Introduction

Genshin Impact Mualani is a 5-star Hydro character introduced in Version 5.0. Originating from Natlan, she is known among the People of the Springs as a guide, surfer, and watersports shop owner. Her energetic and adventurous spirit makes her a beloved figure in her community.

In combat, Mualani excels as an on-field Hypercarry DPS, dealing substantial Hydro damage through her unique abilities. A defining aspect of her skill set is her ability to ride a shark, demonstrating her mastery of water and waves. Her combat style revolves around entering Nightsoul’s Blessing, a state activated by her elemental skill that allows her to mount her Sharky Surfboard. While in this state, her Normal Attacks transform into Sharky’s Bites, dealing Hydro damage based on her Max HP. This mode enhances her movement speed and interruption resistance, enabling her to traverse water surfaces with ease.

Mualani’s elemental burst, Boomsharka-laka, delivers a powerful Hydro attack, dealing significant damage to marked enemies. Her passive talents further enhance her abilities, such as Heat-Resistant Freshwater Floater, which allows her to generate Puffers when striking foes with Sharky’s Surging Bite, restoring Nightsoul points when collected. Another talent, Natlan’s Greatest Guide, increases the damage of Boomsharka-laka based on her Max HP and the number of Wavechaser’s Exploits stacks accumulated.

To maximize Mualani’s potential, players should focus on increasing her Max HP, as many of her abilities scale with this attribute. Equipping artifacts that boost Hydro damage and HP, along with weapons that complement her playstyle, will improve her effectiveness in battle. Pairing her with characters who provide shields or interruption resistance will ensure she maintains momentum in combat.

Mualani’s unique combination of surfing prowess and combat skills provides a fast-paced and engaging playstyle, making her a valuable addition to any team looking for a powerful Hydro DPS character.

Understanding Mualani’s Talents

Normal Attack: Cooling TreatmentSurfshark WavebreakerBoomsharka-laka

Mualani’s combat prowess in Genshin Impact is defined by her unique talents, each enhancing her role as a formidable DPS character. Her Normal Attack, Cooling Treatment, allows her to perform up to three rapid Hydro-infused strikes. When charged, she consumes stamina to launch a Pufferball that deals area-of-effect Hydro damage upon landing. Her Plunging Attack harnesses Hydro energy as she descends, impacting all opponents in her path and delivering AoE Hydro damage upon impact.

Central to Mualani’s playstyle is her Elemental Skill, Surfshark Wavebreaker. Activating this skill grants her 60 Nightsoul points and initiates the Nightsoul’s Blessing state. In this state, Mualani mounts her Sharky Surfboard, significantly boosting her movement speed and resistance to interruption. Notably, she can traverse both water and liquid Phlogiston without sustaining damage.

While in Nightsoul’s Blessing, her Normal Attacks transform into Sharky’s Bites, dealing Hydro damage that scales with her maximum HP and can be executed mid-air. Contact with enemies during this state applies the “Marked as Prey” status and grants her a Wave Momentum stack, up to a maximum of three. Each stack amplifies the damage of her subsequent Sharky’s Bites, with the third stack enabling a powerful Sharky’s Surging Bite, consuming all accumulated stacks thereafter.

Mualani’s Elemental Burst, Boomsharka-laka, unleashes a Super Shark Missile that tracks opponents, delivering area-of-effect Hydro damage based on her maximum HP.

Her passive talents further augment her capabilities. Heat-Resistant Freshwater Floater generates a Puffer upon hitting an opponent with Sharky’s Surging Bite, restoring 20 Nightsoul points when collected, with a limit of two Puffers per Nightsoul’s Blessing instance. Natlan’s Greatest Guide enhances her Elemental Burst damage based on her maximum HP and the number of Wavechaser’s Exploits stacks accumulated, which are gained when nearby party members activate a Nightsoul Burst.

Night Realm’s Gift: Crests and Troughs allows Mualani to utilize Phlogiston to maintain her Nightsoul’s Blessing after depleting Nightsoul points, with specific benefits within Natlan regions. Additionally, her utility passive, The Trick Is to Keep Smiling!, aids exploration by restoring Phlogiston when interacting with certain resources and revealing unique Natlan materials on the mini-map.

Understanding and leveraging Mualani’s talents is essential for players aiming to maximize her effectiveness in both combat and exploration within Genshin Impact.

Mualani’s Constellations

ConstellationEffectC1 – The Leisurely “Meztli”…Increases damage of the first Sharky’s Surging Bite after activating Nightsoul’s Blessing, scaling with Max HP. Reduces Phlogiston and Nightsoul point drain by 30% while out of combat.C2 – Mualani, Going All Out!Grants 2 Wave Momentum stacks upon entering Nightsoul’s Blessing. Collecting a Puffer gives 1 more stack. If 2 Puffers are collected in one use, restores extra Nightsoul points over 2 seconds (requires A1 passive).C3 – Surfing Atop Joyous SeasIncreases the level of Surfshark Wavebreaker by 3, boosting damage from Sharky’s Bites and related effects.C4 – Sharky Eats PuffiesCollecting a Puffer restores energy (requires A1 passive). Boomsharka-laka also deals increased damage, improving Burst and energy efficiency.C5 – Same Style of Surfboard on Sale!Increases the level of Boomsharka-laka by 3, enhancing Elemental Burst damage.C6 – Spirit of the Springs’ PeopleRemoves the once-per-skill use limit from the C1 damage bonus, allowing multiple enhanced Sharky’s Surging Bites during one Nightsoul’s Blessing.

Mualani’s constellations in Genshin Impact significantly enhance her combat capabilities, offering notable boosts to her damage output and overall performance. Her first constellation, The Leisurely “Meztli”…, increases the damage of her initial Sharky’s Surging Bite after activating Nightsoul’s Blessing, scaling with her Max HP. This constellation also reduces the consumption of Phlogiston and Nightsoul points by 30% while out of combat, enhancing her exploration efficiency.

The second constellation, Mualani, Going All Out!, grants her two Wave Momentum stacks upon entering Nightsoul’s Blessing and an additional stack when collecting a Puffer. Collecting two Puffers within a single instance of Nightsoul’s Blessing restores extra Nightsoul points over two seconds, provided the Heat-Resistant Freshwater Floater passive is unlocked.

Surfing Atop Joyous Seas, her third constellation, increases the level of Surfshark Wavebreaker by three, enhancing the damage of her Sharky’s Bites and related effects.

Her fourth constellation, Sharky Eats Puffies, regenerates energy each time she collects a Puffer, given the Heat-Resistant Freshwater Floater passive is unlocked. Additionally, Boomsharka-laka deals increased damage, improving her energy economy and significantly boosting her Elemental Burst damage.

Same Style of Surfboard on Sale!, the fifth constellation, increases the level of Boomsharka-laka by three, further enhancing her burst damage.

Finally, Spirit of the Springs’ People, her sixth constellation, removes the one-time trigger limitation of the damage increase from her first constellation, allowing it to activate multiple times within a single Nightsoul’s Blessing. This significantly elevates her sustained damage output during her Elemental Skill.

Overall, Mualani’s constellations are potent, with her first and second constellations being particularly impactful for increasing her damage and ease of play.

Best Builds for Mualani

Mualani excels as a Hydro DPS, utilizing HP scaling and strong Elemental Skills for sustained damage. Her build should focus on maximizing HP, Hydro DMG, and CRIT stats for optimal performance.

Best Weapons for Mualani

Mualani benefits from weapons that enhance HP, CRIT stats, or personal damage scaling.

WeaponRarityEffectNotes
Surf’s Up★★★★★ (5-Star)Increases CRIT DMG and Max HP. Boosts Normal Attack damage based on Max HP and enhances Vaporize reaction damage.Best-in-slot for Mualani, especially in Vaporize teams.
Tome of the Eternal Flow★★★★★ (5-Star)Provides CRIT DMG and significantly boosts Max HP. Increases damage after HP fluctuations.Strong alternative that synergizes with her HP scaling.

5-Star Weapons
Surf’s Up is Mualani’s best weapon, providing CRIT DMG, a Max HP increase, and additional damage for Normal Attacks, especially in Vaporize teams. Tome of the Eternal Flow is another strong choice, granting CRIT DMG and a significant HP boost, making it a viable alternative.

WeaponRarityEffectNotes
Sacrificial Jade★★★★ (4-Star)Provides CRIT Rate, increases Max HP, and grants Elemental Mastery after entering combat.Well-rounded option that boosts both survivability and reaction damage.
Ring of Yaxche★★★★ (4-Star)Increases Max HP and boosts Elemental Skill and Normal Attack damage after triggering a reaction.Excellent craftable weapon tailored for HP-scaling characters like Mualani.
The Widsith★★★★ (4-Star)Grants CRIT DMG and provides a random buff to ATK, Elemental Mastery, or Elemental DMG.Strong stat stick; passive is powerful but inconsistent.

4-Star Weapons
Sacrificial Jade is a great option due to its CRIT Rate stat and passive HP and Elemental Mastery bonuses. Ring of Yaxche, the craftable Natlan weapon, is another strong alternative, increasing HP and personal damage. The Widsith can also be useful as a CRIT DMG stat stick, though its passive effects are situational.

3-Star Weapons
There are no notable 3-star weapons that significantly enhance Mualani’s DPS potential.

Best Artifacts for Mualani

Myths of the Night RealmRoot of the Spirit-MarrowMyths of the Night RealmPre-Banquet of the ContendersCrown of the Saints

4-Piece Obsidian Codex
Best-in-slot for maximizing overall damage.
Increases CRIT Rate and boosts damage during Nightsoul’s Blessing, enhancing her main DPS potential.

Gilded CorsageCopper CompassGust of NostalgiaWine-Stained TricorneGoblet of Thundering Deep

4-Piece Heart of Depth
Great for consistent Hydro damage.
Boosts Hydro DMG and increases Normal and Charged Attack damage after using Elemental Skill.

Gilded CorsageCopper CompassCeremonial War-PlumeGeneral’s Ancient Helmany that would help the required stats

2-Piece Heart of Depth & 2-Piece Tenacity of the Millelith
Balanced build for Hydro DMG and survivability.
Grants bonus Hydro DMG and HP%, increasing both offense and sustain.

Odyssean FlowerWicked Mage’s PlumuleGust of NostalgiaWine-Stained Tricorneany that would help the required stats.

2-Piece Nymph’s Dream & 2-Piece Heart of Depth
Hybrid damage option.
Enhances Hydro output and synergizes well with Vaporize teams for sustained damage.

Hunter’s BroochMasterpiece’s OvertureMoment of JudgmentForgotten VesselVeteran’s Visage

4-Piece Marechaussee Hunter
Situational but strong with HP-fluctuation teams.
Increases CRIT Rate based on HP changes, working well when paired with Furina.

Main Stats:

  • Sands: HP%
  • Goblet: Hydro DMG Bonus
  • Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG

Substats:

  • CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG
  • HP%
  • Energy Recharge

Mualani thrives as a powerful Hydro DPS, with a build that maximizes her HP scaling and critical stats. Choosing the right weapon and artifact set ensures she can deliver consistent, high-damage output in various team compositions.

Best Teams for Mualani

XianglingKazuhaBennettZhongli

Vaporize Teams Mualani excels in Vaporize teams, using her Hydro application to enable Pyro DPS units. A strong team includes Xiangling for consistent off-field Pyro application, Kazuha for Elemental DMG buffs and resistance shred, and Bennett for healing and ATK buffs. Another effective lineup features Dehya as a frontline Pyro applicator, Kazuha for additional crowd control and buffs, and Zhongli for shielding and resistance reduction, ensuring Mualani can deal uninterrupted damage.

EmilieXianglingZhongli

Burning-Vaporize Teams Mualani can be used in Burning-Vaporize teams, where Dendro application allows Pyro to persist and trigger Vaporize. A recommended setup includes Emilie for Dendro application, Xiangling for Pyro, and Zhongli for protection. This composition enables rapid Hydro and Pyro reactions while maintaining survivability.

MavuikaXilonenCitlali

Natlan-Themed Teams Mualani has potential synergy with Natlan characters, forming a unique team alongside Mavuika, Xilonen, and Citlali. Mavuika serves as a Pyro applicator, while Xilonen and Citlali provide additional support and elemental interactions that align with Mualani’s abilities.

FurinaKazuhaSigewinneJean

Hypercarry Teams Mualani thrives in Hypercarry setups where she takes center stage as the primary damage dealer. A recommended team includes Furina for Hydro DMG buffs, Kazuha for resistance shred and crowd control, and Sigewinne or Jean for healing. This setup maximizes Mualani’s personal damage while ensuring sustained uptime for her Elemental Skill and Burst.

FurinaYelan

Pure Hydro Teams Mualani can also function in a Pure Hydro team, working alongside Furina and Yelan to maximize Hydro resonance effects. With an additional Hydro support or healer, this composition enhances team-wide Hydro DMG and ensures consistent elemental reactions.

Mualani’s Ascension and Talent Materials

Here’s a table summarizing Mualani’s ascension and talent materials in Genshin Impact:

CategoryMaterialSourceAscensionVarunada Lazurite (Sliver, Fragment, Chunk, Gemstone)Hydro-aligned enemiesSprayfeather GillLocal specialty in NatlanSentry’s Wooden WhistleDropped by Tribal WarriorsWarrior’s Metal WhistleDropped by Tribal WarriorsSaurian-Crowned Warrior’s Golden WhistleDropped by Tribal WarriorsMark of the Binding BlessingDropped by a Boss enemyMoraGeneral currency used for ascensionTalent UpgradesTeachings, Guide, and Philosophies of ContentionDomain (available on specific days)Sentry’s Wooden Whistle, Warrior’s Metal Whistle, Saurian-Crowned WhistleDropped by Tribal WarriorsLightless MassDropped by a Weekly BossCrown of InsightLimited-time events and regional tree rewardsMoraGeneral currency used for talent upgrades

Mualani’s ascension and talent upgrades require a variety of materials found throughout Teyvat. To ascend her, you will need Varunada Lazurite in different forms, obtained from Hydro-aligned enemies. Sprayfeather Gill is her local specialty, found in Natlan. She also requires Sentry’s Wooden Whistle, Warrior’s Metal Whistle, and Saurian-Crowned Warrior’s Golden Whistle, which drop from Tribal Warriors. Additionally, Mark of the Binding Blessing, dropped by a specific Boss enemy, is necessary for her final ascension stages, along with a large amount of Mora.

For talent upgrades, Mualani uses Teachings, Guide, and Philosophies of Contention, available from a Domain on specific days. She also requires the same Tribal Warrior drops used in her ascension. A Weekly Boss drop, Lightless Mass, is needed for her higher-level talents. Finally, the Crown of Insight, obtained from limited-time events and regional tree rewards, is required to max out her talents.

How to Play Mualani

Mualani is a Hydro Main DPS in Genshin Impact whose damage potential revolves around her Elemental Skill, Surfshark Wavebreaker, and the Nightsoul’s Blessing state it triggers. Upon activation, she gains 60 Nightsoul points and enters an enhanced state where she mounts her Sharky Surfboard, increasing her movement speed and interruption resistance. While in this state, her Normal Attacks become Sharky’s Bites, dealing Hydro damage based on her Max HP. Each time she hits an enemy marked as prey, she gains one Wave Momentum stack, up to a maximum of three, and can apply this mark every 0.7 seconds per enemy.

At three Wave Momentum stacks, her next attack becomes a Sharky’s Surging Bite, which deals increased damage and consumes all stacks. Sharky’s Bites also trigger Shark Missiles if they hit marked enemies, targeting up to five nearby foes and dealing damage equal to the triggering hit. This AoE damage decreases slightly if multiple targets are hit at once. The Nightsoul’s Blessing state continuously drains Nightsoul points and ends when they are depleted or the skill is used again.

To optimize her damage rotation, players should activate Surfshark Wavebreaker, build up three Wave Momentum stacks with Normal Attacks, then unleash a Sharky’s Surging Bite for maximum burst damage. This loop is repeated as Nightsoul points allow. Her Elemental Burst, Boomsharka-laka, fires a Super Shark Missile that tracks and damages opponents with AoE Hydro damage based on her Max HP. The Burst gains bonus damage when her Ascension 4 passive is active, which is triggered when allies activate a Nightsoul Burst.

Mualani’s Ascension 1 passive, Heat-Resistant Freshwater Floater, allows her to generate Puffers when Sharky’s Surging Bite hits an enemy. Collecting these Puffers restores Nightsoul points, extending her time in the enhanced state. Her Ascension 4 passive, Natlan’s Greatest Guide, increases the damage of Boomsharka-laka based on stacks of Wavechaser’s Exploits granted by teammates triggering Nightsoul Bursts.

In Natlan, her passive Crests and Troughs allows her to consume Phlogiston instead of Nightsoul points to maintain the Nightsoul’s Blessing state once her points are depleted. She can also activate Nightsoul Transmission under certain movement conditions, restoring 40 Nightsoul points when swapped in. Her exploration passive, The Trick Is to Keep Smiling!, highlights unique Natlan resources on the mini-map and restores Phlogiston when she interacts with specific items.

Talent priority should focus on leveling her Elemental Skill first, as it directly scales the damage of Sharky’s Bites and Sharky’s Surging Bite. Her Elemental Burst should be leveled next for its strong AoE Hydro damage, followed by her Normal Attack. Despite Sharky’s Bites functioning as Normal Attacks, their damage scales from the Elemental Skill talent, not the Normal Attack talent.

In team compositions, Mualani shines in Vaporize teams due to her strong and consistent Hydro application. Pyro characters like Xiangling, Mavuika, or Dehya work well to trigger reactions. Anemo supports like Kazuha can further increase damage through Elemental DMG bonuses and resistance shred, while Bennett offers healing and an ATK buff. Mualani also fits well into Hypercarry teams, where her role as the main on-field DPS is supported by characters who boost her performance.

For artifacts, the best main stats are HP% on the Sands, Hydro DMG Bonus on the Goblet, and CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG on the Circlet. Substats should focus on CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG, followed by HP% and Elemental Mastery if Vaporize is a core part of the team. Energy Recharge is helpful for ensuring consistent Burst uptime. Her best artifact set is the 4-piece Obsidian Codex, which boosts her damage and CRIT Rate during Nightsoul’s Blessing.

The 4-piece Heart of Depth is another strong option, increasing Hydro DMG and Normal/Charged Attack damage after using her Elemental Skill. Other combinations like 2-piece Heart of Depth with 2-piece Tenacity of the Millelith, Nymph’s Dream, Gilded Dreams, Vourukasha’s Glow, or Marechaussee Hunter can be effective depending on team and stat goals.

Her signature weapon, Surf’s Up, is the best choice, offering CRIT DMG, increasing Max HP, and boosting Normal Attack damage. It also enhances Vaporize reaction damage, making it ideal for her playstyle. Other strong weapon options include Tome of the Eternal Flow for CRIT DMG and HP, Sacrificial Jade for CRIT Rate and Elemental Mastery, A Thousand Floating Dreams for Elemental Mastery-based setups, The Widsith for burst-focused rotations, and the craftable Ring of Yaxche, which increases HP and personal damage output.

Understanding Mualani’s kit and optimizing her build around HP scaling, CRIT stats, and team synergy allows players to fully unlock her potential. With precise execution and the right support, Mualani serves as a dynamic Hydro Main DPS capable of delivering impactful damage and contributing unique utility during exploration in Natlan.