Taoqi’s Playstyle: Defensive Mastery and Counter-Attacks

Taoqi is a standout character in Wuthering Waves, boasting a unique playstyle that emphasizes defense and precise counter-attacks. While she may not be the fastest or the hardest-hitting Resonator in the game, players who invest the time to understand her mechanics will find her to be an invaluable asset to their team. This guide will take you through the basics of playing Taoqi, focusing on her abilities, optimal builds, and strategies to get the most out of her defensive and burst damage capabilities.

Taoqi sets herself apart from other characters through her unique defensive toolkit. Unlike many other Resonators who rely on high damage output, Taoqi’s strength lies in her ability to shield and counter incoming attacks. Her core mechanic revolves around gaining and utilizing Rocksteady Shield charges to create Resolving Caliber, the source of her empowered hits. This makes her a perfect quick-swap character, ideal for players who enjoy a more methodical, timing-based playstyle.

When playing Taoqi, the primary goal is to manage her Rocksteady Shield charges and convert them into Resolving Caliber for powerful counter-attacks. Here’s the optimal sequence to follow:

• Cast Resonance Skill to gain 3 Rocksteady Shield charges.
• Secure hits or let Taoqi take damage to convert these charges into Resolving Caliber.
• Parry attacks with Heavy Attack: Strategic Parry or Resonance Skill, then follow up with light attacks to consume Resolving Caliber for increased damage.

This cadence ensures that Taoqi remains a potent defender while still contributing significant burst damage when needed. Additionally, filling up her Concerto Energy before swapping her out can provide a beneficial damage-deepen effect to the next character on the field, maximizing your team’s overall damage output.

Best Builds for Taoqi

Despite being slower and more cumbersome compared to other characters, Taoqi can be incredibly tanky and deliver strong bursts of damage with the right build. Her primary attribute is DEF, meaning even the best weapons that primarily boost ATK may not be as valuable for her. Here’s a closer look at the optimal tools and Echoes for Taoqi:

Weapon Choice

The weapon Discord is an excellent choice for Taoqi, especially if you prefer a quick-swap playstyle. Its passive ability regenerates Concerto Energy each time a Resonance Skill is triggered, enabling frequent skill rotations. However, note that using Discord will trade off some damage as it does not enhance Taoqi’s DEF or crit stats. For those looking to maximize her defense, other weapons that boost DEF should be considered.

Echo Set

For Echo Sets, players have two good options: Moonlit Clouds and Rejuvenating Glow. Both sets enhance Taoqi’s ability to buff the damage output of the next teammate, complementing her quick-swap playstyle beautifully. When it comes to stat priorities, focus on maximising:

• DEF and DEF%
• Havoc DMG Bonus
• Basic Attack DMG
• Resonance Liberation DMG
• Crit Rate
• Crit DMG

For her active Echo, the Bell-Borne Geochelone is an excellent choice. It lowers incoming damage and boosts the outgoing damage of the on-field character, making it ideal for a defensive specialist like Taoqi.

Skill Prioritization

Given that Taoqi derives most of her power from empowered basic attacks and perfect parries, leveling up her Forte Circuit first is a must. Following this up with her resonance skill will improve shielding and healing, while her resonance liberation should be focused next on enhancing her burst damage.

Skill Order

1. Forte Circuit
2. Resonance Skill
3. Resonance Liberation
4. Basic Attack
5. Intro Skill

Though acquiring Taoqi's Wavebands will significantly boost her effectiveness, players can still reap plenty of benefits from her toolkit without them.

Strategies and Final Tips

Taoqi’s playstyle revolves around patience and precise timing. It’s essential to master her parry mechanics, as effective parrying greatly amplifies her damage output. Additionally, makes frequent use of her Resonance Skill to maintain Rocksteady Shield charges and generate Resolving Caliber. This not only keeps her defensive capabilities high but also ensures she can contribute offensively when needed.

Another key aspect is team synergy. Taoqi shines when paired with characters who can take advantage of the DMG Deepen effect she provides upon filling her Concerto Energy. Consider pairing her with high-damage characters like Danjin or Calcharo to maximize your team’s potential.

By understanding and implementing these strategies, you can turn Taoqi into a formidable anchor for your team, providing both robust defense and surprising bursts of damage. Though there is a learning curve involved, mastering Taoqi can offer a rewarding and unique gameplay experience in Wuthering Waves.