Build for Neuvillette – The Hydro Dragon in All its Power

For some, he is the true Hydro Archon, for others, the strongest creature in the game, coming into conflict with Zhongli, but everyone agrees that him saying “Oratrice Mecanique D'Analyse Cardinale” goes very well with the rhythm of “Another Bites the Dust” by Queen. See for yourself:

Songs aside, Neuvillette is currently one of the most powerful characters and perhaps the strongest DPS among the Hydro characters in the game. His charged attack deals continuous hydro damage for a considerable time and with incredible mobility, which allows him to spin and shoot in all directions! And when Hoyoverse tried to change that, it resulted in the threat of a lawsuit!

If you're a meta player, either you have a Neuvillette on your account, or you desperately want one! The good part for those in the second situation is that the second part of Genshin Impact's 5.2 update will bring the judge back to the game. So, if you want yours, check out our special article and find out how to build him correctly.

Neuvillette, the Hydro Dragon of Fontaine, the ancestral sovereign of the waters which make up the essence and life of this nation. Long ago, he emerged from the ocean and took on human form, in part to observe and better understand humans and their world. In this guise, he became the Supreme Judge of Fontaine, dedicated to maintaining justice with an almost divine objectivity and fairness.

In contrast to Furina, the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, whose behavior is impulsive and often theatrical, Neuvillette represents balance, remaining a serene and contained figure. His purpose goes beyond the human judicial system; he is the guardian and regent of the waters of Fontaine, and the territory itself seems to echo his emotions — the rains intensify in his moments of sadness, revealing a symbiotic connection with the environment.

His story and role carry an intriguing duality, as he attempts to balance judicial duty with a quest to understand his own identity and the mysteries surrounding his role as Fontaine's protector amidst a world of constant change.

To maximize Neuvillette's DPS potential, players should focus on optimizing specific stats in his build. While he shares similarities with other DPS characters, especially those that scale with HP, understanding which weapons, artifacts, and stats to prioritize can significantly improve his performance, as Fontaine's Ludex.

Weapons for DPS Neuvillette

Neuvillette's signature weapon, the Tome of Eternal Flow, is the best choice to maximize your potential due to its excellent attributes and effects. With an impressive 88.2% increase in Critical Damage at maximum ascension, as well as secondary stat bonuses to HP and Charged Attack Damage, this weapon greatly improves Neuvillette's performance. It also offers additional energy recovery, making it the top choice for him.

However, since this is a limited 5-star weapon acquired through gacha, not everyone will have access to it. The best alternative would be the Sacrificial Jade, the new catalyst for the Battle Pass update. This weapon excels when refined to the maximum, but still performs well even without refinements, although it requires careful team rotation to ensure Neuvillette maintains the bonuses it provides.

For players looking for F2P options, the crafted weapon Prototype Amber and the 5-star weapon Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds are good choices. Additionally, Ballad of the Boundless Blue, available in the main event of update 4.1, is also a suitable option for Neuvillette in a more F2P style, although perhaps not as optimized as other alternatives. Finally, other 5-star weapons, such as Jadefall’s Splendor and Kagura's Verity, perform similarly to Proto Amber, if the player already has additional copies of these options.

About Artifacts

To optimize Neuvillette's performance, the most recommended artifact set is the 4-piece Marechausse Hunter. This set increases the damage of charged attacks by 15% and can increase Critical Rate by up to 36%, allowing players to focus on improving Critical Damage to maximize the character's offensive potential.

If you don’t have ideal pieces from the Marechausse Hunter set, players can consider using the Heart of Depth or Wanderer’s Troupe sets, both 4 pieces, since they also offer beneficial statistics. While it’s possible to combine different sets of artifacts, the goal should be to equip Neuvillette with all 4 Marechausse Hunter pieces to ensure optimal long-term performance.

For artifact stats, you have a few ideal choices. For the sands, the best option is HP%. In the case of the Goblet, the Hydro Damage Bonus is the most suitable; however, if you don't have a Goblet with quality Hydro Damage Bonus, HP% is also an alternative.

For the Circlet, focus on Critical Rate or Critical Damage. If you are equipped with the Marechausse Hunter set and already have a good amount of Critical Rate in sub-attributes, invest in a Circlet with Critical Damage as your main attribute.

If you’re using the signature weapon, which deals a considerable amount of Critical Damage, in addition to its Ascension stat which also increases Critical Damage, choosing a Circlet with Critical Rate as its main attribute will help increase the consistency of Neuvillette's critical hits, maintaining a high Critical Damage rating.

So, in the end, the choice between Critical Rate and Critical Damage depends on the general stats and equipment your Neuvillette is using.

Regarding the sub-attributes for Neuvillette, the ideal priority order is: Critical Damage/Critical Rate > HP % > Energy Recharge > Elemental Proficiency.

This sub-attribute priority is designed to maximize the damage of Neuvillette's charged attacks while ensuring he maintains consistency in his Elemental Burst.

Teams for Neuvillette

As the main DPS for your team, the ideal is for the other characters to ensure that you can make reactions with Neuvillette's constant charged attack, which means that you want those characters that are “off-field” and who will guarantee that you can use your Neuvillette as the world blows up around you.

So the best options are Raiden Shogun for Superconductor reactions, or Kuki Shinobu and Fischl, for F2P. Nahida for Dendro Bloom reactions (or Super Bloom if combined with Electro). If you don't have Nahida, a YaoYao or Collei can do the trick. And Kazuha to buff your damage and remove Hydro resistance from enemies if he’s using artifacts from the Viridescent Venerer set. Without Kazuha, a Viridescent Venerer Sucrose can help reduce enemies' resistance or a Bennett to buff his attacks.