Updated for Version 3.5
Aloy is a 5-star Cryo Bow character in Genshin Impact who can deal decent Cryo damage with her Skill and Burst. Learn about Aloy’s best builds, Talent priority, best weapons, best artifacts, and best teams in this in-depth review.
Note that the information given may change if new discoveries are made. More extensive testing is in progress.
The full-length guide is available here. It is currently in the process of being updated.
Table of Contents
Infographic
New Content
| Hunter’s Path | A new Bow added in Version 3.0 that can serve as a potent stat stick in Reverse Melt builds. |
| Gilded Dreams | A new artifact set added in Version 3.0 that is an option for Reverse Melt builds. |
| Dehya and Layla | New characters who unfortunately do not synergize well in Aloy’s teams, since Aloy largely depends on teammates for DPS. |
| Dendro | The addition of Dendro has little impact on Aloy, since Dendro does not interact with Cryo and Aloy does not apply enough Cryo to enable Fridge teams. |
Character Overview
Playstyles
It should be noted that Aloy is rarely the most optimal choice in any given team, but she can still be serviceable with smart gameplay and enough investment.
Reverse Melt
This playstyle utilizes Pyro and Anemo teammates to enable Reverse Melts with Aloy’s Skill and Burst. Reverse Melt teams see the biggest damage numbers from Aloy, though much of the team’s overall DPS comes from her teammates too.
Cryo Support
In Freeze and Mono Cryo teams, Aloy can function as a Cryo battery, buffer, and quickswap DPS. She enables Cryo Resonance and serves as a more offensive battery option than Diona. In addition, Aloy’s short Burst cooldown and low Energy cost means she is a good candidate for holding 4pc Noblesse Oblige.
Level and Talent Priority
Talent Priority
Burst > Skill > Normal Attack
Aloy does use her Normal Attacks in some rotations, so you may not want to totally neglect leveling them.
Talents
Normal Attack | Rapid Fire
Talent Description
Normal Attack
Performs up to 4 consecutive shots with a bow.
Charged Attack
Perform a more precise Aimed Shot with increased DMG.
While aiming, biting frost will accumulate on the arrowhead. A fully charged frost arrow will deal Cryo DMG.
Plunging Attack
Fires off a shower of arrows in mid-air before falling and striking the ground, dealing AoE DMG upon impact.
Aloy is able to infuse her Normal Attacks with Cryo through the Rushing Ice state conferred by her Skill. However, achieving this Infusion is difficult and inconsistent, so many of her teams fail to make full use of this mechanic. Nonetheless, some rotations do use Aloy’s Normal Attacks, so you may want to level her Normal Attack Talent to some degree.
Elemental Skill | Frozen Wilds
Talent Description
Aloy throws a Freeze Bomb in the targeted direction that explodes on impact, dealing Cryo DMG. After it explodes, the Freeze Bomb will split up into many Chillwater Bomblets that explode on contact with opponents or after a short delay, dealing Cryo DMG.
When a Freeze Bomb or Chillwater Bomblet hits an opponent, the opponent’s ATK is decreased and Aloy receives 1 Coil stack.
Aloy can gain up to 1 Coil stack every 0.1s.
Coil
- Each stack increases Aloy’s Normal Attack DMG.
- When Aloy has 4 Coil stacks, all stacks of Coil are cleared. She then enters the Rushing Ice state, which further increases the DMG dealt by her Normal Attacks and converts her Normal Attack DMG to Cryo DMG.
While in the Rushing Ice state, Aloy cannot obtain new Coil stacks.
Coil effects will be cleared 30s after Aloy leaves the field.
This Skill has two main parts: the initial Freeze Bomb and the six Chillwater Bomblets. The Freeze Bomb has decent multipliers and can deal respectable damage, especially if it Melts. Each Skill cast immediately generates 5 Cryo Particles.
The Chillwater Bomblets individually do less damage than the Freeze Bomb, but there are six of them. Each Bomblet grants Aloy 1 Coil stack when it hits an enemy, with a 0.1s cooldown between gaining Coil stacks. Upon reaching 4 Coil stacks, Aloy enters the Rushing Ice state, in which her Normal Attacks are infused with Cryo and she gains a ramping Cryo DMG% buff from her Ascension 4 Passive. The Bomblets can be grouped by some crowd control abilities, but not all (see list below). However, even if you are able to push the Bomblets into an enemy (or vice versa), the 0.1s cooldown means that not all Bomblets will generate a Coil stack if detonated simultaneously, resulting in failure to achieve Rushing Ice. Combined with the punishing 20s cooldown on this Skill, the inconsistency of this mechanic makes it difficult to take advantage of.
Chillwater Bomblets can be moved by:
- Anemo Traveler’s Skill/Burst
- Kazuha’s Skill
- Jean’s Skill
- Sucrose’s Skill
- Faruzan’s Pressurized Collapse vortices (not recommended)
- Heizou’s Burst (not recommended)
Chillwater Bomblets are unaffected by:
- Sucrose’s Burst
- Venti’s Burst
- The Viridescent Hunt’s passive
Elemental Burst | Prophecies of Dawn
Talent Description
Aloy throws a Power Cell filled with Cryo in the targeted direction, then detonates it with an arrow, dealing AoE Cryo DMG.
The bread and butter of Aloy’s kit. As of Version 3.5, this Talent multiplier is the highest single instance of Cryo damage in the game — and on a 12s cooldown to boot. It’s also very cheap with a cost of only 40 Energy. As a single hit of Cryo DMG, it is easy to Melt for screenshot-worthy numbers.
Ascension 1 Passive | Combat Override
Talent Description
When Aloy receives the Coil effect from Frozen Wilds, her ATK is increased by 16%, while nearby party members’ ATK is increased by 8%. This effect lasts 10s.
Luckily, Aloy’s Ascension 1 Passive only requires 1 Coil stack, not the full 4. This is a modest buff to herself and a smaller buff to the rest of her team.
Ascension 4 Passive | Strong Strike
Talent Description
When Aloy is in the Rushing Ice state conferred by Frozen Wilds, her Cryo DMG Bonus increases by 3.5% every 1s. A maximum Cryo DMG Bonus increase of 35% can be gained in this way.
It’s difficult to rely on this Passive since it requires Aloy to gain 4 Coil Stacks and achieve Rushing Ice. When it does trigger, you can delay casting Aloy’s Burst in order to maximize the Cryo DMG% buff on her Burst hit. How long you can delay depends on your rotation, but in general, you should only delay by about 3-4s before you risk losing the buff altogether. You can fill this time with Normal Attacks if you decide to go this route.
Constellations
As of Version 3.5, Aloy does not have any available Constellations.
Combos
N# = Corresponding number of consecutive Normal Attacks
E = Elemental Skill
Q = Elemental Burst
| Combos | Usage |
| E (swap) Q | Aloy’s go-to combo. After casting her Skill, you should swap to your Anemo grouper to detonate as many Chillwater Bomblets as you can. |
| E (swap) N4 Q | If you achieve Rushing Ice and wish to maximize Aloy’s A4 buff on her Burst, you can fill time with Normal Attacks before you Burst. Depending on when Rushing Ice is triggered, you may not have time to do a full N4 combo, so you can do fewer Normal Attacks if unsure. |
Artifacts
ER Requirements
| Situation | ER Requirement |
| Solo Cryo | ~140-165% |
| Double Cryo, Venti, Favonius proc, or Sacrificial Bow | ~100-125% |
Use the Energy Recharge Calculator to determine exact requirements for your team and rotation.
Artifact Stats
Reverse Melt
 Sands |  Goblet |  Circlet |
| EM, ER, or ATK% | Cryo DMG% | CRIT Rate or DMG |
Substats:
ER (until sufficient) > CRIT > EM > ATK%
If you don’t use an ER weapon and your ER needs are above about 150%, an ER Sands with good substats can sometimes be optimal for damage. As Bennett is almost always used in Reverse Melt Aloy teams for his valuable ATK buff, an EM Sands typically increases Aloy’s personal damage more than an ATK% Sands.
Choose a Circlet based on what brings you closest to a 1:2 ratio of CRIT Rate to CRIT DMG.
Cryo Support
Sands | Goblet | Circlet |
| ATK% | Cryo DMG% | CRIT Rate or DMG |
Substats:
ER (until sufficient) > CRIT DMG ≥ CRIT Rate > ATK%
Cryo Resonance grants an additional 15% CRIT Rate against enemies that are Frozen or affected by Cryo. If Aloy equips 4pc Blizzard Strayer, she gains further CRIT Rate buffs (up to 40%) through the artifact set bonus. This makes CRIT DMG a more valuable stat whenever Aloy benefits from these buffs.
Choose a Circlet based on what brings you closest to a 1:2 ratio of CRIT Rate to CRIT DMG.
Artifact Sets
Reverse Melt
| Artifact Set | Description |
| 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate (4EoSF) | About half of Aloy’s damage comes from her Burst, making 4EoSF a solid choice at higher ER requirements. |
| 4pc Gilded Dreams (4GD) | 4GD is also a good option due to the sheer amount of EM it provides. It grants less EM if there is a second Cryo in your team, but if you have enough EM from your weapon and artifact stats, the difference is small. |
| 4pc Lavawalker (4LW) | 4LW is a staple in Reverse Melt teams where the 4pc effect is almost always active. It provides good damage potential, but may be Resin-inefficient to farm for. |
| 2pc combinations of Blizzard Strayer / Emblem of Severed Fate / Noblesse Oblige / 18% ATK / 80 EM | These 2pc effects are all helpful to Aloy, and any combination performs similarly to each other. The 4pc options above are usually stronger, but the difference is easily overcome by substats. |
Cryo Support
| Artifact Set | Description |
| 4pc Noblesse Oblige (4NO) | 4NO is the go-to set for support Aloy. It provides a 20% ATK buff for the entire team when Aloy Bursts, and because of her Burst’s short cooldown and low Energy cost, she has no problems with uptime. If no one else on your team is holding 4NO, then Aloy is a solid candidate. |
| 4pc Blizzard Strayer (4BS) | 4BS is the best artifact set for Aloy’s personal damage. It grants a massive 40% CRIT Rate against Frozen enemies, allowing you to invest more into CRIT DMG with your artifacts. If not holding 4NO, Aloy should equip 4BS. |
| 2pc combos of Blizzard Strayer / Noblesse Oblige / 18% ATK | These 2pc set effects are still useful for Aloy’s personal damage, though the difference between them and 4BS is quite significant. It also means giving up the team buff from 4NO. |
Weapons
Reverse Melt
| Weapon | Description |
| Polar Star | Aloy’s Best-in-Slot weapon. Incorporate Normal Attacks and Aimed Shots into your rotation in order to benefit from Polar Star’s ATK% buffs. |
| Sacrificial Bow (R4+) | At high refinements (R4+), Sacrificial Bow can allow for a second Skill cast, which means another big hit of Cryo damage as well as more consistency in achieving Rushing Ice. This weapon also single-handedly takes care of Aloy’s ER needs by generating more particles. |
| Aqua Simulacra, Hunter’s Path, Thundering Pulse, or Skyward Harp | These are hefty 5-star CRIT stat sticks with passives that are marginally useful to Aloy. |
| Elegy for the End | Elegy’s passive usually only activates every other rotation. When it does, however, the buff benefits the entire team. Its ER secondary stat lets Aloy comfortably meet her ER requirements. |
| The Stringless | The Stringless has an EM secondary stat and a passive that grants Skill and Burst DMG Bonuses. Scales well with refinements. |
| Prototype Crescent | Prototype Crescent performs remarkably well as a F2P option. However, you will need to start your rotation with a quick headshot to activate its passive — something that’s not always possible. Scales well with refinements. |
Cryo Support
| Weapon | Description |
| Polar Star, Skyward Harp, Aqua Simulacra, or Thundering Pulse | These 5-star Bows are best for Aloy’s personal damage due to the raw stats they provide. Polar Star builds may overcap on CRIT Rate if equipping 4BS. |
| Prototype Crescent | Prototype Crescent performs remarkably well as a F2P option. However, you will need to start your rotation with a quick headshot to activate its passive — something that’s not always possible. Scales well with refinements. |
| Hunter’s Path | A CRIT Rate stat stick with a bit of Elemental DMG Bonus. If equipping 4BS, you may end up overcapping CRIT Rate. |
| Sacrificial Bow (R4+) | At high refinements (R4+), Sacrificial Bow can allow for a second Skill cast, which means another big hit of Cryo damage as well as more consistency in achieving Rushing Ice. This also means Aloy can generate twice as many Cryo Particles in one rotation, doubling her effectiveness as a Cryo battery. |
| Amos’ Bow, Alley Hunter, or The Viridescent Hunt | These Bows provide helpful stats for Aloy’s damage. You can pre-stack Alley Hunter’s passive by waiting for 10s before starting a Domain or Abyss floor, as long as Aloy is not in your first party slot. The Viridescent Hunt’s passive does not affect Aloy’s Bomblets, but can pull enemies into them with a bit of luck. |
| Favonius Warbow | Favonius Warbow severely reduces Aloy’s personal damage, but allows her to generate clear particles for the team. |
Teams
Reverse Melt
Reverse Melt teams usually consist of Aloy, Bennett, an Anemo grouper for Aloy’s Bomblets, and a flex slot. The last team member can be a Pyro off-field DPS (i.e., Xiangling) or another Cryo DPS. Xiangling, Kazuha, or Jean can provide enough Pyro application to sustain a second Cryo DPS, though using Xiangling as the sole Pyro applier means forgoing an Anemo grouper. All Anemo units should equip 4pc Viridescent Venerer (4VV).
Notable Teammates
| Character | Description |
| Bennett | Indispensable in Reverse Melt teams. Bennett provides a massive ATK buff and applies Pyro to your character when standing inside his Burst circle. Kazuha and Jean can take advantage of this to apply Pyro to enemies. |
| Kazuha | Kazuha’s Hold Skill is recommended for pulling enemies and Bomblets alike. He can apply Pyro to enemies by absorbing it into his Burst. Depending on your teammates and rotation, it may be difficult to Swirl Cryo and receive the DMG Bonus from his Ascension 4 Passive. |
| Sucrose | Sucrose does a decent job at gathering Aloy’s Bomblets with her Skill. Her EM sharing is also useful for buffing Aloy and is not contingent on Swirling the correct Element. |
| Jean | Jean can gather Aloy’s Bomblets with her Hold Skill and throw them at enemies. She can also push enemies into the Bomblets, which is often better for generating Coil stacks. Together with Bennett, Jean enables the “Sunfire” interaction, which provides rapid Pyro application and enables even more Melts from a second Cryo DPS. |
| Anemo Traveler | Anemo Traveler can gather Aloy’s Bomblets with their Hold Skill and Burst. Their Burst can be difficult to utilize; although it does group enemies, it also tends to carry them away from Bennett’s circle. |
| Xiangling | Xiangling contributes high personal damage and applies Pyro to enemies — enough to sustain Melts for another Cryo DPS, though doing so means forgoing an Anemo grouper. |
| Rosaria, Kaeya, Shenhe, or Chongyun | These are options for a second Cryo DPS. Rosaria and Shenhe can also buff your team, whether through Rosaria’s CRIT Rate share or Shenhe’s Icy Quill effect. If you are able to Melt all or most of Chongyun’s Burst hits, he is also a viable quickswap DPS. |
Example Teams
This is not a comprehensive list of teams. The inclusion or exclusion of any given team does not necessarily reflect its power level.
Aloy — Bennett — Kazuha — Xiangling
Aloy — Bennett — Jean — Rosaria
Aloy — Bennett — Xiangling — Shenhe
Freeze
Freeze teams can use Aloy as a second Cryo unit to provide buffs and Energy for the primary Cryo DPS. These teams usually consist of Aloy, a Cryo DPS, an Anemo unit, and a Hydro unit. All Anemo units should equip 4pc Viridescent Venerer (4VV) in order to shred enemy RES.
Notable Teammates
| Character | Description |
| Ayaka, Ganyu, Rosaria, or Kaeya | Your primary Cryo DPS. All of these units can work in this role, though Ayaka and Ganyu are the most conventional and most recommended. |
| Kazuha | Kazuha’s utility grows in Freeze teams, since it is easier for him to Swirl Cryo to buff both Aloy and your primary Cryo DPS. |
| Jean | In the absence of Bennett, Jean’s healing gains value. She can group Aloy’s Bomblets and apply RES Shred with 4VV. |
| Anemo Traveler | Anemo Traveler can group Aloy’s Bomblets and also shred enemy RES through their C6 and 4VV, though they may also push enemies away from you. |
| Sucrose | Sucrose’s EM share is less valuable in Freeze teams. Nonetheless, she can still hold 4VV for its RES Shred and help manipulate Aloy’s Bomblets if you have no other option. |
| Venti | Venti is unable to move Aloy’s Bomblets, but he excels in content with multiple smaller enemies. You may have trouble triggering Rushing Ice, but it hardly matters if Venti is single-handedly sweeping the floor. |
| Kokomi, Mona, or Ayato | These off-field Hydro options enable Freeze. Note that Mona and Ayato’s ER requirements are very high in Freeze teams. Mona and Kokomi are able to hold Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers and/or 4pc Tenacity of the Millelith for additional buffs. |
| Xingqiu or Yelan | Xingqiu and Yelan also provide off-field Hydro application and considerable personal damage. However, they require Normal Attacks to proc their Burst effects, which may be suboptimal if your Cryo DPS prefers not to use them (i.e., Ganyu). Their Hydro application and damage are generally also locked to single-target. |
Example Teams
This is not a comprehensive list of teams. The inclusion or exclusion of any given team does not necessarily reflect its power level.
Aloy — Ayaka — Kazuha — Kokomi
Aloy — Ganyu — Venti — Mona
Aloy — Kaeya / Rosaria — Jean — Xingqiu
Mono Cryo
Mono Cryo teams are similar to Freeze teams, just without a Hydro unit. They perform better against enemies that are immune to Freeze. Mono Cryo teams typically consist of Aloy, Shenhe, Kazuha, and another Cryo DPS. All Anemo units should equip 4pc Viridescent Venerer (4VV) to shred enemy Cryo RES. Mono Cryo Aloy teams tend to be somewhat fragile since you need as much DPS as possible from your teammates, and running a healer means compromising your damage.
Notable Teammates
| Character | Description |
| Shenhe | While not strictly necessary for Mono Cryo teams, Shenhe is tailor-made for this archetype with her potent Cryo damage buffs. |
| Kazuha | Kazuha’s buffing utility shines in Mono Element teams due to the ease with which he buffs all of your damage dealers with his A4 Passive. He can also group Aloy’s Bomblets and shred enemy RES with 4VV. While not strictly necessary, Kazuha is highly recommended. |
| Jean, Anemo Traveler, or Sucrose | These are alternative Anemo units if Kazuha is not an option. They can still manipulate Aloy’s Bomblets and shred enemy RES with 4VV. Jean also has the added benefit of healing. |
| Ayaka, Ganyu, Rosaria, or Kaeya | Your primary Cryo DPS. All of these units work in this role, though Ayaka and Ganyu are the most conventional and most recommended. If you do not use Shenhe, you should choose two characters from this list. |
Example Teams
This is not a comprehensive list of teams. The inclusion or exclusion of any given team does not necessarily reflect its power level.
Aloy — Shenhe — Kazuha — Ayaka
Aloy — Shenhe — Kazuha — Ganyu
Aloy — Rosaria — Jean — Kaeya
Credits
Nociii#0111, cote#4733, Cuzimori#1535, idkanonymized#4166, Chasing Haze#3014
Team images courtesy of the KQM portrait generator.