With the arrival of version 4.0, as a 1.0 version’s main DPS character, does Hu Tao still hold value for pulling in the current version of Fontaine? Today, let’s discuss this matter.
Starting with the conclusion:
Based on the current situation, for players who already have Hu Tao at Constellation 0, it is recommended to continue investing in Hu Tao’s constellations and her signature weapon. Similarly, for players who have invested a significant amount of time and effort into building Hu Tao and have obtained a suitable set of artifacts for her, it is also recommended to continue pulling for her.
For players who have nothing, especially new players who have recently started playing and lack both Hu Tao at Constellation 0 and her signature weapon, whose team is incomplete, and haven’t even started farming artifacts, pulling for Hu Tao in this situation is not a good choice.
Why?
Firstly, is Hu Tao still strong in the current version? Absolutely. She remains very powerful. Mainstream teams in the Spiral Abyss commonly include Hu Tao paired with characters like Xingqiu, Bennett, and Zhongli, which can handle the majority of situations. However, this generally comes with a caveat: it requires a significant investment. This investment doesn’t just refer to the time and effort players spend in the game but also the monetary investment players make to obtain the required number of 5-star pulls for Hu Tao.
For Hu Tao, having at least one constellation is essential for comfortable gameplay. If you want to further increase her damage output, having her signature weapon, Staff of Homa, is also necessary. Of course, having additional constellations or other 5-star characters, such as two constellations for Yelan or his signature weapon, can enhance Hu Tao’s overall experience even more.
However, the impact of the Geo system on the existing systems is significant, including Hu Tao. Characters like Hu Tao, Zhongli, Raiden Shogun, and Ayaka represent traditional amplification reactions and direct damage, while the Geo system represents a brand new crystallization reaction. The Geo system boasts low development costs, quick proficiency, and yet the damage output is comparable to that of traditional amplification and direct damage teams. This directly affects the status of the old system and old characters.
If new players want to quickly assemble a low-cost team for the Abyss that can graduate swiftly, it’s highly recommended to play characters from the Dendro system, such as the low-cost Nahida, xingqiu and Kuki Shinobu team. This exemplifies the impact of the Geo system on the current team environment ecology.
Therefore, as a main DPS from the older versions, Hu Tao is actually supported by a group of veteran players. Veteran players have ample time and have cultivated Hu Tao long enough for her to shine brightly in the Abyss. However, for newcomers lacking these necessary conditions, the damage output of Hu Tao may not be as impressive and could even lead to disappointment. Hu Tao is a character that embodies the principle of equivalent exchange between effort and reward.
Furthermore, Hu Tao requires relatively high skill proficiency. The difference in output between a player who can consistently execute ten Azdaha’s Wake (AZ) and one who can only manage seven AZ is as much as 30%. This discrepancy significantly impacts the team’s damage output, and insufficient proficiency can directly affect your ability to clear the Abyss.
Therefore, in the current game version, it is only recommended to pull if you have prepared artifacts, are at Constellation 0, or have obtained Staff of Homa. Meeting any one of these criteria warrants consideration for pulling. If none of these criteria are met, it is still more advisable to pull for characters from the Dendro system or new characters from Fontaine.
