Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing

Rarity	(5-Star Standard)
Element	Electro
Weapon	Sword
Best Role	Aggravate Main DPS
Stat Priority	CRIT > ATK% > EM
Tier	A+ (With Dendro)

Keqing is the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. Once considered a weaker 5-star, the introduction of Dendro revitalized her kit. Her fast multi-hit Electro application allows her to trigger Aggravate reactions rapidly, turning her lightning-fast swordplay into a storm of damage numbers.

Pros

One of the best drivers for Aggravate (Fischl synergy).
Extremely mobile and fun playstyle (Teleporting Skill).
High i-frame uptime with low cost Burst (40 Energy).
Very flexible artifact options (TF, TS, Gilded, 2pc).
Easy to build (Ascension gives Crit DMG).

Cons

Stamina Issues: Charged Attacks consume 25 stamina and knock small enemies back.
Requires Dendro to be competitive in meta.
Low single-hit damage numbers (Death by a thousand cuts).
Constellations are relatively weak compared to limited 5-stars.

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

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

Best Artifact: 4pc Thundering Fury (Aggravate BiS).
Alt Artifact: 4pc Thundersoother or 2pc TF / 2pc ATK.
Best Weapon: Mistsplitter Reforged (Signature).
Alt Weapon: Primordial Jade Cutter or Haran Geppaku.
F2P Weapon: Iron Sting (Craftable) or Lion's Roar (Best 4-Star at R5).
Main Stats: SANDS: ATK% or EM | GOBLET: Electro DMG | CIRCLET: CRIT.
Talent Priority: Normal Attack = Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill.
Top Team: Keqing + Fischl + Nahida + Kazuha (Premium Aggravate).

Pro Tip: Skill Infusion: Always double-tap her Skill (E -> E) to teleport and infuse her sword with Electro. Do not use a Charged Attack immediately after the first E cast, or you will detonate the stiletto without gaining infusion (Physical Keqing playstyle).

Ascension & Talent Materials

Category	Material Name	Source
Ascension	Cor Lapis	Liyue (Mt. Hulao, Cliffs)
Boss Drop	Lightning Prism	Electro Hypostasis (Mondstadt)
Talent Books	Teachings of Prosperity	Taishan Mansion (Mon/Thu/Sun)
Common Mob	Nectar	Whopperflowers

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Normal Attack: Yunlai Swordsmanship

Charged Attack: Keqing's main damage source outside of burst. She disappears and strikes forward.
Stamina Cost: Costs 25 stamina. Spamming this depletes stamina very fast, making dodging difficult.
Knockback: Sends small enemies flying. In Aggravate teams, you often use N1C (Normal 1 + Charge) combos or just Normal Attacks to preserve stamina.

Elemental Skill: Stellar Restoration

Stiletto: Throws a Lightning Stiletto. Can be aimed (hold E).
Recast (E -> E): Keqing teleports to the stiletto, dealing AoE Electro DMG and gaining Electro Infusion for 5s (A1 Passive). This is the standard playstyle.
Charged Attack Interaction: If you CA after throwing the stiletto, it explodes at its location. This deals damage but does not grant infusion (used for Physical builds, largely obsolete).

Elemental Burst: Starward Sword

Cost: 40 Energy | Cooldown: 12s
AoE Electro: Unleashes a flurry of slashes ending in a massive AoE strike.
Buff (A4 Passive): After casting Burst, Keqing gains 15% CRIT Rate and Energy Recharge for 8s. This makes building her very forgiving.
I-Frames: Very long animation invulnerability. Use it to dodge big enemy attacks.

Talent Priority Order:

Normal Attack (Level 10) - Charge Attack scaling.
Elemental Burst (Level 9) - Strong AoE nuke.
Elemental Skill (Level 9) - Integral to rotation.

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

Keqing has a cheap 40-cost burst. She rarely needs dedicated ER stats, especially with Fischl (battery) in the team.

Team Context	Weapon	ER Requirement
Double Electro (Fischl)	Any	0% - 110% (Base)
Solo Electro	Any	120% - 140%

Substat Priority:

CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG (Target 70/200+)
ATK% (Base scaling)
Elemental Mastery (Aggravate DMG - Aim for ~100-200)
Energy Recharge (Low priority)

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Role	Reasoning
4pc Thundering Fury	BiS Aggravate	Increases Aggravate DMG and reduces Skill CD. This allows Keqing to spam E more often, generating more energy and triggering more Aggravates (since E has no ICD on recast).
4pc Thundersoother	Mon/Aggravate	35% DMG Bonus against enemies with Electro aura. Consistent uptime in Electro/Dendro teams. Very strong if you have good substats.
4pc Gilded Dreams	EM/ATK	Provides lots of EM and ATK. Solid option if you don't want to farm TF.
2pc TF / 2pc ATK	Transitional	Standard mixed set. Good balance of stats.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Type	Performance	Notes
Mistsplitter Reforged	CRIT DMG	S+	Signature-tier. Massive Crit DMG and Elemental DMG bonus. Keqing stacks it fully (Normal Attack infusion + Burst + Skill).
Primordial Jade Cutter	CRIT Rate	S	Huge Crit Rate stick. Makes building artifacts extremely easy.
Lion's Roar (R5)	ATK%	S (4-Star)	Passive increases DMG against enemies affected by Electro. In Aggravate/Electro-Charged, this has 100% uptime. Beats many 5-stars at R5.
Iron Sting	EM	A (F2P)	Craftable. EM substat is great for Aggravate. Passive increases all DMG. Solid starter.

Constellation Value

Keqing's constellations are standard banner quality (aka low impact), but C4 and C6 help.

C1: Thundering Might - (Minor DMG) Skill recast deals 50% ATK AoE damage at start and end points. Small DPS increase.
C4: Attunement - (ATK Buff) Triggering Electro reactions increases ATK by 25% for 10s. Very consistent uptime in Aggravate.
C6: Tenacious Star - (Electro DMG) Abilities grant 6% Electro DMG Bonus each (Max 24%). Nice boost to overall output.

Verdict: C0 is perfectly fine. Don't chase cons, you'll lose 50/50s to her eventually.

Top Team Compositions

1. Premium Aggravate

Main DPS: Keqing
Sub-DPS: Fischl (A4 Passive abuse)
Dendro: Nahida / Baizhu / Kirara
Anemo: Kazuha / Sucrose

Why it works: Keqing applies Electro incredibly fast with N1C/Skill/Burst. This triggers Fischl's A4 passive (Lightning Smite) repeatedly. Kazuha swirls Electro for RES shred. Nahida keeps Quicken aura up. It is a rapid-fire reaction team.

2. F2P Aggravate

Main DPS: Keqing
Sub-DPS: Fischl / Beidou
Dendro: Dendro Traveler / Collei
Healer/Shield: YaoYao / Kuki Shinobu

Why it works: Same principle as above but with accessible units. Dendro MC provides long off-field Dendro app. YaoYao heals.

Rotations & Combos

Aggravate Rotation (TF):
Fischl E > Kazuha E Q > Nahida E Q > Keqing E Q E N1C N1C...

Tip: If using 4pc Thundering Fury, you can weave extra Skills (E) into your combo because the cooldown resets. E.g., EQE -> N1C -> E -> N1C. This generates more energy and i-frames.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Physical Keqing good?
No. It wastes her teleport, her burst, and her infusion. Aggravate deals significantly more damage with less stamina consumption. Only play Physical for memes or early game.

Why do I run out of stamina?
Charged Attack spam is expensive. Try mixing in Normal Attacks (N4) or using Skill/Burst to let stamina regenerate. In Aggravate, N1C (Normal 1 + Charge) is efficient.

Data Source: KQM Standards. Last Updated: December 2025

Keqing Guide: The Definitive Build & Analysis