The Definitive Build & Analysis

Rarity	(4-Star)
Element	Cryo
Weapon	Sword
Best Role	Sub-DPS / Battery / Freeze Support
CV Priority	CRIT > ATK% > ER > EM
Tier	A (Premium Starter)

Kaeya is the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius and one of the best 4-star units you get for free. He serves as an excellent Cryo battery and off-field Sub-DPS. His Elemental Burst follows the active character, making him highly mobile and perfect for melee Freeze or Melt teams.

Pros

High particle generation (excellent battery).
Burst follows the character (mobile Cryo app).
High scalings on Normal Attacks for a 4-star.
Self-sustaining with Elemental Skill healing.
Free to obtain for everyone.

Cons

Cons are extremely hard to get (Standard Banner/Shop only).
Small AoE on Elemental Burst.
Overshadowed by Rosaria in Crit Rate buffing.

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

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

Best Artifact (Sub-DPS): 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate or 4pc Noblesse Oblige.
Best Artifact (Freeze): 4pc Blizzard Strayer (Free 40% Crit Rate).
Best Weapon: Mistsplitter Reforged (5⭐) or Skyward Blade.
F2P Weapon: Amenoma Kageuchi (Craftable) or Favonius Sword (Battery).
Main Stats: SANDS: ATK% or ER | GOBLET: Cryo DMG | CIRCLET: CRIT Rate/DMG.
Talent Priority: Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill > Normal Attack (Optional).
Top Team: Kaeya + Rosaria + Xiangling + Bennett (Reverse Melt).

Pro Tip: Kaeya has the highest Normal Attack scaling for a Sword user among 4-stars. While usually played as a Sub-DPS, he can function as a viable Physical Main DPS with Aquila Favonia and Superconduct.

Ascension & Talent Materials

Category	Material Name	Source
Ascension	Calla Lily	Springvale / Mondstadt Lakes
Boss Drop	Hoarfrost Core	Cryo Regisvine (Mondstadt)
Talent Books	Teachings of Ballad	Forsaken Rift (Wed/Sat/Sun)

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Normal Attack: Ceremonial Bladework

Scaling: Surprisingly high multipliers for a 4-star. His Charged Attack is standard, but his Normal string is fast and fluid.
Usage: Only level this if you are playing Physical Main DPS Kaeya. For Sub-DPS, leave it at Level 1.

Elemental Skill: Frostgnaw

Instant Cast: A quick cone of Cryo DMG. Low cooldown (6s).
Battery: Generates 2-3 Cryo Particles.
Self-Sustain: His "Cold-Blooded Strike" passive heals Kaeya for 15% of his ATK every time Frostgnaw hits an enemy. This gives him surprising survivability in solo situations.

Elemental Burst: Glacial Waltz

Cost: 60 Energy | Cooldown: 15s | Duration: 8s
The Icicle Ring: Summons 3 icicles that orbit the active character. They deal Cryo DMG multiple times per second.
Application: Follows the character, meaning it never misses mobile enemies (unlike Rosaria's stationary burst).
Reverse Melt: Applies Cryo frequently enough to allow Xiangling to Melt some hits, or for Kaeya to Melt off Pyro aura.

Talent Priority Order:

Elemental Burst (Level 9) - Main damage source.
Elemental Skill (Level 8) - Energy and healing.
Normal Attack (Level 1) - Only for Main DPS.

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

Kaeya ascends with Energy Recharge, which makes him easier to build than many other units.

Team Context	C0-C5 ER Requirement	C6 ER Requirement
Freeze (Double Cryo)	160% - 180%	140% - 150%
Reverse Melt (Solo Cryo)	200% - 220%	160% - 180%
With Amenoma (R5)	-30% ER Required	-30% ER Required

Substat Priority:

CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG (Target 60/120+ for Melt, 30-40/180+ for Freeze)
ATK%
Energy Recharge (Until requirement met)
Elemental Mastery (Only for Melt teams)

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Role	Reasoning
4pc Emblem of Severed Fate	Sub-DPS (BiS)	Maximizes Burst damage. Best for Melt teams where ER is high.
4pc Blizzard Strayer	Freeze	Free 40% Crit Rate against Frozen enemies. Allows you to stack pure ATK and Crit DMG.
4pc Noblesse Oblige	Support	If no one else in the team (like Bennett) has it, Kaeya is a great holder due to his low cooldown burst.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Type	Performance	Notes
Mistsplitter Reforged	CRIT DMG	S+	Highest damage ceiling. Kaeya can maintain the stacks easily with C6 Bennett or just Skill/Burst usage.
Wolf-Fang	CRIT Rate	S	Battle Pass weapon. Boosts Skill and Burst DMG significantly. Very strong on him.
Amenoma Kageuchi (R5)	ATK%	A+ (F2P)	Inazuma Craftable. Refunds massive energy after burst. Allows you to run 0% ER and full ATK stats.
Favonius Sword	ER%	A (Support)	Best for pure battery build to funnel energy to teammates (like Ayaka or Eula).

Constellation Value

Kaeya's constellations are extremely rare but powerful.

C1: Excellent Blood - (Crit) Normal/Charged Attack CRIT Rate +15% against enemies affected by Cryo. Essential for Main DPS Kaeya.
C2: Never-Ending Performance - (Core) Every time an enemy is defeated while Glacial Waltz is active, its duration extends by 2.5s (Max 15s). In mob scenarios, this gives him 100% Burst uptime.
C6: Glacial Whirlwind - (The Peak) Glacial Waltz generates 1 additional icicle (4 total) and refunds 15 Energy upon cast. Massive damage increase and solves all energy issues.

Verdict: C2 is the most important for his Sub-DPS role.

Top Team Compositions

1. Perma-Freeze

Cryo 1: Kaeya (Sub-DPS)
Cryo 2: Rosaria (Crit Share/Battery)
Hydro: Xingqiu / Yelan / Kokomi
Anemo: Kazuha / Sucrose

Why it works: Kaeya and Rosaria provide endless Cryo application and particles. Enemies stay frozen permanently. Blizzard Strayer artifact set becomes incredibly powerful here.

2. Reverse Melt

Melter: Kaeya
Melter 2: Rosaria
Pyro App: Xiangling
Buffer: Bennett

Why it works: A variation of the National Team. Instead of Xingqiu's Hydro, you use two Cryo units to melt Xiangling's Pyro (and vice versa). Very high burst damage but no defensive freeze/shield utility.

Rotations & Combos

Freeze Rotation:
Rosaria E Q > Kazuha E Q > Kokomi E > Kaeya E Q > Attack

Tip: Kaeya's E generates particles instantly. You can do E -> Q and he will catch the particles during his burst animation, lowering ER needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kaeya or Rosaria?
Rosaria provides Crit Rate sharing and is better for stationary bosses. Kaeya is better for mobile enemies (burst follows you), generates more energy, and has better personal survivability. Use whichever you have more cons for.

Physical Kaeya?
It works because his Normal Attacks have high scaling, but Cryo Kaeya is generally stronger and easier to build. Only go Physical if you have Aquila Favonia and really like his attack animations.

Data Source: KQM Standards. Last Updated: December 2025

Genshin Impact: Kaeya Guide