuses on single-target damage.
- Healing is limited: Her burst isn’t always enough for healing.
- Lore-wise… maybe not the strongest? She is powerful in gameplay, but lore indicates she may appear less imposing than other characters.
Outside combat, Hu Tao has interesting lore and fun facts:
- Her ghost companion is named “YouYou,” revealed in the Lantern Rite festival.
- Her Japanese name is Kurumi, but she doesn’t use it.
- “Walnut” is her favorite fan nickname.
- A new skin is coming soon, so keep an eye out!
- Her rerun banners have been quite profitable, showing her popularity. Her banners rank among the top in Genshin history!
- Her butterflies symbolize the dead in the afterlife – fitting for her role.
- Don’t let her smile deceive you; it’s hinted that Hu Tao’s smile may be a mask.
- Hu Tao is estimated to be around 18-20 years old, with a birthday on July 15th.
Hu Tao’s Connections: Friends and… Frenemies?
Hu Tao has notable relationships with other characters. Zhongli, despite her teasing, earns her trust and respect as a Funeral Parlor lecturer.
Then there’s Qiqi. Their relationship is complex. Being undead, she dislikes Hu Tao’s burial attempts, believing it is for her own good. Qiqi fears death, causing their rivalry.
Additionally, she is close with Xingqiu and Xiao. Fans often see Xinyan and even Furina as friends, too.
This wraps up our look at Hu Tao, Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and top-tier Pyro DPS in Genshin Impact. Master her skills and build right to dominate the battlefield (metaphorically!). For more guides and team compositions, visit TheGamer’s DPS ranking. Now go embrace the Walnut’s fiery spirit!
