The Definitive Build & Analysis

Rarity	(4-Star)
Element	Cryo
Weapon	Bow
Best Role	Shielder / Healer / Battery
Stat Priority	HP% > ER > Healing Bonus
Tier	S (Role Compression)

Diona is the ultimate role consolidator. In one slot, she provides a Shield, Healing, Energy generation (Battery), and massive EM buffs (at C6). While her individual numbers aren't the highest, her ability to do everything at once makes her a staple in Freeze, Physical, and Dendro teams.

Pros

Consolidates Shield, Heal, and Battery roles.
Excellent Cryo Battery (especially w/ Sacrificial Bow).
C6 provides a massive 200 Elemental Mastery buff.
Shield increases Move Speed & decreases Stamina consumption.

Cons

Shield is weaker than Zhongli/Layla (short duration).
Healing ticks are relatively slow.
Low personal damage output.
Circle Impact (must stay in burst to heal/buff).

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

If you don't have time for the math, here is the cheat sheet.

Best Artifact: 4pc Noblesse Oblige (Buffer) or 4pc Maiden Beloved (Pure Healer).
Alt Artifact: 2pc Tenacity + 2pc Vourukasha (Max Shield Strength).
Best Weapon: Sacrificial Bow (Uncontested BiS).
Alt Weapon: Favonius Warbow (Team Battery).
F2P Weapon: Recurve Bow (3-Star HP% Stat Stick).
Main Stats: SANDS: HP% or ER | GOBLET: HP% | CIRCLET: HP% or Healing Bonus.
Talent Priority: Elemental Burst = Elemental Skill > Normal Attack (Ignore).
Top Team: Diona + Ayaka + Shenhe + Kazuha (Premium Freeze).

Pro Tip: Always use HOLD E. Tapping E creates a weaker shield with shorter duration. Holding E creates a shield with 75% bonus absorption and generates more energy particles.

Ascension & Talent Materials

Category	Material Name	Source
Ascension	Calla Lily	Found near lakes in Mondstadt (Springvale)
Boss Drop	Hoarfrost Core	Cryo Regisvine (Mondstadt)
Talent Books	Teachings of Freedom	Forsaken Rift (Mon/Thu/Sun)

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Elemental Skill: Icy Paws

Tap: Fires 2 Paws. Shield lasts ~4.8s. (Don't use this).
Hold: Backflips and fires 5 Paws. Shield gains 75% DMG Absorption Bonus and lasts ~12s. Always use Hold to maximize shield uptime and energy generation (3-4 particles).
Utility: Characters protected by the shield gain 10% Movement Speed and consume 10% less Stamina. Excellent for Ayaka/Hu Tao.

Elemental Burst: Signature Mix

Cost: 80 Energy | Cooldown: 20s
Field: Throws a cocktail that creates a "Drunken Mist" field.
Effects: Deals continuous Cryo DMG to enemies and heals the active character within the AoE. The healing ticks are slow (every 2s) but potent.
Debuff: Decreases enemy ATK by 10% inside the field (Passive).

Passive: Cat's Tail Secret Menu

Shield Buff: As mentioned, shield grants 10% Move Speed and 10% Stamina Reduction. This is unique to Diona and very valuable for stamina-hungry carries.

Talent Priority Order:

Elemental Skill (Level 9+) - For Shield Strength.
Elemental Burst (Level 8) - For Healing.
Normal Attack (Level 1) - Ignore.

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

Diona needs high ER to burst off-cooldown, but HP is prioritized for shield strength.

Team Context	Weapon	ER Requirement
Solo Cryo	Sacrificial Bow	200% - 220%
Double Cryo (w/ Ayaka/Ganyu)	Sacrificial Bow	160% - 180%
No ER Weapon	Recurve Bow	240%+

Substat Priority:

HP% (Shield/Heal)
Energy Recharge (Until requirement met)
CRIT Rate (Only if using Favonius Warbow)
Flat HP

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Role	Reasoning
4pc Noblesse Oblige	BiS Support	Grants 20% ATK to the team. Since she bursts often in rotation, this is her best way to contribute offensive utility.
2pc Tenacity / 2pc Vourukasha	Max Shield	If you find her shield breaking too easily, stack 40% HP from these 2-piece sets.
4pc Instructor	EM Buff	Use only in Hu Tao/Yoimiya Vape teams to boost Team EM by 120. Sacrifice stats for buffs.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Type	Performance	Notes
Sacrificial Bow (High Refine)	ER%	S+	Allows Hold E twice. Doubles energy generation and ensures shield is always up. Essential for Cryo Battery role.
Favonius Warbow	ER%	S	Great general battery. Requires Crit Rate. Easier to get (free) than Sacrificial.
Recurve Bow	HP%	A (Shield)	3-Star weapon obtained from chests/NPC. Only bow with HP% secondary stat. Use if you want max shield thickness and have enough ER.
Elegy for the End	ER%	A (Whale)	Buffs Team EM/ATK. Diona triggers it well with her Burst, but it's expensive.

Constellation Value

Diona is functional at C0, but C6 transforms her utility.

C1: A Lingering Flavor - (Energy) Regenerates 15 Energy for Diona after Burst ends. Drops ER requirement significantly.
C2: Shaken, Not Purred - (Shield) Increases Shield DMG Absorption by 15%. Also shields teammates in Co-op.
C6: Cat's Tail Closing Time - (Broken) Characters in Burst field get:
• +30% Healing Bonus (if HP ≤ 50%)
• +200 Elemental Mastery (if HP > 50%).
This 200 EM is huge for Melt/Vaporize/Dendro teams.

Verdict: C6 is the goal. It makes her a Kazuha-tier buffer for reaction damage.

Top Team Compositions

1. Morgana (Freeze)

Main DPS: Ganyu / Ayaka
Hydro: Mona / Kokomi
Anemo: Venti / Kazuha
Battery/Shield: Diona

Why it works: Diona generates particles to fund Ayaka/Ganyu's expensive bursts. She provides Cryo Resonance and safety without ruining freeze reactions.

2. Fridge / Dendro Support

Main DPS: Alhaitham / Cyno
Hydro: Xingqiu / Yelan
Dendro: Nahida
Sustain: Diona (C6)

Why it works: Diona's C6 provides 200 EM to the active character, boosting Hyperbloom/Aggravate damage significantly. Her Cryo application can enable "Fridge" mechanics (preserving Dendro aura).

Rotations & Combos

Support Rotation:
Diona Hold E > Diona Q > Swap to Cryo Carry (Funnel particles)

Tip: If using Sacrificial Bow, do: Hold E > Q > Hold E. This maximizes energy generation for your team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is she better than Layla?
Layla has a stronger shield (100% uptime) and better Tenacity uptime. Diona offers healing, better energy generation, and the C6 EM buff. Choose Layla for raw defense, Diona for utility/healing.

Should I build HP or Healing Bonus?
Generally HP/HP/HP is preferred because Diona's shield is her main selling point. Her healing is "good enough" without a Healing Bonus circlet, but her shield needs all the help it can get.

Data Source: KQM Standards. Last Updated: December 2025

Genshin Impact: Diona Guide