Updated for Version 3.3
Wanderer is a 5-star Anemo Catalyst character that takes up significant field time to deal large amounts of damage using mid-air attacks.
More extensive testing is in progress. Note that the information given is subject to change if and when new discoveries are made.
Join our Discord to check on and participate in the theorycrafting process.
Table of Contents
Playstyles
On-Field Anemo DPS
As an on-field Anemo DPS, Wanderer takes up the majority of the team’s field time in order to deal high amounts of damage with Normal and Charged Attacks while in the Windfavored state triggered via his Skill. Wanderer’s preferred teams to support him in this role focus on buffing or complementing his damage output while taking little field time.
Viridescent Venerer/EM Driver
As an Anemo unit, Wanderer can be played as a 4pc Viridescent Venerer (4pc VV) driver in teams that include off-field DPS units like Fischl, Beidou and Xingqiu. Additionally, he can be built with Elemental Mastery for increased Swirl damage, though he lacks the utility in EM buffs and crowd control that Sucrose and Heizou can provide. Playing Wanderer in the EM driver role also does not make full use of his kit, signature weapon or Constellation effects.
Accordingly, this quick guide will not cover Wanderer in the 4pc VV/EM driver role. This playstyle will be addressed in the full guide.
Character Overview
Talent Priority
Normal Attack > Skill ≥ Burst
Wanderer’s level contributes less to his damage than other Swirl-based Anemo characters; therefore, leaving him at level 80/90 is fine, but level 90 will still provide some additional damage through low-EM Swirls.
If Wanderer is C2+, his Burst provides a valuable nuke and the Talent priority changes to: Normal Attack > Burst > Skill.
Talents
Normal Attack | Yuuban Meigan
Description
Normal Attack
Performs up to 3 attacks using wind blades, dealing Anemo DMG.
Charged Attack
Consumes a certain amount of Stamina, gathers a build up of high wind pressure, and deals AoE Anemo DMG after a short casting time.
Plunging Attack
Calling upon the power of Anemo, the Wanderer plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in his path. Deals AoE Anemo DMG upon impact with the ground.
Wanderer’s Normal and Charged Attacks deal ranged slashes of Anemo that do high damage. This is the bread and butter of his kit, as most of Wanderer’s damage comes from these attacks; however, this damage is also dependent on him being in the Windfavored state provided by his Skill.
Elemental Skill | Hanega: Song of the Wind
Description
Concentrates the power of the winds to break free from the shackles of the earth, dealing AoE Anemo DMG before leaping into the air and entering the Windfavored state.
Windfavored
The Wanderer cannot perform Plunging Attacks in this state. When he uses Normal and Charged Attacks, they will be converted into Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai respectively; the DMG they deal and their AoE will be increased, and their DMG will be considered Normal and Charged Attack DMG respectively. Kuugo: Toufukai will not consume Stamina.
The Wanderer will hover persistently during this time. While this state is active, the Wanderer’s movements gain the following properties:
- Persistently consumes Kuugoryoku Points to maintain this hovering state.
- When sprinting, additional Kuugoryoku Points will be consumed for the Wanderer to accelerate mid-air. Holding sprint will cause persistent Kuugoryoku Point consumption to maintain speed. This effect will replace his default sprint.
- Jumping expends extra Kuugoryoku Points to increase hovering height. Holding jump will cause persistent Kuugoryoku Point consumption to keep increasing hovering height.
Running out of Kuugoryoku Points will end the Windfavored state.
A second cast during the duration of Windfavored will also end it.
Wanderer’s Elemental Skill deals an initial instance of damage and then puts him in the Windfavored state, in which he deals damage while floating mid-air. It also provides a multiplicative damage increase to his Normal and Charged Attacks. In this state, he uses an alternative Stamina bar — referred to as ‘Kuugoryoku Points’ — that consistently depletes. Moving or sprinting depletes this bar faster.
Elemental Burst | Kyogen: Five Ceremonial Plays
Description
Compresses the atmosphere into a singular vacuum that grinds all troubles away, dealing multiple instances of AoE Anemo DMG.
If the character is in the Windfavored state due to the skill “Hanega: Song of the Wind,” Windfavored state will end after casting.
A straightforward damage-dealing ability. Wanderer will typically Burst every other rotation. Note that Bursting ends the Windfavored state.
Ascension 1 Passive | Jade-Claimed Flower
Description
If Hanega: Song of the Wind comes into contact with Hydro/Pyro/Cryo/Electro when it is unleashed, this instance of the Windfavored state will obtain buffs according to the contacted element(s):
- Hydro: Kuugoryoku Point cap increases by 20.
- Pyro: ATK increases by 30%.
- Cryo: CRIT Rate increases by 20%.
- Electro: When Normal and Charged Attacks hit an opponent, 0.8 Energy will be restored. Energy can be restored this way once every 0.2s.
You can have up to 2 different kinds of these buffs simultaneously.
Controlling the contacted Element is generally difficult, and all buffs provide a relatively close damage increase to Wanderer. As such, it is not recommended to build teams around his Elemental contacts. Priority for the Elements that will affect Wanderer’s Skill is Pyro > Hydro > Electro > Cryo.
Ascension 4 Passive | Gales of Reverie
Description
When the Wanderer hits opponents with Kuugo: Fushoudan or Kuugo: Toufukai in his Windfavored state, he has a 16% chance to obtain the Descent effect: The next time the Wanderer accelerates in mid-air while in this instance of the Windfavored state, this effect will be removed, this acceleration instance will not consume any Kuugoryoku Points, and he will fire off 4 wind arrows that deal 35% of his ATK as Anemo DMG each.
For each Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai that does not produce this effect, the next attack of those types will have a 12% increased chance of producing it. The calculation of the effect production is done once every 0.1s.
When Wanderer deals Normal and Charged Attacks while in the Windfavored state, there’s a chance to activate the Descent effect; this chance progressively increases for each Normal and Charged Attack that fails to trigger it. Descent dashes do not consume Kuugoryoku Points (alternate Stamina bar), and also fire 4 wind arrows that deal damage. Wanderer is briefly surrounded by a blue glow when the Descent effect is triggered, indicating the next time he dashes will activate this Passive. Using Descent dashes to dodge or animation cancel is highly recommended as it consumes no Stamina and provides additional damage.
Constellations
Constellation 1 | Shoban: Ostentatious Plumage
When in the Windfavored state, the Attack SPD of the Wanderer’s Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai is increased by 10%.
Additionally, the wind arrows fired by the Passive Talent “Gales of Reverie” will deal an additional 25% of his ATK as DMG. You must unlock the Passive Talent “Gales of Reverie” first.
The ATK Speed increase allows Wanderer to fit an additional 1–3 NAs while in his Skill’s Windfavored state. The increased damage for his A4 can help if dashing frequently for dodging or animation cancels.
Constellation 2 | Niban: Moonlit Isle Amidst White Waves
When in the Windfavored state, Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays will see its DMG increased by 4% per point of difference between the max amount of Kuugoryoku Points contrasted with Kuugoryoku’s present capacity when using this skill.
Through this method, you can increase Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays’s DMG by a maximum of 200%.
Grants Wanderer a powerful nuke option; with it, Wanderer must always Burst near the end of his Windfavored state. A good stopping point for Constellations.
Constellation 3 | Sanban: Moonflower Kusemai
Increases the Level of Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays by 3.
Maximum upgrade level is 15.
A simple Burst Talent increase.
Constellation 4 | Yonban: Set Adrift into Spring
When casting Hanega: Song of the Wind, should the Passive Talent “Jade-Claimed Flower” be triggered, the character will gain buffs in correspondence to the contacted Elemental Type(s), and also obtain a random untriggered buff. A maximum of 3 such corresponding elemental buffs can exist simultaneously.
You must unlock the Passive Talent “Jade-Claimed Flower” first.
RNG makes the value of this Constellation varied, and in some cases, potentially useless.
Constellation 5 | Matsuban: Ancient Illuminator From Abroad
Increases the Level of Hanega: Song of the Wind by 3.
Maximum upgrade level is 15.
A simple Skill Talent increase.
Constellation 6 | Shugen: The Curtains’ Melancholic Sway
When the Wanderer actively hits an opponent with Kuugo: Fushoudan while in the Windfavored state, the following effects will occur:
· Deals an additional instance of Kuugo: Fushoudan at the position hit, dealing 40% of the attack’s original DMG. This DMG will be considered Normal Attack DMG.
· When the Wanderer falls below 40 Kuugoryoku Points, restores 4 Points to him. Kuugoryoku Points can be restored in this manner once every 0.2s. This restoration can occur up to 5 times within one Windfavored duration.
Wanderer’s Normal Attacks while in the Windfavored state are followed by a second attack dealing 40% of its damage. Additionally, increases his Kuugoryu Points, providing a quality-of-life increase to the time he can stay in the Windfavored state.
Combos
Wanderer’s gameplay can be summarized in five easy steps:
- Establish buffs from supports (Faruzan, Bennett, shields, etc.).
- Use Wanderer’s Skill to enter the Windfavored state.
- (If using 4pc Desert Pavilion Chronicle) Use a Charged Attack.
- Use your Normal / Charged Attack combo of choice (see below).
- Use Wanderer’s Burst*.
*If you are C0-C1 and not using 4pc Shimenawa’s Reminiscence, you have the option to use your Burst before your Normal / Charged Attack combo. C2 incentivizes using your Burst at the end of the combo for greater Burst damage. Meanwhile, the 4pc Shimenawa’s Reminiscence effect will fail to proc if you deplete your Energy by using your Burst immediately before your combo.
Normal / Charged Attack Combos
N# = Corresponding number of consecutive Normal Attacks
C / CA = Charged Attack
| Combo | Usage |
| N3 spam | Best when utilizing buffs that only apply to Normal Attacks, such as Yun Jin’s Burst, Tulaytullah’s Remembrance, or Solar Pearl. |
| N2C spam | Best when using weapons that either buff both Normal and Charged Attacks or neither. This combo triggers Swirl more often than N3 spam. |
| CA spam | Best when using Dodoco Tales, though you will need to use a Normal Attack at the start and middle of the combo to maintain its buff. Wanderer’s CA animation can be canceled with another CA, making this a competitive combo in general if you are able to execute these cancels consistently. |
Artifacts
ER Requirements
| Situation (assumes Double Anemo) | ER Requirement |
| Burst every rotation. | ~160-170% |
| Burst every other rotation. | 100% |
| Burst every other rotation while carrying 4-piece Shimenawa’s Reminiscence. | ~120-130% |
ER requirements are lowered by around 20-30% when Wanderer is paired with C6 Faruzan.
These requirements are an estimate; for a more accurate idea of the ER required by your specific team, use Zakharov’s Energy Recharge Calculator.
Artifact Stats
 Sands |  Goblet |  Circlet |
| ATK% | Anemo DMG% | CRIT Rate% / CRIT DMG% |
Substats:
CRIT Rate% = CRIT DMG% > ATK% > ATK
Artifact Sets
| Artifact Set | Description |
| 4pc Desert Pavilion Chronicle | BiS, tailored for Wanderer’s playstyle. |
| 4pc Shimenawa’s Reminiscence | While a decent set, Wanderer is forced to Burst only every other rotation when carrying 4pc SR. |
| 2pc +18% ATK / 2pc +15% Anemo DMG (mix and match) | Generally, these 2-piece set combinations perform in the following order from strongest to weakest: • 2pc Anemo DMG + 2pc Anemo DMG • 2pc Anemo DMG + 2pc ATK • 2pc ATK + 2pc ATK |
| 4pc Viridescent Venerer | Can be useful to buff off-field DPS units if Wanderer is the only Anemo on the team; generally, however, Faruzan should carry 4pc VV instead if it is needed. |
Note: 4pc Lavawalker, Thundersoother and Blizzard Strayer may on paper have some circumstantial uses, but in practice are sub-optimal and not recommended to farm.
Weapons
The list below is not a definitive ranking, as the value of Wanderer’s weapons depends on the buffs available to him. Some weapons might perform better or worse depending on the team composition Wanderer is being played in.
| Weapon | Description |
| Tullaytullah’s Remembrance | His signature weapon, and uncontested BiS; provides CRIT DMG% and boosts NA ATK SPD and DMG. |
| Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds | Wanderer makes good use of the CRIT substat and can utilize its passive well due to his significant on-field time. |
| Memory of Dust | Whether shielded or unshielded, Memory of Dust ranks high on the list due to his fast Normal Attacks making its passive easy to stack. However, its value drops off when paired with Bennett and other sources of ATK buffs. |
| Skyward Atlas | Stat stick with a decent passive. Like Memory of Dust, its value decreases when paired with ATK buffs. |
| Kagura’s Verity | Purely a stat stick, with Wanderer being unable to fully utilize its passive. In rotations shorter than 15s, he makes better use of the weapon, but these are generally limited to teams without Faruzan. |
| The Widsith / Solar Pearl | Similarly good 4-star options, with The Widsith providing higher damage averaged across rotations but Solar Pearl providing more consistent damage. |
| Dodoco Tales | Requires Wanderer to spam CAs once every few seconds for the buff, but otherwise a decent free option for those who have it. |
| Blackcliff Agate | Stat stick with an unreliable passive; decent, but costs Masterless Starglitter. |
| Frostbearer / Mappa Mare | High Base ATK weapons; Mappa Mare at high refines beats out Frostbearer when Bennett is on the team. |
Teams
Team-Building
- Due to Wanderer’s high field time requirements and the nature of his kit, Wanderer’s teammates are typically going to aim at increasing his personal damage (especially if he is highly invested).
- When choosing defensive units, Wanderer generally prefers a shielder over a healer for the Interruption Resistance shields provide, as he can easily be knocked down while mid-air.
Notable Teammates
| Character | Description |
| Faruzan | Faruzan is a highly valuable support in Wanderer teams, as her kit is uniquely crafted to support him. She provides Anemo DMG%, Shreds Anemo RES, and provides some grouping. She scales very well with Constellations, which improve her buffing and ease her build requirements. One of her biggest drawbacks is her high ER requirements, which is eased with her C4. Her C6 provides 40% CRIT DMG for Wanderer and allows an increased number of her Skill procs, improving particle generation and further helping with ER. Additionally, Faruzan can buff the team with 4pc Noblesse Oblige or 4pc Viridescent Venerer RES Shred. |
| Bennett | Bennett is easily one of Wanderer’s best teammates, as he provides both healing and buffing. Furthermore, in addition to his Burst providing a huge ATK buff, Bennett also gives Wanderer a 30% ATK boost with an easily obtained Pyro contact on Wanderer’s Skill. He can also hold Noblesse Oblige, adding to the ATK buffs he provides. |
| Yun Jin | Great for Wanderer’s NA-focused playstyle, providing a flat base damage buff to each NA. At C6, Yun Jin also provides Wanderer with a Normal ATK SPD buff, which is greatly appreciated. |
| Yelan / Xingqiu | High off-field personal damage, though largely single-target. Xingqiu also provides Interruption Resistance, which Wanderer appreciates greatly. |
| Xiangling | Her Pyronado stays on the ground even when Wanderer is mid-air, allowing her to deal significant personal damage. Usually paired with Bennett, providing Wanderer with Pyro Resonance. |
| Fischl | Strong damage, increased by Wanderer being able to trigger her A4 and C6. She can also help battery Energy hungry teammates. |
| Beidou / Yae | Energy hungry off-field Electro units that provide significant damage in AoE and single-target situations respectively. Beidou’s shield is additionally appreciated for its Interruption Resistance. |
| Ganyu / Rosaria | Decent off-field damage through Bursts. Rosaria can provide CRIT Rate% for the party. |
| Venti / Kazuha | May be played as off-field damage dealers with their high Talent multipliers. Their crowd control capabilities may also help Wanderer’s Normal/Charged Attacks hit multiple enemies. |
| Zhongli | Strongest shielder in the game, with a universal RES shred; can also hold Tenacity of the Millelith. |
| Thoma | The second strongest shield when stacked with NAs, though it’s tied to his high-cost Burst. Thoma can provide a 30% ATK buff through Pyro contact on Wanderer’s Skill, and Thoma’s C6 buffs Normal and Charged Attacks as well. |
| Layla / Diona | Layla is a strong shielder that can hold Tenacity of the Millelith and further buff Wanderer at C4. Diona provides a weaker shield in exchange for healing; she can also hold Noblesse Oblige. |
| Jean | Provides healing and can be used with Bennett to self-Swirl Pyro (referred to as ‘Sunfire’). Generally unimpressive at C0, but her C2 provides an ATK SPD buff and her C4 shreds Anemo RES. |
Example Teams
This is not a comprehensive list of teams, and the inclusion of a certain team or lack thereof does not necessarily indicate the power level of the team in question. This list is not ranked.
Hypercarry Wanderer
Wanderer — Faruzan — Bennett — Flex
Flex characters may be another buffer like Yun Jin or an off-field damage dealer like Xiangling.
Double Anemo Double Hydro
Wanderer — Faruzan — Xingqiu — Yelan
Double Anemo Double Cryo
Wanderer — Faruzan — Rosaria — Layla
Double Anemo Double Geo
Wanderer — Faruzan — Yun Jin — Zhongli
Credits
juko#9385, Cuzimori#1535, idkanonymized#4166, Emiliabyss#1641, Raikh / Valien#8564, EduLis#2176, jrm.spirit#2671, ඞඞ#1984 (redd), mina#4448