In Bountiful Bloom teams, Nilou should remain off-field by performing Whirling Steps. As there is little for Nilou to do after activating or refreshing Golden Chalice’s Bounty effect, it is more efficient to let other characters create Bountiful Cores, generate Energy, and keep the team healthy. 

For those who wish to experience Nilou’s on-field gameplay in non-Bloom teams, choosing to end Pirouette state with Sword Dance allows her to deal Hydro damage. However, as Nilou’s base kit is designed around Bountiful Bloom, it is difficult to get good results without high levels of investment. Even at high levels of investment with Nilou’s Constellations, her potential for non-Bloom damage mostly lies within her Burst, leaving her with little reason to remain on-field in optimized rotations.

As Nilou triggers Bloom through Tranquility Aura and sometimes through her Burst, EM is a relevant stat that improves her Bloom damage. However, it is not recommended to prioritize EM over Max HP. EM only affects Nilou’s Bloom damage, whereas Max HP affects every character’s Bloom damage through Nilou’s A4 Passive.

More details on stat priorities for Nilou can be found below.

Nilou’s Bloom ownership, like the Bloom ownership of every character in general, is inconsistent. Bountiful Bloom teams’ theoretical and realistic performances are very different. There are too many external factors that can affect Dendro Core production, such as enemy density, positioning, hitboxes, and even Nahida’s Burst Talent level. 

In general, Hydro characters trigger Bloom more often than Dendro characters, as many teams apply Hydro on an enemy with Dendro aura to consume a small amount of Elemental Gauge and maximize Dendro Core production. For this reason, Nilou triggers a non-negligible number of Blooms herself, provided enemies are kept within Tranquility Aura’s range. In Double Hydro teams, Nilou tends to trigger fewer Blooms than the other Hydro unit due to her lower Hydro application.

For more information on Dendro Core production and Elemental Gauge changes with Bloom, refer to Maximizing Dendro Core Production.

Nilou prioritizes maximizing her Max HP and has very poor Talent damage in Bountiful Bloom teams, so her Burst may seem unnecessary. While completely skipping Nilou’s Burst does not have any significant caveats, there are also a few important benefits to using it. 

Nilou’s Burst has a large AoE. In Bountiful Bloom teams, it is rare for other Hydro characters to have similar AoE range of Hydro application (with some exceptions like Ayato’s Burst). Her Burst also applies Hydro twice without ICD, meaning both hits of Nilou’s Burst can produce Dendro Cores in a large area. This allows it to function as a pseudo-nuke by generating a large number of Dendro Cores.

Additionally, Nilou is usually the character with the highest Max HP in the team, so switching to Nilou and gaining i-frames during her Burst can function as a panic button. This is notable for Bountiful Bloom teams, as characters must survive Bloom’s self-damage on top of enemy attacks.

It cannot be denied that every Dendro team won’t perform the same without Nahida. However, Bountiful Bloom is still viable using other Dendro characters. 

Bountiful Bloom teams can somewhat overcome Nahida’s absence, filling missing holes of her particle generation and unconditional AoE 1.5U Dendro application. Thanks to their flexible rotations, Bountiful Bloom teams can maintain Dendro aura by giving Dendro characters more field time. Additionally, since most characters need only EM and ER% stats, missing out on Nahida’s particle generation does not significantly hinder the team’s Energy economy.

Overall, the choice of obtaining Key and committing to further upgrades for Nilou should be decided based on your willingness to improve Bountiful Bloom teams’ single-target DPS and to let Nilou pack other stats like EM and ER% once Key of Khaj-Nisut allows her to cap out her A4 Passive. 

Key of Khaj-Nisut is one of the few Swords in the game that gives HP%. Key provides massive HP% and a teamwide EM buff, making it handy for Nilou in both Bountiful Bloom and Vaporize teams. Other 5-star Swords lack these strengths, so obtaining Key is one of the biggest early upgrades for Nilou. 

That said, as Bountiful Bloom teams have the freedom to build EM from various sources, they deal excellent AoE damage even without Key of Khaj-Nisut.

While both archetypes are viable, they have different primary goals. Double Dendro teams maximize Dendro Core production through steady Hydro application on enemies with a Dendro aura. In contrast, Solo Dendro teams trade Dendro application for greater personal damage from off-field Hydro characters, and they tend to deal more damage in single-target. Furthermore, Solo Dendro teams can better guarantee Bloom ownership because the Dendro character owns most Blooms (although with strong Dendro appliers like on-field Nahida, Hydro characters still own some Blooms).

The Teams and Synergies section has further details on this information.

Bountiful Bloom teams can take off even with just Barbara, Collei, and Dendro Traveler, all of whom are given for free. Upgrades for this team are cheap: Barbara and Collei have their first important boosts at C2, and Dendro Traveler’s Constellations do not require wishing. Barbara and Collei also prefer 4-star weapons like Sacrificial Fragments and Sacrificial Bow respectively, so you can fully build this team with little investment. 

There are a few cautions to take when playing with Barbara, however. Sacrificial Fragments circumvents Barbara’s very long Skill cooldown, but the cooldown of its weapon passive may not line up with the rotation length before R3. Barbara’s Skill periodically applies Hydro on the active character, so be wary of Cryo attacks to avoid being Frozen. Lastly, the short range of Barbara’s Skill may force you closer to enemies; this can increase the vulnerability of this team, particularly for Barbara and Collei who have poor Base HP, Base DEF, and interruption resistance. You can consider partially sacrificing Bloom damage for increased survivability by building higher HP on Barbara or by using a Healing Bonus Circlet.

Example Rotation
Nilou E N2 E > Barbara E > Collei EQ > Traveler EQ > Barbara combo

When using Kokomi instead of Barbara and Nahida instead of Dendro Traveler, the team sees significant improvement thanks to Kokomi’s better healing and Nahida’s greater Skill range. Kokomi’s Skill can be repositioned with Sacrificial Fragments or have its duration refreshed with her Burst. This complements Collei’s numerous methods of Dendro application across her Skill, Burst, A1 Passive, and C6 (if you have it). 

Make sure to mark enemies with Nahida at the start of combat and apply new marks to new waves of enemies. Equipping Kokomi and Collei with Sacrificial weapons allows players to be more creative with rotations and appropriately adapt to different situations, especially in multi-wave content.

Example Rotation
Nahida E Q > Kokomi E > Nilou E N2 E > Collei EQ > Kokomi Q combo

Kirara or Yaoyao can be played over Dendro Traveler and Collei for more comfort. Their inclusion also makes it far more convenient for Barbara or Kokomi to focus on EM and ER%. Kirara has shorter animations and prevents interruption with her shield, while Yaoyao has more consistent Dendro application across the rotation. Either unit can be chosen based on the team’s needs. 

Both Kirara and Yaoyao work with accessible weapon options like Sacrificial Sword, Sapwood Blade, Favonius Lance, and Kitain Cross Spear. In addition, they fulfill their roles well without a specific artifact set or Constellations, which makes for very cheap teams if you use Barbara over Kokomi. Kirara and Yaoyao’s defensive utilities are particularly handy for Barbara, as her Hydro application requires fighting enemies at close range.

Barbara + Kirara Variation
Nahida E Q > Barbara E > Nilou E N2 E > Kirara shEQ > Barbara combo > Kirara shE

Kokomi + Yaoyao Variation
Nahida E Q > Kokomi E > Nilou E N2 E > Yaoyao E > Kokomi Q combo

Using Ayato as an on-field character allows for more comfort in gameplay since he is easy to play and has good interruption resistance from his Skill. You should use Ayato’s Skill once per rotation for a shorter rotation. Players can opt to use a longer rotation if Ayato is using a standard build and requires 2 Skills to meet his ER requirements. 

Baizhu can be used over Yaoyao, as he becomes more valuable with vertical investment. His C2 and C6 improve his Dendro application, and his A4 Passive allows Ayato to deal higher Bountiful Bloom damage.

Example Rotation
Nahida E Q > Ayato Q > Nilou E N2 E > Yaoyao Q combo E > Nahida E > Ayato E combo

This team uses Candace’s melee Hydro Infusion to let Yaoyao trigger Blooms herself. With Nahida, Candace, and Yaoyao all building high EM, this team offers more consistent Bloom damage. Yaoyao benefits from her C4 with this setup, which is another bonus. 

This team mitigates survivability issues with EM builds on healers since Yaoyao has increased Dendro RES during her Burst, and Candace can tank hard-hitting enemy attacks with her Skill. 

Candace’s C1 is recommended to maintain her Burst uptime, and her C6 greatly improves Hydro application. Start the rotation with Candace’s Skill to activate Dendro Resonance before using Nahida’s Burst, and use her Skill again after Yaoyao leaves the field to keep Candace’s ER requirements reasonable.

Example Rotation
Candace E > Nahida E Q > Nilou E N2 E > Candace EQ > Yaoyao Q combo E

Neuvillette can be considered in Bountiful Bloom teams should players seek to take advantage of his long-ranged Charged Attacks and good non-reaction damage. It is recommended to pair him with Nahida and a second Dendro unit who provides sustain and off-field Dendro application. Nahida’s Skill duration is long enough to last throughout this team’s lengthy rotation, and a second Dendro unit keeps other characters alive while making sure that Tri-Karma Purification consistently activates. Having Kirara at C4 is preferred for this role. If Neuvillette is C1, he no longer needs a support unit to provide interruption resistance. 

Bountiful Bloom does not maximize Neuvillette’s A1 Passive stacks and provides little for him aside from Hydro Resonance. As such, this team’s main selling point is Neuvillette’s simple gameplay and easy setups. Nevertheless, the composition can still be considered for players who want to free up Furina and Kazuha, both of whom are popular synergies with Neuvillette but are also valued in many other teams. In addition, with further investment through Constellations like Nilou’s C2, Neuvillette’s C1, and Nahida’s C2, and weapons like Key of Khaj-Nisut and Thousand Floating Dreams, this team will have good Bloom and non-reaction damage alike.

Example Rotation
Neuvillette E > Nilou E N2 E > Nahida E Q > Baizhu EQ > Neuvillette C Q E C > Baizhu E > Neuvillette 2[C]

Bountiful Bloom teams with Furina can quickly gather Fanfare points thanks to Bloom’s self-damage, Furina’s teamwide HP drain, and a healer. Baizhu is the best healer for this slot due to his strong teamwide healing and off-field Dendro application. As Fanfare points increase incoming healing, this can combine with Furina’s A1 Passive to offset the HP loss that would otherwise overwhelm this team. 

Once every character uses their Skill, Furina’s Salon Members automatically produce Dendro Cores, so players can focus on dodging enemy attacks, mark new waves of enemies with Nahida’s Skill, and keep Dendro auras on enemies by using Nahida’s Normal Attacks.

This team improves with vertical investment, as both Furina and Nahida have high-value Constellations that significantly improve their damage or utility. 

Example Rotation
Baizhu E > Nilou E N2 E > Nahida E Q > Furina ED Q > Baizhu E¹Q > Nahida combo

¹Baizhu’s second Skill can be used at different times according to convenience.

Alternatively, Alhaitham can be used over Nahida due to his better use of Furina’s buffs and higher personal damage. Baizhu can help quickly stack Fanfare points within his short field time, and his A4 Passive allows Alhaitham to deal high Bloom damage even with his standard build. If trying to fit a second use of Baizhu’s Skill, consider using a longer rotation where Alhaitham has two split field times. In this case, consider performing Normal Attacks between Alhaitham’s Burst and his field time to proc Favonius’s passive. 

If Furina is C6, she can perform teamwide healing with her Ousia state, so it becomes possible to replace Baizhu with Nahida to significantly boost this team’s damage.

Long Rotation
Nilou E N2 E > Baizhu EQ > Furina ED Q > Alhaitham hEP 2[N3D] > Baizhu E > Alhaitham Q > Baizhu N2 > Alhaitham 2[N3D] E 2[N3D]

Short Rotation
Nilou E N2 E > Baizhu EQ > Furina ED Q > Alhaitham Q > Baizhu N2 > Alhaitham 2[N3D] E [2N3D] C 2[N3D]

This team uses reasonably accessible units to consistently generate Dendro Cores while having improved single-target damage thanks to Xingqiu. For those with Yaoyao’s C6, it becomes more viable to replace Nahida with another Dendro unit due to Yaoyao’s improved Dendro application. Using Nahida as an on-fielder is much less of a concern in this team thanks to Xingqiu’s damage reduction and interruption resistance and Yaoyao’s increased Dendro RES during her Burst. Sacrificial Sword or Xiphos’ Moonlight on Xingqiu makes the team even more fail-safe since Nilou can use her Burst more frequently. 

Xingqiu’s Skill and Burst have a long cooldown, and the example rotation intends to have his cooldowns back when the rotation repeats. Adjust the rotation as needed if you want to start generating Bountiful Blooms earlier.

Example Rotation
Nahida E Q > Xingqiu E Q > Nilou E N2 E > Yaoyao E > Nahida combo

Yaoyao’s Burst can be used as needed.

Using Alhaitham instead of Nahida to apply Dendro has its pros and cons. Alhaitham boasts higher personal damage than Nahida, which can improve the team’s performance against a single enemy. Yaoyao’s Yuegui and Kirara’s C4 can apply the 4pc Deepwood Memories debuff from off-field, and Alhaitham’s situational mobility from his Skill can reduce inconveniences that Bountiful Bloom teams would otherwise experience against multiple waves of enemies spawning in undesired locations. 

However, Alhaitham’s ER requirement may be noticeably higher when not using Nahida as a second Dendro unit. If he fails to consistently use his Burst and attack enemies with 3 Mirror stacks, it’s more difficult to maintain Dendro aura on enemies, and a defensive Dendro unit with low EM may take some Bloom ownership. Alhaitham also has no way to heal himself or increase his resistance to interruption, which makes it important to use Xingqiu over Yelan and have Yaoyao or Kirara well-built. 

When Alhaitham is on-field, it is preferable for him to switch out once he can no longer maintain 3 Mirror stacks. A rotation using Alhaitham’s split or extended field isn’t restrictive to what defensive unit is chosen; the viability of each rotation depends on enemy lineups and players’ preferences.

Yaoyao Variation
Yaoyao E > Nilou E N2 E > Alhaitham Q > Xingqiu Q N1 > Alhaitham 2[N3D] E 2[N3D] C 2[N3D] > Xingqiu E

Yaoyao’s Burst can be used as needed.

Kirara Variation
Nilou E N2 E > Kirara shEQ > Xingqiu EQ > Alhaitham hEP 2[N3D] > Kirara shE > Alhaitham Q > Xingqiu N2 > Alhaitham 2[N3D] C 2[N3D]

Kaveh is a durable on-field character. His overall great interruption resistance combined with Xingqiu’s damage reduction and interruption resistance minimizes the difficulty of playing this team. By using Favonius Greatsword and EM build, Kaveh can lower the team’s ER requirements while reliably out-healing Bloom’s self-damage.

Nahida can use Prototype Amber to keep the team alive. However, using Kirara, Yaoyao or Baizhu is an option if you desire further comfort.

Nahida Variation
Nilou E N2 E > Nahida E (Q) > Xingqiu EQ > Kaveh Q combo

Baizhu Variation
Baizhu EQ > Nilou E N2 E > Xingqiu EQ > Kaveh Q combo

This team has a high damage ceiling due to its high-value Constellations across multiple characters. With increased vertical investment, Yelan's Constellations allow her to build for non-reaction damage while still dealing a fairly high amount of Bountiful Bloom damage, thanks to buffs from Key of Khaj-Nisut, Thousand Floating Dreams, and Baizhu's A4 Passive. Nahida can also deal high non-reaction damage with her C6. Yelan’s C4 also makes Nilou and Baizhu easier to build.

When Yelan is on-field, she can also benefit from her own A4 Passive and Nahida’s A1 Passive for non-reaction damage and Bountiful Bloom damage respectively. Yelan’s Burst does not expire when she leaves the field, so Nahida can freely switch in and mark new waves of enemies to make up for Baizhu’s weak Dendro application. This team is very easy and comfortable to play thanks to Yelan’s straightforward kit and Baizhu’s almost unrivaled healing.

Example Rotation
Baizhu E > Nilou E N2 E > Nahida E Q > Baizhu E¹Q > Yelan Q combo

¹Baizhu’s second Skill can be used at different times according to convenience.

Nahida’s 1.5U Dendro application causes the Hydro characters to trigger a noticeable portion of Blooms. Although a high-EM build is viable, Xingqiu and Yelan can still use their standard builds for non-reaction damage. Maximize Kokomi or Barbara’s HP since Nahida is on-field more frequently and needs to survive.

Kokomi + Yelan Variation
Nilou E N2 E > Kokomi E > Yelan EQ > Nahida E combo > Yelan E¹ > Nahida combo

¹Fit a second use of Yelan’s Skill during Nahida’s field time as appropriate.

Without Nahida, Triple Hydro teams experience issues with Dendro Core production due to the Dendro character’s application downtime. This team utilizes Alhaitham’s high Dendro application and long field time, as well as Furina buffing both her and Alhaitham’s non-reaction damage, to have good performances in single-target and AoE scenarios alike. 

Due to inconsistency in Bloom ownership, Alhaitham performs similarly between full-EM and standard builds. He can use 4pc Deepwood Memories to improve Bloom damage and his non-reaction damage.

Example Rotation
Furina ED Q > Nilou E N2 E > Alhaitham Q > Kokomi E > Alhaitham 2[N3D] > Kokomi Q¹ > Alhaitham hEP 2[N3D]

¹Use Kokomi’s Burst to refresh her jellyfish.

Sigewinne has the highest amount of off-field healing out of any Hydro character, and she only has to use her Skill to keep the team alive. As Sigewinne has low off-field Hydro application, she hardly ever triggers any Blooms; other Hydro units generate the majority of Bountiful Cores. This is helpful if Xingqiu or Yelan are built with high EM, and it helps remedy the aforementioned issues of Triple Hydro teams' inconsistent Bloom damage and shaky survivability. 

If paired with Furina, Sigewinne’s gradual healing helps stack Fanfare points, and her buff further boosts Furina’s Skill’s damage. Xingqiu or Yelan can be chosen depending on whether you prefer interruption resistance or shorter rotation length. To make the most value out of Furina in this team, consider using Alhaitham. 

The example rotations below assume Alhaitham has a single long field time. Refer to the above team’s rotation for variations with split time.

Xingqiu Variation
Xingqiu EQ > Nilou E N2 E > Alhaitham Q > Sigewinne tE > Alhaitham combo

Furina Variation
Furina ED Q > Nilou E N2 E > Alhaitham Q > Sigewinne tE > Alhaitham combo

Klee’s DEF Shred from her C2, access to Thousand Floating Dreams, and lack of concern for Energy make her a consistently good support for this team. Unlike when using Xiangling, make sure that at least one enemy has a Pyro aura before using Kazuha’s Burst to make sure that his Burst absorbs Pyro. Since Yelan’s Burst applies 2U of Hydro, consider missing her Burst’s initial hit so that Klee can quickly apply Pyro to an enemy. 

This team may face more difficulties against multiple waves of enemies unless they spawn in similar locations and can be defeated before Kazuha’s Burst expires.

Example Rotation
Yelan Q > Nilou E N3 > Klee E > Kazuha Q > Nilou Q > Yelan E combo > Yelan combo

This rotation is extremely flexible, especially in speedruns where the goal is minimizing clear time as opposed to doing the maximum possible damage. The order of teammate abilities may be changed, and the rotation may be extended to generate Energy if needed.

Xiangling has narrower options to support this team, and her high demand for Energy makes it trickier to utilize 4pc Instructor. However, she can skip her Burst against weaker enemies, and players can still perform Forward Vape setups with Xiangling’s Skill and Kazuha’s Burst. 

Despite lacking Klee’s aforementioned utilities, using Xiangling can result in faster clears in practice as it becomes much easier to consecutively Forward Vape multiple hits with Xiangling’s Burst, Skill, and Kauzha’s Burst. When facing distanced enemies, the mobility of Xiangling’s Burst also comes in handy. 

Keep in mind that rotations are rarely immutable, and this is especially true in speedruns where the goal is minimizing clear time as opposed to doing the maximum possible damage. To minimize clear time, take full advantage of Xiangling’s ability to apply Pyro for an extended amount of time and be flexible with rotations depending on how much damage is needed to clear a chamber.

Example Rotation
Yelan Q > Nilou E N3 > Xiangling (Q) E > Kazuha Q > Nilou Q > Yelna E Combo > Yelan combo

This rotation is extremely flexible, especially in speedruns where the goal is minimizing clear time as opposed to doing the maximum possible damage. The order of teammate abilities may be changed, and the rotation may be extended to generate Energy if needed.

Arlecchino can consistently Vaporize a portion of her Normal Attacks with Nilou as the only source of Hydro application. Key of Khaj-Nisut’s EM buff can also come in handy. With no concerns for ER requirements, this team remains convenient to play as Nilou does not need Burst to provide off-field Hydro application.

Similarly to Arlecchino, Hu Tao also benefits from Nilou’s Hydro application and Key of Khaj-Nisut’s EM buff. However, as Hu Tao Vaporizes her hits far more often, she prefers having a second Hydro unit who can help maintain the Hydro aura on enemies and activate Hydro Resonance.

Nilou’s off-field Hydro application with a decent AoE can be useful in Freeze teams. Unlike Xingqiu and Yelan, Nilou does not require frequent Normal Attacks from an active character in order to apply Hydro. However, she doesn't do much in Freeze teams besides applying Hydro, which can make her a subpar choice compared to other Hydro units with more support utility.

If trying to play Nilou on-field without significant investment into Constellations and weapons, players can consider playing her in Mono Hydro teams. Nilou can take advantage of Furina’s buffs through Fanfare points and 4pc Viridescent Venerer’s Elemental RES Shred while using Normal Attacks in her Sword Dance state to trigger Xingqiu or Yelan’s Burst. Consider gearing Nilou with 4pc Marechaussee Hunter and weapons like Splendor of Tranquil Waters, Mistsplitter Reforged, Wolf-Fang, or Festering Desire to get the best results.