Traveler (Hydro)

Rarity	(5-Star)
Element	Hydro
Weapon	Sword
Best Role	Sub-DPS / Pneuma Support
Stat Priority	HP% > CRIT > ER
Tier	C (Puzzle Solver)

The Hydro Traveler wields the power of Fontaine's waters. While their kit is awkward for meta combat due to stationary skills and a burst that floats away, they provide essential Pneuma-aligned damage for solving puzzles in Fontaine and offer a unique HP-draining "machine gun" playstyle.

Pros

Free Pneuma application (vital for Fontaine abyss/puzzles).
"Pew Pew" Skill (Hold E) is fun and unique.
HP Drain mechanic enables Marechaussee Hunter set.
Decent Hydro application for F2P Bloom teams.
Self-healing mechanic built into Skill.

Cons

Burst moves away from enemies (often missing completely).
Stationary while holding Skill (vulnerable to interruption).
Multipliers are relatively low compared to other Hydro units.
Skill cooldown is long without C4 shield/interruption help.

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

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

Best Artifact: 4pc Golden Troupe (Skill DMG BiS).
Alt Artifact: 4pc Marechaussee Hunter (On-Field Driver) or 4pc Emblem.
Best Weapon: Splendor of Tranquil Waters (Furina's Sword).
Alt Weapon: Primordial Jade Cutter or Wolf-Fang.
F2P Weapon: Fleuve Cendre Ferryman (The Pipe - BiS F2P).
Support Weapon: Favonius Sword (Battery).
Main Stats: SANDS: HP% | GOBLET: Hydro DMG | CIRCLET: CRIT.
Talent Priority: Elemental Skill > Elemental Burst > Normal Attack.
Top Team: Traveler + Furina + Kazuha + Baizhu (Mono Hydro).

Pro Tip: Burst Wall Blocking: Just like Anemo Traveler's tornado, the Hydro Traveler's bubble stops moving if it hits a wall or a large enemy. Try to aim it at a wall to keep the Hydro application in one spot!

Ascension & Talent Materials

Category	Material Name	Source
Ascension	Romaritime Flower	Fontaine Underwater / Salacia Plain
Boss Drop	None (Specific)	Traveler uses Gemstones from various bosses.
Talent Books	Equity / Justice / Order	Fontaine Domain (Rotates required type per level)
Common Mob	Transoceanic Pearl	Fontemer Aberrants

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Elemental Skill: Aquacrest Saber

Tap: Unleashes a torrent of water forward. Pneuma energy is released.
Hold (Pew Pew Mode): Enters Aiming Mode and rapidly fires "Dewdrops" at enemies.
HP Mechanic: If HP > 50%, firing dewdrops consumes HP but deals bonus damage.
Suffusion: If you lose HP while holding, the final slash damage increases.

Elemental Burst: Rising Waters

Cost: 80 Energy | Cooldown: 20s
The Bubble: Creates a floating bubble that deals AoE Hydro DMG.
Movement: The bubble moves slowly away from the character. If it hits enemies, it passes through them (C0) or slows down (C2).
Hydro App: Good for applying Hydro to large groups if you can position it correctly.

Passive: Spotless Waters

Self-Heal: When the "Dewdrops" hit an enemy, they generate "Sourcewater Droplets" (Note: These are only for the Traveler, Neuvillette cannot use them). Picking them up heals the Traveler, sustaining the Hold E drain.

Talent Priority Order:

Elemental Skill (Level 9) - Main damage source in "Pew Pew" builds.
Elemental Burst (Level 8) - Secondary damage.
Normal Attack (Level 1) - Ignore.

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

High ER is needed if you want to use the Burst, though Skill-only builds can ignore it.

Team Context	Weapon	ER Requirement
Solo Hydro	Favonius Sword	200% - 220%
Double Hydro (w/ Neuvillette)	Any	150% - 160%
Skill Only (No Burst)	Any	0%

Substat Priority:

HP% (Damage scales on HP)
CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG (Target 60/120+)
Energy Recharge (If using Burst)
ATK% (Much less effective than HP)

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Role	Reasoning
4pc Golden Troupe	BiS Skill	Boosts Skill DMG by 70%. Since the "Pew Pew" mode counts as Elemental Skill damage, this is the strongest set for personal damage.
4pc Marechaussee Hunter	On-Field	The Skill drains HP constantly, meaning you get 36% Crit Rate for free. Excellent if you use him/her on-field to shoot.
4pc Emblem of Severed Fate	Burst Support	If you only care about the Burst, this helps with ER needs and buffs the bubble damage.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Type	Performance	Notes
Fleuve Cendre Ferryman	ER%	S+ (F2P)	Fishing Pipe. Gives massive 16% Crit Rate to Skill and extra ER. Fits the kit perfectly.
Wolf-Fang	CRIT Rate	S (BP)	Boosts Skill/Burst Crit Rate and DMG. Very strong for the "Pew Pew" build.
Festering Desire	ER%	S (Legacy)	If you played in 1.2, this is amazing. Similar to the Pipe but with Skill DMG bonus.
Splendor of Tranquil Waters	CRIT DMG	S+	Furina's sword. The HP fluctuation from Skill triggers the passive. Best 5-star option.

Constellation Value

Traveler constellations are free (Fontaine statues/quest).

C2: Trickle-Down Justice - (Speed) The bubble (Burst) movement speed is decreased by 30% and duration extended by 3s. Makes the burst slightly more usable.
C4: Pouring Descent - (Shield) Using Skill grants a Hydro shield for 10% of Max HP. Helps prevent interruption while aiming.
C6: Tides of Justice - (Heal) When picking up a Droplet, heals the nearest party member for 6% HP based on their Max HP. Adds minor team utility.

Verdict: C2 is the most important fix for the burst mechanics.

Top Team Compositions

1. Neuvillette Support

Main DPS: Neuvillette
Battery: Hydro Traveler
Buffer: Furina
Anemo: Kazuha

Why it works: Hydro MC provides Hydro Resonance (+25% HP) and generates particles. It's a budget option if you lack other Hydro units.

2. F2P Nilou Bloom

Core: Nilou
Hydro: Hydro Traveler
Dendro: Collei / Dendro MC
Healer: Barbara

Why it works: If you really want to run Nilou but lack other Hydro options (Xingqiu/Yelan are busy), Hydro MC can apply enough hydro to generate cores, though it is clunky.

Rotations & Combos

Burst Rotation:
Aim toward wall > Traveler Q > Swap

Skill Rotation:
Hold E (Pew Pew) until HP drops > Pick up Droplets

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the burst move?
It's a design choice (flaw). To counter this, try to position yourself so the bubble hits a wall or a boss enemy, which will stop it from moving away.

Dendro vs. Hydro MC?
Dendro MC is vastly superior meta-wise. Hydro MC is mostly for fun, lore lovers, or Pneuma puzzles in Fontaine.

Data Source: KQM Standards. Last Updated: December 2025

Traveler (Hydro) Guide: The Definitive Build & Analysis