Introduction
Kamisato Ayaka is an On-Field Cryo DPS. In recent time, her use in Spiral Abyss has dropped significantly and many say that Cryo is currently in a poor state. However, I would like to make the case that Ayaka is in fact still as strong as she used to be. Yes, Freeze has become virtually irrelavant and Mono Cryo continues to become weaker in comparison to other teams. That being said, recent developments have led to what I believe is the perfect team composition for Ayaka to thrive once more.
NOTE: Please understand that I am not a theorycrafter. This guide comes purely from a gameplay perspective. No calculations have been done in the creation of this guide.
The "Three Keys" to a Powerful Ayaka Team
There are three key factors that can be changed in the traditional Ayaka team in order to allow Kamisato Ayaka to become more viable, specifically in Spiral Abyss. These are as follows:
- Furina: Furina provides a strong teamwide buff that will increase Ayaka's overall damage output. She will replace the Hydro team member.
- Marchausse Hunter: By nature of including Furina in the team, you can take advantage of the 36% Crit Rate buff provided by the Martchausse Hunter artifact set. Ayaka will use 4pc Marchausse Hunter instead of 4pc Blizzard Strayer.
- Xilonen: Xilonen provides Elemental RES Shred that will allow Ayaka herself to deal more damage. She also provides healing that will help sustain your Ayaka and more importantly provide Fanfare stacks for Furina's buffing. Xilonen replaces the Anemo team member.
Kamisato Ayaka's Hypercarry Team
Artifacts
This team relies heavily on Ayaka utilizing the Marchausse Hunter Artifact Set. Her traditional build of ATK%/Cryo DMG%/CRIT DMG% or Crit Rate% with CRIT, ATK%, and ER% substats still applies. Please note, however, that running a Crit Rate Circlet may lead to overcapping depending on your build.
Weapons
Ayaka's weapon options remain mostly unchanged. I will present a couple notable options, but please refer to a more comprehensive guide for an exhaustive list.
Mistsplitter Reforged remains Ayaka's best in slot weapon. You can't really do better than this. That being said, it is definitely not a must pull in this team.
Haran is another solid option. Ayaka makes great use of its passive and it provides great Attack and Crit Rate stats.
Skyward Pride is a surprisingly great option if you need more ER% to use Ayaka's Elemental Burst. In addition, it provides a small amount of Crit Rate as well as ATK Speed and a Normal and Charged Attack Bonus after her Elemental Burst is used.
Festering Desire follows a similar logic to Skyward Pride. It provides Energy Recharge as well as Elemental Skill DMG and Elemental Skill Crit Rate.
Fleuve Cendre Ferryman provides Energy Recharge as well Elemental Skill Crit Rate. It also provides additional ER after using Ayaka's Elemental Skill. This is a great option if you do not have access to Festering Desire
Favonius Sword is a good option if you need ER and you do not have access to Festering Desire or Fleuve Cendre Ferryman. It will also generate particles whenever Ayaka Crits, which will be quite often.
Amenoma Kageuchi remains a viable free-to-play option given that you can balance your CRIT and ER needs. It provides some energy for Ayaka to help with this.
The Black Sword is a good Battle Pass weapon option if you need some additional Crit Rate. It provides a Normal and Charged Attack DMG buff as well as a small amount of healing when Ayaka crits, potentially giving you additional Fanfare stacks.
Rotations
Rotation for this team is pretty simple: Furina E Q --> Xilonen E 2NA Q or Q E 2NA --> Shenhe E Q --> Ayaka E Q Normal/Charged Attack Combo
This Rotation ensures that all buffs are up simultaneously. Essentially, everything is funneled into Ayaka as Furina builds Fanfare and you go ham on your enemies.
Conclusion
Overall, I hope this guide can act as a testament to Ayaka's resilience. If you truly want to play Ayaka and feel as if her traditional Freeze and Mono Cryo teams are insufficient, this Ayaka Hypercarry guide might be what you have been looking for.