An Introduction to Mona
Genshin Impact Mona Megistus is a Hydro Catalyst character in Genshin Impact. Known as a skilled astrologist, she’s a fan favorite due to her versatile mix-up and burst potential. Her elemental control makes her adaptable, fitting effectively into roles ranging from Support to Sub-DPS and even Main DPS, aiding allies and often obliterating foes. She has a unique playstyle and mechanics that, once understood, can allow her to be very supportive or even contribute significantly to your team’s damage. Mona can be acquired from both the Standard and Limited-time Banners.
Mona’s Kit and Mechanics
Normal Attack: Ripple of FateMirror Reflection of DoomIllusory TorrentTo understand how Mona synergizes with other characters, it’s important to delve into the details of her abilities. Her kit involves unique mechanics that can be exploited for various team compositions.
Her Normal and Charged Attacks deal Hydro DMG. When using her normal attack combo, only the first and fourth hits apply Hydro or trigger reactions on a target. However, her Charged Attack can always apply Hydro. Her Charged Attacks are noted as being quite good and can be a reason to build her as a Main DPS, especially for Vaporize reactions. You can even cancel the animation for her fourth normal attack hit by jumping to save time and deal more damage.
Mona’s Elemental Skill, Mirror Reflection of Doom, creates an illusory Phantom of Fate. This phantom continuously taunts nearby enemies, attracting their attention away from you. It also periodically applies Hydro DMG to nearby opponents. When the phantom’s duration expires, it explodes, dealing AoE Hydro DMG. There’s also a trick called “E-Delay,” which utilizes a short delay before the skill’s first hit after casting. This delay allows you to quickly switch to another character and apply an elemental attack before Mona’s skill hits.
For example, you could use Bennett’s Elemental Skill first, followed by Mona’s skill’s first hit, resulting in a Hydro Vaporize reaction. This trick helps refresh the Hydro aura for further reaction combos within the Omen debuff duration after a Burst Vaporize sequence. Holding the Elemental Skill button allows Mona to move backwards swiftly before conjuring the phantom, which is useful for strategic positioning and evasion. Only one phantom created by her Elemental Skill can exist at a time.
Her Elemental Burst, Stellaris Phantasm, is where you can see potentially high damage numbers. It summons waves to create a reflection of the starry sky, applying the Illusory Bubble status to enemies in a large AoE. The bubble traps opponents, makes them Wet, and can immobilize weaker enemies. When an opponent affected by the Illusory Bubble sustains damage, the bubble pops, dealing Hydro DMG and applying an Omen to the opponent. This Omen provides a DMG Bonus, which also increases the damage of the attack that causes the bubble to pop. The Illusory Bubble itself lasts for 8 seconds. The Omen, once applied, increases the damage taken by opponents for a duration.
At talent level 7 or higher, the Omen duration is listed as 4 seconds. However, some sources suggest the Omen duration starts when the bubble is popped, and others state the damage bonus from Omen lasts for around 12.5 seconds. There’s a trick to maximize damage: after casting Mona’s burst, wait approximately 1 to 3 seconds (specifically around 1.75 to 2 seconds is suggested) before applying a Pyro attack to pop the bubble for maximum Vaporize damage.
This waiting period accounts for the game’s internal cooldown before a new elemental reaction can proc. A notable mechanic is that if enemies affected by the Illusory Bubble are Frozen, the bubble will not pop. This allows the Omen damage bonus to be applied for a longer duration than the standard 4 or 5 seconds on the frozen enemy. Mona’s final burst damage relies solely on her own attributes.
Mona’s Alternate Sprint, Illusory Torrent, cloaks her in water flow, consuming stamina to move rapidly, including high-speed movement on water. When she reappears, she applies the Wet status to nearby opponents. One of her passive talents, Come ‘n’ Get Me, Hag!, causes her to automatically create a phantom if any opponents are nearby after using Illusory Torrent for 2 seconds. This phantom lasts 2 seconds and its explosion damage is 50% of her Elemental Skill.
Another important passive talent is Waterborne Destiny, which increases Mona’s Hydro DMG Bonus by a degree equivalent to 20% of her Energy Recharge rate. This makes building Energy Recharge on Mona particularly valuable, as it not only helps her use her Burst more often but also increases her Hydro damage. Her final passive talent, Principium of Astrology, gives her a 25% chance to refund a portion of crafting materials when crafting Weapon Ascension Materials.
Understanding her kit, including concepts like Internal Cooldown (ICD) and Gauge Unit Value, is key to maximizing her synergy and damage potential.
Building Mona: Artifacts and Weapons
Artifact Sets – Hydro Main DPS
Gilded CorsageCopper CompassGust of NostalgiaWine-Stained TricorneGoblet of Thundering Deep4p Heart of Depth – Best for sustained damage across all Mona’s abilities
2p Heart of Depth + 2p ATK% (e.g. Gladiator) – Strong ATK scaling hybrid.
Main Stats:
Sands – ATK%
Goblet – Hydro DMG Bonus
Circlet – Crit Rate / Crit DMG
Substats Priority: Crit Rate/DMG > ATK% > ER > EM
Best for reaction-heavy or on-field damage teams.
5-Star Weapons
WeaponRarity⭐ RatingNotesSkyward Atlas5-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐High ATK and Elemental DMG; excellent for both Burst and Main DPS builds.
Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds5-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐High Crit Rate; ideal for on-field Main DPS Mona with ramping DMG bonus.
Tulaytullah’s Remembrance5-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Not optimal, but viable for Main DPS with heavy investment and proper setup.
Skyward Atlas – ATK and Elemental DMG bonus; top-tier for both DPS styles.
Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds – High Crit Rate; great for Main DPS Mona.
Tulaytullah’s Remembrance – Not ideal, but viable with high investment for Main DPS.
4-Star Weapons
WeaponRarity⭐ RatingNotesThe Widsith4-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐CRIT DMG; strong Burst buffs on rotation, ideal for Burst DPS Mona.
Oathsworn Eye4-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐Energy Recharge and ATK% increase; great synergy with Mona’s Burst.
Favonius Codex4-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐ER-focused; supports team rotations well, less personal damage.
Solar Pearl4-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐Battle Pass weapon; boosts all DMG types, good for Main DPS playstyle.
Mappa Mare4-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐Elemental Mastery; strong in reaction-based teams for Main DPS.
Hakushin Ring4-Star⭐⭐⭐⭐Best for Electro-Charged comps; free craftable and ER-boosting.
Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers3-Star⭐⭐⭐High support value; gives ATK buff on swap, not for personal damage.
The Widsith – CRIT DMG; ideal for Burst play with massive passive buffs.
Oathsworn Eye – Energy Recharge and ATK boost; perfect synergy for Burst DPS.
Favonius Codex – Energy battery; less damage but great for team rotations.
Solar Pearl – Battle Pass; boosts Normal, Skill, and Burst DMG; good for on-field DPS.
Mappa Mare – EM-focused; best in reaction comps for Main DPS.
Hakushin Ring – Best F2P option for Electro-Charged teams.
Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers – High support value with an ATK buff; not ideal for personal DMG.
Mona is a flexible character who can be built in several ways depending on the desired role in the team. The sources discuss both a Burst DPS build and a Hydro Main DPS build. While she can function as a Main DPS, her kit and constellations often lean towards enhancing her potential in this role, but her supportive value at base is already high.
For artifacts, the choice depends on her role. The most recommended talent priority is her Elemental Burst (Stellaris Phantasm) first, followed by her Elemental Skill (Mirror Reflection of Doom), and then her Normal Attack.
For a Burst DPS build, the primary goal is to maximize the damage of her Elemental Burst and ensure it’s available as often as possible. The recommended artifact set is 4-piece Emblem of Severed Fate, as it increases Burst damage based on Energy Recharge. Substitute sets include 2-piece Emblem of Severed Fate with 2-piece Noblesse Oblige, or 2-piece Heart of Depth with 2-piece Noblesse Oblige.
Artifact stats priority typically involves aiming for ATK% or Energy Recharge on the Sands, Hydro DMG Bonus on the Goblet, and Crit Rate or Crit Damage on the Circlet. Substats priority should focus on Crit Rate/Damage, Energy Recharge, and ATK%. A key stat to aim for in this build is at least 180% Energy Recharge to ensure good Burst uptime and benefit from the Emblem set and her passive talent. Building high Crit Rate/Damage is also crucial since her Burst damage can crit.
For a Hydro Main DPS build, the focus shifts to increasing the damage of all her attacks, especially her Normal and Charged Attacks. The recommended artifact set is 4-piece Heart of Depth. A substitute could be 2-piece Heart of Depth with a 2-piece ATK% set like Gladiator’s Finale. Artifact stats priority for this build usually involves ATK% on the Sands, Hydro DMG Bonus on the Goblet, and Crit Rate or Crit Damage on the Circlet. Substats priority is Crit Rate/Damage and ATK%, with Energy Recharge and Elemental Mastery as lesser priorities. This build requires strong Crit Rate/Damage and ATK% for consistent damage across all hits.
Regardless of the build, having a high Crit Rate is important to consistently land critical hits, especially on her Burst, to make your investment worthwhile. You can get Crit Rate from weapon substats like on the Solar Pearl (Battle Pass catalyst) or Lost Prayer To The Sacred Winds (5-star). Alternatively, you can use a Crit Rate Circlet if your weapon provides Crit Damage.
When it comes to weapons, the best options also depend on her role. For a Burst DPS build, the Skyward Atlas (5-star) is listed as the best, benefiting all her attacks. Lost Prayer To The Sacred Winds (5-star) is also good for its Crit Rate substat, making building easier, though its passive is better for characters who stay on the field. Among 4-star options, The Widsith is highly recommended for its random buffs upon switching characters, which fits the burst playstyle.
Other good 4-star weapons include Oathsworn Eye (providing ER and ATK) and Favonius Codex (providing ER). For F2P options, Hakushin Ring is suggested, especially in Electro-Charged teams, or Thrilling Tales Of Dragon Slayers, whose skill can significantly boost the ATK of the next character switched in, making it a good support weapon. Having Energy Recharge or Crit Rate/Damage substats on weapons is beneficial for a Burst build.
For a Hydro Main DPS build, Lost Prayer To The Sacred Winds is considered best as Mona can fully utilize its passive by staying on the field. Skyward Atlas and The Widsith are also strong contenders. Solar Pearl (Battle Pass) is good as it boosts damage across Normal Attacks, Skill, and Burst. F2P options include Oathsworn Eye and Mappa Mare, the latter being particularly useful in elemental reaction teams for its Elemental Mastery substat and passive. For this role, weapons with Crit Rate or Crit Damage substats are highly valued.
Team Synergies
Mona is a versatile character who excels at setting up opponents for devastating attacks and augmenting her team’s potential. She can fit into most Hydro-focused team comps and works well with other heavy-burst users. Her unique kits and gameplay mechanics can be exploited for multiple possible synergies.
She is excellent in elemental reaction teams, particularly Vaporize, Freeze, and Electro-Charged.
XianglingXingqiuDilucKleeHu TaoIn Vaporize teams, Mona typically uses her Burst to apply Omen, and then a Pyro character triggers Vaporize for high damage. Characters like Xiangling, Xingqiu, Diluc, Klee, and Hu Tao are strong partners. An improved version of the Xiangling-Xingqiu team involves Mona as a DPS, utilizing her Burst Vaporize and Omen debuff, alongside consistent Hydro from Mona and Xingqiu to enable Pyro Vaporize from Xiangling. The combo involves Mona’s Burst, followed by Xiangling’s skill and burst for Hydro Vaporize, then switching to Xingqiu during the Omen debuff to use his skill for Hydro Vaporize, and finally Mona spamming skills while Xiangling’s Pyronado triggers Pyro Vaporize.
The E-Delay trick can be used with characters like Diluc or Klee to ensure they trigger Pyro Vaporize during the Omen debuff. For instance, with Diluc, the combo could be Mona E-Delay > Diluc E (Vaporize bubble) > double E (2 Vaporize on E first hit) > Ult (Vaporize on E 4th/explosion hit). Bennett is often paired in Vaporize teams for his ATK buff and Pyro application. Sucrose or Kazuha can provide Elemental Mastery, VV resistance shred, and crowd control.
GanyuAyakaKaeyaLaylaDionaFor Freeze compositions, Mona’s ability to apply Wet and her Burst’s immobilizing effect on weaker enemies pair well with Cryo characters. Characters like Ganyu, Ayaka, Kaeya, Layla, and Diona are good Cryo partners. Sucrose or Venti can group enemies, making it easier to apply AoE Hydro and Cryo for Freeze. A Free-To-Play friendly Freeze team could include Mona, Layla, Sucrose, and Diona. A more premium Freeze team could use Mona with Ganyu, Venti, and Diona, focusing on Ganyu as DPS, Venti for grouping, and Diona for healing/shielding and Cryo application. Ayaka, Kazuha, and Diona also form a strong Freeze team with Mona, providing consistent freezing and support.
FischlBeidouShinobuYae MikoIn Electro-Charged teams, Mona’s Elemental Skill and Burst provide AoE Hydro damage, enabling Electro-Charged reactions when combined with Electro characters. Fischl, Beidou, Kuki Shinobu, and Yae Miko are suitable Electro partners. A premium Electro-Charged team could be Mona, Fischl, Kuki Shinobu, and Kazuha. Mona can function as a budget Childe in such teams, keeping the reaction going.
Mona is described as a strong support with buffer abilities that allows her to fit well into various teams. A team with Mona, Bennett, and Sucrose is considered a good supporting team regardless of the specific reactions, needing only a main DPS character for the fourth slot. Many main DPS characters can work, with exceptions like Razor who strongly relies on Superconduct. Even Physical DPS like Fischl or Jean can work in such a team, although it might not be optimal for endgame content.
Constellations
ConstellationNameImportanceEffect SummaryC1Prophecy of Submersion⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High)Boosts Hydro-related reaction DMG by 15% and Frozen duration by 15% for 8s when enemies are under Omen.C2Lunar Chain⭐⭐ (Medium)20% chance for Normal ATK to trigger a Charged ATK (every 5s); improves Main DPS potential.C4Prophecy of Oblivion⭐⭐⭐ (Medium)Grants 15% Crit Rate to teammates attacking enemies under Omen; especially useful in Freeze comps.C6Rhetorics of Calamitas⭐⭐ (Medium)After sprinting, boosts Charged ATK DMG (up to +180%) based on duration; enhances her DPS capabilities.C1: Prophecy Of Submersion is considered a priority for supportive Mona. It enhances the damage of Hydro-related elemental reactions (Electro-Charged, Vaporize, Hydro Swirl) by 15% and extends Frozen duration by 15% for 8 seconds when a party member hits an opponent affected by her Omen. While this buff is tied to the Omen duration, it’s highly valuable since Omen is central to her support role.
C2: Lunar Chain gives a 20% chance for a Normal Attack to be automatically followed by a Charged Attack once every 5 seconds. This constellation increases her potential as a Main DPS but is considered of medium importance, as she might still be overshadowed by other Hydro DPS options.
C4: Prophecy of Oblivion is also of medium importance but offers a very nice team boost. When any party member attacks an opponent affected by Omen, their Crit Rate is increased by 15%. This is particularly useful in Freeze (Morgana) teams because the Illusory Bubble doesn’t pop when the enemy is Frozen, allowing the Omen damage increase and Crit Rate buff to last for a longer duration.
C6: Rhetorics of Calamitas is another constellation targeting her Main DPS role. It grants Mona a damage increase to her next Charged Attack after entering Illusory Torrent, stacking up to 180% based on movement duration (max 8s). This also has medium importance, enhancing her Charged Attack scaling for higher damage.
In summary, C0 Mona is strong, but C1 is highly recommended if you happen to get it due to its valuable reaction buffing. While C2 and C6 enhance her Main DPS role, they are less impactful for her common Sub-DPS/Support roles. C4 offers a nice team Crit Rate buff, especially effective in Freeze compositions.
Overall, Mona is a flexible character with powerful Burst capabilities and unique mechanics that make her a valuable addition to many teams, whether providing significant burst damage herself or amplifying the damage of her allies. Understanding her kit and building her appropriately for her intended role is key to unlocking her full potential.
